The Hidden Maintenance Problems That Can Ruin Your Day: Part 1
What jobs can push down on your ‘to-do’ list for later, and will there come a time when you really regret doing that? Sometimes...
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...
Simplifying Your Cleaning Chemicals Kit
Instead of requiring 30 random cleaning products, you would need only four or five with carefully targeted chemistry. Thats it-no more than five cleaners to serve most purposes. Here are the basics to building your own kit.
Taking Care of Your 12-Volt Lead-Acid Battery Bank
Marine boat batteries can fail due to various reasons, and understanding these potential failure modes is crucial for ensuring their reliability. Here are some...
Waste Not is the Rule. But How Do We Get There?
Along with sustainable sailing, green boating, and ocean conservation, you've probably heard the term "zero waste." And on the surface, for me, at least,...
What Your Boat and the Baltimore Super Container Ship May Have in Common
When the mega container ship Dali struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge at 1:28 am on Tuesday, March 26, the world saw a remote...
Check Your Shorepower System for Hidden Dangers
One of the often overlooked maintenance items in the pre-season rush to the water is the AC shorepower system. Over the years of surveying, Ive amassed a small collection of scary photos from past surveys showing the common examples of neglect to this critical system.
The Scraper-only Approach to Bottom Paint Removal
Spring is just around the corner. For many sailors, especially those with boats on the hard, it’s good time to consider the advantages of...
Can You Recoat Dyneema?
Dyneema fibers are given a thin polyurethane coating at the factory that reduces chafe, UV damage, and adds some stiffness. Hoping that an aftermarket...
Gonytia Hot Knife Proves its Mettle
A hot knife is a luxury item, but nothing is better for cutting and sealing synthetic rope and fabric. We find ourselves reaching for...
Why Sailors Love to Hate the MacGregor 26
The MacGregor 26 might be the most controversial sailboat ever built. Half sailboat. Half powerboat. Water ballast. A 50-horsepower outboard. Capable of sailing… and...
Latest Sailboat Review
Catalina Morgan 440 Used Boat Review
The Catalina Morgan 440 is a massive ocean-capable design from the drafting board of Gerry Douglas, a prolific designer for Catalina Yachts for over...