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The Boat Galley

making boat life better

 

Boat DIY Tips
Boat DIY Tips
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Owning a boat turns everyone into a DIY-er! Sometimes, there's just no one else to do the job.
 
Along the way, we've learned how to do many things a little more easily and here we share it all with you.

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Red Solo Cups and Diesel

Published on March 27, 2015; last updated on June 12, 2020 by Carolyn Shearlock

Need a little container for draining a Racor? Red Solo Cups and diesel fuel do not mix well.

Need a little container for draining a Racor? Red Solo Cups and diesel fuel do not mix well.

Weird Wiring Colors

Published on March 21, 2015; last updated on January 5, 2026 by Carolyn Shearlock

What do you do when a wiring run suddenly changes color . . . or doesn’t follow the convention used on the rest of your boat? Our simple and inexpensive solution.

Cut Stainless Tubing Squarely

Published on March 11, 2015; last updated on December 31, 2025 by Carolyn Shearlock

Need to cut some stainless tubing with a hacksaw and want to get it straight? Here’s how we do it —

Screw Holders

Published on February 24, 2015; last updated on January 1, 2026 by Carolyn Shearlock

One of those tools that few people have even heard of, yet is so very helpful. And it’s pretty cheap, too!

The Work Pillow

Published on February 16, 2015; last updated on June 12, 2020 by Carolyn Shearlock

Working over compartment edges can get painful. We just happened to have an old pillow aboard . . .

Working over compartment edges can get painful. We just happened to have an old pillow aboard . . .

How to Make Loops in Shock Cord

Published on February 12, 2015; last updated on March 9, 2026 by Carolyn Shearlock

We use shock cord to organize lots of stuff, but don’t really like the plastic ends sold commercially. Instead we make much stronger loops with hog rings — here’s how to do it.

Dinghy Getting Heavier?

Published on February 2, 2015; last updated on June 12, 2020 by Carolyn Shearlock

We wasted a lot of time trying to find a serious problem, when the real problem only took five minutes to solve!

We wasted a lot of time trying to find a serious problem, when the real problem only took five minutes to solve!

Save Your Knees When Doing Boat Projects

Published on January 12, 2015; last updated on January 6, 2026 by Carolyn Shearlock

OUCH! Kneeling for any length of time, especially on non-skid, is hard on the knees. How to make it easier to DIY.

Bag It & Tag It: The Rule for Boat Projects

Published on January 6, 2015; last updated on June 20, 2026 by Carolyn Shearlock

When you're doing a big project, it's easy to lose parts or forget where they came from. Here's how we organize it all.

When you’re doing a big project, it’s easy to lose parts or forget where they came from. Here’s how we organize it all.

Saving Paint Rollers & Brushes

Published on December 6, 2014; last updated on June 12, 2020 by Carolyn Shearlock

The worst part of painting is cleaning up at the end of the day. You just want to be done with it! Here's a quick tip to make it go MUCH faster.

The worst part of painting is cleaning up at the end of the day. You just want to be done with it! Here’s a quick tip to make it go MUCH faster.

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Welcome

Carolyn Shearlock

Hi! I'm Carolyn Shearlock. My husband and I have been living on a boat and cruising over 17 years and 13,000 miles, first on a Tayana 37 monohull and then on a 34' Gemini catamaran. Along the way, we sold pretty much everything we owned (twice!), gained a great boat dog, had a bunch of wonderful times and some adventures . . . and learned a ton about what does and doesn't work!

How Can We Help You?

I'm curious about the cruising life What is it, who does it, and what's it really like day to day?
I'm tempted — but is it realistic for my situation? My budget, my health, my partner, my life, my skills (or lack thereof)
I'm getting ready to go Buying a boat, getting insurance, planning to move aboard
I'm aboard and navigating the learning curve How do I make it the life I dreamed of?

Latest Articles

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A simple realization made it so much easier to know where I’d put stuff!

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Don’t assume your instruments — particularly the depth sounder — are set up correctly. Ours weren’t and it took us a while to realize it.

Protect the Kids & Pups: Lifeline Netting

August 10, 2026

Kid boats and dog boats . . . lifeline netting adds a bit of safety to both. A few notes on installing it and where to get the best price on the netting.

Living on a boat

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