A list of 17 important pieces of dinghy safety gear to always have with you. Learn why you need each one of these aboard.
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Renewing Chalky Gelcoat
With age, gelcoat gets chalky unless it is polished regularly. But even if your boat’s gelcoat has been neglected, it’s possible to bring it back with just a bit of DIY elbow grease!
DIY Dog Grooming
One big worry about cruising with a dog is what to do about grooming. Eleven years with a “poodle-ish” mix has taught us quite a bit about DIY grooming . . . and it’s really not hard!
Anchoring Bridle with a Mantus Chain Hook
A bridle (or snubbers) is an essential part of the anchoring system. How ours are set up and why we use the Mantus Chain Hook (hint: it stays on!)
Ratcheting Box Wrenches
No room to turn a wrench and not enough clearance for a socket? A ratcheting box wrench to the rescue!
Up the Mast
If you have a sailboat, someday you’ll have to go up the mast. The easiest gear we’ve found to use and some tips.
Clogged Outboard Fuel Line
How to tell if you have a blockage in an outboard fuel line, why they occur and how to choose a replacement fuel line that will have fewer problems.
Changing Lower Unit Oil in an Outboard
Changing the lower unit oil on an outboard is part of the routine maintenance. Here’s how we do it when we’re out cruising without a motor stand ashore
Clearing Cockpit Drains
Cockpit drains need to be kept clear so they will drain quickly. But it’s easy for things such as hair and parts from a project to go down them. So you need to clean them out. This inexpensive tool is the best we’ve found!
Cleaning Non-Skid Boat Decks
Cleaning non-skid boat decks used to be a hated chore, with lots of scrubbing on our hands and knees. Learn how to do it faster and more easily.