Try this logical, six-step method to eliminate impulse purchases Issue 35 : Mar/Apr 2004 Is choosing the boat that’s right for you like selecting an appliance or more like falling in love? Is it a mat...
Bluewater or coastal, weather controls all Issue 35 : Mar/Apr 2004 Weather cells move through our cruising grounds in about three days in summer and closer to two days in fall and spring. If you sail ...
Bicycle safety flags mark the edges of your trailer Issue 36 : May/Jun 2004 At a boat show this past winter I overheard a salesman tell a prospective buyer, “Retrieving a trailerable sailboat is easy....
Send these tips in advance to all lubberly guests Issue 36 : May/Jun 2004 Usually, inviting friends to share a holiday on your boat is fine. If you are lucky, they will conserve water, turn off the li...
Wire ties prevent a midnight cacophony Issue 44: Sept/Oct 2005 A WHILE BACK, WE HAD THE OCCASION TO SPEND THE NIGHT aboard our boat at an unfamiliar marina. The wind was freshening and the water was s...
Use bolster cushions for storage Issue 44: Sept/Oct 2005 NOT ENOUGH ROOM ON YOUR BOAT? SOUNDS FAMILIAR. HERE’S an idea: make bolster pillows or cushion covers from pieces of upholstery fabric that mat...
Spreading the winching strain on a trailersailer Issue 44: Sept/Oct 2005 THE VERSATILITY OF TRAILERSAILING AFFORDS ME THE opportunity to enjoy a variety of diverse sailing grounds. All I need to do is...
What to do when fire strikes on a boat and there’s no place to hide Issue 37 : Jul/Aug 2004 There is always some uncertainty in life, especially when it comes to boats. It wouldn’t be an adventure oth...
What you need for cruising. . . besides the boat Issue 37 : Jul/Aug 2004 I’ve been giving a lot of thought lately to what kind of coin to put under the mast of Sangoma, a 1983 Cape Dory 27 I’m refitti...
How to eat well despite a lack of space and equipment Issue 37 : Jul/Aug 2004 Eating well is an integral part of boat safety. A hungry crew is more prone to seasickness, lethargy, and lower morale. An...
Gadgets you can make and use to back up your GPS Issue 38 : Sept/Oct 2004 Here are three navigation aids you can use when your GPS isn’t working or to reinforce old time-tested methods of navigating. ...
Are you a forgetful trailersailor? Don’t fret. Here’s the list to end all checklists Issue 38 : Sept/Oct 2004 I pride myself in mentally warehousing innumerable, disjointed facts and recalling them at...
Simple upgrades turn a weekender into a world cruiser Issue 38 : Sept/Oct 2004 The sails are stowed, dinner is cooking, and a day of sailing has taken the edge off a hectic workweek. The heavens turn ...
The Coast Guard asks boaters to be careful observers Issue 44: Sept/Oct 2005 ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, America was attacked from the air. Many terrorism experts feel it is only a matter of time before an...
Solo voyager fits out a mini-lifeboat from a Fatty Knees dinghy Issue 39 : Nov/Dec 2004 I am a sailor who believes we have no business sailing offshore for recreational purposes if we do not make ours...
Learn the hard-won secrets of a frugal do-it-yourselfer Issue 44: Sept/Oct 2005 YOU MAKE LISTS OF THINGS YOU WANT to repair or upgrade on your project boat. But when you visit your local chandlery, re...
One sun, one mirror, and you’ve got The Best Darned Lifesaver, Period Issue 40 : Jan/Feb 2005 Gather around, fellow sailors, and hear this tale about a simple little device that was revered by World W...
Good kayak, but is it a dinghy? Issue 40 : Jan/Feb 2005 Our C&C 30 didn’t come with a dinghy when we purchased her. On a hunch, we bought a 17-foot rotomolded two-person kayak that we manage...
Almost the answer but not quite Issue 40 : Jan/Feb 2005 When Magnus, our newly refitted motorsailer, needed an appropriate dinghy, I surveyed my fleet. There was a gorgeous Phil Bolger-designed Glouce...
Test your seamanship skills in tricky situations Issue 44: Sept/Oct 2005 SUN GLISTENS ON A PERFECT FRENCH POLYNESIAN SAILING day. The trade wind blows across the deep waters of the pass that cuts thro...
The answers . . . are simple and few. But many men just don’t get it Issue 40 : Jan/Feb 2005 In the beginning, God created man, and man built himself a boat. It was good. Adam looked at Eve and asked ...
If you’re a frustrated splicer, read this and take heart Issue 40 : Jan/Feb 2005 Almost every boat has some double-braided line aboard. In most cases, the ends of the lines are ragged and sloppy. Many...
Here’s how to keep those untamed line ends under better control Issue 40 : Jan/Feb 2005 Periodically, I conduct a cursory examination of my running rigging. I make mental notes of those lines that nee...
“Does that thing really work?”they all ask Issue 41 : Mar/Apr 2005 While dockside, I suspect that sailors get a fair share of peepers: dockwalkers fascinated by the curiosities inherent in sailboats. ...
Make a custom information manual for your boat Issue 42 : May/Jun 2005 If friends or family members had to start your boat’s engine, would they know what to do? For haulout, is the lift operator...
A short lesson on surveying the surveyors Issue 42 : May/Jun 2005 You usually get a sailboat surveyed because someone, most likely an insurance or finance company, has told you to or because, as a pot...
Here’s what makes a boat turn turtle — and recover Issue 43 : Jul/Aug 2005 A few weeks ago, a relatively inexperienced sailor told me he and his wife were planning to retire. They plan to do some exte...
When you’re up the creek with just one paddle Issue 45 : Nov/Dec 2005 An event occurred recently that drives me to pass on, to those who may not already be familiar with it, the ancient Welsh techniqu...
Make a note of all those details you should know, but don’t Issue 45 : Nov/Dec 2005 My slip mate had a problem with his inboard engine. He had recently bought a Tartan 27 from a friend and thought it ...
Going cruising? Here’s how to read the weather maps Issue 45 : Nov/Dec 2005 Ode to the Weatherman And in the dying embers, These are my main regrets: When I’m right, no one remembers; When I’m wrong, ...
