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Boating Articles by Tom

Starting with the little two-person inflatable raft I had as my very first boat, I have always loved the freedom and the feeling of being out on the water. With my father's help, I added a hard plywood floor to that little inflatable, and that was the beginning of a long chain of boats I have owned, loved, maintained, modified, fixed, enjoyed, and scared myself to death on over the past few decades.
A lot of boating time is spent fixing boats, maintaining boats, and upgrading boats with new boating equipment to suit our specific tastes and needs. Lots of salespeople at stores that sell marine boating supplies and boating accessories have learned to recognize me over the years. I have spent my share of time and money working on just about anything you could name on a boat, and made plenty of mistakes. I'm here to share the lessons learned.

Power Tilt and Trim for Large Outboard and Sterndrive Boats

April 19, 2010 By Tom Leave a Comment

Trim tabs help control the attitude of the boat: Deflect the trim tabs down to push the stern of the boat up and the bow down. Many boats are equipped with hydraulic trim tabs, as pictured above. On the smaller boats, the power tilt and trim or … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Boat Handling, Powerboating Tagged With: outboard, sterndrive, tilt & trim

Outboard Engine Tilt and Trim for Medium Size Outboards

April 19, 2010 By Tom Leave a Comment

Power Tilt and Trim for Outboard Engines Above 30hp A passenger leaping up and down in the bow can affect the boat's trim and performance. Outboard engines above about 30 hp are generally equipped with power tilt and trim. There are usually two … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Boat Handling, Powerboating Tagged With: outboard, tilt & trim

The Perfect Solo Mast-Raising System for Small Sailboats

April 19, 2010 By Tom 18 Comments

A side view of the sailboat with the mast raising system ready for use. I have seen lots of different techniques and contraptions used to raise and lower the masts on small sailboats. All suffer from the same problems for solo sailors, and I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Sailing, Boat Repairs & Upgrades, Boating Equipment Tagged With: small boats, mast-raising

Setting An Anchor: 4 Easy Steps

April 19, 2010 By Tom Leave a Comment

The proper technique for setting a single anchor can be broken down into four phases of action: the approach, the drop, paying out rode, and setting the anchor. Follow these steps each time you anchor, and you give your anchor the best chance of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Boat Handling Tagged With: anchoring

Choosing An Anchor and Bottom Tackle

April 19, 2010 By Tom Leave a Comment

When choosing an anchor for your boat, there are many factors you should consider. It may well be that you need more than one type of anchor to be properly prepared for all the types of situations you may encounter. The size (weight) and type of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Boating Equipment Tagged With: anchoring, anchor, bottom tackle

CSY Electronics Upgrade — 1980s Style

April 19, 2010 By Tom Leave a Comment

When my brother and I bought a CSY 44 back in 1987, the boat had older electronics installed, and none worked particularly well. We decided to outfit the boat with state of the art navigation and communications equipment, and we kind of went … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Sailing, Boating Equipment Tagged With: electronics, CSY, cruising

Building a Live Bait Well For A Small Boat

April 19, 2010 By Tom 20 Comments

This is what I came up with to use as a livewell on my 15' Boston Whaler.I bought a round drink cooler at Wal Mart, and removed the handle on one side. In its place, I drilled a hole with a hole saw and installed an ordinary plastic bulkhead … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Boat Repairs & Upgrades, Boating Equipment, Fishing Tagged With: small boats, bail well

Emergency Engine Water Pump Repair

April 15, 2010 By Tom Leave a Comment

Hugo's water pump blew while he was motoring through Pine Island Sound — home to lots of fishing shacks like this one, but not a good place to blow your water pump. A couple of years ago, I sold an Irwin 37 center cockpit ketch to a man named Hugo. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Boat Repairs & Upgrades Tagged With: emergency, water pump, repair

Tying Boats to Docks Using Springlines

April 15, 2010 By Tom 7 Comments

This boat is making good use of spring lines to keep the boat in place at the dock. When a boat is docked where the tide will go up and down, there are several ways to ensure that dock lines remain relatively tight and the boat does not move … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Boat Handling Tagged With: docking, springlines

My Kayak Buying Habit: Buying a Fleet of Kayaks on the Way to the Kayak of my Dreams

March 31, 2010 By Tom Leave a Comment

My Ocean Kayak Sprinter is shaped like a needle, and it's fast! It's all fiberglass, so I don't worry too much about scratching it. I enjoy sailing my Klepper foldable kayak. My place near Punta Gorda, FL sits on Shell Creek, a tributary … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Kayaking Tagged With: klepper, kayaks, Ocean Kayak Malibu, Ocean Kayak Sprinter, Scupper Pro, Solstice, kayak paddles

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Recent

  • BOTE Aero Rover Inflatable SUP MicroSkiffs!
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  • Selling the Stray Goat
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About Tom

Starting with the little two-person inflatable raft I had as my very first boat, I have always loved the freedom and the feeling of being out on the water. With my father's help, I added a hard plywood floor to that little inflatable, and that was the beginning of a long chain of boats I have owned, loved, maintained, modified, fixed, enjoyed, and scared myself to death on over the past few decades. [Read More …]

Popular Posts

  • The Perfect Solo Mast-Raising System for Small Sailboats 132.9k views
  • Small Outboard Engine Tilt and Trim: Theory and Practice 57.8k views
  • How to Dock an Outboard or Sterndrive Powerboat in 3 Easy Pictures 57.3k views
  • Tying Boats to Docks Using Springlines 55.8k views
  • Deep V, Shallow V, or Variable Deadrise Hull Performance 52.3k views
  • The Com-Pac Sun Cat: A Review 46k views
  • Building a Live Bait Well For A Small Boat 40.3k views
  • Choosing the Right Propeller For Your Boat 36.5k views
  • Rebuilding Whaleboat Tenders Part 5: Boat Parts Shopping Day 36.3k views
  • More Boston Whaler Modifications 35.4k views

Topics

  • Boat Building (5)
  • Boat Handling (10)
  • Boat Repairs & Upgrades (50)
  • Boating Equipment (27)
    • Dinghies (4)
  • Boating Fun (30)
  • Boating Safety (7)
  • Buying & Selling Boats (5)
  • Classic Boating Tales (25)
  • Fishing (16)
  • General (37)
    • Drone Stuff (3)
    • Trail Camera Pictures (18)
    • Tropical Fruiting (1)
  • Kayaking (22)
  • Powerboating (18)
  • Sailing (71)
    • Races & Regattas (14)
    • Sailboat Cruising (15)
    • Sailboat Reviews (7)

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