How to move your stranded boat by human power Issue 46 : Jan/Feb 2006 My edition of the Oxford English Dictionary lists the origin of the word “kedge” as “uncertain” but goes on to describe it as “a v...
Home canning is the answer for fridge-less cruisers Issue 46 : Jan/Feb 2006 On Lake Superior’s north shore one brilliant sunny day we met a lovely young couple who informed us that, in spite of having...
A DIY kit to soothe those aching teeth Issue 52: Jan/Feb 2007 TWO WEEKS AWAY FROM ANY CHANCE OF HELP, THERE WAS a blinding pain. I found myself staring down at a chunk of metal in my hand. The hole it...
This nice fat one won’t jam in a block Issue 52: Jan/Feb 2007 HAVE YOU EVER HAD A JIB SHEET RUN OUT OF ITS BLOCK AND blow overboard on the leeward side? The consequence of this temporary loss of jib c...
How to read your boat’s “birth certificate” Issue 47 : Mar/Apr 2006 Unless you have a really old boat, you probably have a set of 12 characters embedded on the upper starboard side of your boat’s tran...
What you see is exactly what you get Issue 47 : Mar/Apr 2006 Why do you always seem to tack into a header? Why do iceboats always sail to windward, no matter which direction they’re going? Why is it t...
How to request openings like a pro Issue 47 : Mar/Apr 2006 Last winter, our friends Susan and Scott came down to Florida to escape the Lake Erie winter and do a little sailing. I enjoy having other sa...
What to expect and how to survive Issue 47 : Mar/Apr 2006 There were all the classic signs — I was just too inexperienced, or in too much of a hurry, to pay attention to them. After a rainy night, my ...
Coil and stow that line following British tradition Issue 48 : May/Jun 2006 Any time we crew for another skipper, I think most of us take a look around and try to acquaint ourselves with how things ar...
A gourmet cruiser’s tasty substitutes for fresh produce Issue 48 : May/Jun 2006 It was the end of a perfect day. Earlier, we’d had a great spinnaker run along Lake Superior’s Ontario wilderness shorel...
Learn the only real essentials for success Issue 48 : May/Jun 2006 I recently read a prediction that it only a matter of time before anyone who is so brave and presumptuous as to command a sailboat wi...
Don’t forget — the advantage always goes to the buyer Issue 52: Jan/Feb 2007 IT WAS IN 1995 THAT I STARTED looking for my first big sailboat. I had previously owned a 14-foot Flying Junior and a 20-fo...
Secrets of a cheese lover revealed at last Issue 49 : Jul/Aug 2006 Whether you decide on cocktail nibbles, late-night snacks, a sandwich filler, or a main course spice, cheese is one of the most versa...
Solving the problem of joining one to the other Issue 52: Jan/Feb 2007 In the November 2006 issue, John Danicic wrote about installing an anchor windlass. One remaining issue is the creation of a stro...
How to avoid panic when locking through Issue 49 : Jul/Aug 2006 When we contemplate sailing, our thoughts run to images of open, uncluttered waters. In our idyllic daydream we see full, white sails ru...
Try the two-handed method for better results Issue 50 : Sept/Oct 2006 A dedicated heaving line should be supple and easily handled, weighted at the end by tradition with a monkey’s fist knot. It is us...
How to get home when the fuel goes bad Issue 51 : Nov/Dec 2006 My two 40-gallon diesel fuel tanks were full of contaminated fuel. Since the boat was out of the water for work on the engine and cockpit...
Tips from a world-cruising fellow sufferer Issue 51 : Nov/Dec 2006 It never fails. Every time we get into a discussion with a new or would-be cruising sailor, there comes a moment when a concerned loo...
Comparing 30-footers: Ted’s “Brewernalysis” Issue 53 : Mar/Apr 2007 Initially, I was thoroughly confused about the Islander 30 Mk II and the Islander Bahama 30, but I finally determined that the Mk II...
Once you know the drill, it’s downright addictive Issue 53 : Mar/Apr 2007 I am convinced that with patience and persistence you can find almost anything for sale on eBay, as long as it is not currentl...
It’s one thing to find it, quite another to apply it Issue 53 : Mar/Apr 2007 As far as we were concerned, our new boat was a great success. All her systems were working well. She sailed like a dream a...
This necessary skill comes with knowledge and practice Issue 53 : Mar/Apr 2007 Unlike automobiles, which operate on a a solid medium, boats are always at the interface between two fluids, both of whic...
Get to know your boat’s capabilities Issue 53 : Mar/Apr 2007 We motored out of the little anchorage in the North Channel of Lake Huron into a stiffening afternoon breeze. We were beginning to learn ou...
Advice for avoiding problems with your roller headsail Issue 54 : May/Jun 2007 It was 3 A.M. The wind had reached the forecasted gale force, and somewhere in the marina I could hear the sound of a jib...
Compulsory testing and licensing send the wrong message Issue 54 : May/Jun 2007 The Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Auxiliary have recently thrown their weight behind the idea of mandatory testing and...
Delicious fresh bread on a Cape Dory 36 Issue 55 : Jul/Aug 2007 The sailor in me accepted long ago that certain foods remain on the hard. When we back out of our slip, we leave behind ice cream, Frenc...
Narrowing the field Issue 55 : Jul/Aug 2007 This excerpt from Beth Leonard’s new book, The Voyager’s Handbook, second edition, is the first of a three-part series on selecting the right sailboat for e...
It’s not secure, but it releases easily Issue 55 : Jul/Aug 2007 The highwayman’s cutaway knot (also called the highwayman’s cut) is said to derive its popularity from gentlemen in that pro...
Evaluating individual boats Issue 56 : Sept/Oct 2007 This excerpt from Beth Leonard’s new book, The Voyager’s Handbook, second edition, is the second of a three-part series with a focus on selecting t...
A better idea for a singlehander’s ladder Issue 57 : Nov/Dec 2007 One afternoon, contemplating the fate of the solo sailor who winds up in the near-freezing waters of Puget Sound, I took Hervey Garret...
