Boatworks

Kiwiprop Feathering Propeller

by Peter Nielsen, Posted March 23, 2010

The Kiwiprop feathering propeller is gradually gaining popularity in a competitive marketplace. It is set apart from its rivals by its construction—the blades are made of Zytel, a plastic composite made by Dupont, mounted on a 316 stainless-steel hub. This combination lessens the potential for galvanic corrosion, which was the main reason I decided to replace my bronze two-bladed folding

Fear No Fire

by Sail Staff, Posted July 9, 2006

The one thing you shouldn’t do with a fire in an enclosed space—like an engine bay on a boat—is to add more air. Smell something burning, open the engine compartment, and whoosh, say goodbye to your eyebrows, and maybe to your boat. That’s why I like this simple install-it-yourself Fire Port ($8.74). If you ever see flames through the transparent window, just puncture it with the nozzle of a fire

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

TitanStraps

by Adam Cort, Posted May 14, 2012

Made from a stretchy, high-performance polymer, TitanStraps are specifically designed for lashing down equipment quickly, easily and reliably under extreme conditions.

Whale Watermaster Pressure Pump

by Peter Nielsen, Posted May 8, 2013

The Whale Watermaster automatic pressure pump is quiet running, provides high flow rates, is easy to retrofit and is self-priming up to 10ft.

Black & Decker Mouse Sander

by David Schmidt, Posted October 18, 2007

Sanding and polishing bright work is never easy, especially if there are details in the woodwork itself. Black & Decker’s new Zone-Touch Mouse makes sanding and polishing easier, as this innovative product can accept multiple finger detail attachments via the unit’s Velcro bottom. Simply select the attachment that best fits the bit of detail work that you need to sand or polish, attach the

Go Microfiber

by Peter Nielsen, Posted March 23, 2010

I’ve become converted to microfiber cloth for polishing things like dodger windows, portlights and stainless steel. You can use them with just about any polishing compound and they’re resistant to most other chemicals. They seem to get rid of annoying little flaws better than cotton rag, and you can wash them and reuse them.Shurhold is now selling microfiber towels in 3-packs for $18.95 or

SensiBulb

by Sail Staff, Posted September 9, 2006

The maker of the SensiBulb boast that it has the warm color, intensity, and beam width of a 10-watt halogen—“close enough” in my testing—plus the cool operation, low draw, and long life of an LED. The basic $40 “bulb” fits as is into most dome lights, and accessories enable retrofitting to many reading lamps. Typical current usage of .14 amp can be reduced to .025 amp by using the built-in dimmer

Drip-Free Fueling

by Sail Staff, Posted November 23, 2010

Keep diesel, gas and oil from damaging your boat and polluting the water with a Chadd Padd reusable mat. The 10-by-10-inch mats are anti-static treated, made of the same materials marinas are required to have on hand for spill prevention and can hold up to 4.5 oz. of petroleum products. Each pad includes a perforated, partial hole that accommodates most filler ports. The Chadd Padd can also be

High-Efficiency Autopilot Drive

by Adam Cort, Posted May 14, 2012

The Simrad DD15 autopilot drive features a compact flat-wound DC electric motor, an elegant planetary reduction gear and a built-in rudder-angle feedback arm.