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...
Design considerations Issue 57 : Nov/Dec 2007 This excerpt from Beth Leonard’s new book, The Voyager’s Handbook, second edition, is the last of a three-part series with a focus on selecting the right ...
Easy meals when the ice is gone Issue 58 : Jan/Feb 2008 There’s nothing quite as satisfying when cruising as reaching into the icebox for a frosty cold beverage of your choice. But what happens on a l...
How collision regulations apply in real life Issue 58 : Jan/Feb 2008 I studied the radar screen as the heavy cruiser USS Newport News crept through the night down the Lamma Channel into Hong Kong harb...
It’s a seamanlike act that brings great satisfaction Issue 58 : Jan/Feb 2008 “Tow? Why on earth would we need a tow? We can sail her back in. The wind’s perfect!” The Old Master was responding to my d...
One man’s solution: Drag it backward Issue 60 : May/Jun 2008 The perfect dinghy would be light, stable, unsinkable, indestructible, readily convertible to a life raft, and able to carry a large burden...
Be careful where you use these similar alloys Issue 61: July/Aug 2008 In comparing bronze and brass, it is helpful to define two key terms before pointing out the differences, attributes, and deficien...
There’s no end to the creative uses Issue 63 : Nov/Dec 2008 Sailors of good old boats are creative problem-solvers. So it’s great to discover a product that can be used in more ways than its manufactu...
As plain as the nose on your face Issue 63 : Nov/Dec 2008 A favorite way to hang my drugstore reading glasses while doing deck or dock work was to hook an arm of the glasses into the neckband of my sh...
No regrets with this lifestyle alternative Issue 63 : Nov/Dec 2008 At some point in everyone’s life, it becomes necessary to stop and think. Consider for a moment: are you doing what you are doing tod...
Preparing for an extended coastal cruise Issue 63 : Nov/Dec 2008 Tired of the same-old, same-old? Finding it hard to get enthusiastic about sailing territory that has, through long acquaintance, becom...
It’s simple when you know how Issue 63 : Nov/Dec 2008 Coastal cruisers looking for overnight shelter are apt to find three choices: a marina berth, an anchorage, or a public mooring buoy. Many prefer ...
