boatworks
Know-how: Modify a Blackwater System
My dissatisfaction with the head and holding tank plumbing arrangement on our 1987 Sabre 38 had grown as we cruised the boat away from the comforts of a marina for longer periods of time. When we are tied up at a marina, the use of regular bathrooms generally trumps the ...read more
Know How: Refit Tips
Military strategist Helmuth von Moltke said, “No battle plan survives contact with the enemy.” This is also true for a boat refit plan I started the refit of my boat, Passion, with a simple plan. Just as my geezerly body has needed a few parts replaced and some other repairs to ...read more
How to: Pick a Fixer-upper That's Worth Fixing Up
It seems that every time I walk into a boatyard I inevitably find myself smitten by some under-loved (read derelict) classic beauty sitting forlornly off in a corner. Hmmm, I think, I could buy her for a song and with a little elbow grease and some TLC, she will be ready to go. ...read more
Know how: Upgrading Cleats for Mooring Security
Many production boats come equipped with undersized cleats and poorly designed line chocks. The 10in aluminum cleats that came standard on my Pearson 40 have served satisfactorily for more than 30 years. But as I have outfitted the boat for extended offshore passagemaking, I ...read more
DIY: Installing a Dodger
A couple of years ago we brought our cockpit dodger, which was over 25 years old, to a local shop to get it re-stitched in a few places. Upon retrieving it we were told emphatically, “Please, don’t bring this back to me!” We took that as the final sign that we needed a new ...read more