Quickline Takes a Load Off
Using an elastic nylon riding stopper (aka snubber) is always recommended when deploying an all-chain rode. Snubbers act as shock absorbers between rode and...
Upgrading the C&C 33 Part I
In July 1990 we bought a 1975 C & C 33 to function as a test platform for Practical Sailor. We chose it above...
Making Your Own Workshop Filter
It all started when I needed to make a number of large cuts inside the house and outside of the confines of my shop....
The Happy Hooker and Other Ingenious (de)Vices
Approaching your own mooring or dock always has a nice “home-again” quality. Lines are attached and often rigged to make it easy. It’s usually...
Making the Dinghy Decision
Spring and fall on the Chesapeake Bay delivers cruising at its best. Last fall, we were ready to go, the crowds were gone, along...
Power Tools for Restoring Gelcoat
In our test of acrylic-type gelcoat restorers, we polished one panel on a 1972 Oday Javelin with 3M Finesse-It II and waxed it.Practical Sailor...
Boat Repair in the Age of Plexus
Historically, fiberglass boat hulls and decks were molded separately, and then bonded at the deck seam. Bulkheads were added either with polyester or epoxy...
Checking and Replacing: Keelbolts, Part 1
Nevertheless, this safety margin does not guarantee eternal life for keelbolts. Corrosion takes its toll, sometimes more quickly than you might think. It is...
Multi-Tools: Leatherman Wave Covers the Waterfront
Following the theme of our knife-test article of June 2000, we decided to look at multi-tools, highly portable gadgets that incorporate up to well...
Get a Survey, Set Priorities
Here we go again. Apparently enough time (32 years) has passed since I last bought a 50-plus-year-old boat and began restoring it that I’ve...
How To Buy Sails – With Joe Cooper
Looking to learn how to buy sails for your sailboat? Deciding between Dacron sails or laminate sails? Thinking about how to buy carbon fibre...
