Having capitulated, here’s how to raise the waterl...
September 25, 2026
This simple upgrade stands the test of time Issue 56 : Sept/Oct 2007 During cruising summers here in the Pacific Northwest, we practically live in the cockpit. The textured non-skid fiberglass sole of...
An often-neglected, but vital, part of auxiliary care Issue 56 : Sept/Oct 2007 If your auxiliary engine is to age gracefully while performing well, two things must be constantly controlled: friction a...
Upgrading the ceiling of a Pearson 365 Issue 56 : Sept/Oct 2007 As she came from the factory several decades ago, the starboard side of Maruska, my 1976 Pearson 365, had fiberglass panels trimmed with...
An enduring family daysailer and one-design racer Issue 56 : Sept/Oct 2007 In 1962, Pearson Yachts of Bristol, Rhode Island, introduced the 22-foot 6-inch Ensign. Noted naval architect Carl Alberg dev...
What you need and how to use it Issue 56 : Sept/Oct 2007 Fire extinguishers are classified by letters and numbers, depending on the class and size of the fire they are designed to handle. The letter, ...
There are things money can’t buy Issue 56 : Sept/Oct 2007 Haabet, a Pearson Ariel, was listed in Soundings for several months. The owner was asking $12,000 initially and after three months had come do...
Carving a stern nameboard is easier than you think Issue 56 : Sept/Oct 2007 For saltiness and elegance, few things beat a hand-carved nameboard gracing the stern of a proper yacht. Having one made is ...
An innocent book changes their lives Issue 56 : Sept/Oct 2007 Christmas 1990. One gift, Innocuous enough in size and position in the pile of carefully chosen wrapped packages might well have been shim...
This Rhodes Bounty II finds a safe home Issue 56 : Sept/Oct 2007 Dear Bob, A fine sea breeze is whistling down the companionway as I write this. The sun is setting but it’ll be in the 70s overnight. A...
Make that deck safe again Issue 56 : Sept/Oct 2007 When it was time to apply the non-skid to the deck of my Fuji 32, I was looking at a blank canvas. Deck repairs, coupled with an ineffective existing...
Evaluating individual boats Issue 56 : Sept/Oct 2007 This excerpt from Beth Leonard’s new book, The Voyager’s Handbook, second edition, is the second of a three-part series with a focus on selecting t...
An old gaffer waits patiently for a love affair Issue 56 : Sept/Oct 2007 Here’s a good old boat in my marina. She turned up maybe a year ago. For the first couple of months she was there, I kept...
A reusable all-weather cover for a Bristol 30 Issue 56 : Sept/Oct 2007 I never like the wooden frames for sailboat winter storage. To me, they look kind of sloppy and seem to chafe the tarp. It also s...
Build yourself a comfortable place for boatwork Issue 56 : Sept/Oct 2007 I needed a work canopy that would provide a dry, comfortable place to work on a 50-foot restoration project and I did not want ...
The big sister to a pair of classic cruisers is one Tough Old Bird Issue 56 : Sept/Oct 2007 Whether they’ve actually sailed one or not, most sailors have a soft spot in their hearts for the clas...
It’s helpful — but there’s no absolute certainty Issue 56 : Sept/Oct 2007 We were following the channel behind the breakwater from Prince Arthur’s Landing Marina, heading toward the entrance to Thunde...
One of those times to think of seasons and cycles Issue 57 : Nov/Dec 2007 It’s a funny thing, the way we decide that certain days are unlike other days. I thought about this as I began powering ...
That’s the question. But is there an answer? Issue 57 : Nov/Dec 2007 Very early in the life of Good Old Boat magazine I learned to regret publishing any material about knots. Knots are difficult to un...
Closing his shop conjures up decades of memories Issue 57 : Nov/Dec 2007 Why am I crying? It’s my husband’s shop that we’re dismantling after 21 years, and he’s the one with the whit...
A cheap alternative to the washdown pump Issue 57 : Nov/Dec 2007 Washdown pumps are great when a muddy anchor chain comes aboard. But there is a cheaper alternative. I took two scrub brushes and linke...
Being kind to your outboard engine Issue 57 : Nov/Dec 2007 Low-powered yacht tender outboards are often overworked and under-serviced. They rarely, if ever, enjoy a thorough freshwater flush. This can...
Simple solution for hard-to-reach stowage Issue 57 : Nov/Dec 2007 Odd-shaped and difficult-to-reach stowage compartments present challenges to stowing and retrieving gear aboard. On Ariel, our 1979 Ca...
A simple way to mute that midnight noise Issue 57 : Nov/Dec 2007 Nothing spoils a good night’s sleep more than the occasional rattling of cabinet sliding doors — usually in the galley or head en...
Remove old finishes an easier way Issue 57 : Nov/Dec 2007 I made a conscious decision when we purchased our good old boat: it would have the minimum of wood trim on the exterior. Maybe it was too many...
A better idea for a singlehander’s ladder Issue 57 : Nov/Dec 2007 One afternoon, contemplating the fate of the solo sailor who winds up in the near-freezing waters of Puget Sound, I took Hervey Garret...
Two efforts to save old boats from our landfills Issue 57 : Nov/Dec 2007 This is the first of a two-part series about sailors who fall in love with old boats, particularly those made of wood, and are ...
Updating skills learned in childhood Issue 57 : Nov/Dec 2007 Until recently the majority of my sailing experience took place between the ages of nine and 16 aboard my father’s 17-foot Siren, Running F...
Famous mini-cruiser’s lines updated for home builders Issue 61: July/Aug 2008 Some years ago, when I was building boats on Orcas Island in the San Juan Archipelago north of Seattle, I considered the p...
Simple solar-heated system is gravity-fed Issue 57 : Nov/Dec 2007 It’s known as the “Shower Dilemma.” Most pocket cruisers and older boats are not equipped with the luxury of a hot, freshw...
A dinghy that delighted family generations Issue 61: July/Aug 2008 In April 1959, I bought a new 10-foot, fiberglass sailboat of the Sprite Class from the O’Day Corporation for $450, complete with sai...
