Category: Boat Life Hacks
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Galley Goodness: Matt’s Cocon-oat Bars
This easy and quick treat is perfect for sharing with friends, new and old, at dock-tails and potlucks. It’s also a great addition to your own teatime festivities! Quick and Easy Coconut and Oat Bars Loosely based on Eagle Brand’s Chocolate n’ Oat Bars. Cocon-oat Bar Chef’s Notes: Note, this recipe originally appeared on the…
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Using Two Anchors: When, Why, and How
With the advent of modern anchors like the Mantus and Rocna, it has become unfashionable to put out two anchors. These new design anchors are incredibly reliable. They often provide quick resets in even the worst conditions. So much so that modern dogma (and advertising) has made many boaters believe that one good new one…
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Basic Boat Teak Care for Beginners: Keeping Wood Care a Simple Boat Maintenance Task
Our boat is loaded with brightwork (teak and wood trim), and we still love it. We fully appreciate that this opinion is not shared by most boaters today, most of whom prefer lower-maintenance (it’s never maintenance-free!) fiberglass. But our boat looks good — she’s a salty old lady who likes to show off her bling.…
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Authentic Bahamas Rum Punch Recipe
A real Caribbean Rum Punch is something you just can’t get when not on an island in the Caribbean. I’ve had some great ones on previous trips to the Bahamas, the BVI, but never in the States. In the US, rum punch always equals some sugary, cough-syrupy nastiness. Rum Punch is to the Atlantic Isles…
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Best Place to Live on a Boat — US East Coast Options for Liveaboards
Living on a boat is a dream shared by many people, but being a liveaboard means different things depending on how you intend to do it. Will you be parked at a marina, essentially using your boat as a waterfront condo? Or will you be traveling by boat, actively cruising, and living on board while…
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Best Marine Consignment and Used Boat Parts Stores
Every boat owner, regardless of vessel type, probably has a wish list of things they’d love to have but can’t justify the cost. Most consignment and used parts shops price their gear at approximately half the price of brand-new retail parts and accessories. These shops work in different ways. Some are consignment stores, where boats…
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Smallest Composting Toilet and Porta Potty Solution for Boats
In all our years of boating, from our first sailboat and its complete lack of functional plumbing to our little cuddy cabin fishing boat with its disgusting porta potty, we’ve seen it all. Buckets, proper marine toilets, the most expensive electric heads, and even the various alternatives to toilets, like those fancy composters. Which is…
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When, Why, and How to Use Bob423 ICW Tracks — And When Not To
If you’re a veteran Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) boater, you probably know who Bob423 is and what he does. Even if you’re new to cruising, you might have already heard the name from other cruisers. Often, they tell you that you must have Bob’s tracks to keep from running aground. This article will discuss precisely what…
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Outfitting a New Boat: Things Every Boater Needs
Whether you buy a new or new-to-you boat, your first task is to outfit it. It’s pretty easy to come across lists of the things you MUST have, thanks to the Coast Guard and state authorities. But these lists don’t provide any recommendations, and we’ve learned many things about these items. You should also have…
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Boater’s Guide to Maine
Arriving by boat to the coast of Maine for the first time is like landing on an alien planet. At least it was for this Florida boy, who had never been to the state before by land or sea. Everything is different in Vacationland: You don’t worry about sandbars, you worry about rock ledges. There…