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Ericson 31 owner revives clogged Whale Gusher 10 bilge pump
Analysis

Ericson 31 owner revives clogged Whale Gusher 10 bilge pump

A clogged flapper valve killed an Ericson 31’s bilge pump, but a careful teardown brought it back for far less than a $250 replacement.

Jamie Taylor6m read
Aging Shorepower Cables Can Trip Marina Power, Test Before Trouble Starts
Analysis

Aging Shorepower Cables Can Trip Marina Power, Test Before Trouble Starts

A 5-year-old shorepower cord in Puerto Montt tripped one boat and three neighbors. Test aging cables before they become a shock or fire hazard.

Jamie Taylor5m read
Why Sailboat Stability Is More Than Ballast Ratios and Brochure Numbers
Analysis

Why Sailboat Stability Is More Than Ballast Ratios and Brochure Numbers

Brochure ballast ratios miss the real safety story. The boats that feel solid offshore do so through righting moment, hull shape, beam, and load, not one tidy number.

Jamie Taylor6m read
How to bed deck hardware, stop leaks before core damage
Analysis

How to bed deck hardware, stop leaks before core damage

A dry-looking fitting can still be feeding rot below. Bed it right now, or a cheap leak can turn into core damage and a brutal value hit.

Jamie Taylor6m read
Multimeters help DIY sailors diagnose battery, charging, and wiring faults
Analysis

Multimeters help DIY sailors diagnose battery, charging, and wiring faults

A multimeter can spot a dying battery, a lazy charger, a bad ground, or a hidden voltage drop before they turn into a tow.

Nina Kowalski6m read
How to Add Masthead Light Options With Too Few Wires
Analysis

How to Add Masthead Light Options With Too Few Wires

Too few masthead wires do not have to force a full mast teardown. A diode-and-switch retrofit can give you either an anchor light or a tricolor, without making the mast your ground path.

Jamie Taylor6m read
qtVlm Adds Free Tidal Current Forecasts for Sailors Until May 15
Updates

qtVlm Adds Free Tidal Current Forecasts for Sailors Until May 15

qtVlm’s new current layer lets sailors test NOAA’s SSCOFS forecast model free through May 15, sharpening decisions for Swiftsure and R2AK timing gates.

Nina Kowalski2m read
Why deck hardware installation is structural, not just cosmetic
Analysis

Why deck hardware installation is structural, not just cosmetic

A winch or track only looks cosmetic until bedding fails and the core starts going soft. The Minestrone refit shows why load paths, sealing, and backing support decide whether a deck upgrade lasts.

Sam Ortega5m read
Canvas Covers Protect Fixed Boat Windows from UV Damage
Analysis

Canvas Covers Protect Fixed Boat Windows from UV Damage

Fixed windows don’t need to wait for cloudy, crazed failure. A simple Sunbrella cover can buy years of protection and cost far less than replacing weakened plastic later.

Jamie Taylor6m read
Long prop shaft vibration traced to missing support bearing
Analysis

Long prop shaft vibration traced to missing support bearing

A 15-year driveline mystery on a 34-foot Creekmore ended with one overlooked detail: a 56-inch unsupported shaft span.

Jamie Taylor6m read
DIY Sailor Builds Portable 12-Volt Battery Baton for Mast Wiring Tests
Analysis

DIY Sailor Builds Portable 12-Volt Battery Baton for Mast Wiring Tests

A 14 1/8-inch PVC baton packed with eight AAA cells lets you prove mast lights and wiring before the mast goes back up.

Sam Ortega5m read
Diesel Exhaust Leak Traced to Cracked Boat Manifold Port
Analysis

Diesel Exhaust Leak Traced to Cracked Boat Manifold Port

High bilge water, water in the oil, and a cracked manifold port are not separate problems. They are one failure chain, and the engine needs a hard stop before the leak becomes a safety hazard.

Sam Ortega6m read
Restore Chalky Boat Gelcoat, Clean, Correct, and Protect Shine
Analysis

Restore Chalky Boat Gelcoat, Clean, Correct, and Protect Shine

Chalky gelcoat is not just a cosmetic problem. Use a clean-first decision tree to know when to wash, compound, fill, polish, or stop.

Nina Kowalski6m read
When Old Portlights Become Liability, Allmand 31 Owners Weigh Repairs
Analysis

When Old Portlights Become Liability, Allmand 31 Owners Weigh Repairs

Eleven portlights turned into a structural decision, not a cosmetic one. On Here & Now, the owners chose fewer openings, tighter sailing, and less leak risk.

Sam Ortega5m read
How to Read Storm Structure on Doppler Radar for Sailors
Analysis

How to Read Storm Structure on Doppler Radar for Sailors

Storm radar is a cockpit decision tool, not a pretty screen. Learn the signatures that say reef now, wait it out, or duck into harbor before the squall line bites.

Jamie Taylor6m read
Five Homemade Sail Repair and Splicing Tools Cruisers Can Build
Analysis

Five Homemade Sail Repair and Splicing Tools Cruisers Can Build

Make five shop-built staples, a sheep’s‑foot sailmaker’s knife, wooden and wire‑pulling fids, a seam rubber, a wooden board and a finishing bench, to handle most afloat sail fixes.

Sam Ortega5m read
West System manuals provide essential fiberglass repair guidance for DIY sailors
Analysis

West System manuals provide essential fiberglass repair guidance for DIY sailors

West System manuals give step-by-step epoxy and fiberglass repair techniques for sailors and refitters. They cover structural laminates, gelcoat blister work, hardware bonding and safety.

Jamie Taylor2m read
Catamaran build starts electrical panel, wiring every onboard system
Updates

Catamaran build starts electrical panel, wiring every onboard system

One breaker panel decides whether a catamaran is easy to troubleshoot or a nightmare at sea. The smart move is simple: plan the layout now, before the first wire run locks everything in.

Sam Ortega6m read
How to Repair Punctures, Seams and Valves on PVC and Hypalon
Analysis

How to Repair Punctures, Seams and Valves on PVC and Hypalon

BetterBoat’s step‑by‑step guide shows you how to diagnose and fix punctures, seam failures and valve faults on PVC and Hypalon inflatables, practical, boat‑tested methods that actually hold.

Sam Ortega6m read
1906 Wooden Yacht Winter Refit Highlights Traditional Naval Carpentry and Rigging
Analysis

1906 Wooden Yacht Winter Refit Highlights Traditional Naval Carpentry and Rigging

A 1906 wooden yacht undergoes a winter refit showcasing traditional naval carpentry and rigging. The video helps diy restorers learn timber replacement, hull fairing, re-varnishing and rigging checks.

Jamie Taylor2m read
No-Sew tiller pilot cover keeps autopilots dry and serviceable
Analysis

No-Sew tiller pilot cover keeps autopilots dry and serviceable

A low-cost no-sew sleeve made from recycled dodger vinyl protects tiller-pilot autopilots from water intrusion. It cuts a common failure mode and keeps units accessible for service.

Jamie Taylor2m read
From engineless cruising to diesel repower aboard Far Reach
Analysis

From engineless cruising to diesel repower aboard Far Reach

After 8,000 engine-free miles, John Stone shows why Far Reach is finally getting a diesel, and which hard questions decide the job before you buy parts.

Nina Kowalski5m read
Why Cruising Boats Need Smarter AC Power Design Now
Analysis

Why Cruising Boats Need Smarter AC Power Design Now

The lithium bank is not the weak link. The danger shifts to the AC system, where shore power, inverters, and generators can turn one sloppy connection into a serious problem.

Sam Ortega6m read
WEST SYSTEM hub offers epoxy basics for DIY boat repairs
Analysis

WEST SYSTEM hub offers epoxy basics for DIY boat repairs

West System's online hub lays out epoxy basics, mini-pump 1:1 mixing, and toll-free tech support at 1-866-937-8797.

Jamie Taylor3m read
Weekend fiberglass repairs for boat owners: patch holes, blisters, delaminations
Analysis

Weekend fiberglass repairs for boat owners: patch holes, blisters, delaminations

Fix small hull holes, blisters, and delaminations in a weekend using a grinder/Dremel, epoxy and cloth, basic PPE, and 2–4 hours of hands‑on work plus an overnight cure.

Jamie Taylor6m read
Hands-on splicing and terminations for Dyneema and polyester rigging
Analysis

Hands-on splicing and terminations for Dyneema and polyester rigging

Take control of your standing and running rigging: practical splices and serviceable terminations for Dyneema and polyester, laid out in a shop‑manual style for hands‑on sailors.

Nina Kowalski5m read
Sail Repair: Patch or Sew for Immediate and Permanent Fixes
Analysis

Sail Repair: Patch or Sew for Immediate and Permanent Fixes

Learn the exact steps to stabilize a ripped sail at sea with tape, trim and seal frays with a hot knife, then reinforce or permanently stitch patches back in harbour using Seamstick, Tex‑90 thread and zigzag stitching.

Sam Ortega7m read
Fiberglass Boat Repair Techniques for DIYers: Assess, Lay Up, Refinish
Analysis

Fiberglass Boat Repair Techniques for DIYers: Assess, Lay Up, Refinish

Learning how to repair fiberglass boats saves owners money and keeps hulls seaworthy by following practical assessment, layup, and refinish steps.

Jamie Taylor4m read
BoatUS Lifeline Inspection Checklist: DIY Checks, When to Call a Rigger
Analysis

BoatUS Lifeline Inspection Checklist: DIY Checks, When to Call a Rigger

A thorough lifeline inspection checklist helps owners spot small defects before they compromise the whole system, and shows when to handle fixes yourself and when to call a rigger.

Jamie Taylor2m read