DIY Projects - Practical Sailor

A DIY wooden wheel shines on a sunny daysail. (Photo/ Bert Vermeer)

How I Made My Wooden Wheel

DIY Projects January 20, 2025

The reader will notice that the title is not “How to Build a Wooden Wheel”. I don’t pretend to be a carpenter or shipwright,...

With $1,500 and 250 hours over the course of two years, two DIYers refit a previously dismal, grey salon into a bright, functional space. (Photo/ Jaclyn Jeffrey)

DIY Salon Refit: 1979 Fast Passage 39

DIY Projects January 13, 2025

"Interesting, functional and downright ugly," were a few words people used when I mentioned the boat my husband and I had on Vancouver Island...

While you need to reduce the distance between the jaw flanges, the stripper ring must still be able to rotate freely. (Image/ Tom Egan)

Rescuing Older, Self-Tailing Winches

DIY Projects January 13, 2025

I love my winches. Like a trusted companion, they have been with me through thick and thin and have always performed for me when...

Lowering the Beta 20, the Kubota 722 block marinized by the British, to replace a Volvo MD7A two-cylinder. (Photo/ Bert Vermeer)

Engine Replacement on Islander Bahama 30

DIY Projects January 6, 2025

There may come a time when repowering your cherished sailboat needs to be addressed. I suspected that not all 13 horses of the venerable...

Simple Lithium for Outboard-Powered Tenders, Daysailers, and Sport Boats

DIY Projects December 30, 2024

Lithium is cool. Your cell phone uses it. Cameras, laptops, flashlights … everything. But “cool” is not a reason. Fire is not a big...

"The epoxy primer was applied quickly by Jacob and Hanneke, one rolls it on the other strokes it out. We applied two coats and afterwards wet-and-dry sanded them." (Info/Photo Wharram Designs)

Glues and Resins: Can Boatbuilding Be Regenerative?

DIY Projects December 30, 2024

The use of glues and resins is indispensable in modern wooden and plywood boat construction. Ahead of self-building a 41-ft. Wharram Designs Narai Mk...

This completed cardboard dodger cover pattern has all of the marking elements indicating where different snaps and straps need to be sewed on. (Photo/ Marc Robic)

How to Make Dodger Cover Canvas Pattern

DIY Projects December 16, 2024

For those of us with dodgers, we know how truly practical they can be. They protect the crew from wind and water splashes and...

What Are the Best Options in Hose Clamps and Barbs?

DIY Projects December 2, 2024

In “Stainless Steel Hose Clamps,” February 2016, we reviewed hose clamps by testing corrosion resistance and clamping security. Not a lot has changed; cheap...

Refurbishing the Inflatable Dinghy

DIY Projects November 25, 2024

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

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

DIY Projects November 11, 2024

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,...