Having capitulated, here’s how to raise the waterl...
September 25, 2026
Issue 152: Sept/Oct 2023 As we approached the marina in downtown Poulsbo, trees clad in brilliant orange, gold, and red leaves along the town’s waterfront came into view. It was a spectacular fall wee...
After a lifetime of sailing, an ideal last boat creates enduring memories Issue 153: Nov/Dec 2023 There are many resources for learning how to sail. It is a fascinating subject with so many things to ...
Creating usable storage in a deep galley locker Issue 153: Nov/Dec 2023 “Got it.” I wiggled out backward from my shoulderdown position inside the locker, clutching a bag of blueberry muffin mix. I fou...
The late Gordon Lightfoot’s ’70s-era Ericson gets a proper rig and hull refit Issue 153: Nov/Dec 2023 The calls, emails, and texts started coming in to my wife, Lisa, and me on the evening of Ma...
Giving an old galley a fresh face Issue 153: Nov/Dec 2023 “We’ll just have to try and squeeze it in,” I said pleadingly, trying to convince my wife to pack one more thing into our already overpacked c...
Installing a foot pump in the galley is a great way to save water Issue 153: Nov/Dec 2023 On many sailboats, the biggest use of fresh water is for washing dishes, which was the case on our 1993 Moody ...
Memories of food and boats swirl together, powerfully evoking time and place Issue 153: Nov/Dec 2023 Eating while afloat ranks among my greatest pleasures, with the old saw about salt air quickening t...
An engine failure prompts an unexpected road journey through three states Issue 153: Nov/Dec 2023 I was pushing up the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) approaching mile 403 when the engine quit. Again. I w...
A lack of insulation leads to a fridge overhaul and new stylish countertops Issue 153: Nov/Dec 2023 When my husband, Chris, and I were first looking at boats in 2018, we were young college students in...
Grimsby to Georgian Bay, and why you should never bring bananas on board Issue 153: Nov/Dec 2023 In the cold days of January 2023, my wife and I made the move from Hamilton to Barrie, Ontario. There w...
A DIY cutting board that works in the marina, underway or at anchor Issue 153: Nov/Dec 2023 I love it when a piece of boat gear has multiple uses. One favorite example is an angled cutting board I spo...
A pert little catboat for daysailing and napping Issue 153: Nov/Dec 2023 Bob Ryan, 75, handed me his business card at Dock on the Bay Marina on Longboat Key, Florida. Below his name was his occupation...
A serendipitous spotting of a family’s first boat sparks a nostalgic mystery Issue 154: Jan/Feb 2024 I’d like to think most people have experienced déjà vu, that odd feeling that you are reexper...
How 3D printing can help create new or replacement parts aboard Issue 154: Jan/Feb 2024 As an engineer, I’ve been intently watching 3D printing technology develop over the last decade. At its inceptio...
A simple DIY pump system can keep your bilge dry Issue 154: Jan/Feb 2024 “Ask me about my E.L.D.,” my friend says. What, you are probably wondering, is an E.L.D.? Admittedly, it’s just an acronym I ca...
A satisfying solution to a difficult problem Issue 154: Jan/Feb 2024 Haulouts are always a somewhat anxious time. Sailors develop a plan and a list of tasks we want to accomplish to maintain or improv...
Rebedding a cabin top eyebrow to solve a pesky leak Issue 154: Jan/Feb 2024 Winter covers come off boats late up here in Maine, leaving a short, often cold window to get ready for launch. Last year, b...
Nasty weather provides a curtain call for a memorable cruise Issue 154: Jan/Feb 2024 I knew the last storm was coming. I’d been checking the forecast daily on my C. Crane pocket weather radio. My wife...
Finding a sensible solution to an alternator’s persistent overheating problem Issue 154: Jan/Feb 2024 Over the years, and with two different small diesels working in the tight quarters of the engine c...
How to fend off or fix an onboard termite infestation Issue 154: Jan/Feb 2024 “Surely it can’t be that bad,” I mumbled to myself as I tapped the hollow-sounding plywood with a screwdriver. Seconds lat...
Taking inspiration to create a more functional and gooseneck-friendly vang/preventer Issue 154: Jan/Feb 2024 I started sailing as an adult and honed my skills racing on San Francisco Bay aboard other ...
A fast and comfortable racer-cruiser that has stood the test of time Issue 154: Jan/Feb 2024 While on vacation in Mexico, Debbie Bulk dreamed of a better way to see local village life away from the re...
When it comes to sailboats, bigger isn’t always better. Issue 155: March/April 2024 “Buy a bigger boat.” That’s the refrain we’ve often heard from friends and family. The reason: Finn, our Barnstable ...
An inexpensive cure for a crowded cockpit Issue 155: March/April 2024 We are seasonal sailors on the Great Lakes, and summer is a time for having fun with our family and friends. We love having guests...
A cruise leads to a harrowing experience and an important lesson for newbie sailors. Issue 155: March/April 2024 It all started when I found an available mooring just a few yards’ walk from our beach ...
A solution for smaller boats and sensitive waters Issue 155: March/April 2024 Let’s be honest — toilets aboard small boats are tricky and can be icky. My first cruisable boat, a Stiletto 27, had a che...
A clever solution for raising a mast on a small boat Issue 155: March/April 2024 I have a renovated/repurposed 17-foot Thistle trailer-sailer named Transmogrifier for daysailing and beach cruising (se...
When the right boat proves elusive, a sailor tackles a major overhaul. Issue 155: March/April 2025 My search for the ideal beach cruiser started several years ago, when I decided to compete in the Eve...
The little boat that could Issue 155: March/April 2024 In an era of increasingly bigger boats, sometimes it’s the smaller vessels that steal the show — like our beloved Fatty Knees 8 dinghy. Despite i...
