A big trailerable boat with a lifting keel Issue 1...
May 6, 2026
Taming the lazarette mess with easy-to-make mesh bags Issue 152: Sept/Oct 2023 Having a home base in a marina allows a sailor to spread out a bit. Lesser used items can go in a dock box or garage, din...
Creating an engine water bypass for easy winterization Issue 152: Sept/Oct 2023 Our 1978 Tartan 27-2, Dawn, has a singlecylinder Farymann engine that is direct-cooled by lake water. The engine has its...
Why taking care of things big and small on your boat makes a difference Issue 152 Sept/Oct 2023 Perusing a Craigslist ad for a 40-year-old, 40-foot sailboat, I laughed out loud when I read, “Everythin...
A winged visitor catches a ride on a glorious late summer sail Issue 152: Sept/Oct 2023 Early on a brisk September morning, as we motored out past the Absecon Inlet jetties on our way offshore and lef...
A momentary mistake with a jib changes a family’s summer sailing plans Issue 152: Sept/Oct 2023 There comes a point in every adventure aboard our boat when my husband and I ask ourselves, “Why are we ...
A second head is transformed into a cozy cabin for a blended family of five. Issue 152: Sept/Oct 2023 Sailors are no strangers to tight spaces, but when two die-hard liveaboards find love and decide t...
A young couple finds a boat to call a home, from San Francisco Bay to the Chesapeake Bay Issue 152: Sept/Oct 2023 The idea of buying a boat came about one afternoon in my apartment off Mission Street ...
Tape can provide a quick fix for torn or cracked vinyl windows Issue 152: Sept/Oct 2023 Eventually a vinyl window will crack, either because of extreme age or extreme cold. The right fix is new vinyl,...
A timely prompt leads a DIYer to create new chainplates Issue 152: Sept/Oct 2023 It all started because of a sailor named Ed, which is somewhat odd since I don’t even know Ed. But maybe I should...
A novel use of Formica makes a convenient place for to-do lists Issue 152: Sept/Oct 2023 Creating project lists is a common tactic among boat owners. Some sailors scribble their to-dos on the backs of...
A bluewater cruiser in a small package Issue 152: Nov/Dec 2023 I was singlehanding on our Islander Bahama 30 on a spectacular fall afternoon, whitecaps dancing on the blue waters of Plumper Sound in t...
Issue 152: Sept/Oct 2023 As we approached the marina in downtown Poulsbo, trees clad in brilliant orange, gold, and red leaves along the town’s waterfront came into view. It was a spectacular fall wee...
After a lifetime of sailing, an ideal last boat creates enduring memories Issue 153: Nov/Dec 2023 There are many resources for learning how to sail. It is a fascinating subject with so many things to ...
Creating usable storage in a deep galley locker Issue 153: Nov/Dec 2023 “Got it.” I wiggled out backward from my shoulderdown position inside the locker, clutching a bag of blueberry muffin mix. I fou...
The late Gordon Lightfoot’s ’70s-era Ericson gets a proper rig and hull refit Issue 153: Nov/Dec 2023 The calls, emails, and texts started coming in to my wife, Lisa, and me on the evening of Ma...
Giving an old galley a fresh face Issue 153: Nov/Dec 2023 “We’ll just have to try and squeeze it in,” I said pleadingly, trying to convince my wife to pack one more thing into our already overpacked c...
Installing a foot pump in the galley is a great way to save water Issue 153: Nov/Dec 2023 On many sailboats, the biggest use of fresh water is for washing dishes, which was the case on our 1993 Moody ...
Memories of food and boats swirl together, powerfully evoking time and place Issue 153: Nov/Dec 2023 Eating while afloat ranks among my greatest pleasures, with the old saw about salt air quickening t...
An engine failure prompts an unexpected road journey through three states Issue 153: Nov/Dec 2023 I was pushing up the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) approaching mile 403 when the engine quit. Again. I w...
A lack of insulation leads to a fridge overhaul and new stylish countertops Issue 153: Nov/Dec 2023 When my husband, Chris, and I were first looking at boats in 2018, we were young college students in...
Grimsby to Georgian Bay, and why you should never bring bananas on board Issue 153: Nov/Dec 2023 In the cold days of January 2023, my wife and I made the move from Hamilton to Barrie, Ontario. There w...
A DIY cutting board that works in the marina, underway or at anchor Issue 153: Nov/Dec 2023 I love it when a piece of boat gear has multiple uses. One favorite example is an angled cutting board I spo...
A pert little catboat for daysailing and napping Issue 153: Nov/Dec 2023 Bob Ryan, 75, handed me his business card at Dock on the Bay Marina on Longboat Key, Florida. Below his name was his occupation...
A serendipitous spotting of a family’s first boat sparks a nostalgic mystery Issue 154: Jan/Feb 2024 I’d like to think most people have experienced déjà vu, that odd feeling that you are reexper...
How 3D printing can help create new or replacement parts aboard Issue 154: Jan/Feb 2024 As an engineer, I’ve been intently watching 3D printing technology develop over the last decade. At its inceptio...
A simple DIY pump system can keep your bilge dry Issue 154: Jan/Feb 2024 “Ask me about my E.L.D.,” my friend says. What, you are probably wondering, is an E.L.D.? Admittedly, it’s just an acronym I ca...
A satisfying solution to a difficult problem Issue 154: Jan/Feb 2024 Haulouts are always a somewhat anxious time. Sailors develop a plan and a list of tasks we want to accomplish to maintain or improv...
Rebedding a cabin top eyebrow to solve a pesky leak Issue 154: Jan/Feb 2024 Winter covers come off boats late up here in Maine, leaving a short, often cold window to get ready for launch. Last year, b...
Nasty weather provides a curtain call for a memorable cruise Issue 154: Jan/Feb 2024 I knew the last storm was coming. I’d been checking the forecast daily on my C. Crane pocket weather radio. My wife...
