Issue 4 : Jan/Feb 1999 One of the most annoying problems that can occur on a sailboat is a leak in the diesel fuel tank. If you don’t have the time, expertise, or courage to attempt to repair it yours...
Issue 5 : Mar/Apr 1999 The Valiant 32 was designed by Bob Perry as a smaller version of the successful Valiant 40. In the 1970s, a 30- to 35-foot boat was considered the optimum-size boat for a cruisi...
A bad case of blisters made the boat affordable; upgrades were the expensive part Issue 5 : Mar/Apr 1999 It all started innocently enough. It was mid-October of 1990, and we were going to Texas anyway...
It’s easy to replace opening ports – but fixed ports are another matter Issue 8 : Sept/Oct 1999 The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that when things are left alone, they go from the complex to the...
Issue 9 : Nov/Dec 1999 When you purchase an older boat, it’s inevitable that some things will need to be changed, repaired, or enlarged. Holding tanks are often on the list of things that must be adde...
When your good old back’s not up to it anymore, let a windlass do the donkey work Issue 13 : Jul/Aug 2000 It’s strange how much difficulty we owners of older boats have in finding $500 to $1,000 to re...
Climbing the mast the slow but easy way Issue 27: Nov/Dec 2002 FOR MOST OF US, GOING TO THE TOP OF the mast for any reason is an ordeal. Even if you are not afraid of heights, the logistics of getting...
Bent stanchions and delaminated decks Issue 20 : Sept/Oct 2001 When we were unloading our boat following a recent week-long cruise, I noticed the midship stanchion on the port side was slightly bent t...
A small project that brings satisfaction and pride Issue 21 : Nov/Dec 2001 An acquaintance raised the question concerning those little wedges that hold the mast in column on many boats. On a recent sa...
How one cruiser converted from tiller steering to wheel and pedestal Issue 30 : May/Jun 2003 The longer you own your sailboat, the more you upgrade it. Some of the upgrades are planned from the time y...
