Boat Maintenance

Point me to any boat, anywhere, anytime and I can guarantee you I will find a few tricks or particular set-ups made by its...

There isn’t much that scares or worries me when it comes to all things about boats. Except two: large amounts of water coming in...

If I were to sum up, in one word, how James Frederick has managed to create his sailing life, I’d say “resourcefully.” The 49-year-old...

Gathered on the sofa, I fumbled with the HDMI cable, trying to connect my laptop to our TV. “What’s this movie about?” Ryder, our eldest,...

When summer turns into fall, most DIY boat owners start exchanging ideas on how each one proceeds with their winterizing process. This is definitely...

My wife Amanda often asks fellow cruisers the question: Would you prefer to sail with an experienced mechanic who knew little about sailing, or...

The first second-hand sailboat my husband and I considered as a potential “project boat” was listed for sale on an online classified website in...

My wife Amanda often asks fellow cruisers the question: Would you prefer to sail with an experienced mechanic who knew little about sailing, or...

My wife Amanda has often asked fellow cruisers the question: Would you prefer to sail with an experienced mechanic who knew little about sailing,...

Preserving a clear view through clear plastic on dodgers or enclosures is one of the most challenging tasks in boat maintenance. Restoring a vinyl window is almost impossible, but that doesn't stop the tide of products that claim to make this job easy. Practical Sailors eisenglass cleaners test looks at 27 products touted primarily as cleaners or treatments for vinyl windows. The test products were divided into type: cleaners, scratch repairers, polish protectants, and UV protectants. After a week of testing, we found Imar Strataglass Protective Cleaner and Imar Strataglass Protective Polish, distributed by Defender Industries, to be the Best Choice. Collinite No. 845 Insulator Wax and Mer-Maids Plexiglass Plastic Cleaner and Polish were the Budget Buys. The test also included products from the following manufacturers: 303, 3M, Aquatech, Armada, Davies, Marykate, Meguiars. Mothers, Novus, Plexus, Sailors Solutions, Star brite, Turtle Wax, West Marine, and Yacht Brite.