How to Inspect Your Sailboat’s Chainplates—and Why It Matters
The purpose of chainplates on a sailboat is to transfer the enormous loads from the standing rigging into the hull structure safely. Without chainplates,...
Recycling Your Derelict Boat in the Pacific Northwest
“Every once in a while people say we are crushing dreams,” explains Frank Gonzales of Gonzo Boat Recycling, “but we aren’t trying to crush...
Bottom Paint 30-Month Update
The Chesapeake Bay is known for brown water and rapid fouling, so any paint that can hang in there for 30 months is doing...
Rudder Restoration: Eight Lessons Learned
Does your rudder feel unsteady, with play in the tiller or wheel? Do you experience vibration at certain speeds or slapping or thudding sounds...
DIY Kayak Boarding Assist Arm
Exploring beaches, marshes, shorelines—and yes, small towns—is one of sailing’s greatest joys. The challenge is getting in and out of a dinghy or kayak,...
Simple Tips for Maintaining Stainless Steel
When applying a paste cleaner, a toothbrush is useful for buffing tight spots and working into the pores of welds; follow by buffing with a cotton cloth. A green 3M scrubby pad helps for removing more aggressive stains. Continued rusting in welded areas might indicate a developing failure, requiring replacement. Rinse thoroughly with fresh water and mild soap when done buffing.
Making the Dinghy Decision
Spring and fall on the Chesapeake Bay deliver cruising at its best. Last fall, we were ready to go, the crowds were gone, along...
Protecting Against Boatyard Fire
The 1666 London Fire. The 1871 Chicago Fire. The 1906 San Francisco Fire. Common factors shared by all of these disasters were inadequate spacing...
Phosphate Conversion Coatings: The DIY Rust Fix That Also Protects
In the process of rediscovering my machining hobby, I dug out my long-ignored collection of machinist tools from a great uncle who worked in...
Caulks Versus Mildew
We expect a lot from sealants. They must withstand UV, salt and cleaning chemicals, bond to everything, flex to absorb mechanical and thermal strains, be strong but removable when equipment needs serviced, and stay white. Wow. In PS Marine Sealant Adhesion Tests (December 2016) we tested the shear strength of many caulks on many materials and delivered a few tentative recommendations. Three years later, it is time to follow-up with field observations.
The $89k 55 Foot Bluewater Yacht That Got Cheap Enough to...
The Tayana 55 is one of the most tempting used bluewater cruising sailboats on the market: a 55-foot center cockpit offshore yacht with serious...
Latest Sailboat Reviews
Luders 33 Used Boat Review
The Luders 33 was designed by Bill Luders and built by Allied Yachts of Catskill, NY, from 1966 to 1974. The builder of the Luders 33, Allied Yachts, had a troubled existence, struggling for survival from the early 1970s until the firm finally succumbed for good in 1981. Throughout its nine year production run, a bit more than 100 Luders 33s were built. Still, like such similar boats as the Alberg 30, the relative scarcity and traditional styling have made it a bit of a cult object.
