Glen-L.com

If you are overweight, go on a diet.

I just happen to have a good-running 1970s Mercury short shaft outboard left over after selling my Catalina 22. So I'm thinking of what to do with it. I already have another sailboat (a Stevenson Skipjack built by yours truly). Even if I wanted to power it (I don't) the Mercury is too much motor for...

I'm no expert on marinizing engines, but it seems to me that the critical difference between full throttle on the highway and full throttle in a boat is that on the highway you're basically coasting and only fighting wind and rolling resistance. In a boat you're always pushing tons of water out of t...

Update:
My Catalina 22 is now for sale if anyone is interested.

https://seattle.craigslist.org/est/boa/ ... 19171.html

Everything you ever wanted to know about solar power (and some opinions you can probably live without) can be found on "Handybob's" blog. His posts are geared toward RVs and Off-Grid home systems but much of the information can be applied equally well to marine use. https://handybobsolar.wordpress.c...

GALLEY PUMP UPGRADE I couldn't find a new hand pump that would both fit under the cockpit bench when in the stowed position, that would also fit underneath the countertop (tank is in the way). The old hand pump works but is difficult to pump. So I decided to rig up an electric pump and push the wat...

More photos. I wish I could attach more than three per post. IMG_0867.JPG IMG_0869.JPG These four little 5/16 bolts hold everything in place. Kinda wish they were more robust. IMG_0874.JPG Eventually I'm going to have to inspect the lift cable too but I haven't figured out how to do that yet, since ...

I lowered the keel to inspect the bronze pin, and sent some photos to Catalina technical support for an opinion on whether anything needs replacing. I hope not because the pin wouldn't budge when I tapped the end with a hammer. The keel itself is pretty corroded but everything else looks okay. I whi...

My nice, crispy new mainsail arrived today.

Thanks for everyone's comments. I've found retrieving at the ramp to be troublesome because the boat has to be floated onto the bunks and the retracted keel has to at the same time be aligned with a groove for it in the trailer's cradle. Positioning the trailer deep enough to float the boat onto the...

Also installed compass and GPS. For the GPS I needed a swing-arm mount. These are quite expensive to buy, so I went down to Everett Steel and picked up $6.00 worth of scrap steel, went to Dunn Lumber for some fittings and fasteners, and for a total of about $15 fabricated a mount myself. IMG_0799.JP...

The varnished boards and frames, installed. They're not quite finished...they need a few more coats of varnish. I used Pettit Z-Spar Captain's 1015 varnish. IMG_0808.JPG IMG_0809.JPG IMG_0810.JPG Some of the other upgrades I've made so far: --Rewired mast. --LED lighting, except nav and steaming lig...

Now for the companionway boards. The original boards and frames were in pretty bad condition: IMG_0807.JPG The teak replacements are obscenely expensive. The white ones are affordable but lack character. So I decided to custom build them myself. With teak as expensive as it is (if you can even find ...

Next up, the galley. Here's how it was as purchased: IMG_0775.JPG The pressurized alcohol stove does not work. So I removed it and installed a wooden cutting board. And it neatly fits two of these little butane stoves. (The double burner stoves are too long.) But for safety I'll have to turn one bac...

As promised, here are photos of my repairs and upgrades (so far). First up, the mast. Because I got impatient and tried to raise the mast in my yard without checking the owner's manual, without mechanical leverage and without consulting You Tube, I ended up damaging the step end where the pin goes t...