Generating electricity via the prop shaft Issue 108: May/June 2016 When we are anchored for any period of time, our solar panels and wind generator pretty much keep up with our power needs. On a passa...
First dodger, then bimini, and then the whole caboodle Issue 109 : Jul/Aug 2016 We were motorsailing north along the rugged California coast, fighting a headwind and a strong current. Our ride became ...
A critical conduit fails in old age Issue 109 : Jul/Aug 2016 Buried in the bottom of the hull, the stern tube is one of those invisible parts of a boat that rarely calls attention to itself. When it d...
A bespoke table for those who like to sit in steerage Issue 109 : Jul/Aug 2016 Whenever I sense an opportunity to improve comfort aboard our Islander 36 or to enhance our experience while cruising, I ...
A hierarchy that puts the coolest at the bottom Issue 109 : Jul/Aug 2016 When sailing our 1978 Hughes 26 up and down the Strait of Georgia between Vancouver Island and the mainland, we rely on ice in ...
A flopper stopper makes untenable anchorages amenable Issue 109 : Jul/Aug 2016 We were anchored in Resolution Bay on the island of Tanna, Republic of Vanuatu. Although we had arrived only that morning...
If it ain’t broke, it just needs cleaning and painting Issue 111: Nov/Dec 2016 The inspiration to rebuild, rather than replace, the non-functioning Whale Gusher 10 bilge pump on our Ericson 31 had two...
It opens and closes with a throttle lever Issue 110 : Sept/Oct 2016 I’m one of those sailors who likes to keep seacocks closed when they’re not in use. My problem was that the inlet valve for the head...
A car trunk organizer brings order to misfit stowages Issue 110 : Sept/Oct 2016 Aboard Stingray, I use a padded car trunk organizer to keep gear organized, secure, and accessible in deep lockers or in...
The humble boathook performs a clever rope trick Issue 110 : Sept/Oct 2016 I have recently come across several gadgets that, when affixed to a boathook, hold a loop of line so it can be dropped over a...
Spaces between deck beams beg to be filled Issue 110 : Sept/Oct 2016 On vessels with well-defined deck beams, the spaces between the beams can be ideal sites for hinge-down storage lockers. And when s...
Instant desk space: a liveaboard writer’s muse Issue 110 : Sept/Oct 2016 Living on a 34-foot cruising boat requires being flexible, comfortable with small spaces, and doing a lot with a little. Being ...
Making two wires do the work of three Issue 110 : Sept/Oct 2016 While I have never seen it in a physics textbook, I think there is an electrical law particular to good old boats. I call it Churchill’s...
Don’t be shocked by aging insulation Issue 110 : Sept/Oct 2016 When we were in Patagonia a few years back, we tied up at a marina in Puerto Montt for several weeks. We dug out our power cables a...
A pillow block put its troubles to rest Issue 110: Sept/Oct 2016 A disadvantage of owning a semi-custom boat is that there is no manufacturer to call on for help in resolving matters that are specific...
Durable, reusable, inexpensive, and full of light Issue 110: Sept/Oct 2016 When we put our Hunter 30 up for sale, my wife, Margi, and I decided to cover it to protect it and keep it clean. Although we...
GOB’s troubadour tests conductors with an electric baton Issue 111: Nov/Dec 2016 As part of a major refit of our Tartan 37, Higher Porpoise, we decided to replace all the in-mast conductors whil...
Banish the hazing, crazing rays of summer Issue 111: Nov/Dec 2016 Under the relentless glare of UV, crisp sails turn to fragile rags, shiny paint dulls, and clear plastic windows become hazy and craze...
Inexpensive pipe fittings beat the cost of custom Issue 111: Nov/Dec 2016 On a beautiful March weekend in the Pacific Northwest, my partner, Fiona, and I decided to go for a cruise aboard MonArk, our ...
Hard labor and a little luck restore order Issue 111: Nov/Dec 2016 I was staring at the rivulet of diesel forming a pool near the fuel tank. “Well, we knew it was bound to happen sooner or later,” sai...
Removing drawers leads to safer plumbing Issue 111: Nov/Dec 2016 We bought our Mariner 28, Day by Day, in 2014, downsizing from our Corbin 39 as a concession to our advancing years and the desire for ...
Trays organize the upper regions of deep lockers Issue 111: Nov/Dec 2016 Cavernous lockers are handy when you have something bulky to stash: a spare sail, a sun awning, or a folding grocery cart. But ...
Reinsulating means rebuilding Issue 111: Nov/Dec 2016 As is the case aboard many good old boats, the refrigerator/freezer insulation aboard Nine of Cups, our 1986 Liberty, was less than perfect. Our c...
Unwanted portlights left holes to patch Issue 111: Nov/Dec 2016 Over dinner one evening aboard their Allmand 31, Here & Now, our friends mentioned wanting to replace the boat’s portlights. They pl...
No more huffing and puffing when stuffing Issue 112: Jan/Feb 2017 As an amateur cushion-maker for multiple sailboats, I enjoyed Connie McBride’s article in the March 2016 issue, “Building Settee Cushi...
A stubborn small task is done at last Issue 112: Jan/Feb 2017 When we purchased our 1976 Ontario 32 sailboat a few years ago, we knew she needed a refit. Most of the tasks on our to-do list, from larg...
When water pipes reach the end of the line Issue 112: Jan/Feb 2017 The plastic freshwater plumbing that had been in my Down East 45 schooner, Britannia, since 1977 was a horrible spaghetti-like mess a...
. . . and replaced with mixed results Issue 112: Jan/Feb 2017 I have lost rudders five times over the course of owning two different boats, each time for a different reason, each time requiring a diff...
A rudder head succumbs to its mixed-metal construction Issue 112: Jan/Feb 2017 As the proud new owner of a 1985 Gloucester 22, I’m taking time to go over her thoroughly and return her to near-pristine...
Tired, sole-scorching teak decking gets the heave-ho Issue 112: Jan/Feb 2017 “You’re delirious — come out of the sun right now!” my wife, Heidi, called to me from the shade of the cockpit. For the rec...
