Product Reviews

July 2018

Blackbird XLC and Thunderfly

A hammock system from Warbonnet

Hammocks provide minimum-impact shelter ashore and can be set up on wooded terrain that's too steep or uneven to accommodate a tent. We take a look at a system that includes a hammock, bug net, winter cover, and rain fly.

July 2018

Knipex Plier Wrench

Getting a grip

The Knipex plier wrench is a versatile and well-designed tool with extraordinary gripping power. It’s a worthy addition to an on-board tool kit.

June 2018

Dynamic Dollies

Lightweight rigs for hand launching

Dollies reduce dependence on paved launch ramps and open up new areas to explore. And the less effort it takes to move a boat, the more often you’re likely to use it.

June 2018

On-Demand Paper Charts

Government charts, private printers

In 2014, the US government brought an end to printing the lithographic charts that it had been producing since 1862. Printed charts did not cease to exist, but their production was taken over by NOAA-certified, on-demand printers.

May 2018

EP Carry

Compact power for dinghies

The EP Carry, an electric outboard developed and manufactured by PropEle Electric Motors, is designed specifically for small boats; with its battery it weighs under 15 lbs.

May 2018

HouseFly

Shelter afloat and ashore

Designed as a rainfly for hammocks, ENO’s HouseFly has a feature simple tarps do not—overlapping doors on both ends. They make the fly readily adaptable to many open boats as a great ready-made boom tent.

April 2018

Luci and LuminAID Lanterns

Inflatable solar-charged lighting

Camp-cruising requires lighting, and these three solar-charged, waterproof, and inflatable lanterns illuminate tents, boat canopies, and camp kitchens with a bright diffuse light at night, can charge your phone, and recharge themselves during the day.

April 2018

Poseidon Sliding Seats

Power without outriggers

Most sliding-seat rigs come with outriggers that require long, racing-style sculls. The Poseidon sliding seat provides power without changing the nature of the boat. It’s meant to be used with gunwale-mounted oarlocks and the same kind of oars used for fixed-seat rowing.

March 2018

Flexpoxy

A versatile epoxy

Pettit offers a multi-purpose epoxy that makes flexible bonds as well as fills that won't sag or shrink. Dispensed from a cartridge that fits common caulking guns, it is easy to dispense for jobs small and large.

March 2018

The Portable Buddy

Radiant heat for tents and cabins

It's easier to extend your small-boat cruising into the shoulder seasons when you have a way to stay warm when the weather turns chilly. The Portable Buddy from Mr. Heater uses standard 1-lb propane canisters to create radiant infrared heat to warm small cabins and tents.

February 2018

Helinox Chair One

Compact, comfortable seating

We all grow up with chairs and take them for granted until we have to do without. Helinox chairs bring to campsites the comfort and back support we've become accustomed to.

February 2018

Muck Boots

Warm and dry feet

You can buy a pair of rubber boots for $15, and they may keep your feet dry but be far from comfortable. We take a look at two pairs of Muck Boots—one for men and one for women—that will keep feet dry, warm, and happy.

January 2018

Mantus Headlamp

Submersible, rechargeable, durable

The Mantus Headlamp is built around a rugged, watertight aluminum-alloy case that houses a rechargeable and replaceable battery. The LED light mounted in the middle of the housing has a high output of 770 lumens, a low output of 150 lumens, an SOS signal, and a red light for preserving night vision.

January 2018

Sleeveless Sanding Drums

Ordinary sandpaper, softer contours

Sleeveless sanding drums are built around a cylinder padded with a layer of 1/8” neoprene and hold strips of common sandpaper. The sheet sandpaper isn’t as durable as sanding sleeves and requires a lighter touch, but the flexibility of the paper and the cushioning behind it allow the sandpaper to mold to the contours of the workpiece and round edges without making unsightly, unwanted facets.

December 2017

GoBag

A self-closing bag with a magnetic seal

Smart phones are as valuable afloat as they are ashore, but require reliable protection from the water. We take a look at two unusual waterproof cases. The GoBag is a transparent case with a magnetic closure that assures a tight seal every time.

December 2017

Ugo

A different kind of waterproof phone case

The Ugo holds a phone behind a window and keeps other essentials in partitioned space behind it. A waterproof zipper provides easy access when open, a reliable seal when closed.

November 2017

StopLossBags

Eliminating air, preventing waste

When the varnish or paint in a half-full can skins over, you waste time and money. Transferring these expensive products to StopLossBags solves the problem by eliminating the air space that leads to premature curing.

November 2017

Moor n Stow

A compact collapsible fender

Fenders are quite necessary when any boat is tied at a dock, but in a small boat they take up valuable space while underway. Cabela's came up with a self-inflating fender that be rolled up into a compact package that takes up only a fraction of the space.

October 2017

Rivet Spacing Tool

Quick, accurate divisions

Do-it-yourselfers who build airplanes are necessarily fussy about their work. When it comes to marking an even spacing for rivets, they use a rivet fan spacer. It’s a tool boatbuilders will also find quite handy.

September 2017

Pioneer Swag Tent

Back in the 1890 itinerant laborers in Australia carried their shelters and bedding in a roll called a swag. The Pioneer Swag Tent from Outback Swags is a modern version that combines a one-person canvas tent and a comfortable foam mattress.

August 2017

Canned Heat with the Solo Stove

Solo Stove's Titan

People have been staring into the flickering flames since the dawn of humanity and even with all of the comforts we can now bring to our outdoor experiences, a campfire has a special soothing effect. Solo Stoves put campfires in a sophisticated can to prevent scarring the landscape, create heat for cooking from scraps of wood, and still provide a flame worth staring into.

August 2017

Truck-Bed Liner Paint as Interior Finish

A durable non-slip coating

Truck bed liner, when used as the interior finish of a small boat, won’t stop an errant, sharp knife point from puncturing it, but it will hold up to anchors and anchor chain, the bottoms of coolers transferred from a sandy beach, and gravel stuck on the bottom of rubber boots.

July 2017

Veritas Cabinet Scraper

Update to a classic

Woodworking raises a lot of dust. I have a collection system hooked up to the machines that create the most dust, but many times I can avoid creating so much dust in the first place by using a scraper instead of sandpaper. If the scraper blade is sharp and burnished to a curl, it will create crepe-like shavings and very little dust.

July 2017

Stay Afloat Leak Plug and Sealant

Quick cure for small leaks

Stay Afloat is soft, sticky wax-like material meant to fix small leaks of the sort I get with my older lapstrake boats. None of my boats has suffered enough damage to let water aboard, but that’s a possibility worth preparing for. To test the effectiveness of Stay Afloat I wasn’t about to poke holes in any of my boats, so I made a gizmo that could simulate leaks.

June 2017

Log-Milling Sled

Making a bandsaw a mini-sawmill

Windfalls and driftwood are often a source of woods better than any you can buy. A shop-built sled holds the irregular shapes of found wood securely on the bandsaw so you can more easily put it to good use.