Boatworks

Shock Absorbed

by Sail Staff, Posted August 11, 2007

Aronowitsch and Lyth AB’s Bungy device provides a simple way to moor and anchor your boat safely and can help tame gybes, too. Simply snap a few Bungys onto your anchor gear and you’re done. When storms hit, Bungys add shock-absorbing stretch to your mooring pennant or anchor rode; each Bungy is designed to regain its shape, without loss of strength, once the force on the lines subsides. Bungys

Inflatable Defenses

by Sail Staff, Posted August 11, 2007

Boat Bunkers’s recently introduced line of inflatable bumpers offer your boat protection without taking up valuable stowage space. The bumpers purportedly inflate and deflate quickly (a separate hand pump is available), are built of sturdy materials, fold down small, and come with a built-in strap and adjustable boat-attachment buckle. They’re available in five colors and four sizes, for boats up

Secure Footing

by Sail Staff, Posted August 11, 2007

Working on a pitching foredeck is hard enough, but when the deck’s antiskid wears down it can be downright dangerous. Pachena’s new KiwiGrip coating breathes new life onto an aging deck. Simply roll on KiwiGrip with Pachena’s proprietary roller and allow it to dry (24 hours). KiwiGrip can be applied to fiberglass, wood, metal (with the use of primers), epoxy, and concrete for a durable finish;

Backdraft

by Sail Staff, Posted June 16, 2007

Fire is a major fear for anyone sailing offshore, even if the boat has ample extinguishers. Sea-Fire Marine’s integrated fire-suppression management system, called the Fire Control Panel, monitors cylinder pressure and fire, heat, carbon monoxide, and smoke levels; it can be programmed to simultaneously monitor—and shut down—up to eight specified onboard devices, including engines, generators,

Wind Powered

by Sail Staff, Posted March 10, 2007

Estesian Technologies’s new wireless anemometer achieves self-sufficiency via an internal brushless generator that requires only a small amount of wind for power. The device is compatible with standard potentiometer-based wind-direction sensors, allowing it to provide wind-direction measurements. It is accurate to +/-0.17 knot, has a range of 300 feet, and has both pulse and analog outputs; a

Powered Up

by Sail Staff, Posted February 16, 2007

If you’ve traveled to the world’s exotic ports, odds are good that you’ve experienced troubles accessing shore power. Vectek’s VSP Series II shore-power converter equalizes a boat’s power requirements with available shore power. The VSP Series II accepts multiple power inputs; you determine whether the power supply is one- or three-phrase, and the converter does the rest. The unit also features

Silent Driver

by Sail Staff, Posted January 18, 2007

The Tiller Trimmer is a simple self-steering device for tiller-steered boats. Mount it on your tiller, run a control line from one side of the cockpit to the other through the Tiller Trimmer, and you can lock the tiller in place by tightening the unit’s control knob. The device, made of N6 Nylon, has a ball-bearing Delrin sheave that evenly feeds the control line into the control knob, regardless

Trailer Upgrade 2.0

by Sail Staff, Posted January 10, 2007

Carpet tacked to your trailer’s wood boat braces takes forever to dry if you sail on the salty, and its looks deteriorate after a season or two. Snaptraxx’s new modular trailer bunk system easily snaps together and encases 2-by-6 lumber without any hardware. SnapTraxx makes two different polymer versions—one allows your boat to slip easily off the trailer once it’s immersed in water, the other

Cockpit Comfort

by Sail Staff, Posted November 10, 2006

It can take hours to adjust a cockpit cushion just so, and, inevitably, perfection is attained just before tacking. SeaBound’s new line of Flaties self-inflating cushions is designed to enhance onboard comfort. One is a V-shaped bow cushion; other models can be clipped to lifelines. The cushions come in a variety of sizes to fit different cockpit benches, fold down small, and are easily carried

Hurricane Insurance

by Sail Staff, Posted November 10, 2006

Few experiences are as surreal as prepping your boat for a hurricane. Will it be safe? Colligo Nautique has created this super-strong bridle-plate system that connects up to three anchors to help you ride out a blow. Made from zinc-plated, hot-dipped galvanized (HDG) steel, the system features a 3/4-inch HDG swivel that gives a boat a wide range of movement without chafing rodes or tangling