Belowdecks & Amenities

Practical Sailor Chandlery: October 2011. This month reviews a pocket video, new mastclimber, and belowdeck comfort.

I have a CNG (compressed natural gas) stove onboard, and Ive had a hell of a time finding a place to refill the tanks. Im in the Cleveland, Ohio area, and I had to go to Grosse Point, Mich., the last time for a fill-up. Do you know of dealers in my area who can fill CNG tanks?

Pivoting Bin is made much like a drawer and fits efficiently into narrow places. Make it large enough shopping bag for trash can.

Almost from the dawn of man, this unique creature has used his ingenuity to make different materials stick together. In fact, this may well have been the first technology, whether used in the making of tools or other necessities.

I’ve always loved small boats: day sailors, trailer sailors, runabouts, and skiffs. In many ways they give the most joy for the limited time most of us can spend on the water. While not cruisers in the usual sense of the term, it’s often pleasant to spend a night or weekend aboard a small boat, especially if you are young, flexible and unarthritic. A couple of sleeping bags and air mattresses, a tent over the cockpit, and a galley add up to happiness and freedom for the young and young at heart.

I’ve always loved small boats: day sailors, trailer sailors, runabouts, and skiffs. In many ways they give the most joy for the limited time most of us can spend on the water. While not cruisers in the usual sense of the term, it’s often pleasant to spend a night or weekend aboard a small boat, especially if you are young, flexible and unarthritic. A couple of sleeping bags and air mattresses, a tent over the cockpit, and a galley add up to happiness and freedom for the young and young at heart.

Fender boards are almost a necessity when docking against pilings because without the, no matter how you position and secure your boat and fenders, movement of tide and boat will displace the position of the fenders relative to the piles. The result dinged topsides.

Practical Sailor reports on how the gelcoat restorer test products are holding up after three years in the field. Testers also take a look at what acrylic fiberglass restorers can and can’t do, and at the benefits and limitations of these “miracle cures” for aging gelcoats. In our search for the products that produce the best, longest-lasting gloss, we tested seven products: Poli Glow; NewGlass2; Vertglas; Presto Gel Coat Rejuvenator; Star brite Glass Cote; Klasse High Gloss Sealant Glaze; and Higley Fibergloss Restorer.

For a test subject, testers turned to the smallest—but most gelcoat-challenged—vessel in the Practical Sailor fleet. Our 1974 O’Day Javelin’s highly oxidized blue gelcoat was pushing the limits of these products—it was probably a better candidate for a paint job. But the oxidation was consistently spread from bow to stern, and in the end, testers were happy with the job done by the top performers—and it was easier than painting it.

Cooking at sea has never been easy and is usually looked upon as a dull, but necessary task. Nothing can spur the queasy stomach to open rebellion more effectively than going below to a hot, stuffy galley to prepare , ugh! - food. Why would anyone in his right mind try to prepare a meal at a 30' heel while the rest of the crew enjoy a sail on deck? The term, 'slaving over a hot stove', takes on new meaning. Yet, the cook is a vitally important member of the ship's crew, and it is not an easy job. Whether on a delivery, rac­ing or long distance cruising, a non-stop passage on your boat means no nipping out to buy that missing ingredient: there are no supermarkets at sea! So remember, the moment you leave the dock you'd better be sure you haven't forgotten anything. If you like acronyms, here are two secrets to success that you can remember: The Six P's, and MAMAS Theory.