Technique

July 2025

Oiling Plywood

Extending the lifespan of plywood-on-frame boats

In the Pacific Northwest it’s not always practical to epoxy-coat or varnish marine plywood. An alternative solution, tried and tested among Oregon coastal fishermen, is to saturate the wood with a homemade recipe known as “boat soup.”

June 2025

Mounting an Electric Outboard on Rudder Fittings

A simple solution for boats that can’t easily take an outboard

Weighing less than their gas counterparts, electric outboard motors lend themselves to creative mounting options, making them useful for small boats with removable rudders.

May 2025

Sanding in Tight Spots

Simply made tools to reach the unreachable

When it comes to sanding, boats seem to have all manner of hard-to-reach spots. But, with some inexpensive materials, you can make tools that put you in touch with every inch of your boat.

April 2025

Road-Ready Trailer Checklist

Preparing your trailer for travel

Whether towing over long or short distances, at the start of every journey it’s good practice to make sure your trailer is in roadworthy condition. Our pre-trip checklist will help.

March 2025

Of Oarlocks and Lanyards

Modifying oarlocks for one-handed operation

Oarlocks come in various styles, and not all are well-suited to setting up one-handed. But most can be easily modified with nothing more than a drill or a hacksaw.

February 2025

How to Build a Brass-Frame Wind Vane

A home-made wind vane for small sailboats

A wind vane is a useful device on a small sailboat, and a colorful masthead banner adds a bit of flair. With a bit of brass and fabric you can combine practicality with style.

January 2025

Winterizing Trailer Tires

How to care for tires on an idle trailer

If a boat trailer is simply parked for the winter, its tires can degrade and even acquire flat spots, bulges, and dry rot. Having the means to raise and support the trailer quickly and safely makes it easy to protect tires, extending their longevity.

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.