Boat Maintenance

Simple Sail Repair

Often an old sail wont hold stitches, and some sailors hate to sew. A number of products proved strong enough and flexible enough to make serviceable repairs. In Stitch-free Sail Repair, (see November 2017) we reviewed repair tapes, epoxy, polyurethane, and a few other common adhesives for usefulness as no-sewing options for sail repair, and in September 2017 we reviewed options for Sunbrella repair. After two years in the Maryland sun, the rankings have changed…

Make a Mini Dodger

A companionway slider and hatch boards are the most common type of cabin entry on sailboats. Its seaworthy, lightweight, and inexpensive. Unfortunately, you can't leave the hatch open when its raining without getting water below. Swapping the hatch boards for a hinged door is a popular upgrade, but in many boats there simply isn't space for an opened door.

Freshwater Bottom Paint Test

We werent too surprised to learn that Irgarol 1051, an antifouling paint additive that last year was awaiting U.S. Environmental Protection Administration certification, has received approval to re-enter the market. As we reported last spring (see Bottom Paint Update 2017, Practical Sailor April 2017), Irgarol 1051s manufacturer, BASF, had moved its manufacturing to Asia, and was waiting for its new foreign-sourced formula to be certified by the EPA. By 2016, nearly all of the major antifouling paint manufacturers in the U.S. had exhausted their reserves. Now Irgarol is back, which means there may be some confusion as to what secret sauce is boosting the performance of your top-shelf slime-resistant paint.

A Stronger Screwhole Repair

The fastest way to attach light hardware to a cored deck is a self-tapping screw. It is also the fastest way to have hardware rip out of the deck and end up with a wet core and delaminated deck. But how to replace screws that have gotten loose or prevent a wet deck in your future? One method is to drill and over-sized hole, remove some core, fill the enlarged hole with epoxy, and then replace them with small through bolts (see Spreading the Load Practical Sailor, August 2016). But what if the backside is inaccessible? Can we create an improved repair by filling and reinstalling a self-tapping fastener, without major surgery? What sealing and filling material is best?

Choosing a Bottom Paint

This month's report on freshwater bottom paints is another reminder that the most effective paint in our testing might not always be the best for your circumstances or location.

Cleaning Your Hull

Before diving into a hull cleaning project, check first what the rules are in your marina. Marinas are regulated under the Clean Water Act and they often have their own policies regarding DIY hull-cleaning.

Hydration, Right at Hand

To a former bicycle racer, the aluminum water bottle cage seems like a quick and easy solution to the biggest challenge of staying hydrated on board-keeping bottles from rolling away. If wire cage bottle holders could secure a bottle on a mountain bike, it could manage a few waves. Built of anodized aluminum rod they do not corrode, and if they get bent they are easily bent back into shape.

Polishing Solar Panels

After years in the sun, even the best quality plastic begins to take on some surface roughness and hazing. The diligent boat owner immediately reaches for his buffer and compound, certain that a shiny panel is a happy panel. In fact, panels are often ruined by attempts to restore the plastic.

Staying Safe in the Boatyard

My pal Jimmys inflatable dinghy sprung a leak. It was a simple repair. He hoisted the boat aboard, put a wire wheel on his cordless drill and began scuffing the surface in preparation for gluing. Seconds later, a two-inch strand of wire had pierced his cornea and he was on the way to the Northern District Hospital in Luganville, Vanuatu. After battling infection for several weeks and follow up treatment in Australia, he got most of his sight back.

Penny Pincher Pawl Lube

Winch pawls require a different lube the rest of the winch. The only time they are moving is under practically no load, clicking along the ratchet wheel until the handle stops turning. A heavy packing of grease can stick and prevent full engagement, resulting in broken pawls, gouged ratchet wheels, and in the worse case, crew injury when the handle spins backwards.

FULL TOUR of the MASSIVE Deck Saloon Catalina Morgan 440

Step aboard the Catalina-Morgan 440 for a full walkthrough tour of this capable and comfortable cruising sailboat! In this video, we take you inside...

Latest Sailboat Review

O’Day 30 Used Boat Review

Over 350 O'Day 30s were built between 1977 and 1984. During 1984, the 30 was modified by changing the keel and rudder, and the stern was lengthened to accommodate a European-style boarding platform. This "new boat" was called the O'Day 31, and it stayed in production until 1986.