Try This Rudder Hack for Less Weather Helm

Perfect sail trim results in maximum forward speed, minimum heel, and a neutral helm. In other words, the sails are balanced between the headsail and the mainsail and the tiller requires little to no input to hold the sailboat’s heading. But we all know that perfection is elusive and it’s a moving target. Wind and…

Read More

How To Bed Hardware With Butyl Tape

When shopping for a used sailboat, one of the most important things to look for is soft or springy spots in the deck. They’re a sure sign that water has seeped into the wooden core and caused rot that’s difficult and expensive to repair. Water damage is also common around the edges of wooden bulkheads,…

Read More

The 6 Worst Things You Can Do To Your Sails

Crisp, clean sails not only look better than dirty, worn out sails, they also work better and let your sailboat heel less. New sails are expensive so it’s smart to take care of the ones you have so that they will last longer before you need to replace them. Here are some simple things that…

Read More

How to Add Numbers to a Sail

Have a new mainsail without numbers? An old mainsail with peeling numbers? How about a used mainsail that you bought or that was given to you and has the wrong numbers on it? You can easily replace or add professional-looking numbers to your mainsail without taking it to a sailmaker and I’ll describe how.

Install a Marine Music System

If you’re a music lover, an onboard music system is mandatory. There’s a mysterious connection between the open waters and music. Whether it’s classical, jazz, rock, country, folk, or reggae, there’s a song for every mood when you’re sailing. A marine music system lets you take your favorite music with you on the waters. We…

Read More

Salon Table Upgrades from Simple to Spectacular

Every once in a while, I get the urge to add something purely aesthetic to Summer Dance—a bit of class, a touch of beauty. They can transform a sailboat from just a water vehicle into a nautical experience.

How To Repair a Rudder

Rudders damage easily. Although they work similar to a keel, they aren’t nearly as tough. If you dry sail, the edges can accumulate nicks and dings in the fiberglass from loading and unloading. The rudders of some sailboats can hit the outboard motor’s propeller if you’re not careful. Add in accidental groundings, storage damage, and stress cracks…

Read More

Stingy’s Used Sailboat Buying Guide

If you’ve already been sailing for a while on a friend’s or a family member’s sailboat, then you probably have a good idea of what you want and what to look for. But if you’re relatively new to the sport and shopping for your first used sailboat, it can be a daunting task. There are a…

Read More

Free Triple Axle Trailer

Tom Blanchard was a stingy sailor and an avid reader of this blog for years. Tom dreamed of sailing with his wife Deborah off the coast of Virginia in a classic Herreshoff 28 ketch that he would restore himself. But before that could happen, Tom died of a brain tumor.