Boat Maintenance

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.

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...

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...

As I approach twenty years of surveying boats, most issues that I encounter are repetitive. The root causes for these repeat problems usually involve...

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...

Dorade vents are the best solution to keep the cabin fresh in bad weather or offshore. They let air in but keep water out...

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...

Athough falling off a ladder or cutting yourself with a sharp tool are the most common boatyard injuries, damage from the foul air we breathe is more insidious. Marine paints contain solvents that can make you dizzy at best or increase cancer risk at worst. Dust from sanding wood is usually only a nuisance, but sanding bottom paint or grinding fiberglass presents serious health risks. Fortunately, theres a wealth of industrial experience with contaminated air…

It starts with a small leak around a piece of deck hardware or even a pinhole in a resin-starved layup. Water seeps between the...

On Natasha, our 1978 Islander Bahama 30, the Barient two speed sheet winches were showing their age—a dull chrome surface and the drum were...