When our keel started weeping and our bilge started filling, a keel bolt repair came next. Issue 129: Nov/Dec 2019 Losing a bolt-on keel is a relatively uncommon occurrence, but it’s also about the mo...
Suffering’s for singing the blues, not sailing. Here’s how to stay pain-free on the water. Issue 129: Nov/Dec 2019 When I was in my 20s, a long breezy day on my beach cat invariably resulted in a grim...
A diver’s insight can reveal the hull story Issue 128: Sept/Oct 2019 As I eat oatmeal and berries for breakfast, I make the day’s schedule. The oatmeal will be the last food I have until late afternoo...
Epoxy, fiberglass, and a little cunning fix an old problem Tillers in some boats are known to break with regularity. If you’ve ever taken part in a drill of this nature, I don’t need to ex...
Your job requires a sealant. You don’t have to be a chemist to choose the right one. In my experience, there are always two things trying to get into your boat that you don’t want there: w...
Rescue that rusting tank Tucked away under the cabin sole floorboards, the average fuel tank doesn’t get much attention from those of us who like to sail. In fact, it may be totally neglected un...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Swap your old plastic windows for salty new ports After buying our old 1965 Alberg 30, Mary and I knew that part of the renovation program would be the replacement of the old fixed windows with operat...
Set fasteners to the right tightness with a wrench torque Issue 127: July/Aug 2019 “Remember, Eddie, one hand on the socket end of the wrench and your other hand perpendicular to the end of the handle...
The ClampTite alternative is more effective and less injurious Issue 127: July/Aug 2019 When most sailors think of hose clamps they think of the ubiquitous worm-drive steel clamp. Worm-drive clamps ar...
Where cast aluminum failed, mild steel became the material of choice Issue 127: July/Aug 2019 The cast-aluminum steering quadrant on Rhythm had been in use for approximately 15 years. When I removed a...
Give slime and scum the brush-off on the cheap Doesn’t every sailor yearn for another tenth of a knot? Especially when racing? I do. Lucky are those who trailer their boats and can clean them at any t...
Insulate and decorate cold stainless steel with French spiral hitching. Issue 124: Jan/Feb 2019 When a stainless steel steering wheel gets wet or, worse yet, wet and cold, it becomes difficult to grip...
Banish mildew on your boat with a simple chemical brew As near as I can tell, boating consists of one part blue lagoons and white sails and two parts painting the bottom, fixing engines, and scrubbing...
A User-Friendly Cockpit Grating Kind to feet, it keeps dirt from getting underfoot by Drew Frye...
British Columbia winter months are cool and damp with short days, rain, and minimal sunshine. Having a heat source on board is essential to keep the mildew at bay and so we keep Natasha, our 1978 Isla...
A dilapidated freebie becomes a respectable tender When I bought my Down East 45 schooner, Britannia, she didn’t come with a dinghy, but she had very sturdy aluminum davits just waiting for a new dink...
Notes and Lessons We won’t know how well KiwiGrip holds up in use for a few years. According to the manufacturer’s guidelines, weekend sailors can expect the product to last approximately 10 years bef...
Polishing Acrylic and Polycarbonate To successfully polish a damaged or weathered plastic surface, you need the correct polish, clean surfaces, a gentle touch, and real patience. Hard minerals, finely...
