Know-How

Grey-Beard Pumps

by Adam Cort, Posted June 5, 2013

Oil changes are vital to keeping your engine running its best but oil transfer pumps can be tough to use. Grey Beard Pumps utilizes medical device technology to create a pump that claims to be trouble-free

Down to the Bone

by Pip Hurn, Posted April 21, 2013

Often the hardest part of refinishing wood on a boat is getting the old finish off. Unfortunately, there is no magic solution. It usually takes a combination of methods, all involving a large tub of elbow grease and a bucket of patience.

Seven Essential Knots for Sailors

by Jeff Werner, Posted April 1, 2013

If you didn’t learn knots when you were young, you can still master them quickly. The key is to learn what a given knot should look like when completed, then practice tying it until you can do it with your eyes closed.

Fuel Consumption: Tug Vs. Cruiser

by Nigel Calder, Posted February 15, 2013

A dinosaur of an engine that is over 70 years old can push a much larger boat than ours, weighing eight times as much, at similar speeds with more-or-less the same fuel consumption!

Convert Your Sloop to a Double-Headsail Rig

by Joe Cooper, Posted January 23, 2013

Most boats today have a single permanently hoisted headsail with a roller-reefing unit on the headstay. This arrangement works well, but becomes problematic when there is more wind than the sail on the furler can handle.

Sails and Sailhandling Systems

by Sail Staff, Posted January 11, 2013

Six experts weigh in on the best ways to improve a boat’s sails and sailhandling systems.

Cetol—An Alternative to Varnish

by Pip Hurn, Posted October 31, 2012

Not so long ago, boat owners would recoil in horror at the mention of Cetol. It was a product used by amateurs who didn’t know any better and the result was an orange coating that dulled quickly and did nothing to enhance the grain of any wood.

Diesel Injector Surgery

by Clark Beek, Posted September 20, 2012

Servicing fuel injectors on a diesel engine is something most any boat owner can accomplish with a few basic tools. The job is especially easy because it really just involves getting the injectors out and sending them to a diesel shop.

Make that RIB Sparkle!

by Adam Cort, Posted August 23, 2012

Give your poor abused RIB the makeover it deserves with the environmentally friendly RIB Clean & Shine Kit from Ensearch.

How To Cope With Liveaboard Projects

by Amy Schaefer, Posted July 12, 2012

When we arrived in Cartagena, Colombia, after a year of cruising, I knew we had work to do. While we had kept up with the necessary (read: constant) maintenance on our 45-year-old Bill Tripp yawl Papillon during our first year aboard, now it was finally time for some major upgrades.