Technique

December 2024

Using the Roll-and-Tip Method

Achieving a smooth paint finish with roller and brush

Good tools, good preparation, good materials, and plenty of practice lead to top-quality paint finishes using rollers and brushes.

November 2024

PVC Spring Clamps and a Tool for Applying Them

Simple clamps made more useful with reverse-action pliers

PVC-pipe spring clamps are cheap and easy to make but opening them wide sometimes requires more than hand strength; a pair of reverse-action pliers increases the spread and allows the operator to open the clamps one-handed.

October 2024

Boil-in-the-Bag Plank Bending

Using a portable steambox to steam planks

When bending planks, it’s not always practical or necessary to have a full-sized steambox; sometimes all you need is a portable steamer, a long plastic bag, some tape, and a bucket.

September 2024

Anchor-Rode Markings

How to mark your anchor rode for water depth and scope

When anchoring a small boat, it’s important to calculate the depth of water and measure how much anchor rode is let out. Rode markings provide a simple and effective solution.

August 2024

Water-Sails for Small Boats

Adding sail area to a small-boat rig to give that extra push in light airs isn’t always straightforward, but the water-sail is not only simple to set up, it’s also easy to make from inexpensive materials.

July 2024

A Walkway for a Trailex Trailer

Modifying a trailer for dry-feet launching

For owners with smaller rowing and paddling boats that can be launched at a ramp without submerging the trailer, having a central walkway along the trailer is a useful modification.

June 2024

All-Terrain Carts

A home-built go-anywhere cart

Canoes and kayaks can be paddled in many out-of-the-way places, and carts that roll over soft sand and loose rock as easily as if on pavement can get them there with ease.

May 2024

Different Ways to Style Your Kayak

Bringing unique flair to plywood and strip-built kayaks

Not all wooden kayaks have to be varnished to be beautiful. There are many different ways to finish and add unique panache to hulls and decks.

April 2024

Coloring Cordage

Dying synthetic rope for a natural look

The look of a traditional boat can be spoiled by bright white synthetic rope for running rigging and painters, but an easy and inexpensive solution is to stain it to look like its manila predecessors.

Small Boats Annual 2015

Six Ways to Build a Wooden Boat

A guide to common construction methods

There are about six common methods of building wooden boats today, with variations on each. No particular method can be proclaimed the best; each comes with its own suite of advantages and drawbacks.

March 2024

Fastening Floorboards

An alternative approach to securing floorboards

In small boats where the only place to sit is often the floor, floorboard fastenings can be obtrusive, but replacing traditional turn-buttons with threaded brass inserts is an effective alternative.

February 2024

Shop-Vacuum Filter Care

Making filters more effective and longer lasting

Cleaning shop-vacuum filters is never a pleasant job, but with a few shop leftovers, a bucket, and a power drill, it can be quick, effective, and tidy.

January 2024

Pot Cozies

Keeping the heat in camp-cooked meals

Meals cooked outdoors taste better but they also get cold faster. Easy-to-make pot warmers prolong the dining pleasure at camp or at anchor.

December 2023

A Canvas Lounger

A simple sewing project for comfort in camp

Two short pieces of wood and a quickly hemmed piece of fabric make it easy to relax ashore, sitting with legs stretched out and your back supported.

November 2023

Quick Cinches

Better than bungees, cheaper than straps

For rolled-up sails and inflatable pads, tarps and sleeping bags, these three simple cinches are easy to use.

October 2023

Quick Coils for Throwing Lines

Two techniques for tangle-free tosses

Knowing how to coil a throw line correctly is as important as having one on board.

September 2023

A DIY Light Bar

Keeping trailer lights out of the water and in the line of sight

The electrical system is arguably the most vulnerable part of any boat trailer. A removable light bar raises the lights to increase their visibility, keeps them out of the water, and can be used on more than one boat and trailer.

August 2023

DIY Oarlock Sockets

Oilite bearings to reduce wear

There are several good reasons to forgo common cast oarlock sockets when you can make your own of higher quality without special metalworking tools.

July 2023

Magnet Retrieval

The powerful pull of neodymium

It’s not unusual to drop things overboard at a dock or a launch ramp. A retrieval magnet can help get some of them back.

Small Boats Annual 2014

Making a Boat a Home, Part 2

Four more small boat tents

In Southeast Alaska, rocky beaches, insects, and a large resident bear population often make tent-camping on the beach an unappealing option,” James Danner writes from Juneau. “Having a boat tent has really opened up the family’s beach-cruising options. It can be set or struck easily while at anchor and has seen regular summertime use since it was created. My wife,…

Small Boats Annual 2014

Making a Boat a Home, Part 1

Boatbuilding never ends with launching day

In small-boat cruising—particularly under sail—having an absolute destination and schedule can be hazardous. At times, getting into a sheltered cove can be a necessity, but you can’t always count on finding a legal or comfortable place to camp ashore. Being able to stay aboard the boat gives the small-craft sailor the same kind of cruising freedom a yachtsman has.

June 2023

Tape-Backed Sandpaper

Using duct tape to make sandpaper more durable

Sandpaper is prone to tearing, limiting its working life and the uses it can be put to. Adding duct tape to its backside will make it last longer.

May 2023

DIY Soft Shackles

Made with ordinary rope and knots

Bronze and stainless-steel shackles can be expensive and more than you need for use on a small boat. Homemade soft shackles made of rope are an inexpensive alternative that are more than adequate for many applications.

April 2023

An Overhead Winch Lift

Lifting a boat with a winch and a cordless drill

Tired of struggling to lift his canoe into and out of a pick-up truck, George Whitehead devised an inexpensive system to load the boat and to raise it up to the garage ceiling safely, easily, and singlehandedly.

Small Boats Annual 2012

Outfitting for Safety Part 3: Emergencies & Flotation

The right preparation and equipment should get you through most emergencies. Often, it’s best simply to avoid situations that could turn ugly.