Technique Articles - Small Boats Magazine

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.

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.

March 2023

A DIY Hammock Chair

Suspended relaxation

On a small boat stowage space is premium, and few would think of taking along a comfortable chair. But with this simple-to-make hammock chair, all that might change.

February 2023

A Bridge-Crane Boat Lift

Lifting a boat up and sideways for storage

There are several devices for lifting a boat straight up off a car’s roof rack, but they may not work in a garage with an overhead door. This DIY hoist can raise the boat and move it sideways.

January 2023

A DIY Boat Cart

Transporting boats with ease and economy

Influenced by years of carrying kayaks and small boats back and forth between home and harbor, and inspired by an everyday garden cart, this simple design transports boats, gear, kids, and dogs.

December 2022

A Simple Sling Lift

Raising a small boat with minimal effort

A pair of easily made, inexpensive slings provide an effective way to lift a small boat off its trailer and flip it upside down, even single-handedly.

November 2022

French Whipping

A quickly whipped grip

While ropework can be made very complex to be especially decorative, it can be kept simple and still be attractive and functional. A French whipping’s spiral of hitches looks good and provides a non-slip grip.

October 2022

Sail Care

Offseason maintenance for small-boat sails

Sails get you where you want to go without burning gasoline or calories and deserve to be treated kindly to give them a long and useful life.

September 2022

A DIY Sling Tote

A handy carryall for small-boat gear

A sling bag is a project suitable for a home sewing machine and saves time and effort when loading miscellaneous gear aboard a boat at the beach or launch ramp.

August 2022

A Folding Outboard Stand

An easy, inexpensive shop project

A folding, shop-made stand makes it easy to work on a small outboard motor and then can be stowed out of the way when it’s not needed.

July 2022

Dehydrating for Cruising Cuisine

Home-prepared foods that travel well and taste great

With a food dehydrator, you can prepare a wide array of camp-cruising foods that won’t spoil or crush, require refrigeration or protective packaging, or take up much cooking time and fuel.

June 2022

A Spinnaker for Rowers

Running without rowing

With one oar for a mast, the other for a rudder, and a homemade spinnaker, you can put a following breeze to good use and take a pleasant break from rowing.

May 2022

A Take-Apart Boat Cart

An interlocking plywood frame for hand-truck wheels

A pair of hand-truck wheels, some bits of ¾” plywood and a steel axle are about all that’s needed to make a small-boat cart that comes apart for easy storage on board.

April 2022

A Small-Boat Chart Holder

Taming Paper in an Open Boat

While electronic navigation devices are exceptionally useful, there are still good reasons for carrying a printed chart. A simple homemade holder protects charts and make them easier to use on an open boat.

March 2022

It’s a Wrap

Clamping with stretch wrap and inner tubes

Gluing laminates for spars, oars, and paddles can be fussy and messy jobs for clamps. Stretch wrap and rubber strips are a better way even if you have enough clamps, and inexpensive if you don’t.

February 2022

Removable Floorboards

Removable panels to protect and preserve

Floorboards are often fastened directly to steam-bent frames in traditionally built lapstrake boats. Boatbuilder Eric Hvalsoe developed a system to make floorboards that are easily removable and don’t damage the frames.

January 2022

Oarlock Extensions

DIY devices for forward-facing stand-up rowing

If you want to get a good look at where you’re going while you’re rowing, a pair of oarlock extensions is all you need. Ben Fuller explores the ways Maine watermen rowed standing up and facing forward.

December 2021

Outboard Winterizing

Maintenance for long-term storage

Small outboard motors like regular exercise but when they’re going to sit idle for the winter months they need some special care. A bit of maintenance assures good performance in the spring and a longer working life.

November 2021

A DIY Roller

A table-saw accessory for ripping and crosscutting

While roller stands make it easier to rip long boards on a table saw, a do-it-yourself roller made of a 2x4, fender washers, and joist-hanger nails works for ripping and crosscutting, too.