It’s been said that the most useless things aboard a sailboat are an umbrella and a Naval officer. However, sometimes that’s just not completely true. Cruising in New England, I would ofte...
Being able to get the sail cover on quickly means we don’t have to resent the time it takes to protect our sails. Just as important, if a halyard starts slapping the mast just when we are starting to ...
Cleaning a fouled diesel tank started with polishing some dirty fuel on the fly. Issue 134: Sept/Oct 2020 Aboard our 1984 Moody 47, diesel is the elixir of electricity, and electricity is what drives ...
When we bought our 1976 Westerly Centaur, Breaking Wind, it came with an ancient-but-working Marinco solar-powered vent. Then, on a sporty day sailing on the Chesapeake Bay, the fan, poorly attached t...
Thanks to a little help from her friends, a good old boat finds a new paramour. Issue 134: Sept/Oct 2020 I didn’t really know Nat. Nothing beyond a friendly smile and hello as we passed each ot...
A simple system developed for RVs provides a versatile table for saloon and cockpit. Issue 134: Sept/Oct 2020 Fulmar, our 1982 Pacific Seacraft 37, came to us without a dining table—not in the saloon,...
With the ship’s wheel base, a clever design makes for finer dining. Issue 134: Sept/Oct 2020 Our good old Bristol 35 has a cozy dinette in the main saloon, but the weather here in Florida often ...
Sourcing rigging tension creep reveals an old flaw. Issue 134: Sept/Oct 2020 For a few years, the shrouds and stays on Mikula, my 24-foot Seafarer, would slowly lose their tension over the course of e...
A backup battery system for a fixed-mount VHF ensures communications in an emergency. Issue 133: July/Aug 2020 Despite the introduction of satellite communications and cell phones over the past couple...
The LED revolution has seen a million rechargeable lights hit market—many for the marine market. I had one question on my mind when I received this Mantus Snap-On Light for review: Is there anything s...
It was time for a stronger autopilot, but the install presented interesting challenges. Issue 133: July/Aug 2020 It was a June day, and a gale was blowing. I remember because I spent 18 hours hand-ste...
A vertical windlass, reimagined, fulfills dual duty as an automatic furler. Issue 131: March/April 2020 I stared down at my university packing list. I had been onboard Jasamine since I was two days ol...
An old instrument’s housing provides a platform for its replacement. Issue 131: March/April 2020 When we bought Phantom, our 1981 Pearson 365 ketch, in 2001, she had old Signet Marine instrumen...
With Corian countertop material as a core, a new centerboard takes shape. Issue 131: March/April 2020 I’m one of the lucky few. Not only do I sail a boat with a centerboard, the centerboard on my Alli...
Last year, as hurricane Dorian headed for Florida, I was forced to evacuate, leaving my schooner Britannia to fend for herself in a Cape Canaveral marina. For two days I worried about how she was fari...
We launched Christmas the first week of June 2019 and hauled her out late October 2019. This is our typical five-month sailing season on the coast of Maine. Before launch, I prepped the prop (which wa...
Equalizing batteries can improve performance and extend their lifespan. Issue 131: March/April 2020 Lead acid house batteries aboard boats that spend most of their time in a slip and connected to shor...
My previous boat was a traditional cutter with an outboard rudder and boomkin, precluding the use of a common stern swim ladder. The wooden side ladder she came with was cumbersome and difficult to st...
Clever surgery on a standard bed mattress improves a V-berth’s sleepability. Issue 131: March/April 2020 When we bought Phantom, our Pearson 365 ketch, in 2001, my wife, Barbara, and I slept on V-bert...
We’ve got some poorly lit areas aboard (as you can see above), and they’re where we most need bright light: our under-the-bridgedeck galley sink and our chart table. Early on, we’d use a flashlight to...
Irascible and indomitable, the British Seagull was not for the faint of heart. Issue 134: Sept/Oct 2020 Long before the Energizer Bunny, there was the British Seagull outboard motor. Conceived in the ...
A repower in rural Alaska required precise planning and helpful hands. Issue 130: Jan/Feb 2020 Wide awake in my bunk, I stared at the ceiling without really seeing it. It was nearing 3 a.m., and my mi...
Adding an inner forestay expands sail plan options and can make for better boathandling. Issue 132: May/June 2020 When my wife, Ellen, and I began our search for an ocean-going cruising boat, high on...
Knowing battery basics and technologies empowers battery choices. Issue 131: March/April 2020 Aboard any boat with an electrical system there exists a need to store electricity. Enter the batte...
Replacing a traditional marine head with a composting system is clean and green. Issue 132: May/June 2020 I love my new-to-me 1999 Beneteau 311, but the boat came with a very pronounced smell in the h...
