General Boat Improvements

[Acedude]

From what I have seen on cruising with others on their boats, is that everyone has all these little ideas to make things easier for sailing.

Some people run all their lines to the cockpit (common) and one guy had put up a couple lines around his main from the boom up to the shrouds to help it lay over on itself easier (he single hands his main that way). I am thinking about making my table foldable to it can be put up and gain some space.

Some of these have their benefits, but I am curious what other cool ideas are out there?

Can anyone else list one or two ideas that helped them out on their cruising? Just things that made cruising easier.

- Acedude

[Butler]

Something that has helped with stowage, navigation and entertainment as well as work. This cabinet is built over the starboard berth in a way that it can be easily removed and the original layout restored. This leaves us with a trundle to port and our "owner's cabin" aft to port. Could also support a grandson/daughter (for awhile yet anyway). Teak, fir as well as teak-faced and fir ply for doors and work surface. Still haven't decided on a formica for the top!

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by Acedude

From what I have seen on cruising with others on their boats, is that everyone has all these little ideas to make things easier for sailing.

Some people run all their lines to the cockpit (common) and one guy had put up a couple lines around his main from the boom up to the shrouds to help it lay over on itself easier (he single hands his main that way). I am thinking about making my table foldable to it can be put up and gain some space.

Some of these have their benefits, but I am curious what other cool ideas are out there?

Can anyone else list one or two ideas that helped them out on their cruising? Just things that made cruising easier.

- Acedude

Welcome to CF.
This is a good idea for a thread.

[wtmf]

my cousin used hot pepper powder mixed with his bottom paint and two years later the bottom was clean. I didn't see it I am just passing it on.

[zeehag]

dont use the decorative cap for preventing your mizzen-- it will break in 60kt winds for realzzzz..... now i use hawse holes astern for that purpose

[RSMacG]

I added beefy hawsecleats through the bulwarks amidships (I had no midships cleats). Makes docking single-handed infinitely easier.

[James S]

Fender baskets on my granny/fanny bars.

A simple mechanisum that alows me to lock and unlock both side bolts of my wash board/companionway with one hand at the same time....then it slides straight down into a sump under the cockpit...out of the way.

Canting helm makes moving around in my small cockpit much easier, also more comfortable steering position when healed for a long time.

[SkiprJohn]

A couple books you might consider are The Finely Fitted Yacht by Mate Volumes I and II and Why Didn't I Think of That? by John and Susan Roberts. You might try Optimise Your Cruising Sailboat by John Roberts too.

The public library might have these on hand and they make great reading.

kind regards,

[zeehag]

the best upgrade i found on my boat was the engine and the subsequent repairs thereto....prolly next best will be the repairing of my sails.LOL......and adding a tool room in forepeak....i also made qa new and better deck backing plate and actually stuffed the packing gland, which had not been so done on installation ..LOL>....made boat actually able to relocate at will.....LOL>.. nothing like buying a goood abandoned/neglected boat--these didnt cost me a lot but they were necessary and well done for me. the tool/wrk room will be a gooood and fun addition

i wishi had time for non essential repairs and additions--i am still keeping up with the big stuff..lol engine is solved.. whew-- NEXXT!!!!!

[SabreKai]

One of the brightest Ideas I've ever seen was on a boat that was 50 years old last summer. The cabin was the standard set up with galley to starboard, chart table to port and then opposing settees in the main cabin area. The dinette table was set up on two steel legs, but they weren't simple straight posts, rather they were dog legged, with a horizontal offset of about 10 inches. They fit into sockets in the bottom of the table, and below the floor boards and were free to rotate in the sockets. Once set up, you swung it along the centerline and both settees could use it perfectly once the leaves were swung up and locked in place. When under way, you dropped one leaf and then swung the table off to the opposite side and had a good clear run from galley to forward cabin. There were holes drilled through the upper socket and legs to pin it on center or off to the starboard side.

I'll be putting the same set up on Sabre Dance as part of the rebuild.

[James S]

Originally Posted by SabreKai

One of the brightest Ideas I've ever seen was on a boat that was 50 years old last summer. The cabin was the standard set up with galley to starboard, chart table to port and then opposing settees in the main cabin area. The dinette table was set up on two steel legs, but they weren't simple straight posts, rather they were dog legged, with a horizontal offset of about 10 inches. They fit into sockets in the bottom of the table, and below the floor boards and were free to rotate in the sockets. Once set up, you swung it along the centerline and both settees could use it perfectly once the leaves were swung up and locked in place. When under way, you dropped one leaf and then swung the table off to the opposite side and had a good clear run from galley to forward cabin. There were holes drilled through the upper socket and legs to pin it on center or off to the starboard side.

I'll be putting the same set up on Sabre Dance as part of the rebuild.

Sounds clever...excellent idea.

I did a sort of a sandwich bar in the galley that can be folded down when underway...the hing was a bit of a trick...when down the top hangs under the SS tube...when up it rests on top of it.
In both places it locks in place with concealed bolts.

[daddle]

Two things that really help:

One, I removed everything, and then some, that I didn't absolutely need. Never need to repair or move or clean any of those items ever again.

Second, installed a small suction pump with a long hose that reaches every locker on the boat. Invaluable for keeping everything dry, cleaning the fridge, trapped seawater puddles after a rough passage, even sucking up spilled coffee off the stove top.

[Simes]

Daddle,

What a terrific idea. may I ask what pump did you choose? I do have an oldish Jabsco fresh water pressure pump that does have some powerful suction in to. Not sure how good it is at sucking up small quantities though.

Simes

[daddle]

Originally Posted by Simes

Daddle,

What a terrific idea. may I ask what pump did you choose? I do have an oldish Jabsco fresh water pressure pump that does have some powerful suction in to. Not sure how good it is at sucking up small quantities though.

Simes

Jabsco Water Puppy with a strainer. 5/8" or 3/4" hose. Make the hose long so you can cut the end off after sucking out the clogged head before sucking out the fridge ....

[slowshoes]

Originally Posted by daddle

Two things that really help:

One, I removed everything, and then some, that I didn't absolutely need. Never need to repair or move or clean any of those items ever again.

Second, installed a small suction pump with a long hose that reaches every locker on the boat. Invaluable for keeping everything dry, cleaning the fridge, trapped seawater puddles after a rough passage, even sucking up spilled coffee off the stove top.

Agree - an excellent idea. Where does the pump discharge? Regarding your first point, I'm doing the same thing this year. It's amazing the amount of stuff I've hauled around for years that I might need "some day". Doing the same at the house as well.