Improve your marlinspike seamanship with knots, bends, and hitches Issue 36 : May/Jun 2004 During my two-plus decades of Boy Scouting (as a Scout during my youth and then as a Scoutmaster), knots and ...
It was another of those projects that took longer than anticipated Issue 36 : May/Jun 2004 When I first looked at our 1978, 33-foot, Nor’West sailboat, I noted the fuel tank located in the keel below ...
Follow these instructions for some really inspiring wiring Issue 36 : May/Jun 2004 We were on the Intracoastal Waterway a few miles south of Fernandina Beach, Florida, when the distinct tang of an ele...
Eight ways to steer a boat Issue 36 : May/Jun 2004 When it comes to steering a sailboat, even die-hard wheel enthusiasts agree there is no steering system that is simpler, more affordable, or offers b...
An inexpensive way to keep the warm or cool air inside Issue 36 : May/Jun 2004 When the winter chill comes on board or when you want to keep that cool air-conditioned air inside your cabin, sew yourse...
Be prepared for the worst and hope it never happens Issue 36 : May/Jun 2004 Oof the many steering systems available to the small ship, none is easier to make, simpler to use, or more sensitive to the ...
Finer dining afloat calls for special table design Issue 36 : May/Jun 2004 Only the very largest yachts actually have a separate dining room. I’ve been on more than one that did, complete with linens ...
A very determined sailor labors to renovate a 66-year-old Alden woodie Issue 36 : May/Jun 2004 When I went for a sail last August on Zephyr, my 1938 Malabar Jr., designed by John Alden, it was so much...
What’s at the end of your shrouds and stays? Issue 36 : May/Jun 2004 The stainless-steel standing rigging that supports our masts is critical to our sailing safety, and the terminals at the end of the...
One sailor’s way to make a movable bracket for a cabin lamp Issue 37 : Jul/Aug 2004 Shore power (or a good battery bank and electric lights) is convenient, but nothing beats the comfort of a cozy sail...
A cunning way to avoid ice-box odor Issue 37 : Jul/Aug 2004 Tired of sponging out the ice chest or draining all that melt water (and what else?) into the bilge? When a yard worker changed our drain so...
The trailersailer’s answer to low-water launch ramps Issue 37 : Jul/Aug 2004 With its shoal-draft keel/centerboard combination, my trailersailer draws only 22 inches. However, if I want to float it of...
A sailor’s ingenuity (and a little labor) stops those annoying drips Issue 37 : Jul/Aug 2004 In 1970 I purchased a new Columbia 36 that came with a very good dealer discount because I agreed to handle...
Try these simple temporary repairs in emergencies Issue 37 : Jul/Aug 2004 In an era when electronic development is leaving most of us behind, there are still ways to make small repairs and additions t...
Try this simple substitute for flopper-stoppers Issue 37 : Jul/Aug 2004 Have you ever anchored in an apparently protected harbor only to find a surge running into it? The boat starts rocking and rolli...
Observe the ground rules and drive the gremlins out Issue 37 : Jul/Aug 2004 My friend called with obvious concern in his voice. “John, something very strange is going on; I need your help! My boat is ...
How to choose new cushion coverings for an older boat Issue 37 : Jul/Aug 2004 Like many older sailboats out there, Coquette, our “new to us” 1975 Van de Stadt Agulhas, is in dire need of new interior ...
A quest for reliable electrical connectors Issue 44: Sept/Oct 2005 MY BOAT CAME EQUIPPED WITH A POWERFUL AND RELIABLE hand-held spotlight. I consider a spotlight to be an essential piece of safety equ...
The magic combination of plastic and glass that changed boatbuilding Issue 37 : Jul/Aug 2004 Composite construction in the United States began in the 1940s — during World War II — when a southern Cali...
A 57-year-old pile of junk turns into a beautiful Johnson racer Issue 37 : Jul/Aug 2004 I drove 1,100 miles from Montana to Minneapolis after graduation from college. I was anxious to get home as ther...
Too big an engine for an auxiliary can be a mistake, warns Ted Issue 37 : Jul/Aug 2004 Owners planning to repower their yachts almost always decide to put in bigger engines, reasoning that they will a...
The debate over outboard engines continues Issue 37 : Jul/Aug 2004 So you’ve finally decided to retire that old 7.5 Merc you have hanging off the transom of your beloved sailboat. The smoke and ...
Add light-emitting diodes to your existing cabin lights Issue 37 : Jul/Aug 2004 Because my wife and I are outfitting our Nor’Sea 27 for extended cruising, we wanted to replace our cabin lights with so...
Your guide to making a tricky job simpler and easier Issue 37 : Jul/Aug 2004 When you peer into the companionway of an unfamiliar boat, the first thing you notice is the cabin sole. It may be a textur...
Comfort and grace from folding cockpit seats Issue 38 : Sept/Oct 2004 Among the loveliest boats around are Concordia yawls. They were designed by C. Raymond Hunt and, mostly, exquisitely built by Abek...
Careful fall layup gives you a head start in spring Issue 38 : Sept/Oct 2004 October on the north coast (Great Lakes) or, for that matter, anywhere north of the 38th parallel, means taking the boat ou...
Use this low-tech water trap for sanding dust Issue 38 : Sept/Oct 2004 I have a random-orbital sander for which I have an affection that borders on the unseemly. Hook it up to a shop vacuum cleaner, a...
The best way to join fabric to hard surfaces Issue 38 : Sept/Oct 2004 There occasionally comes the time when you need to fasten fabric to wood, fiberglass, or some other hard object. Sometimes eyes an...
Here’s how to keep those cockpit cushions in place Issue 38 : Sept/Oct 2004 The boat heels over, and the cockpit cushions end up in the foot well. You might even be sitting on one when it slides off t...
Smart addition to a venerable Cape Dory 27 Issue 44: Sept/Oct 2005 LAST JANUARY I SET OUT TO REFINISH the interior woodwork of Linda Jean, our 1981 Cape Dory 27. Most of the interior woodwork was easy...
