Com-Pac Sun Cat sailing with Tom & Sonja bringing along Libby the Junkyard Dog and Luke the Cowdog Motoring the Suncat under the bridge with puppies on guard duty. After a cold winter during which we had few opportunities to sail our Com-Pac … [Read more...]
Archives for April 2010
Modifying my Sun Cat’s Rigging
Attention Catboat Sailors Catboat sailors of all kinds can download and enjoy this Catboat Sailing Manual, filled with information about catboat sailing techniques and specifics about certain Com-Pac and Marshall catboats: Catboat Sailing Manual … [Read more...]
Modifying And Upgrading My Boston Whaler Super Sport 15
Molded fiberglass stub cleats, painted white and ready for installation. The port side cleat installed on the deck. Starboard side cleat installed on the deck. The perfect boat seats Fuel tank set in place in the Whaler with … [Read more...]
Watching a Fishing Boat Sink While Sailing My Kayak
Fishermen throw up roostertails as they head out for the Redfish Tournament The fishing boat promptly began sinking They turned back up into shallow water. As they approached the dock, I yelled to them that I might have the plug … [Read more...]
Deep V, Shallow V, or Variable Deadrise Hull Performance
Hulls with a steep deadrise angle (above), slice through the waves, providing a smoother ride. How does your boat ride in a chop, or in large waves? The answer will largely depend on hull deadrise angle. Hulls with a steep deadrise angle, as in … [Read more...]
Choosing the Right Propeller For Your Boat
3-blade stainless steel prop on a Mercury 70hp outboard lasts for years despite numerous groundings. Buying a different propeller can dramatically change the performance of your boat. You can select a propeller for the pickup or hole shot it … [Read more...]
A Little Morning Project Spirals Out of Control
A "little morning project" to replace a bracket for the outboard steering arm ended up involving complete disassembly and revarnishing of the mahogany console on my Boston Whaler. We had some problems with the 70 hp Mercury that came with our old … [Read more...]
Tilt and Trim Fun With My Boston Whaler
My old fifteen-foot Boston Whaler was a teenager's dream boat — but it didn't have hydraulic tilt and trim.When I was a teenager, we had a 15' Boston Whaler aptly named the Flying Shingle. The engine was a 70 hp Johnson, and the boat was fantastic. … [Read more...]
Soft Inflatable Dinghies
Soft inflatable dinghies have impressive stability and carrying capacity for their size, but tying them to barnacle-encrusted pilings is bad news. A recent overnight trip on a new Catalina 309 reminded me of all the compromises involved in … [Read more...]
Paddling in the Florida Keys in a Clear-Bottom Kayak
My buddy getting his clear kayak ready for me to take out.Off in the background you can see the dock I paddled to, with the little artificial reef Finally, just because it's so cool, these are the tarpon at Robbie's on Islamorada. We always stop … [Read more...]
