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Ideas that Work
by Chris Caswell
Five sure ways to add convenience and comfort aboard your boat
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Make Charts Waterproof
Aboard my 25 foot sportfisher, charts are always a problem on the bridge. They either get soaked or blow overboard -- and at the price of charts today, that's not good.
Fortunately, I came up with a solution to that problem.
I made a chart cover from a 3/8 inch thick sheet of acrylic, using a discarded piano hinge at the top end and making a pair of teak hold-downs at the bottom. I lined the entire cover with 1/4 inch thick foam weather stripping (found at any hardware store), which, with the compression of the hold-downs, keeps the chart dry even in a driving rainstorm.
I can even plot courses or make notes on the plastic with a china marking pen, which wipes off easily later.
Double Your Storage
I've found that the under-bunk storage bins on many boats, including mine, are so deep that there is wasted space above the level of the gear stowed in the bottom. I can't add a second layer on top of the bottom items, or I'll never be able to find anything.
To make better use of the dead area above these items, I found plastic dishpans that were the proper size to span the storage area. By adding a wood ledge to the side of the storage bins, I'm now able to get double-decker storage without the mess of piling gear on top of other items.
The dishpan is easy to lift out and search through, so I use it for small items that tend to get lost. As a bonus, the dishpan is a lot easier to clean than the locker or the bilge, so I use it for anything that might leak or spill, such as cans of engine oil or spray lubricant.
The Perfect Cover-Up
Most small boats have ports or windows installed to provide light to the cabin or head compartment, but it's difficult to attach curtains for privacy. Besides, curtains can make an already small cabin look even more cluttered.
My solution to this problem was to create a set of "custom covers" to quickly and completely shut out the light.
To do this, I cut a piece of cardboard slightly larger than the inside rim of the porthole. One easy way is to make a paper template first, then transfer it to the cardboard.
I covered both sides of the cardboard with patterned adhesive vinyl (brands available include Contact paper). I used a color to match the hull for the outside and chose a cheery pattern to match the cabin decor for the inside of the cover.
The finished panel fits snugly into the window to provide privacy or shade, when required, and an unblemished interior the rest of the time.
If the port is small, you might want to add a loop of cord through a hole in the cardboard to help remove the cover.
Renewing Worn Cutting Boards
On many boats, the stove or galley sink has a removable wooden cover that acts as a cutting board. On my boat, that board -- over time -- became scruffy-looking, with many deep knife cuts.
Here's my solution: I found a large, smooth ceramic tile in a pattern and color that matched my interior, and, using a router, I inset it flush into the old wooden cover.
Instead of grouting or gluing the tile in place, I used a thin bead of silicone sealant around the edges. It allows me to pry the tile out to clean and refinish the wood, whenever necessary.
My tile insert did away with the "chop marks" and made cleanup a lot easier
Going one step further, I'm now considering replacing the tile with a piece of "self-healing" synthetic cutting board from a kitchen shop, which would be easier on my knives than the tile. It should also be easy to set into the old cutting board.
Cold Wheel, Warm Hands
The current styling fad on both power boats and sailboats is the shiny aluminum "Destroyer" steering wheel. It looks great, but it leaves something to be desired on cold days, when a bone-numbing chill goes straight through even the thickest gloves.
Automobile accessory stores and leather goods suppliers (such as Tandy Leather) offer lace-up steering wheel covers aimed at the sports car market -- but they are perfectly adaptable to your boat. Since most boat steering wheels are larger than those on cars, you may need two kits. Just lace them together or glue them end-to-end, using leather glue, before wrapping your wheel.
Be sure to check not only the outside diameter of your wheel, but the actual thickness of the rim, as well, to make sure the lace-on leather will completely encircle it.
When lacing on the leather cover, you may want to start at the top of the wheel when the rudders are centered. That will give you an indication by feel of when your helm is amidships. When you're ready to tie up the laces, you can cover up the joint of the leather pieces with a fancy knot.
If you find that your wheel is too thick for the leather covers, consider using rolls of non-slip wrapping designed for bicycle handlebars, which are sold at bicycle shops. They come in all colors and most have a foam padding that will make your wheel even more pleasant on those long days afloat.
Wrap them tightly around the wheel, secure them with tape and cover the joint with a nifty Turk's head knot.
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This article first appeared in the February 1, 1996 issue of Sea Magazine. All or parts of the information contained in this article might be outdated. |
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