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...
. . . 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...
Protect bright-finished handrails with snap-on covers Issue 112: Jan/Feb 2017 Teak handrails are not just functional, they add a beautiful, classic aesthetic to a sailboat, especially when the teak is...
When less than perfect is bright enough Issue 114: May/June 2017 About an hour after I put what I hoped was the last layer of varnish on some of Nurdle’s brightwork, it started to rain. The rain was f...
Keep ahead of it and never look back Issue 115: July/Aug 2017 We’d neglected the bottom of our boat for a month and the warm Mexican waters had transformed our sleek hull into a furry ecosystem teemin...
Jet it off with a homemade washdown wand Issue 115: July/Aug 2017 Dirty rode in an anchor locker can make a mess and get to smelling pretty foul. A clean rode is especially desirable when an anchor lo...
Is it real? Is it laminate? No, it’s paint! Issue 116: Sept/Oct 2017 My good old boat is a 1979 San Juan 28, a plastic production-line IOR fin-keeler. When I had her hauled one recent fall for a multi...
Years and years of antifouling succumb to chemical stripping Issue 117: Nov/Dec 2017 After a pressure washing at the boatyard, the hull of our new-to-us Morgan 382 did not present a pretty picture. Wh...
Getting a grip on a tired molded-in deck surface Issue 117: Nov/Dec 2017 My 26-foot Paceship, Pelorus, was built with non-skid molded into the deck in a cross-hatch pattern rather like a gun grip. Lot...
Don’t be sidelined by bad bearings Issue 117: Nov/Dec 2017 Two hours into the 3-hour drive to Virginia’s Ware River Yacht Club, where I was taking my Chrysler Mutineer 15 to race in the Governor’s Cup...
The guardians of the through-hull fell down on the job Issue 118: Jan/Feb 2018 Fifteen years of world cruising and my wife, Ellen, and I were now gliding along the Sassafras River on Chesapeake Bay’s ...
Banishing wet balsa, one stanchion at a time Issue 119: March/April 2018 When we bought our 1977 Pearson 365 sloop several years ago, the surveyor noted elevated moisture readings around just about ev...
Reverse the ravages of age or accidents Issue 121: July/Aug 2018 Deck hatches are great for the light and air flow they allow below, and it’s nice to see through them. Unfortunately, subjected to ultr...
With careful planning, a rudder can be unshipped and refitted in the water Issue 123: Nov/Dec 2018 The lengths that sailors go to avoid hauling out range from the ingenious to the ridiculous. Friends ...
Banish the black bane with a simple chemical brew Issue 124: Jan/Feb 2019 As near as I can tell, boating consists of one part blue lagoons and white sails and two parts painting the bottom, fixing eng...
Issue 140: Sept/Oct 2021 Buffing can help or hinder. Doing a good job buffing vinyl windows requires considerable effort and patience, and it is quite possible to make things worse. I recommend not tr...
Properly maintaining dodger and enclosure windows is a lot trickier than it looks. Issue 140: Sept/Oct 2021 Perhaps the most fragile and vexing part of any boat’s exterior is the clear vinyl material ...
Here’s how to give your old ropes a new life. Issue 140: Sept/Oct 2021 Every sailor has gazed longingly upon the rack of shiny new ropes at the local chandlery, admiring the smooth finishes and ...
A dreamy cruise is interrupted when the head calls it quits. Issue 142: Jan/Feb 2022 A number of years ago, my family and I sailed Dreamer, the first of two Islander Bahama 30s we’ve owned, from the V...
The right decision about finishing an aluminum mast can be key to your rig’s longevity. Issue 148: Jan/Feb 2023 Sailboats would be nothing without their sails, but even less without masts to hold them...
Helping a classic Alberg come to life as a racer-cruiser Issue 149: March/April 2023 Sailing — moving a craft through the water using the wind’s energy — is a magical experience. Witness the var...
Regulating copper-leaching rates of antifouling paints may be better than banning them Issue 149: March/April 2023 Copper is lethal to many marine organisms. That’s why it works. Antifouling paints re...
Determined to reduce his environmental impact, a sailor seeks an alternative to ablative-based antifouling paint Issue 149: March/April 2023 Several years ago, my wife and I were cruising the Bahamas ...
How to transform that lukewarm solar shower into heated comfort Issue 149: March/April 2023 Like many sailors, I have a sun shower solar hot water heater. Over the years, I’ve found that it work...
The right products and technique are key to separating those stubbornly cemented parts Issue 151: July/Aug 2023 I’ve tried solvents for removing sealants, but unless they are aggressive enough to melt...
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...
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...
