Having capitulated, here’s how to raise the waterl...
September 25, 2026
New engine or rebuild? And should you install it yourself? Chances are your boat is like a member of the family. You could no more dispose of it than sell your only child. But, inevitably, the day arr...
Tips on how to extract the old one and install the new one. In the September/October issue of Good Old Boat, we discussed the decisions to be made when the inevitable day comes that your power plant n...
Ted Brewer explains how racing rules affected seaworthiness – but not always for the better The purpose of any rating rule is to enable yachts of different sizes to race together fairly. Without...
Common on many newer stock boats, pushpit or stern pulpit seating is a great addition to any good old boat as well. The pushpit is the stainless steel framework aft of the cockpit. It’s an impor...
It bakes bread, makes hearty soups, distills water, and holds the kids’ “critters.” Who could ask for more? Long, long ago in another lifetime far, far away – well, 17 years ag...
Starting in a garage, cousins Clinton and Everett Pearson initiated an era in yachting history It’s a familiar story to sailing buffs. The Pearson cousins, Clinton and Everett, began the modern ...
When your good old back’s not up to it anymore, let a windlass do the donkey work It’s strange how much difficulty we owners of older boats have in finding $500 to $1,000 to replace an old...
Superstition got you down? John Vigor offers tips for renaming your boat and keeping it lucky I once knew a man in Florida who told me he’d owned 24 different yachts and renamed every single one...
Don Moyer didn’t start out to become the Atomic 4 guru, he just loved ‘messing about with engines,’ and an Atomic 4 was the engine he had … the rest, as they say, is history In...
You may not be able to win the war, but you can win occasional battles. Regardless of the odds, you must fight! Now’s the time to meet your opponent. It’s the ultimate mismatch: you versus...
In a previously published article, I touched upon the use of a quick and easy way for the lone sailor to raise or lower the mast on the typical small cruiser. Ensuing months brought a number of inquir...
Guidelines for evaluating and installing wet exhausts The most popular sailboat exhaust system today is a wet exhaust system which includes a waterlift muffler. This system offers many advantages and ...
Take the pain out of the main, make your own lazy-jacks The easiest way for the shorthanded sailor to control the mainsail when reefing or stowing is a set of well-fitted lazy-jacks. Lazy-jacks are ma...
A 27-year-old outboard starts a newer, deeper life. I bought Brushfire, my 1975 San Juan 24, from the Sea Scouts. Before I agreed to the deal, the Sea Scouts offered to throw in an outboard as a sweet...
Ted Brewer reviews the ins and outs and ups and downs of keel design The purpose of a keel, fin, or centerboard is to provide resistance to making leeway; in effect, to keep the yacht from sliding sid...
Use a riding sail to steady your boat at anchor You’re all settled in for the night in that well-protected cove, when the wind picks up. What had been a nice quiet anchorage is now alive with mo...
As you are aware, proper helm balance is a very desirable factor on a sailing yacht and can make the difference between a craft that is enjoyable to sail and one that has a helm that would rupture a g...
Controlling your environment makes you a better, safer sailor As a person to whom quality time and time aboard are synonymous, I often daydream of idyllic passages through tropical seas with steady tr...
Picture a hot, windless Sunday afternoon as you power home on a glassy sea. Suddenly your engine slows and stops or overheats. Today of all days! You really did not need this, and it could have all be...
While economics favor the sloop, other rigs have much to offer The history of the fore-and-aft rig is a fascinating one. It is particularly interesting when you realize that two of the earliest fore-a...
The epoxy “cure” One of the most annoying problems that can occur on a sailboat is a leak in the diesel fuel tank. If you don’t have the time, expertise, or courage to attempt to rep...
What to look for when buying your Dream Boat In the nautical lexicon, it seems these three words – good old boats – always go together. Some of the most aesthetically pleasing designs from...
Handholds are an easy and inexpensive way to increase your security afloat Dodgers are not necessary – that is, if you’re a masochist or a Spartan who enjoys being hit in the face with wat...
Check the pros and cons before you decide which tender is right for you The age-old question of what dinghy is best will never find a universal answer. Each boating situation has too many variables to...
Sailor and writer Webb Chiles is credited with saying something to the effect that when the engine in his boat died he was set free – no maintenance chores, no need to get fuel, no more worries ...
A clean look at the “dirty” half dozen Pros and cons of the six main fuels for galley stoves When it comes to choosing a marine stove fuel there is rarely anyone completely happy with the choice. All ...
Building your own (leakproof!) classic hatch When Mary and I bought our 1965 Alberg 30 we knew that replacing the forward hatch was going to be one of many projects. Down below there was no indication...
At an age when many sailors retire, sell the house, move aboard, and go cruising, my wife, Dee, and I built a house, sold the boat, moved ashore for the first time in 25 years, and started a business....
Catalina Yachts: One big family Call the Woodland Hills headquarters of Catalina Yachts in California, and one thing strikes you right away about the choices the telephone answering system offers you....
Planning for an unplanned inversion Capsize: how it happens, and what you can do to survive it When Isabelle Autissier’s 60-foot racer capsized in the Southern Ocean, it sent a chill of fear thr...
