BOSUN’S BAG

FIDDLES

hatever your vessel, the fiddle rails probably came as part of the package. If she’s a one-off, they may work fine, but decades of disappointment with production craft have led me to the conclusion that some of the well-meaning folk who fit them out have never been to sea. Nominal fiddles rely largely on that magic non-slip material to take up some of the slack in moderate conditions. This fabric is a tremendous innovation and far superior to the traditional wet tea towel, but if you’re building a boat from scratch or enjoying the benefits