FISHING LINE CLARIFICATION
I am writing to ask for more information about an article, For Whom The Bait Trolls by Charles J. Doane (May). It describes a setup for fishing while on a passage that I cannot seem to visualize. Could you provide a sketch or picture of how the line is rigged? — Bill Roberts, Irvine, CA Happy to oblige! These photos should clarify things. The first one shows my handline on a cockpit floor with both ends exposed. The working end has two rubber squid lures crimped onto 200lb monofilament. The other end is a bungee cord with a snaphook on it. None of the line is attached to the plastic yo-yo (on which it is coiled when stowed, as shown), and the yo-yo is set aside when the line is deployed.
The second photo shows the line deployed. The clothespin is clipped onto the monofilament right where it is lashed on to the end of the bungee cord (the monofilament leading aft behind the boat is not visible here) and holds it on a lifeline D-ring on the pulpit rail. The bungee cord is left hanging in a loose bight, with its snaphook clipped on to a lifeline. When a fish hits the lure, the clothespin pops off, and the line and bungee cord go taut. The loose bight of bungee and its great elasticity absorb the shock of the strike.
— Charles J. Doane
KEEPING IT LIGHT
Your June article, Light Air Sailing by Rupert Holmes was excellent. We could have used these tips while sailing an overnight race from Milford, Connecticut to Faulkners Island and back. We had nice winds till we got to Faulkners, but as it got dark, the wind dropped to nothing. When dawn arrived and the tide turned back toward the finish line, we all started drifting with the tide. Using incense sticks to find any air, we realized that the apparent wind created by the 3 or 4 knot tide was filling our sails. This enabled us to increase our speed over ground even more than the current; a rare but memorable experience. — Will Finch, Reading, MA Want to share something with other readers? Write to us at sailmail@sailmagazine.com. Letters may be edited for brevity.