Marc RobicIn Part 1 of this article, I went through the process of choosing a sailmaker, identifying the type & quality of sail that best suits my sailing style and the initial steps of placing the order, having a consultation with a sail designer and a final pre-production meeting to make sure all the dimensions and options are as I want.

New OptionsWith boat show season upon us some will walk the show looking to be inspired, others will be looking for a great deal. Either way, I’m sure you’ll find it. One the great niche markets is the creative ways that the marine industry is supporting getting new boaters on the water. 

Svala at anchor 400This project started off in a way that many of us can relate to: Matt Bera and his family chose a boat that is perfect for them.

Svala at anchor 400We settled Svala into what my family and I had come to think of as the most desirable anchorage on Lake Ontario, on a sunny summer afternoon. With an abandoned settlement, an old schoolhouse full of swallows, giant snakes and a rum-running past, Main Duck Island had it all.

Slugs and SlidesSails are attached to the sailboat rig using several different systems. Let’s begin with mainsail. The most basic attachment is with a boltrope that fits into a mast groove. This is very secure, and the sail is very well supported along the luff edge.

Thrusters 400Corners like it’s on rails. You can almost see it. A car with a low centre of gravity takes a curve. The driver shifts through the gears and exits the bend with speed and grace. Stops on a dime. That same vehicle smoothly downshifts and comes to a complete stop as though hitting an invisible barrier.

PEX and SharkbiteAs boats increase in size, complexity and arrangements, the systems requiring water onboard also increase. Modern boats have pumps, pressure systems, ballast systems, showers, air conditioners, water-cooled refrigeration, washdown pumps, faucets, heaters, and all of through-hulls, tanks, lines and connections necessary to support them.

Electric Head Finished InstallationAs bareboat charterers for many years now, most boats we’ve had the pleasure of renting had an electric head. Much to our enjoyment and that of our fellow passengers, they are super simple to operate and explaining how to use them is a breeze. Plus it’s a whole lot more pleasant than facing the bowl to pump!

SureShade ATF Belzona 400For most of us, the thrill of being aboard is associated with the motion of the water, wind in our hair, the laughter of friends, the speed and fresh air.

Inside Cabinet After InstallationThe desire or rather, the argument, to convince my wife (AKA First Mate) to convert our icebox to a fridge came after our first two trips onboard our Catalina 270, Aquaholic 3, up to the Thousand Islands from our home port in Montreal.

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