Making an Anodized Mast Look Like New
Have you done any research on the best means of cleaning an aluminum mast? Im having other work done to mine and thought it...
Holiday Gift Ideas for Sailors
Sailors are a practical lot. Sure, wed all enjoy a Fruit of the Month membership, but if you really want to make a sailors...
Testing Winches with Dale
Part 2 of our winch test this month brought back fond memories of the man who helped steer me into my position as Practical...
Making a Do-it-Yourself Jerry Can Drip Catcher
The previous owner of our test boat swore by using a funnel. Of course, the funnel was too small to catch nozzle leaks, reduced...
Floating Docks and Storm Preparation
With regard to your July 2016 article on storm preparedness and spring lines, what advice is there for storm prep for floating piers? We...
Winch Grease Corrosion Tests
When it comes to most mechanical things-like wheel bearings on a car-its miles that wears em out, as my grandfather used to say. And...
Winch Servicing Basics
While using the right winch grease is important, servicing the winch before the grease turns to gum, washes out, or the pawls start to...
Unsticking Molds
Our boats are molded, heart and soul, from fiberglass resin. And while sailors will argue for hours over the best splice, multi-function display, or...
How big does a backing plate need to be?
How big of a backing plate do you need for your new winch? Genoa track? How about for your keel bolts? What is the...
Loading Up Backing Plates
Our deck core samples for testing duplicated the deck core of our test boat, a 32-foot PDQ catamaran. Some other boat cores will be...
Universal Diesel Engines – What You Should Know
This week we take a look at the Universal Diesel Sailboat Engine and its history including the Atomic 4 sailboat engine followed by the...
