Make This Simple, Low-Cost Tiller Lock

If you don’t have a locking mechanism on your tiller yet, don’t you sometimes wish you did? Then you could lock the tiller in place while you attend to other things for a few minutes or under the right conditions, relax and let the boat sail itself. A tiller lock is the next best thing to having a crew member or an autopilot take the helm for you. There are several tiller lock designs on the market and all of them do a reasonable job. But like everything else marine-related, they can be expensive for what they are.

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Enter the 2016 Stingy Sailor DIY Project Contest

As I said in Top 10 DIY Projects of 2015, we got a lot of work done on our sailboats last year. I’ve received comments and emails from many of you who rolled up your sleeves and took on DIY projects large and small, simple and complex. Now’s your turn to show off some of your hard work for a chance to win prizes and worldwide acclaim!
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Book Review: Plain Sailing: Learning to See Like a Sailor

What is the most powerful tool aboard your sailboat? What is the one thing that can make it go faster in any conditions? Without it, the boat wouldn’t move—your brain. The most important asset on your sailboat isn’t a piece of gear, it’s your knowledge of how best to set and trim your sails. A good sailor can make a derelict sailboat go faster than an ignorant skipper can sail a fully-equipped and tuned racing yacht.
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Do-It-Yourself Small Sailboat Rigging

Do you have an older sailboat with minimal or worn running rigging? Did you recently buy a used sailboat and you don’t know if you can trust the standing rigging? Do you want to set up your sailboat for maximum cruising pleasure and performance? Do you like to save money but you want quality rigging that you can trust? Continue reading “Do-It-Yourself Small Sailboat Rigging”

Lessons on Spinnaker Repair

This is a guest post by Andrew Evans, author of the book Singlehanded Sailing: Thoughts, Tips, Techniques & Tactics. For my review of Andy’s book, see Book Review: Thoughts, Tips, Techniques & Tactics for Singlehanded Sailing. The version of Andy’s book that I reviewed was an early version from before it was published under a different title by International Marine. The titles of the two versions are the reverse of each other, it’s not a typo.

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