The condition and tension of just six wires keep the stick up and the boat sailing well Issue 6 : May/Jun 1999 We all know the rigging on a sailboat is necessary for supporting the mast (if it is not ...
When all is said and done, it might be worth hiring a rigger Issue 8 : Sept/Oct 1999 There was no question about having to re-rig my new-to-me good old boat, an Eastward Ho 31. When I surveyed the boa...
Issue 11 : Mar/Apr 2000 In my article “Do-It-Yourself Rigging,” (Good Old Boat, September 1999), I said that after having rerigged my boat I was not sure it had been cost-effective to do it myself. I ...
Stories abound, but what’s the truth? Should you leave the engine in gear or not when sailing? Issue 12 : May/Jun 2000 Do you sail with the engine in gear, or out of gear? The experts say the issues a...
Issue 14: Sept/Oct 2000 The 35-pound CQR anchor that was with my boat when I purchased her was a mass of rust. Large sections of rust were easily chipped off. In some places rust had eaten through the...
Keeping the water outside, where it belongs, calls for the best in materials and design Issue 14: Sept/Oct 2000 I’m sure most older boats at one time or another have had a seacock that’s corroded to t...
Happiness is finding a sailmaker who understands Issue 13 : Jul/Aug 2000 Talk about confused! I’ve never been offered so many contradictory opinions in answer to one question. All I wanted was a new s...
Issue 15 : Nov/Dec 2000 I had heard it takes a year to get used to a boat, new or old. Until recently, I never really believed it. It’s been 17 months since we acquired our newest boat. We loved the o...
Issue 16 : Jan/Feb 2001 I purchased two sets of new oars more than 30 years ago for use with a beautiful 12-foot Whitehall-type rowing tender built by Jarvis Newman of Southwest Harbor, Maine. The ten...
Issue 18: May/June 2001 I received an urgent call from an old friend with a Pearson Commander. The boat is his pride and joy, and he has kept it beautifully. The under-deck reinforcement of the on-dec...
A little routine inspection can help prevent that sinking feeling Issue 18: May/June 2001 The steering gear on your boat may not get a lot of attention unless the boat stops steering. Depending on the...
Issue 27: Nov/Dec 2002 IT OFTEN SURPRISED ME THAT WHILE OUR EASTWARD HO 31 HAD lots of empty space, much of it was inaccessible. The area under the galley and behind the molded-in liner, for example, ...
It needed to be cheap, simple, compact, and long-lasting Issue 22 : Jan/Feb 2002 The anchorage where I kept my Pearson Ariel is a bayou, a tributary of the Jourdan River in South Mississippi. It’s a d...
Stand proud and tall (if you can) once you’ve repacked or adjusted your boat’s stuffing box Issue 23 : Mar/Apr 2002 A stuffing box by any other name — shaft seal, packing gland, rotating seal, packing...
This unconventional two-master boasts speed and simplicity Issue 24 : May/June 2002 The first thing you notice is the freestanding masts. Next you see the wide sidedecks, which are clear of chainplate...
What you need to know about them — and how to replace them Issue 24 : May/June 2002 Few of us ever give a thought to Cutless bearings until it’s time to replace them. Then we wonder why the yard charg...
Mold? Rust? Wasps nests? Plastic goo? Your deck vents have surprises in store for you Issue 25 : Jul/Aug 2002 Have you ever looked under your vacuum-type deck vent? You could be in for a shock. My boa...
Here’s the five-year plan that rescued a $1,200 boat Issue 25 : Jul/Aug 2002 Not so long ago I did not have a cruising boat, but I wanted one badly. My wife understood and said, “Take the $2,500 we’ve...
How a mysterious mechanical malady was finally cured Issue 32 : Sept/Oct 2003 The other day we were out sailing and headed home when the wind died. We turned on the engine and motored back to the harb...
A catboat with standing headroom and fixed keel? Here’s onesuch Issue 32 : Sept/Oct 2003 I’ve always loved catboats but never owned one. There always seemed to be limiting factors that made me look fo...
Using an electric drill to drive sheet, halyard, and anchor winches Issue 33 : Nov/Dec 2003 The idea originated with Jim Schmitt, a friend and Freedom 33 owner, who said, “There is a lot of talk on th...
A marine surveyor’s best friend Issue 36 : May/Jun 2004 A moisture meter is a marine surveyor’s best friend, but do you need to own one if you are not a surveyor? Basically there are two types of mari...
She’s a trailerable, characterful, shallow-draft yawl with classic features Issue 37 : Jul/Aug 2004 The old saying that “if it looks right, it probably is right” applies to the Nimble 24. This i...
This grand old dame will always be someone’s sweetheart Issue 39 : Nov/Dec 2004 It might not have been love at first sight but it was close. Marcelo Gentenetta, a veterinarian, was looking at a Pearso...
A handsome and stoutly built offering from Canada Issue 40 : Jan/Feb 2005 The Canadian Sailcraft 36 is one of the best-built boats I have yet sailed. That it is underappreciated is evidenced by the fa...
These new clamps have potential, but failed our test Issue 41 : Mar/Apr 2005 The editors of Good Old Boat asked me to evaluate some new hose clamps made by Gates Rubber Company and marketed as Power G...
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 ...
Emergency kit saves boat after sailor drills hole in hull Issue 46 : Jan/Feb 2006 A fellow sailor told me he was installing a new water-tank fill pipe and almost sank his boat. He said he was tired of...
“Post-trauma syndrome” might describe the impact on the Mississippi Gulf Coast Issue 50 : Sept/Oct 2006 I was in a marine store the other day and saw an attractive ice chest for my boat on sale. I tho...
How to make sure your boat stays put Issue 53 : Mar/Apr 2007 Not long ago I spoke with a sailor that had a 27-foot Sabre moored on a 250-pound mushroom mooring anchor as recommended by the local yacht...
