How to check your rudder stops Issue 60 : May/Jun 2008 This excerpt is from the revised and expanded third edition of Lin and Larry Pardey’s Storm Tactics Handbook. The book has 10 new chapters and ha...
New alerts help prevent loss of life Issue 60 : May/Jun 2008 Every year the electronics aBoard the offshore sailboat become more exotic. Among the latest trends in marine safety are man-overboard (MOB...
How to halt the flight of wet bath towels Issue 62 : Sept/Oct 2008 As experience has taught many of us, a head is not the best environment for a wet towel. Because we live aboard, our family of five i...
One last job for the old one Issue 62 : Sept/Oct 2008 Through the course of normal use, halyards gradually wear as they routinely pass over the sheaves at the top of the mast, around turning blocks, a...
Making a clean sweep of the dirtbuster business Issue 62 : Sept/Oct 2008 My favorite weapon for attacking dirt on our boat deck is a broom. We have one of those expensive, expanding boat-brush systems...
Sealants and adhesives give way to heated chisel Issue 62 : Sept/Oct 2008 Have you ever had problems removing parts installed with polysulfide, polyurethane, silicone, or other marine sealants or adhe...
Indulging that strong urge to stamp it with your own character Issue 61: July/Aug 2008 Just after high school, I bought a good old car. The first thing I did was to wrap the sun visors and glove box d...
Know how much water you have — at a glance Issue 62 : Sept/Oct 2008 Water tanks are located in the nether regions of the boat and are covered by bunks, liner pans, access hatches, and all the stuff th...
Add to your sailing comfort this way Issue 62 : Sept/Oct 2008 “You’ve got too much time on your hands” was my son’s verdict when I said I was thinking about building stern-rail seats for my 1987 Freed...
A step-by-step guide to replacement Issue 62 : Sept/Oct 2008 When the engine started and the transmission engaged, a vibration underfoot told the skipper he had a problem. Experience offered a suspect...
Here’s a $5 propeller puller you can build yourself Issue 62 : Sept/Oct 2008 We wanted our own propeller puller but it had to fulfill the following requirements: As a result, we created a design that ...
Two practical uses for two stays aft Issue 62 : Sept/Oct 2008 Twin backstays, or double backstays, a pair of aft stays that go all the way to the top of the mast, are becoming more popular these days ...
Thorough preparation is the golden rule Issue 62 : Sept/Oct 2008 Before you apply any bottom paint to your sailboat, some basic preparation is in order. This includes not only having the proper applic...
Beginners save thousands, get professional finish Issue 62 : Sept/Oct 2008 Want to lose weight, meet interesting people, and sleep like a baby at night? Then paint your own boat. My husband and I coul...
A noted designer tells what makes a boat seakindly Issue 62 : Sept/Oct 2008 In all the books I have studied about yacht design and the sea, there has been very little written about seakindliness. Many...
Converting battery power to alternating current Issue 62 : Sept/Oct 2008 An inverter is an electronic device that converts direct-current (DC) power (the output of your boat’s battery) to alternating-...
Help that plastic cover breathe this winter Issue 63 : Nov/Dec 2008 Those of us who defend our boats against Ol’ Man Winter with that distinctive blue or white shrink-wrap cover are aware of the impor...
Tame your mainsail with strategic bungee cords Issue 63 : Nov/Dec 2008 Unfurling your sail may be a great joy of anticipated sailing. Or it may just be one more tedious chore when getting under way. F...
Two ways to protect your investment Issue 63 : Nov/Dec 2008 Varnish is typically not used up all at once. The more that is used, the quicker a skin forms on top of what remains in the can. When the ca...
Protect your inflatable from the elements Issue 63 : Nov/Dec 2008 Inflatable dinghies, sport boats, and roll-ups are the most common types of cruising boat tenders in use today. Their popularity is re...
Replace your depth sounder and get a GPS for free Issue 63 : Nov/Dec 2008 Sometimes sailing can seem like it was intended for those few folks with high standards and even higher budgets. Since that so...
New through-hulls require diligence, forethought, and technique Issue 63 : Nov/Dec 2008 It’s not unusual for sailboats to need a new hole in the hull as a consequence of interior modifications, such a...
Complying with regulations Issue 63 : Nov/Dec 2008 It seems that recreational vessels anchored without anchor lights are more the rule than the exception. However, the International Regulations for Av...
Practical and economical professional advice Issue 64 : Jan/Feb 2009 Having spent 35 years in the fire service, with more than half of that time as a Medical First Responder, when it came time to outf...
The Compleat (sailing) Angler Issue 64 : Jan/Feb 2009 For more than 25 years, I’ve been doing practical research on the best method for fishing from a sailboat. The result of my accumulated research c...
How to get the most out of your halyard Issue 64 : Jan/Feb 2009 The method of attaching a halyard or outhaul to a sail sometimes limits the distance to which a sail can be stretched. With double-braid...
Nav table, galley counter, and spray shield Issue 64 : Jan/Feb 2009 Just above the starboard quarter berth and just under the sidedeck, we have a slide-out shelf. This shelf is adjacent to the compani...
Stowing oars and more in a plastic tender’s slick interior Issue 64 : Jan/Feb 2009 Back in the days of wooden dinghies, or at least wooden seats in plastic dinghies, a person always had a place to las...
Pearson Ariel hull #1 sets sail again Issue 64 : Jan/Feb 2009 A few years ago, when my wife, Ann, and I were searching for a boat, we happened upon a beauty. We were in Oxford, Maryland, for the weeke...
Rescue your nose from those shipboard odors Issue 64 : Jan/Feb 2009 It’s that first waft of air that rushes up after a long winter — a heady mix of diesel, mildew, deodorizing chemicals, and stale bre...
