When it’s time to suck up all the dirt and debris that’s collected inside your sailboat since the last time you cleaned it, what do you do? Haul out a bulky, heavy shop vacuum? Wrestle with its big hoses and extension cords? Put it off because it’s too much of a hassle? Before I got this handy little vacuum, that’s what I did. Continue reading “Product Review: Black & Decker 12V Handheld Vacuum”
It’s Autumn here in North America. Temperatures are sliding down to freezing at night in the northern states and many skippers are pulling their boats out for the winter layover. I can almost hear my Canadian readers shouting, “You’re about a month late, eh!” If you’re done sailing for 2015, I hope you made lots of great memories, sailed to some new destinations, made new friends, and learned a few things here on this blog that you were able to use on your boat.
If you’re not done yet and you don’t mind adding a clothing layer or two to stay warm, if you look forward to the yachties getting out of your way, if you welcome the stronger Fall breezes, if you’re hardcore, then you might be interested in a little cabin heat at dinnertime or to take the chill off in the morning before the coffee’s hot. Continue reading “Product Review: Mr. Heater Portable Buddy Propane Heater”
Back in February when the first mate and I attended the Seattle Boat Show, we really liked the look and feel of these custom fit sea grass mats that some of the boats were showing off, but they are way too expensive for our budget.
Continue reading “Turn Carpet Remnants into Custom Floor Mats”
There’s a television commercial that still plays occasionally in which a very honest-looking woman says “It’s time to get real about what goes on in the bathroom.” I like it because it’s probably the most truthful line in advertising to hit mass media in a decade.
You can ask Mrs. $tingy. Discussions around what goes on in the bathroom are near the bottom of my list of topics to discuss in polite company. Or rude company for that matter. I find them all to be pretty juvenile and worthless. But I’m usually a pretty serious guy, so there you go. Continue reading “Product Review: Dometic 970 Series Portable Toilet”
I have a serious mental condition known as OCD, Obsessive Compulsive DIY syndrome. I see something that needs fixed or replaced and I ask myself, “How can I make that?”
The other night, I had an OCD attack and I just needed to go out in my shop and make something with my hands. It was one of those days when nothing else seemed to go right. For me, it’s cathartic to turn raw materials into something practical and/or beautiful.
I decided to make cockpit scupper grates to replace the flimsy, afterthought-designed, original grates. They were corroded, bent, and wouldn’t stay glued in place for long. Continue reading “Make These DIY Cockpit Scupper Grates”
Do you have one or more old sails that, after you hoist them fully, have scallops and wrinkles along the luff like in the picture above? Or do you have to winch them flat or overtighten your backstay? Instead of a flat, smooth leading edge, those wrinkles disrupt airflow and rob your sail’s performance. If the sail has a polyester bolt rope in the luff and not wire rope, you can fix that yourself for almost no cost other than about an hour of your time. And you won’t have to take the sail to a sail loft, wait days or weeks to get it fixed, and drop a Benjamin or more out of your wallet.
Continue reading “How to Flatten the Luff of that Baggy Old Sail”
Storage solutions are some of the most sought after and popular projects among trailer sailors. Space is at a premium and if you load your sailboat with all the supplies, foodstuffs, and conveniences you want for a weekend of cruising, there isn’t much spare space left.
Continue reading “Keep Often Used Items Handy with Snap-on Gear Bags”
This blog is big on saving money while doing restoration and improvement projects. I’ve literally saved a boat load of money by doing almost all projects myself, buying gently used parts, and shopping for bargains online. As of the time I wrote this post, I’ve saved over $10,000 compared to the suggested retail price of the parts and supplies that I actually used. If that sounds incredibly high, consider Chip Ford who has spent over $40,000 on his C-22 and is now trying to sell it. Boy, I hope he doesn’t have regrets. Good luck, Chip!
Continue reading “The 6 Best Sources for Sailboat Parts and Supplies”
You’re sailing along on a reach at 4 knots with a steady wind on your beam. The sails are trimmed perfectly, there’s no weather helm, and the boat is in perfect balance. The sky is clear and the sun is shining but it’s not uncomfortably hot. Your first mate is below deck reading lazily in one of the berths. You lean back over the coaming a bit as you watch the clinometer inch past 15 degrees and you build more speed. It’s one of those dream days when everything comes together perfectly on the water and it feels like you could sail to China effortlessly. Your eyes scan up the telltales, all perfectly streaming aft. It doesn’t get any better than this. This is why you came. This is why you sail. Continue reading “Move Your Galley Drain Valve for Better Gray Water Control”
The $tingy Sailor 