Boat Maintenance

Bottom Paint Update

I’ve been aware of Propspeed (a New Zealand product) for many years having been based in Auckland off and on since 1979. Propspeed, is...

Bottom Scrub Tips to Live By

This month’s report on alternative bottom paints called to mind Drew Frye’s report (see Bottom Cleaning PS April 2018) on bottom cleaning, a practice...

Workbenches for Cruising Sailors

So you’ve got a locker full of tools and materials and the skills to take on anything. But what do you work on? Spill...

The Unsung Hero of Canvas Work

You can cut cloth, carpet, and rope with scissors or a knife, but the result is a frayed mess, as soon as the item...

4 Years Later Sail Repairs Hold Well

After four long years in the sun, we’re finally taking our polyester (Dacron) sail repair samples out of the elements for good. Even glued...

Bent Rudder Remedy

A few years ago while sailing my PDQ catamaran, we struck something hard and bent the rudder so badly that the top of the...

Are You Ready to Kludge Your Way Home?

The first use of the word kludge is attributed to Jackson W. Granholm in 1962, describing an ugly programming solution that was “an ill-assorted...

Tough, Versatile Coosa Board Suited for Various Projects

Cosa board is a closed cell panel that is reinforced with glass fiber, giving it both shear strength and compression strength. Compared to the...

The Multipurpose Core

Solid fiberglass is strong and durable, but it weighs a ton. Even boats with solid hulls generally have cored decks, cabins, stringers, and bulkheads....

Foam Filters Make Little Sense for Air Intake

Probably the biggest takeaway from our report is the surprising prevalence of deteriorating foam oil filters on sailboats. More than one-third of the sailors we...

Fiberglass Boat Repair Kit Checklist

Are you making fiberglass repairs to your boat? Today we talk about West System Epoxy, Vinylester and Polyester Resin, fiberglass cloth and other items...

Latest Sailboat Review

Catalina 320 Used Boat Review

Catalina Yachts has carved a reputation in the production boat world by producing yachts that make owner feedback sound like a mantra. Typical comments...