That phone we all carry is useful at the helm, helping you communicate, navigate, tell time and do many other things. But where to put it? Pulling it in and out of your pocket is a pain, and mounting it means it must stay in one place. One solution is Tree Frog Pad, a slab of [...]

In a world where you can buy rod holders in gold metal and dock lines in every color of the rainbow, it was perhaps inevitable. But it is nonetheless shocking. Duct Tape, considered among the most useful inventions since it was developed during World War II, has gone designer. Once a ubiquitous shiny gray, or occasionally [...]

Dozens of do-it-yourself boaters gathered in Dallas on Saturday to spend hours discussing engines and maintenance at DIY’s first Skills Class. The weather was hot and so was the topic: how to solve the common problems that many boaters encounter. “A lot of the expensive repairs we run into are caused when people don’t do routine maintenance,” [...]

We’ve all had that sickening experience of hitting the button or turning the key and your boat’s engine won’t start. Often, the problem is electrical, specifically the starting system. There are as many as 16 possible points of failure in a typical system, any one of which could bring down the system and stop you from [...]

It could be argued that every boater needs eBay. Take the case of Dale Tanski, a boater and self-proclaimed eBay addict. In his own words: “In my seven years of eBay addiction, I have purchased sails, rigging, safety gear, plumbing and electrical parts, a life raft, an outboard engine – even a small sailboat. I estimate [...]

Anyone who has done boat repairs knows all about “removal.” At some point in the boat’s lifetime, something was installed with copious amounts of adhesive, usually 3M’s 5200. Now, that thing has to be removed and the 5200 is doing exactly what it promised to do: adhere. Usually, the removal process requires cutting, [...]

Start shopping for hand held GPS, VHF or other units, and you’ll quickly encounter the term “shock resistant.” But what does that mean? Mad Mariner’s Smash Factor Hand Held Test seeks to find out. We invited 16 companies to participate and we tested models built by those who were brave enough to respond to the call. It’s a [...]

Question: Several screws on our 2000 Bayliner Ciera have become loose, especially the hatch cover hinges on the engine hatch. Any suggestions on how to re-secure them as they just keep turning and will not snug down? —Barry Thompson Answer: Loose screws are common on a boat, where vibrations can shake things out over time. It’s frustrating, [...]

There’s always a boat or two in the marina that seem to shine brighter than the rest, a piano-style finish reflecting everything around it. Usually, these are the boats that are fished professionally, with Awlgrip, Imron or Interspray professional polyurethane paints. To find out more about how this work gets done, Mad Mariner’s article on The Perfect [...]

From reef knots to rolling hitches, every boater should have a half dozen useful knots in his arsenal. Mad Mariner’s article, 6.5 Knots Every Boater Needs, can get you started.  It includes illustrations and explanations on how to tie a Figure 8, a Bowline, a Reef Knot, a Sheet Bend, a Round Turn, a Rolling Hitch [...]