The other day when Tim was working on his foredeck hatch leak on the C-Dory, I suggested some super tape I’ve used for temporary leak protection. Tim got directed to some high-grade duct tape that promises to minimize the horrible, near permanent residue from regular duct tape. I was actually thinking of another product, 3M Preservation Sealing Tape, which costs-an-arm-and-a-small-piece-of-a-leg, like you’d expect of any good, marine-grade product (ahem). Its intended use is to supplement those plastic shrink wrap jobs that some folks use to store or transport boats. 3M claims that it comes off a year later without residue. It’s tough and thicker than most tapes. I’ve left it on surfaces in Mexico for a year, and from experience can say that it eventually crumbles in intense direct sunlight, and will leave a little yellowish stain on white fiberglass. It sticks very well to smooth surfaces and seals pretty well, but it does not stick well on rough surfaces like non-skid. (more…)

Prism Kites is another one of the many local businesses I like to promote. They’re well-known for their cutting-edge stunt kites; you know, those two-line rigs you see spinning, flipping, and dancing all around at the park. I own two of these, but the fact is, I don’t take them cruising with me.

Why not? Mostly, because I like another Prism kite even better! I love my little Triads. In my opinion, the Triad is Prism’s most versatile kite, and I’ll tell you why:
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Remember the Flex Fold crab trap? We took our video camera into Fisheries Supply, one of our favorite marine stores in Seattle, and tried out the exciting, flexing, folding action. Actually, this is a really nice accessory to keep on your boat for occasional crabbing. By no means the cheapest, but probably the best folding crab trap we’ve seen. Enjoy!

Click To Play

Okay. Well, I posted this, and then discovered that Mark Philbrook, inventor of the Flex Fold trap, posted a very thorough demonstration on YouTube a couple weeks back. And it’s a little embarassing… (more…)

Tim and I decided to put the Bridgenorth Bailer through it’s paces, and our research shows that this is really about the most fun you’ll ever have with a bilge pump. It’s the Swiss Army knife of water pumping boathooks. I picked one up at Fisheries Supply in Seattle a few weeks ago, and wish they’d had the 8 foot version in stock, as our only frustration with this one was that it was too easy to extend to full lock while pumping.

I’ve checked out every Puget Sound/San Juan Islands cruising book I could find at the Seattle Public Library. Here is my summary:

A Cruising Guide to Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands, second edition, by Migael Scherer, published by McGraw Hill/International Marine, 2005; $39.95. I like this one a lot. Sturdy, well organized, folds flat on any page, lots of good information, very professional presentation. But what really makes this book shine is that the author’s voice comes through. Not only is the book a thorough and authoritative reference, but it has a bit of personality, as well. It’s not cutesy or in-your-face or distracting; I just mean that you can sense the individual human personality behind the words on the page, and this gives the book a genuineness that makes it very pleasant to read. Perhaps another way of saying this would be: If I were to write a cruising guide, my goal would be to produce something like this. After conducting this review, this is the book I went out and bought.
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Well, that’s what I think, anyway. I have owned a pair of DuBarry “Shamrock” boots since 1997, and this afternoon I had occassion to use them again. Man, this is shweeeet footware, I tell ya! I’ve used them offshore, I’ve used them for year-round racing in Puget Sound, and today I wore them while unblocking a clogged gutter downspout! (more…)

Several weeks ago, we told you about an amazing folding crab trap called the Stow-B-Low Crab Pod. I’ve got a small boat, and I’m primarily a cruiser, but golly, I like crab. If only I could have a crab trap with me, all the time, without having an enormous, hideous rusty-pokey-snaggy thing monopolizing the cockpit. The Stow-B-Low seems like a great alternative. The only thing (besides the price) dissuading me is the fact that it doesn’t really LOOK like other crab traps you see. I don’t really know that much about crabbing. This rig MIGHT work great, but… Suffice to say I’m waiting to hear the good news before I buy one.

And then I stumbled across a serious competitor. Behold the Flex Fold Crab Trap.

This one ain’t cheap, either, but wow…it looks like a 3/4 scale version of the big commercial rigs. It has real gates. It’s made in Victoria, Canada, by a fellow named Mark Philbrook. It collapses in a really clever way, stowing into a bag that is just 17 inches in diameter and 2 inches thick. Heck, I’ve even got a spot like that on my boat. I think it may be time to procure a Stow-B-Low and a Flex Fold, and have us a crab-off! Manufacturers, please feel free to contact Navagear about providing review samples

Attach a wateproof camera to a kite to see yourself kiteboarding! I’m not a kiteboarder, but I can see taking a parafoil kite onboard just for capturing some cool pictures of my boat underway, or interesting aerial shots in places where you can’t get elevation otherwise.

via: The Voyage of the S/V Aquarius

Want something to do to wile away the winter nights? Well, cozy up to the screen with a couple bits of line and work on your knots with the animated illustrations on this neat website.

I just love getting a demo of a great product idea from the guy who invented it—in this case the Stow-B-Low Crab-Pod. One of the pleasures of boating in the Northwest is catching crabs for dinner. While the season is on, you see boats speeding to their favorite spots, carrying piles of crab-pots strapped precariously all over the deck.

The Crab-Pod improves on this by making a collapsible trap that folds down instantly into a slim, 30 inch long bundle, which slides into an included carrying case.

Versions for prawns and lobster are promised soon.

Check out the Stow-B-Low website.