Taking comfort in a little added weight Issue 80 : Sept/Oct 2011 When sailors get together and talk boats, the topic invariably shifts to anchoring. What follows is a steady stream of stories about lo...
Replacing standing rigging, step by step Issue 80 : Sept/Oct 2011 When our headstay almost parted in Panama, where there is no professional rigging service, we had to replace it ourselves. Since the s...
Making canny use of nooks and crannies Issue 80 : Sept/Oct 2011 My 37-year-old Cape Dory 28, Nikki, has been my home for five years. We swing on a mooring in Boca Ciega Bay near Gulfport on the midwes...
Making the most of what you have Issue 80 : Sept/Oct 2011 Sometimes, being realistic about your boat’s limitations and embracing them with whole-hearted and simple adjustments can reap a host of benef...
A liveaboard steps up to a major project Issue 80 : Sept/Oct 2011 My ears burned and my pride smarted when I heard the old sailor’s words: “Some people are too worn out from all the prep work,” he sai...
It takes fortune, fortitude, and a well-stocked pickup truck Issue 80 : Sept/Oct 2011 My friend Tony, who owns a nice Ranger 23, called one day last spring to say he had a problem with his boat. He as...
A cruising family installs the Air Head Issue 80 : Sept/Oct 2011 While debating a return to the continent after nearly six years in the Caribbean, we tried to imagine the changes that would force us t...
A saloon table doubles up in the cockpit Issue 81 : Nov/Dec 2011 We have a large mahogany drop-leaf table in the main cabin on Delphinus. When we’re belowdecks it is always the center of activity. We ...
Old-world wisdom helps restore white vinyl Issue 81 : Nov/Dec 2011 An article of mine entitled “Simply Clean” appeared in the May 2004 issue of Good Old Boat. It detailed recipes for more than two doz...
A convenient container for small canisters Issue 81 : Nov/Dec 2011 If you have an anchor locker with a drain, here’s an easy way to store those 1-pound propane tanks used for barbecue grills. Buy a le...
A clever little box cuts projects down to size Issue 81 : Nov/Dec 2011 Many sailors do their repair projects or build additions for their boats in home workshops equipped with all the tools required f...
Peace of mind for pocket change Issue 81 : Nov/Dec 2011 The battery-operated wireless burglar alarms widely available now for doors and windows can provide an easy and inexpensive way to protect the c...
Not all trim needs to be bright Issue 81 : Nov/Dec 2011 Some boats have large amounts of varnished trim while others have little or no brightwork at all. Most good old boats fall somewhere in between;...
A work-around keeps the boat in service Issue 83: March/April 2012 The diesel tank on my 1968 Seafarer was in need of repair. I had to cut it open to clean it and also had to replace the fuel lines. I...
A woodworker sometimes has to extemporize Issue 83: March/April 2012 We have all wished at times that we had three hands. When tackling boat projects, however, it seems that what we need more of isn’t...
Confronting the details to finish the job Issue 81 : Nov/Dec 2011 A couple of years ago, my wife, Mary, and I decided to renew the worn non-skid on our 30-year-old Pearson 28 with a non-skid paint pro...
Old hatch + new lens = brighter cabin Issue 81 : Nov/Dec 2011 Most sailboats have a hatch over the V-berth. The hatch is either solid or it has a lens to admit light. Over time, a hatch lens will beco...
An old-world technique avoided a budget-busting haulout Issue 81 : Nov/Dec 2011 Throwing money at a problem may bring the quickest and easiest resolution, but the less expensive alternatives often pro...
Keeping out the heat Issue 81 : Nov/Dec 2011 Whether your icebox holds ice or houses a refrigeration evaporator, to be efficient it must be very well insulated. To achieve this, the box should have a ...
Have your boat text you when it’s in trouble Issue 83: March/April 2012 Recreational boats can lead a lonely life. On the weekends, it’s party time with lots of guests and action. During the weekdays,...
How we see in the dark, or not Issue 83: March/April 2012 We live in a world of constant bright light: sunlight during the day and artificial light at night. As a result, we may not realize that there...
Running rigging comes clean without tangles Issue 82 : Jan/Feb 2012 October heralds the end of the sailing season for northern latitude sailors. Once my boat has been hauled from the water and safely ...
A new faceplate accommodates new gadgets Issue 82 : Jan/Feb 2012 After more than 25 years sailing, I decided it was time to get an autopilot for Unicorn, our Catalina 30. When it came to installing th...
Silent and stowable, they are easy to love Issue 82 : Jan/Feb 2012 Shakespeare said it best: “A hatchboard by any other name would still be a nuisance.” Anyway, I think that’s what he said. It’s late ...
Lightning induces a review of current lighting Issue 82 : Jan/Feb 2012 When a nearby lightning strike zapped my sailboat’s electronics and lights, I learned a lot more about the implications of conver...
Its irregular shape dictated DIY Issue 82 : Jan/Feb 2012 My 1986 Pearson 28-2 had a rubber-bladder waste tank that had seen its day. After being filled and emptied many times since it was installed, i...
How a piece of flotsam became an asset Issue 82 : Jan/Feb 2012 One side effect of continually making improvements and upgrades to Sigfrid, our 34-foot 6-inch steel ketch, is that my partner, Magali, a...
Leftover home flooring brightens up a boat Issue 82 : Jan/Feb 2012 When I bought my Eastward Ho 31, her cabin sole was delaminated teak-and-holly plywood. The first project I took on was to remove tha...
Expanding storage and improving their function Issue 82 : Jan/Feb 2012 One of the rewards of owning good old boats is overcoming the challenges they inevitably present. It helps to prioritize and pick...
A novice learns some tricks from the pros Issue 83: March/April 2012 Stew must have had a good reason to schedule his knee surgery while our 47-foot Cheoy Lee was in the yard for two weeks, but for th...
