This classic Pearson 36 whispered in his ear Issue 49 : Jul/Aug 2006 Zora Neale Hurston nailed it when she wrote, “Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board.” True. But do boats have wishes a...
Portable refrigerator provides economical ice Issue 50 : Sept/Oct 2006 Older boats lack many of the amenities found in newer boats. Chartering a newer Beneteau in the British Virgin Islands brought th...
This hitch is often better than a bowline Issue 50 : Sept/Oct 2006 The most common knots on and about boats are the bowline and the reef knot (commonly known as the square knot). Beyond that, it seems...
Extra guest? No problem with this jumpseat Issue 50 : Sept/Oct 2006 When we have guests sailing with us, there never seems to be enough room around the cabin table. To add another seat quickly, I inst...
Turn your cockpit into a porch Issue 50 : Sept/Oct 2006 It’s annoying to have to stay in the cabin during all-day rains. Some days it’s also annoying to have to be out in the cockpit, regardless of ho...
Prevent your roller-furling sail from unfurling Issue 50 : Sept/Oct 2006 Considering the number of roller furlers in use around the world today, the accidental unfurling of a sail on a moored or berth...
Keep your sanding disks flat Issue 50 : Sept/Oct 2006 Ashore or afloat, the loose stowing of the typical sanding disks of any size usually results in their curling like leaves. At best, this is a nuis...
Garbage out, good used stuff in; the saga begins Issue 50 : Sept/Oct 2006 The game plan for Maruska would have to be aggressive to meet a June departure. My primary goal was to make her seaworthy and ...
It’s as important for cruisers as for racers Issue 50 : Sept/Oct 2006 How long have we been sailing? Twenty years? Thirty? How many different sailboats have we owned? Five? Ten? Had we ever tuned our ...
Extend your time cruising … in comfort Issue 50 : Sept/Oct 2006 Heating your boat in the off-season make sailing more enjoyable and extends your time on the water. For any planned heater installation,...
What it’s made of and how to check it Issue 52: Jan/Feb 2007 STANDING RIGGING IS THE TERM GIVEN TO THE CABLES that support a sailboat’s mast(s): the forestay, backstay, and shrouds, as well as special...
John Guzzwell’s cruising icon sails again Issue 50 : Sept/Oct 2006 Forty-four years after he last held Trekka’s helm solidly in his hand, John Guzzwell reflected, “She seemed so small and simple.” Joh...
Another idea on how to improve airflow below Issue 50 : Sept/Oct 2006 In the March 2003 issue of Good Old Boat, Peter Bonsey presented his unique method of increasing belowdecks airflow in a small boa...
Installing an inboard engine in a boat that never had one Issue 50 : Sept/Oct 2006 Some sailors are hypocrites. I’m a hypocrite. We profess to believe in the power of the wind, yet few of us go ...
A new concept for “sail training” Issue 51 : Nov/Dec 2006 Our 20-foot Flying Scot had a longer boom than does our C&C 30. With such a short boom, our high-aspect mainsail can’t get into very much ...
An easy way to deal with a heavy dinghy Issue 51 : Nov/Dec 2006 Every year my inflatable dinghy seems to be getting heavier and heavier when I pull it up on the storage float. The truth is that I’m ge...
A wee dram and a little ingenuity create twice the storage space Issue 52: Jan/Feb 2007 IT STARTED INNOCENTLY ENOUGH LAST year. Bert MacKay, a sprightly Scot of indeterminable age, had found his way a...
Temporary cushioning protects paintwork Issue 51 : Nov/Dec 2006 Docking has been the bane of my sailing career, particulary since I cruise singlehanded most of the time. Like many boats, Kalypso doesn...
Now it’s easy to get to the pump strainer Issue 51 : Nov/Dec 2006 On my 1973 Bristol 30, bilge access was not very good. When I purchased the boat, there was only a Whale Gusher 10 pump in the cockpit...
Four basic elements of yacht design Issue 52: Jan/Feb 2007 WE ALL HAVE TO FACE THE FACT that there is no such thing as the perfect sailing yacht, with the possible exception of the one you just bought...
How to prevent things from falling apart Issue 51 : Nov/Dec 2006 When something vibrates loose on your boat, the result could be anything from a mere nuisance to a catastrophe. To “safety” a fastening...
Rainy day projects become priorities Issue 51 : Nov/Dec 2006 As I slid back the hatch upon my return to Maruska, steady rain revealed new problems: she leaked like a sieve. All but one port and two ou...
Avoiding engine failures in rough seas Issue 52: Jan/Feb 2007 IT USUALLY TAKES A COMBINATION OF failures, poor decisions, and bad luck to narrow down your options. We had been learning that our new cr...
It’s a big job, but easier if you first do your homework Issue 51 : Nov/Dec 2006 When I told my much younger sibling that I was going to install an electric anchor windlass on my Cape Dory 36 cutter, ...
Combine a graphic with LEDs for a stylish update Issue 51 : Nov/Dec 2006 No matter how much we love our old boats, we have all suffered from at least the occasional little bit of new-boat envy. Usuall...
The basics on auxiliary propulsion systems Issue 51 : Nov/Dec 2006 Unless you are exceptional sailors and purists, like Lin and Larry Pardey, you probably have a mechanical propulsion system on board ...
Custom “elbows” mean more footroom, easier handling Issue 51 : Nov/Dec 2006 It’s very common for older boats with dinettes to have a pedestal post for the tabletop. This allows the tabletop to serve d...
Triton served as home for two for seven years Issue 51 : Nov/Dec 2006 The new old boat at the marina caught my eye. Boats like that always do. Wow! A real cruiser. A 1960s boat. A Triton? An Alberg 30...
A floating test-bed for cruising equipment Issue 51 : Nov/Dec 2006 We first saw Sampatecho, A 15- year-old Beneteau 390, lying at anchor at Solomon Landing on Chesapeake Bay. Her custom aft arch — sup...
Dire necessity drove this 24-hour emergency repair Issue 51 : Nov/Dec 2006 Short-tacking in and out of anchorages is one of my favorite types of sailing. With a competent husband/captain, crew in the ...
