New through-hulls and lessons learned during a marathon haulout Issue 149: March/April 2023 I first stepped on a sailboat in 2015 and met my now-husband, Scott, at the helm. A friend brought me along ...
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...
How to craft a DIY electrical panel Issue 150: May/June 2023 After our family’s C&C 35-3 Secret Plans was stolen (Good Old Boat September/October 2022), we purchased a new-to-us old boat and named...
Crafting a traditional interior look and feel with a little ingenuity Issue 150: May/June 2023 Calypso is the 1976 Bristol Channel Cutter we’ve owned since 1992. As you might expect, we’ve put her thr...
Replacing a boat’s halogen lights with LED ones is a satisfying, power-saving upgrade at a minimal cost Issue 150: May/June 2023 During long Quebec winters, while my small sailboat is covered on the h...
DIY rope hooks to keep your coils organized Issue 150: May/June 2023 Hooks are designed to snag. But that is the polar opposite of what I need in a rope locker. Installed in a sail locker, for example...
A little nip and tuck on a used spinnaker makes for an inexpensive upgrade Issue 150: May/June 2023 One of my most memorable sailing days was crossing the broad mouth of the Chesapeake Bay’s Potomac R...
A DIY teak box built onto a compression post enables movie-watching in style Issue 150: May/June 2023 When we bought Avocet in 2018, we knew we were in for a world of projects. From doing a total exte...
An unpleasant surprise necessitates the replacement of a sole and stringer Issue 151: July/Aug 2023 I have a long list of projects on my boat that I want to complete. But replacing the cabin sole was ...
Rings made from sections of pipe provide an easy way to hang gear Issue 151: July/Aug 2023 On most of our good old boats, storage in the forepeak and cockpit lockers is less than perfect. There is not...
Restoring a Dyer Dink 10 for dreamy daysailing Issue 151: July/Aug 2023 We hauled out our 1983 Sabre 30, Ora Kali, on a blustery day last November. In retrospect, we should have done it sooner. Winter...
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...
Taming the lazarette mess with easy-to-make mesh bags Issue 152: Sept/Oct 2023 Having a home base in a marina allows a sailor to spread out a bit. Lesser used items can go in a dock box or garage, din...
Creating an engine water bypass for easy winterization Issue 152: Sept/Oct 2023 Our 1978 Tartan 27-2, Dawn, has a singlecylinder Farymann engine that is direct-cooled by lake water. The engine has its...
A momentary mistake with a jib changes a family’s summer sailing plans Issue 152: Sept/Oct 2023 There comes a point in every adventure aboard our boat when my husband and I ask ourselves, “Why are we ...
A second head is transformed into a cozy cabin for a blended family of five. Issue 152: Sept/Oct 2023 Sailors are no strangers to tight spaces, but when two die-hard liveaboards find love and decide t...
Tape can provide a quick fix for torn or cracked vinyl windows Issue 152: Sept/Oct 2023 Eventually a vinyl window will crack, either because of extreme age or extreme cold. The right fix is new vinyl,...
A timely prompt leads a DIYer to create new chainplates Issue 152: Sept/Oct 2023 It all started because of a sailor named Ed, which is somewhat odd since I don’t even know Ed. But maybe I should...
A novel use of Formica makes a convenient place for to-do lists Issue 152: Sept/Oct 2023 Creating project lists is a common tactic among boat owners. Some sailors scribble their to-dos on the backs of...
Creating usable storage in a deep galley locker Issue 153: Nov/Dec 2023 “Got it.” I wiggled out backward from my shoulderdown position inside the locker, clutching a bag of blueberry muffin mix. I fou...
The late Gordon Lightfoot’s ’70s-era Ericson gets a proper rig and hull refit Issue 153: Nov/Dec 2023 The calls, emails, and texts started coming in to my wife, Lisa, and me on the evening of Ma...
Giving an old galley a fresh face Issue 153: Nov/Dec 2023 “We’ll just have to try and squeeze it in,” I said pleadingly, trying to convince my wife to pack one more thing into our already overpacked c...
Installing a foot pump in the galley is a great way to save water Issue 153: Nov/Dec 2023 On many sailboats, the biggest use of fresh water is for washing dishes, which was the case on our 1993 Moody ...
A lack of insulation leads to a fridge overhaul and new stylish countertops Issue 153: Nov/Dec 2023 When my husband, Chris, and I were first looking at boats in 2018, we were young college students in...
A DIY cutting board that works in the marina, underway or at anchor Issue 153: Nov/Dec 2023 I love it when a piece of boat gear has multiple uses. One favorite example is an angled cutting board I spo...
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...
Rebedding a cabin top eyebrow to solve a pesky leak Issue 154: Jan/Feb 2024 Winter covers come off boats late up here in Maine, leaving a short, often cold window to get ready for launch. Last year, b...
