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.
Step-by-Step Deck Core Repair
The factory skimped on resin when laying up the internal skin of the anchor locker hatch on our Corsair F-24 test boat. The goal...
DIY Wooden Bowsprit
Bowsprits are a common feature on traditional boats as a way to extend the sail plan beyond the boat’s length over deck and create...
Seven Common Boat Problems You Can’t Ignore (and How to Fix Them)
As I approach twenty years of surveying boats, most issues that I encounter are repetitive. The root causes for these repeat problems usually involve...
A Better Bridle Plate
In the midst of discussing bridles, snubbers, and rigging multiple anchors, ten years ago we introduced the idea of an improved bridle plate—see “Adjustable...
Build Your Own Dorade: Fresh Air Below, No Water Allowed
Dorade vents are the best solution to keep the cabin fresh in bad weather or offshore. They let air in but keep water out...
Exterior Wood Finish Update at 2 Years
The wood samples we varnished in late 2015 finally went into service three years after they were varnished. They'd been boxed and stored as...
Deep Keel vs Shoal Draft – Which Should You Buy?
Deep keel or shoal draft: which should you buy? In this episode, we look at one of the biggest sailboat buying decisions cruisers face....
Latest Sailboat Reviews
Endeavour 37 Used Boat Review
Rob Valdez and John Brooks founded Endeavour in 1974 using the molds from Ted Irwin's 32-footer to launch the business. The company built about 600 32s in all. Spurred by this success, Valdez and Brooks began looking around for a larger sistership to expand the line. Just how they "developed" the 37 is a tale best left untold until the principals pass away or become too senile to read the yachting periodicals. Brooks calls the 37 a "house design," and that is generous. The total number of Endeavour 37s built is 476 a lot for a boat that size.
