Today's tip for a good join
Practical
Protect your electrics in a thunderstorm…
...using a ready-made faraday cage - the oven!
Much life left in your anodes?
Sacrificial anodes - and when to replace them
A little flutter?
What's the quickest way to destroy a sail? The solution is simpler than you might think...
Check your guardrail lashings
...to avoid an unexpected swim
WD-40 – the natural alternative
The free way to free a stuck sheave
Plan for every emergency…
Should you keep your liferaft easily accessible on deck?
Measure twice… cut once!
What else is there to say? Except, If in doubt...
Check insurance cover over winter
Some marine policies only cover boat equipment when it's onboard
Antifoul in the autumn
The painting conditions in autumn are more favourable than they are in Spring
Keep covered – keep safe over winter
Don't tie your cover to any supporting legs, trestles, chocks or struts when the boat is stored ashore
Protect your Nav Lights
Nav lights are severely affected by UV light, which crazes the lens and makes you less visible at night. If you make a cheap canvas cover to protect them when…
Going up the mast made easier
It's hard work to wind someone all the way up the rig
Protect your decks!
Never use a jet washer on your teak decks! Teak is relatively soft, and a powerful water jet can damage the fibres.
Fitting new oil filters
When you're fitting a new oil filter, make sure you lubricate the O-ring seal with a little oil before you screw the filter on. If you don't, the O-ring may…
Springing-off, singlehanded
A snap-hook spliced onto the end of a warp, with a tripping line led to the helm, can make springing off a berth much easier for a singlehanded skipper.
How to re-use a glue brush
If you’re using a brush to apply contact adhesive, keep it in a large sealed tin with a little residue glue. The fumes from the solvent will stop it drying…
Engine trouble? Drain the carburettor
If your small outboard is unwilling to start, turn off the fuel tap and undo the carburettor drain screw – usually accessible without having to remove the engine cowling. This…
Stuck Pipes? Use a flannel!
If you’re trying to remove a stubborn pipe from a skin fitting, try soaking a flannel in boiling water, then wrapping it around the offending pipe for ten seconds to…
Weigh your lifejacket cylinder
You can check that a lifejacket cylinder hasn’t leaked by weighing it – most 150N lifejackets use a 33g cylinder, but the target weight will be engraved on the cylinder…