Sparkling Brightwork: Careful Attention to the Details
It takes practice to produce a perfect, mirror finish on varnished wood, but it is not so much a difficult task as an exacting...
Improve Your Catalina 30: Upgrading the World’s Most Popular 30-Footer
The Catalina 30 is a remarkable success story. We suspect that more Catalina 30s have been built than any other boat of that size...
Design For: Building Your Own Handrails
One of the most used and easily made items of safety gear on boats is the handrail. Rare is the boat which shouldn't have...
Fair Through Hull Fittings: Essential to a Smooth Bottom
"She's not very fast in light air. After all, she's a cruising boat." Are you still using that excuse for the poor light air...
“Good Hope’s” Folding Fiddles
In a rare instance of getting to have your cake and eat it too, this design for folding fiddles affords sturdy permanent fiddles suited...
Keep Seacocks Working Smoothly
Are the tapered plug seacocks on your boat difficult or impossible to close? If you tighten the adjustment nut enough for them to stop...
Sealing Anchor Chain Spill Pipes
Anchor lockers are a convenience to coastal cruisers but no friend to offshore sailors. Passagemakers often forgo a deck-clearing locker for a belowdecks anchor-chain...
Keeping You Cool: Improving Your Icebox
The cruising boat, like an army, travels on its stomach. If you can’t eat well while sailing - whether day racing or cruising the...
Caring for Clear Plastics on Your Boat
There are three basic types of transparent plastics used on boats: clear vinyls, acrylics (the best known is Plexiglas), and polycarbonates (the marine standard...
A Permanent Mount for the Sensibulb LED Reading Light
A Permanent Mount for the Sensibulb LED Reading LightBy Thomas WetherbeeI have always been a big fan of brass berth lights, but have never...