General KnowledgeHow-To Guides
Foundational sailing and marine know-how in one place — plain-English explainers on how your boat’s main systems fit together, key terms, unit conversions, and the basics every sailor should know.
Start with an overview of the main gear categories and how they work. Read the full General Knowledge overview ↓
General Knowledge for Sailors
General Knowledge is our plain-language reference hub for how a sailboat and its gear actually work. Instead of focusing on a single product, these guides explain the big picture — how the main categories of equipment relate, what common terms mean, and the fundamentals that make every other decision easier.
What does General Knowledge cover?
This section brings together cross-cutting topics that don’t belong to one product category: overviews of the main gear categories, sailing and rigging terminology, metric-to-imperial conversions, seamanship basics, and seasonal tasks like commissioning and winter storage. It’s the place to start if you’re new to a system or want a refresher before diving into a specific guide.
Where should I start?
Begin with Main Categories Info for a guided tour of how a sailboat’s systems are organized — hardware, rigging, sails, electronics, and more — then follow the links into the detailed how-to guides for each area.
Who writes these guides?
Every guide is produced by the MAURIPRO Sailing team, drawing on more than two decades as a dedicated, sailing-only chandlery serving cruisers and racers worldwide.
Explore the topics below to build a solid foundation, then dive into the category guides to put it into practice.