A little flutter?

What's the quickest way to destroy a sail? The solution is simpler than you might think...

Antifoul in the autumn

The painting conditions in autumn are more favourable than they are in Spring

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…

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…

Economise when antifouling

When antifouling, you can save money and mess by putting your roller tray into a bin liner and taping it closed. Then, when you have finished, you can simply turn…