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The cabin sole with water damage, looking aft towards the companionway from the salon. The new damage is on the left, while the old damage is near the doorway at the top of the photo. (Photo/ Bert Vermeer)

How to Repair a Water-Damaged Teak and Holly Sole

A sailing buddy came to me looking for advice. He had inadvertently left a portlight open and a combination of rain and snow had...
The waxy films of CorrosionX MaxWax and CRC HD Corrosion Inhibitor win hands-down for long-term protection.

Corrosion Inhibitors

The waxy films of CorrosionX MaxWax and CRC HD Corrosion Inhibitor win hands-down for long-term protection. WD-40 can still serve as a cheap, short-term shield.
This finishing bench is a rough copy of one I saw in a sailmaker’s workshop. It is both a piece of furniture and an efficient tool for periodic sail maintenance. (Photo/ Drew Frye)

Five Best Homemade Sail Repair and Splicing Tools

I doubt there is a sailmaker out there who doesn’t have a few shop-built tools in daily use. Here are five of my favorites:...
After six months, protection from the anti-corrosion sprays had worn off, but some greases still worked.

Marine Wiring: Are the Pricey Options Worth the Cost?

This article launches Practical Sailors long-term test of electrical wires, electrical connections, and corrosion inhibitors for electrical applications onboard sailboats. Ultimately, the goal of this ongoing project is to examine corrosion in wires and connectors in a marine environment. More concisely, it could be presented as a closer look at three common elements in marine wiring to answer some basic questions: What is the best wire to use on a sailboat? Is it tinned wire, automotive wire, or stranded machine tool wire? What are the best corrosion preventatives? Do you apply the anti-corrosion treatment to every connection and every crimp, or just certain types of connections? What are the longest-lasting connections? Which were most prone to electrolysis? We made observations during the six-month test period without disturbing the samples. At the end of the full one-year test period, we will unbolt all of the fittings from the terminal strips and look for corrosion under the fittings.
The bare minimum required to deal with most daysailer dilemmas fits in a relatively compact electrician’s bag. It can be tailored to fit the specific needs of your boat. (Photo/ Drew Frye)

The Get-Home Sailboat Tool Kit

The tools and materials required to maintain and repair everything on a boat will barely fit in a room. Just the kit required to maintain vital systems will raise the waterline of a large boat and is impractical in a smaller boat. Fortunately, when day sailing and even cruising locally, all we really need to do is get back to the dock...any dock.
Bottom scraper. Easy to make and so much easier to use. Used for barnacles on the bottom and taking mud off the anchor. (Photo/ Drew Frye)

Six Best Homemade Boat Maintenance Tools

OSHA has a thing against homemade tools. While a shortened extension on a paint roller won’t give them heartburn, modified power tools and attachments...
Hot Knife. We put this purchase off for too long. Nice for fabric and rope, and vital for carpet and bungee cord, which are difficult to heat seal. Multiple layers dont slow it down. (Photo/ Drew Frye)

Five Best Specialty Tools

In fact our list is much, much longer than this, so we picked five specialty tools that we thought would help most sailors for...
A professional cleaner prepares to dive on one of our former bottom paint test boats, a Cape Dory 28.

Bottom Paint Care

Modern anti-fouling paints promise a hull free of marine growth for one to several seasons. But in nutrient-rich water and as the paint becomes expended, barnacles and green stuff take hold, slowing us down, increasing fuel consumption under power, and degrading handling.
While Snappy Teak-Nu seemed to perform better at first, the longterm winner was Star-Brite.

Battle of the Teak Cleaners — Snappy Teak-Nu vs. Star Brite

Aboard our Privilege 435 catamaran Confianza, we are teak oilers, not varnishers. Accordingly, our teak needs regular elbow grease. In our (seemingly never-ending) quest...

New Seacocks for the Offshore Sailor

Are you having trouble with your boat’s critically important seacocks? Maybe the handle is frozen and attempts to free it using penetrating oil, a...

Inside Pure Yachts: Germany’s Ultra-Modern Aluminum Sailboat Builder

Discover the cutting-edge world of Pure Yachts, a boutique shipyard in Kiel, Germany, known for building ultra-light, performance-driven aluminum sailboats. In this video, we...

Latest Sailboat Review

Beneteau First 345 Used Boat Review

The Beneteau First 345 was designed as a moderate displacement racer/cruiser, and much of its popularity has been because of its success in blending the two functions. In fact, it could be said that the First is a racing boat that contains a cruising interior. The architect is Jean Berret, a Frenchman noted for his cruising and racing designs (he designed the 1985 Admiral's Cup winner, Phoenix, a Beneteau one-tonner).