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Boat Maintenance

If you're looking to tie up and explore New York City on foot, there are various small marinas and moorings. However, there are more options across the river in New Jersey where you can dock and take a short ferry to NYC. (Photo/ Kim Saylor)

How Much Does It Cost to Keep a Boat on the Hudson River, New...

I have a pocket dictionary I keep in the navigation desk of our 1978 Catalina 30 called Sailing: The Fine Art of Getting Wet...
1978 Islander Bahama 30 that we’ve owned for just over 20 years. We keep her in good condition and therefore she is relatively easy for us to insure. (Photo/ Bert Vermeer)

Insurance For Older Sailboats

In our modern, risk-adverse world there is seldom the opportunity to stand alone, to be self-insured as it were. Gone are the days that...

What Are the Best Options in Hose Clamps and Barbs?

In “Stainless Steel Hose Clamps,” February 2016, we reviewed hose clamps by testing corrosion resistance and clamping security. Not a lot has changed; cheap...
The author's Catalina 270, Aquaholic, on slings. You can easily see where the slings are properly set. Even the crane seems happy! (Photo/ Marc Robic)

Haul Out Tips to Avoid Confusion and Delays

Every fall, we sailors living in the colder, wintery parts of the world, must haul out our beloved boats and set them gently onto...

Refurbishing the Inflatable Dinghy

Inflatable tenders have become the family car for many cruisers. They haul groceries, take us to snorkeling spots, shuttle guests, haul out second anchors,...

The Best Gloves for the Boatyard

We choose our sailing gloves and deck shoes with great care, because they are our interface with the boat. The same goes for work...
With Weiman Glass Cooktop Cleaner and a red Scotch-Brite pad, the author restored yellowed gelcoat in the cockpit to a near-new white shine. (Photo/ Marc Robic)

Gelcoat Cleaning and Restoring Hack

How does the saying go again? “Necessity is the mother of invention,” or something along those lines? And so it was earlier this week...
Examples of glass filler (microspheres) and glass material (cut fibers and two fabrics) for plastics reinforcement: glass microspheres (or glass beads); diameter: about 300 µm, specific gravity: 2.5. Mineral filler mainly used to increase the stiffness of a thermoset resin and to make road safety markings; 5 mm length chopped strands of fiberglass used to reinforce thermoset resins; fibrous reinforcements for thermoset resins: two glass fabrics with different area density; fiber orientation: 0 and 90° (most common): weave pattern: taffeta (down left, area density: 550 g/m2), and 2x2 twill (down right, area density: 280 g/m2). Credit: WikiCommons/CC BY-SA 3.0

A Brief Modern History of Fiberglass

Fiberglass, also known as glass-reinforced plastic (GRP), has been an integral material in modern engineering and design, especially within the marine industry. Its lightweight,...

Another Look at ‘Dustless’ Sanding

In “Dustless Sanding,” (see PS April 2016), we described a simple modification to a 5-gallon bucket that would make collecting dust from bottom painting...
Mid-May at Ile Perrot Yacht Club in Quebec. This time of year is when the sailing season begins in earnest. (Photo/ Marc Robic)

How Much Does it Cost to Own a Sailboat in Quebec, Eastern Ontario, Upper...

You’ve been out a few times with friends on their sailboat and now, you’ve caught the sailing bug and, be well advised, there is...

The 51 Foot Wharram Catamaran He Finally Found!

If you’ve ever wanted to build your own sailboat, you’ve undoubtedly come across Wharram Catamarans. These home-built DIY sailboat plans are a big hit...

Latest Sailboat Review

Vancouver 27 Used Boat Review

I was single handed on our Islander Bahama 30 on a spectacular fall afternoon, white caps dancing on the blue waters of Plumper Sound...