Sail Magazine

by Bill Bleyer

Cruising Tips: Knot Log Drain

by Bill Bleyer, Posted February 11, 2013

If you’re like many boatowners, you’ll only learn that the hoses connecting your cockpit drains to the transom through-hulls have failed when you see your floorboards afloat.

Drain your Rudder

by Bill Bleyer, Posted December 11, 2012

When I bought my first cruising sailboat, I falsely assumed the rudder was watertight. I later learned otherwise when I began seeing rust streaks at the seams.

Tennis Ball Grommets

by Bill Bleyer, Posted September 19, 2012

When covering my boat for the winter, I like to use heavy gray-green poly tarps, as they are inexpensive and last several years if they are protected against chafe and are properly secured.

Voice of Experience: The Prodigal Dinghy

by Bill Bleyer, Posted May 23, 2012

I watched through stinging spray as my fiberglass dinghy was swamped, turned into a sea anchor, and then quickly snapped its painter as my O’Day 31 surfed down 6-foot seas on Long Island Sound. It probably was unwise to be out on the water that day.