COVID and Camping -- Summer 2021

The CDC has recently announced relaxed mask rules for people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19.  However, the new rules come with a few caveats.  First of all, your vaccine has to be "fully in effect" which typically means it has been at least two weeks since your final shot.  Vaccinated folks are allowed to go outside without masks but entering a facility without a mask requires the facility to verify the vaccination status.  Without a verification protocol in place, everyone is still required to wear a mask.  I have seen at least one business post signs accepting vaccinated customers without masks but there was no evidence of any kind of verification protocol.   I have also seen organizations say they are accepting vaccinated folks on "the honor system".  Hmmm.  Hope that works!

Because of an increase in COVID cases following the original relaxation of rules, many jurisdictions have imposed stricter indoor mask requirements and put limits on indoor gatherings.

Since most of our camping activities are outdoors, the new rules may give us greater freedom from wearing masks during camping outings.   Limits on the size of gatherings have been raised, making it easier for us to get together with our fellow outdoor enthusiasts.  However, we are still expected to respect rules for social distancing and since there isn't any very viable way to verify all the folks in our campground or even around our campfire have been vaccinated, it may still be  a good idea to continue wearing masks -- to avoid unnecessary conflict with fellow campers if nothing else.  Since masks do more to prevent a contaminated person from spreading the disease than they do to protect wearers from catching it, you might feel OK not wearing a mask but it could cause conflicts with other people it the vicinity.

Camping is, as always, a GREAT family activity.  Family groups who know each others vaccination status should be free to assemble without masks.  You might be able to expand that to extended families and even close friends who have been vaccinated.  That being said, you may want to keep your masks close at hand should you receive any visitors who may feel the need for the extra protection.  While you and other vaccinated members of your group may not be at risk, un-vaccinated visitors may be worried about their risk and may be more comfortable around people wearing masks.

What a strange situation we now live in!  A little over a year ago masks were only worn by ordinary people at Halloween or sometimes on New Years Eve  Wearing any kind of mask at other times would would have been suspected of  mischief or even possible criminal intent.  Today NOT wearing a mask is seen as criminal!  Saw a kind of strange post on Facebook about how, in California, it is legal to take a dump in public, but you can be arrested for doing it without wearing a mask!

As  a camper and outdoor recreationalist I welcome the relaxed rules and very much look forward to the day when we can return to normal association with our neighbors and fellow campers.  We are planning to de-winterize our sailboat and haul it out to the lake soon and are hoping for a sailing season that is closer to normal.  Getting out on the water is a very nice way to maintain social distancing while still having fun.  We seldom come anywhere near other vessels as close as the required 6' for social distancing so it is only on the docks or inside buildings that we may have to consider wearing masks.

Stay safe and have fun!

Ratchet Straps for RVing, Camping, and Boating

We all use ratchet straps to tie down dirt bikes and loads on trailers and stuff.  I even use them to make sure my sailboat stays snug on its trailer in transit.  Putting a twist in them helps keep them from vibrating and makes them easier to see in your rear view mirrors to make sure they are where they are supposed to be but some people say that significantly reduces their strength.  Just watched a Youtube video where a guy tested a bunch of 2" straps.  He tested with 1 twist, 4 twists, 10 twists and a wet strap (after setting a base line with a brand new flat dry strap).  He also tested a strap with a knot tied in it.  The one with the knot snapped way below the rated capacity of the strap, like somewhere around 1/3!  However, all the straps with twists held to just about the same force as the straight strap!  The differences that were seen could easily be explained by differences in the individual straps, not to the twists.  They all snapped somewhere around 9,000 lbs, about 10% below the stated breaking point!  Since I always try to use straps with a working load at least twice that of the load I expect to put on them, I am pretty comfortable with achieving 90% the rated breaking strength.  A pair of  1200# ratchet straps holding down a 300# dirt bike is surely plenty of margin!

The straps tested in the video were all 2"straps with a working load of 3,333 lbs and a rated breaking strength of 10,000 lbs.   The most load the tester was able to apply using the handle was around 1500 kg, or 3300 lbs so he was able to load the strap manually to close to its rated working load.  He used an 8 ton air-over-hydraulic jack to stress the straps to the breaking point.  Each strap broke with explosive force and the stressed areas of each strap felt warm or hot to the touch.  They all broke near where the strap wrapped around the spindle.  They all pretty much reached at least 90% of the rated breaking strength, which was 3 times the rated working load. The accelerated  and concentrated stress imposed by the air-over-hydraulic jack may have been different than the stress a normal load would supply but his test protocol seemed to be appropriate and consistent.  He tested them wet as well as dry, with and without twists, and with and without knots.  Twists and being wet did not make any significant difference.  Knots caused straps to fail at much lower loads --  only a fraction of their rated load capacity!

 

Twists help reduce vibration and eliminates the annoying hum wind passing over the straps often causes.  Twists also make the straps easier to see in your rear view mirrors so you can better monitor their condition during travel.  Instead of looking only at the thin edge, you have the twist revealing the full width to view making it easier to tell if they are coming loose.

Another trick is to tie off the loose ends so they don't flap around and cause damage to your vehicle and maybe even work loose!  You can usually just tie a simple overhand knot in the loose end around an accessible part of the secured strap and pull the loose end tight.

So, the bottom line is, it is OK to put a twist in the straps.  It reduces vibration and the twist makes them easier to see in your rear view mirrors.  DO NOT use a strap with a knot in it.  Knots DO significantly reduce strength!  If your straps get wet in the rain or at the boat ramp it shouldn't significantly affect their strength.

 

A common size for ratchet straps is 1" wide and lengths varying from 6' to 30'.   These straps are typically used for securing loads on pickups and utility trailers.  Larger straps are available for heavier loads.  I use 2 1/2" ratchet straps to secure my 25' sailboat to its trailer.  For really sturdy straps check out Matt's Straps, from Matt's OffRoad Recovery.  They are bit pricey, but that are extremely strong and durable.

 

I usually don't use ratchet straps to tie down my dirt bikes.  The cam-lock tie down straps designed for dirt bikes are usually more than adequate to keep them secure and using ratchet straps could easily over compress and damage the suspension.  Ratchet straps are really good for tying down loads on pickups and utility trailers and holding things in place inside moving vans.  And for keeping boats secure on their trailers and objects secure on deck or in the hold.  Be careful not to over tighten them or you could bend or break your cargo or damage what you are fastening it to.

 
Sometimes you can use a ratchet strap or tie down strap as an emergency towing strap for dirt bikes and ATVs.   I would not recommend using them on larger vehicles.  Even side-by-sides are significantly heavier than dirt bikes and ATVs and can easily exceed the rated strength of ratchet straps and tie downs when being towed.  If you need to tow a larger vehicle use a towing strap, snatching strap, chain, or kinetic rope designed for that purpose.  Kinetic ropes are wonderful tools for extracting stuck vehicles.

 

Whenever you use ratchet straps make sure they are rated far above the load you expect to put on them.  Straps will usually give two numbers.  One is the working load, the other the breaking load.  Never use a strap with a working load less (or even near) the load you expect to put on it.  I like to have at least a 2 to 1 factor -- a strap with a working load rated for at least twice the weight I expect to put on it.  The tie down straps (not ratchet straps) I use for my motorcycles are rated around 400# each and I use two on each bike.  The bikes weigh under 300#, giving me way more than a 2 to 1 safety factor, in fact it is closer to 3 or even 4 to 1, depending on the weight of the bike.

Make sure your attachment points are suitable.  When securing loads on trucks and trailers the straps will usually be attached to the vehicle.  Take care to place them where they will hold securely and will not damage the vehicle.  When using straps to secure OHVs or even automobiles, be sure to fasten them to sturdy places that will hold well and neither the hooks nor the straps will bind or inflict any damage.  Even the holes in the top of pickup beds are often not strong enough to use as anchors for ratchet straps.  More than once I have seen them dimpled or distorted by the hooks on ratchet straps that were cranked down too tight.

It helps to make sure you thread ratchet strap correctly too.  Here is a nice Youtube video on how to use a ratchet strap.  It is surprising how often we thread them wrong and that always makes using them difficult or impossible and may reduce their performance.  Take an extra minute to thread it right and things will go much better.  Putting the loose end through the slot in the spindle from the wrong direction will make it difficult if not impossible to properly tighten the straps and lock the handle.  Not pulling the slack out the line before using the ratchet can result it too much material being wound around the spindle, eventually making it impossible to finish tightening the strap.  Always thread the strap correctly, then pull the loose end tight before you start to tighten it using the ratchet handle.  Then tie off the loose end so it doesn't flap in the breeze.  A flapping loose end can mask your view of a strap that is coming loose and sometimes the flapping loose end can jar the handle loose, especially if it hasn't been fully locked down or flapping around it may cause damage to your vehicle.

 

I recently saw ads for self-retracting ratchet straps.   Haven't had a chance to try them out yet.  I have seen some reviews on Youtube and they come off pretty well. Having straps that hold themselves in place while you tighten them and roll themselves up when you are ready to put them away has a certain appeal.  Another advantage is the working end won't pull off the roller like ordinary straps.  However, I am not sure if the bulky roll in the middle would get in the way in some applications.   The ones I've seen look like the roller isn't much bulkier than the normal ratchet handle and spindle so they may be OK, but they might run out of turning room on short runs.  They are also, understandably, a LOT more expensive than standard ratchet straps, like 3-4 times as expensive!

Two cautions for using ratchet straps.  The ratchet handles can deliver a LOT of force to the straps.  Be sure that your attachment points are strong enough to handle the load!  Also exercise caution to avoid damaging the load itself.  Ratchet straps are definitely strong enough to bend metal and break plastic parts.  Sometimes you can minimize the impact of the straps by using padding between the straps and the load.  The pads spread the force out so it isn't concentrated in one place to wreak damage.  Pads will also help avoid damage from the straps rubbing the load if the load shifts or air movement during travel vibrates or moves the straps.  The leverage delivered by the handles of ratchet straps is very powerful.  This is definitely an advantage when securing heavy loads, but can allow you to apply too much force, sometimes enough to damage the cargo.  I use 2 1/2' ratchet straps to secure a 25' fiberglass sailboat to its trailer and noticed some little stress fractures under one of the straps after this last trip.  Guess I shouldn't have given it that last extra tweak!

 

Tie one on!

Boat Camping

Just what is boat camping?

There are basically two options for boat camping.  One is kind of like car camping, but using your boat instead of your car to reach your destination then tent camping on shore.  The other is actually staying (camping) on your boat.  In either case you will need to anchor or moor your boat securely whenever your stop for the night or even just tie up for lunch!

In some ways the cabin on many boats is much like a truck camper.  However, they are usually even more restrictive in size and amenities.  For example, the cabin on a 25' sailboat usually has far less living space than an 8'cabover camper.  Part of that is due to a smaller width (beam) and to the narrowing toward the bow.  And, of course, a good part of the overall length is dedicated to the exterior cockpit so the interior living space may only be about half the boat length, although there is usually storage under the cockpit that is at least partially accessible from the interior and sometimes there is even a bunk under one or both cockpit seats.  Another significant difference is that most truck campers include a furnace to keep things warm on cold nights.  Small boats frequently lack any kind of heating system.  Part of that has to do with limiting weight but is also likely influenced by the fact that boats are mostly used in mild weather.

Some folks like to take their boat to a desirable camping spot, anchor near the shore, and camp on or near the beach.   This gives you the best of both boating and camping since you can have a regular campfire and will be sleeping on solid ground.  Some folks never can adapt to the rocking of a boat so sleeping on board may not be an option for them.  Many times boats are capable of transporting more people than can sleep aboard.  In such cases on-shore camping is a necessity for voyages lasting more than 1 day unless you sleep in shifts (having someone on watch at all times is not exactly a bad idea anyway).  If you are going to camp on shore you need to bring your camping equipment with you on the boat, you will need room to stow it, and you will need some way to get it to shore, perhaps a raft or dingy or you may have to wade ashore with it on your shoulders unless you are lucky enough to have a dock to tie up to for unloading every where you camp.

Whether you are camping on shore or in your boat you will need to anchor your boat safely and securely each night.  Try to choose protected anchorages to minimize the impact of waves and wind on your anchored boat.  Then, if you choose to go ashore, you will need a way to get there and back.  A dingy will let you do it without getting too wet, otherwise wading or swimming will be about your only options.  An ''anchor buddy" can be helpful.  It is a long, sturdy bungie cord that allows you to bring your boat close to shore to disembark, then pulls the boat back out to the moorage after you get off at let go the boat,  Tying up your boat to a dock or designated moorage is sometimes an option.  Be aware that sleeping on your boat is inexplicably prohibited in some marinas, so be sure to check before you tie up and hit the sack.  In such cases there are usually safe areas where you can legally anchor on the lake overnight.

Some folks like to sleep on their boats.  You might have to do this if there are not viable camping spots where you can anchor your boat or you might want to do it just for the fun of it.  If you have any problems with the boat moving while you're trying to sleep this probably isn't a good choice for you.  Sometimes folks might still take advantage of a campfire on the beach and sleep on board their boats instead of setting up a tent.  All depends on what "floats your boat" as they say.  And how many people are in your group and how many people can comfortably sleep on your boat.  You may also need to consider how you will get back and forth between the boat and the camp site.  Wading ashore on a warm afternoon might be just fine, but having to wade back in the cold after dark might not cut it, especially if your boat isn't heated so you can dry out and warm up!  One alternative if you have more in your group than your boat can sleep is to sleep in shifts.  That also lets you have someone awake to keep watch, which isn't a bad idea anyway.

If  you are staying on your boat most of the time you will need to take cooking and sanitation needs into consideration.  Boats with built in sanitation or porta-pottys usually take care of basic needs.  A boat-safe alcohol stove or even a small butane stove may let you cook on board your boat.   Gasoline or propane camp stoves are not recommended for use on boats.  The fumes from the fuel are heavier than air and will collect in the bilge, posing an explosion hazard.  Basic personal hygiene may require a plastic wash basin if your boat doesn't have a sink. although you may be able to occasionally rinse your hands by simply reaching over the side.  Where swimming is permitted that is often a good way to freshen up.  Avoid contaminating the water with biological or chemical products.  Many times the inland waterways we boat on are also sources of drinking water.  I have even seen some reservoirs that prohibit ANY human contact with the water!

Sleeping on board may be an attractive option if you just need some overnight rest along the way to a scheduled destination.  Just drop anchor in a sheltered cove and turn in for the night or an afternoon nap.  Solo sailors on long ocean voyages will sometimes set an autopilot while that catch a few z's. Sometimes you can schedule nap time for various members of your party while you continue your voyage.  It is always a good idea to have someone "on watch" at all times.  You never know when weather, debris, or some errant boater may present a hazard.

If you plan to do any on-shore camping you will need to find room to transport all the camping equipment you need and have a way to get it all to shore when you get there.  In some rare instances there might be a dock or pier where you can tie up.  If not, you will need a raft or dingy or be prepared to wade to get your gear ashore.  I have seen folks use an ''anchor buddy'' that lets them drive the boat right up to where they can step off onto the shore then pulls the boat back out into the water until they need it again.  The anchor buddy is essentially a large bungie cord that stretches to let you reach the shore, then pulls your boat back toward the mooring.   A line tied to the shore can be used to pull the boat back to the shore when you are ready to re-board.   You can purchase an anchor buddy from your favorite marine supplier or you can even find them on amazon.com.  Be aware that, like many commercially available products, they come in varying qualities and costs.  The more inexpensive models may use surgical tubing as the elastic inside the fabric sleeve.  More expensive (and stronger and more durable) versions have solid rubber elastic that holds better and lasts longer.

If you plan to have a campfire you will probably need to bring all your firewood with you,  unless you know for sure firewood will be available at your on-shore camp site.  Never assume you can just gather firewood.  In many cases it there isn't any to be gathered and in a lot of places gathering firewood is illegal.  Some folks like to use driftwood for firewood.  Even where that is permitted (often it is not), many times it is still wet or damp inside, making it difficult to burn and giving off a lot of annoying or irritating visible smoke or vapor if you can get it to burn at all.  Trying to make a campfire out of wet wood is not my idea of a fun evening.  But, sometimes you can get driftwood to burn.  Just ask Les Stroud (Surviorman) who in one episode managed to set his driftwood shelter on fire!

All aboard!

Installing New Hardware on a Boat

There are many times you may want to add hardware to your boat.  You may need additional cleats for dock lines or spring lines.  On sailboats you may want extra fair leads or cam cleats for convenience in controlling various lines.  You may want to add teak handrails, tie down points, or other accessories.   In each case you will probably be drilling through the deck or cabin wall in order to install the items.  

Sometimes you may have to replace existing hardware.  Damaged components can usually be removed and replaced without much special effort.  However, if the mounting holes or surface has been damaged, you will need to repair the underlying structure before mounting new hardware.  In many cases you will probably want to add or install larger backing plates to prevent future problems.

The primary key to successfully installing or replacing hardware on your boat is careful planning.  You will need to do research to find the right hardware at the right price, inspect where you want to install things to make sure it will be safe to do so, and make sure your installation is secure and properly waterproofed.

Your first step is to decide what you want to install.  You may want to add a mid-ship cleat for spring lines or and extra fair lead and cam cleat for routing control lines on a sailboat.  Or you may just have some neat new accessory you need to mount on the cabin wall.  Make sure it is really something you want and will use.  You don't want to drill unnecessary holes in your boat!

The next step is to determine where the new hardware will go.  Will it be mounted inside or outside the cabin?   Make sure there is room to install it.  Take care mounting things inside the cabin so any mounting bolts don't create safety hazards or cosmetic offense outside.   Then look behind or underneath to make sure there isn't anything that will be in the way of the screws or bolts that secure it to the deck.  Be especially sure it won't impact any wiring, tubing, or plumbing lines.  You will need to determine how long the bolts need to be.  Some light weight accessories might be anchored with screws if the deck material will support it.  Screws might work on wooden boats or fiberglass boats with sturdy wooden cores between the layers of fiberglass and metal screws might even work on metal structures.   Lightweight items can sometimes be secured with metal screws on fiberglass if the fiberglass is thick enough and strong enough,  When in doubt, using backing plates to make sure your fasteners won't pull through.  Unless the area of installation has built-in backing plates, you will need enough room to install them beneath the new hardware.  Backing plates should be a bit larger (1/2"to 1"in each direction) than the base of the item being installed.  When installing items inside the cabin be extra careful if they are going on an outside wall where bolts might protrude outside the hull, possibly creating a safety hazard.  Don't attempt to install items below the waterline unless the boat is out of the water.

Can it be installed without drilling?  Some accessories can be mounted using heavy duty double-sticky tape or adhesive.  Probably a good idea whenever you can do this so you don't have to drill any new holes in your boat.  Every hole you drill is a potential source of a leak but some things, like cleats or other hardware that takes heavy loads, will need to be securely bolted on. 

Backing plates are usually needed when mounting hardware to boats.   Some boats have backing plates built in where cleats and other accessories are likely to be mounted.  Unless you KNOW you have built-in backing plates you should plan on adding them.  Having extra backing plates will only make things more secure.  The only downside might be appearance or perhaps an extra obstacle to deal with inside the cabin.  The only time you don't need backing plates are when you are mounting light weight accessories that will never have an significant load place on them.  Since just about anything you can grab onto could stressed if someone needs extra support, even little things like cup holders and winch handle pockets should be securely anchored.

If you are attaching hardware to a single layer of fiberglass, such as a cabin wall, you will for sure need a backing plate to spread the load.  The use of backing plates is generally a good idea in all cases.  Large washers might be sufficient for lightly loaded items but full backing plates are required for things like cleats that handle large loads.  Check to make sure there is room to install a backing plate before you start drilling holes to install new items.  If there is not enough room for an adequate backing plate you will need to rethink the whole installation!  I had to forgo installing an bow anchor roller on my sailboat because there was no place for a proper backing plate.  Even if I removed and re-bedded all the existing hardware, there still wasn't enough room under the deck for an adequate backing plate.

You never want to drill extra holes in your boat if you can avoid it!   Consider using adhesives where possible.  Accessories that may need to be removed from time to time might be mounted with heavy duty Velcro.   Be certain of where you want each installation to be and "measure twice, cut (drill) once".  If you do happen to drill extra holes, be sure to fill them right away with epoxy or a good marine grade sealer.  I have seen a recommendation that you drill a shallow countersink to prevent cracking of fiberglass.  It also provides a depression for extra sealant to protect against leaks.  Use an over-sized bit (about twice the diameter of the hole) and run the drill in reverse to make the countersink so you don't accidentally drill through!  That works pretty well on wood and fiberglass, but you may need a little extra force when drilling metal hulls but don't push hard enough to push the bit through the metal and make the hole too big!  Some metal hulls are surprisingly thin!

Backing plates could be made of wood, metal, or fiberglass.   Plastic isn't recommended as it can compress under stress.  What we think of as solid plastic is actually a very thick, viscous liquid!  By the way, so is glass!   Over time, window glass will eventually be thicker at the bottom than it is at the top!  Whatever you use for backing plats should be able to stand up to the rigors of a marine environment.  Aluminum and stainless steel are good choices.  Ordinary steel is not as it will rust possibly compromising its strength as well as making an unsightly mess. Marine grade plywood also works pretty well.   Backing plates should be larger than the base of the hardware being installed and should extend about an inch outside the bolt holes in all directions and be thick enough or sturdy enough so they are not distorted by tightening the bolts.    Another guideline for backing plate size is to make them slightly larger than the footprint of the object you are installing on the other side.  Use fender washers for added safety and load distribution on the backing plate.  I also like to use nylon lock nuts to make sure the nuts won't come loose due to vibration or flexing.  Lock washers or Loctite might also be used to keep nuts from coming loose.  Or double-nut the bolts,  Avoid using Loctite on anything you might want to remove from time to time.  Always use backing plates unless you are certain there will never be a heavy load placed on the hardware.  However, since you never know when someone will abuse an accessory so better to be safe than sorry.  Without proper backing, the fasteners holding hardware on will pull through the deck when a heavy load is applied causing serious damage as well as failing to perform their intended function.  NEVER install life support hardware without a backing plate.  You may need to consider the aesthetics if a backing plate will be visible from inside the cabin.  In that case you will usually want to paint or varnish backing plates to ensure they are moisture resistant and, if they are visible, you will want to make sure they look good

You will need to determine how long the bolts or screws need to be.  If you are using screws they need to be short enough so that they don't come out the back side of the installation.  If you are using bolts they have be long enough to reach through the accessory, the deck, the backing plate, plus washers and nuts.  You can get plastic thread protectors to cover the exposed ends of the bolts to make them less apt to cause damage or injury if something brushes against them so you might want to include the length of the thread protectors.  One way to determine the length is to drill one of the holes for the installation and push some small item like a cable tie through it so you can mark the length you need.  Then get bolts that are at least as long as you measured.  Longer bolts can usually be cut off but shorter bolts won't work at all!  Longer bolts might intrude into the interior space and that is particularly dangerous for things mounted to the cabin roof where you might hit your head.  Trim protruding bolts as short as practical.  Plastic thread protectors over the end of any protruding bolts will help cushion the impact and lessen abrasions.  If you plan to use thread protectors use or cut the bolts long enough to install them, usually about 1/4" past the nut.

For any marine installation you will want to use corrosion resistant fasteners, such as stainless steel.  Brass was used on boats for many years and still works well, but it does tarnish and you should avoid using dissimilar metals as different metals often react with each other to promote corrosion.  Using stainless steel fasteners with stainless steel hardware and a stainless steel backing plate would be a good pattern to shoot for.

Anything installed on the exterior will need to be "bedded".  That means placing a material between the hardware and the mounting surface to seal the joint so no water gets in.  Even a tiny leak into a bolt hole can eventually allow enough water to soak into the wooden core between layers of fiberglass on fiberglass boats to cause dry rot.  You never want leaks around any kind of hardware.  Butyl tape, sometimes called dum-dum tape, is one of the most common ways to bed hardware but sometimes rubber or vinyl gaskets might also be used.  Sometimes you may want to add some additional sealer (like silicone) along the line where the hardware meets the mounting surface.  Holes drilled through the wooden core on fiberglass boats should be sealed so that if any moisture gets into the hole it can't get into the wooden core.  Leaks into the wooden core quickly lead to rot and serious failure.

I have seen two good ways to seal the bolt holes for deck installation.  The easiest way is to use butlyl tape.  Drill a shallow countersink into the top of the hole in the deck.  The butyl tape will squeeze into the dip.   Wrap a little bit of butyl tape around the bolt (enough to more than fill the countersink hole).  When you install the bolt, hold the head steady and turn the nut so the threads on the bolt don't strip the butyl where it contacts the bolt.  A little butyl tape might squeeze out between the item and the deck.  Anything the protrudes beyond the item isn't necessary, but its presence is a good indicator that it the fastener is tight and the butyl tape is doing its job.  Simply cut or scrape away any extra for a clean look.   For fiberglass decks with wooden cores there is a second, more complicated technique, that ensures the wooden core is protected from moisture even if some leaks in around the bolt.  Drill the hole about twice the size you need for the bolt, then fill the hole with epoxy and let it set up.  Then drill the right size hole for the bolt through the center of the epoxy.  That way the epoxy completely seals the wooden core against water getting in and causing dry rot and the epoxy "sleeve" provides a solid point of little compression where the bolt will be tightened.  For a little extra protection for wooden cores when using the simple butyl tape method, spray a little paint into the hole before installation so it can coat the exposed core and help seal out moisture if you don't have any epoxy to coat the inside of the hole.  If you do use have epoxy, tape over the bottom of the hole, fill it with epoxy, then poke a hole in the tape to let the excess epoxy drip out, leaving a coating on the inside of the hole.  Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions regarding the use of an activator to be sure the epoxy will cure properly.

Fasteners should be appropriately tightened.  If possible determine proper tightening specifications and use a torque wrench to ensure it is correct.  Lacking any technical specs, hand tightening most bolts and screws is usually adequate.  To some extent the length of hand held wrenches allows you to apply the proper torque for the fasteners they fit.  Don't over tighten fasteners as doing so will damage the hardware, the fasteners, or what they are attached to.  Bolts are usually tight enough if when using lock washers, the lock washers are completely compressed.  Torque specs are based on clean (usually new) fasteners.  You may experience extra drag on old, rusted or corroded parts.  It is always preferable to use new fasteners to ensure proper installation,  If you must reuse old fasteners, clean them before reusing them.  A little light lubrication might be appropriate and old fasteners but don't over do it.  Speaking of lubrication, coating the threads on screws being driven into wood can make driving them easier and reduce the chance of stripping the head or twisting off the screw as they get tight.

You will often need a second pair of hands to hold the nut on the underneath or backside of the hardware you are installing.  When installing hardware on the deck you will need someone inside.  If you have to work alone, you might be able to get the nuts started, then secure them with Visegrips so you can tighten the heads.  Many times the handles of the Visegrips will reach far enough to push against a bulkhead or some other obstruction or you might be able to tie them off to keep them in place.  I usually tie a string to the handle in case they come off and fall down into the hull where it might be hard to reach them.

Once everything has been tightened down your new accessory should be ready to use!  Enjoy using it.  Make sure it is tightened appropriately but take care not to over tighten any fasteners.  Come back and check the tightness after the item has been in use for a while to make sure it is still secure.  New hardware often "settles in" a little bit and can benefit from being re-tightened after a little use.

When installing lights or other electrical equipment you will need to take the wiring requirements into consideration.  Since most boats are made of wood or fiberglass you will need to run a ground wire to each fixture in addition to the hot wire.  Metal boats may need ground wires also as metal components might not always have a direct connection to the ground side of the battery.  When you need two wires, use a cable with two conductors instead of running two individual wires.  It will look better and will provide better protection against wear and chafing.  Wires should be run as short a distance as possible and be routed where they will not chafe or present an unsightly nuisance inside the cabin.  Look for places they can be hidden behind cabinets, under shelves, or behind valances, then secure them with nylon clamps or cable ties to keep them from moving around.  Always use marine grade wire and create waterproof connections.  See my post on Boat Wiring for additional details.  Some inexpensive LED light modules create radio frequency (RF) interference so be careful installing them near antennas or electronic equipment.  To avoid RF problems, use the more expensive and higher quality components that are RF rated.

Sometimes you may have to repair existing installations.   Even properly installed hardware can sometimes work its way loose or suffer damage that requires fixing.  You may have to repair bolt holes that have been damaged by excessive loads.  Enlarged holes will need to be carefully filled and sealed.  You may need to put some kind of temporary backing plate on the inside so you can fill the holes with fiberglass resin.  If possible, relocate the item to an area that has not been compromised or repair the damaged area adequately before proceeding.   If that isn't feasible, be sure to use a larger than normal baking plate to spread the load and compensate for any reduced strength in the repaired area.

Plan on inspecting each new installation often in the first few days of use.   You want to make sure things are secure.  It is normal for things to loosen up a little as vibration and use may cause things to "settle in".  If there is any exterior penetration also look for any leaks so you can rebed or re-seal the installation before there is serious collateral damage.

Inspect all the hardware on your boat (both what you have added and what came on it) on a regular basis to make sure it is secure and doesn't leak.  Loose cleats will allow the bolts to elongate and enlarge the bolt holes until there is significant damage and the cleat doesn't even hold anymore.  If there are any signs of leakage, remove and re-bed the hardware before the leak causes a lot of collateral damage.  Even a small leak on a fiberglass boat may allow enough moisture to get into the wood core between the layers of fiberglass to cause it to rot and fail if not corrected in time.

Accessorize!

Boat Stoves

The limitations and safety requirements for using a stove on a boat are different and more critical than using a stove in an RV.  Using gasoline or propane stoves on boats is discouraged as fumes from both are heavier than air and can accumulate in the bilge.  Boats are also subject to more movement than RVs when you are cooking.  Even if you are at anchor or tied up to the dock wind, waves, or wakes from other boats or even people moving about on ;your boat can cause your boat to rock, while RVs are generally pretty stable when you are cooking, especially when properly leveled and stabilized in camp.  Even unstablized, RVs are far more steady than boats.  It is a good idea to always use pot stabilizers or restraints to make sure you pot doesn't slide off.  You might try holding onto the handles but a sudden movement could end up with you dumping a hot mess onto your body!  Boat stoves often use gimbals to keep the stove level when the boat rocks.  However, there are limits to how much rocking they can accommodate so you still need to use restraints and keep an eye and if possible, a grip, on your pots and pans.

Many people do just use a simple butane or propane camping stove in their boats.  If you only do your cooking at anchor in calm waters like many weekend sailors do that is probably OK, as long as you allow for sufficient ventilation and don't store fuel cylinders inside.  For our small (25' sailboat) we use a single burner butane camping stove.  It doesn't weigh much or take up a lot of room and is adequate for preparing simple meals for the 2 of us.  The butane cylinders are sealed  when detached so leaking is unlikely.  Permanent propane installations, like in an RV, may develop leaks where ever there is a connection if the propane is left on while the vehicle or vessel is in motion.  Portable fuel cylinders don't have any valves that can be left open and, unless they are damaged, should always self seal when they are removed from the stove.  You still  have to make darn sure you turn the burners off completely or better yet, remove the cylinder after each use to avoid fuel from leaking into the cabin.  Since all the open spaces in a boat cabin are usually towards the top it is way to easy for propane or butane to accumulate in the bilge and risk an explosion!

Alcohol stoves are usually recommended for boat stoves because they produce less dangerous fumes and the fuel is pretty stable and safe and easy to store and transfer.  Marine fuel is a combination of Ethyl an Methyl alcohol but you can use Isopropyl alcohol which burns a little hotter, but it may give off more soot.  Denatured alcohol is also an option.  Liquid alcohol is not explosive and alcohol fires can be put out with water.  Marine stove fuel produces a lot of water vapor, sometimes with a mildly offensive odor.  The vapor can contribute to condensation inside the cabin so be sure to open things up to vent it whenever possible.  Some tests Ive seen showed alcohol stoves boiled water about 3 minutes faster than their propane stove so working faster can be an advantage out on the water.   Don't even bother to try burning any drinking alcohol in your stove.  Most are too weak to burn and may produce fumes that can cause brain damage!  Hmmm.  Maybe drinking them or inhaling their vapor causes brain damage too!  Certainly the behavior of some people under the influence would support that idea!

If you ever need to cook while underway you will need a gimbal stove.  These have the burners and sometimes the entire stove mounted on pivots so it can stay more or less level when the boat tips.   They are usually used with pot restraints to help keep pots stable   Of course violent movement will still cause pots and pans on the stove to move around, spill or bounce off, but the gimbal does take care of modest movement associated with "normal" sailing, often allowing  you to prepare meals on the go, which may be useful on long cruises.  A gimbal stove is also useful if you moor where you are subjected to strong waves from currents or passing boats.  A gimbal won't protect you 100% against movement.  The gimbals can't react quickly enough for fast and very violent maneuvers and if things tip far enough you will exceed the flexibility of the gimbal and the stove will tip anyway.

Pot restraints are a good idea anytime you are using a stove in a boat.   Even if you are at anchor or tied up at the dock wind, waves, and passing boats can rock your boat, possibly spilling hot food on you and all over the cabin.  Sometimes even someone moving about on deck and make things tip enough to create a problem.  Most stoves designed for boats will come with pot restraints.  You may have to engineer your own if you are using a camping stove.  You might be able to form them out of  metal rods like welding rods.  Wire coat hangers would probably not be strong enough.  You will want them to be easy to install, hold your pots and pans fairly securely, yet make it easy to remove the pots and pans when you are done cooking.  If possible, it would be handy if they can be easily adjusted to fit different sized pots and pans.  If you don't have any pot restraints try to hold onto the handle of pots and pans on the stove in case you get hit with an unexpected wave while you are cooking.  Wearing a sturdy apron is one way to protect your body from injury from spilled hot material.

If you opt to use a propane or butane camp stove, store the fuel cylinders in a bag outside of the cabin, perhaps tied to the lifeline.  Propane and butane are heavier than air and any leak will let the fumes accumulate in the bilge where any spark will set off a violent explosion.  Liquid alcohol fuel can probably be safely stored inside the cabin as liquid alcohol is not explosive.  Alcohol vapor is lighter than air and will escape through any openings near the top of the cabin.  The small butane and direct connect propane cylinders are self-sealing so there is little chance they will leak when disconnected from the stove.  To be safe, always make sure your stove is turned completely off and, for maximum safety, remove the fuel cylinders when it is not in use.  Permanently installed propane stoves are not recommended for use in boats as any leak in the system could lead to catastrophic explosions!

Cooking stoves will, of course, heat up the interior so you may want to limit use on hot days, especially in smaller cabins or open as many ports and hatches as you can.   On colder days that may work to your advantage to heat the interior but never try to use your cooking stove as a primary heat source in your boat.  Always ensure you have adequate ventilation.  Even if your stove does not put out dangerous fumes it will consume oxygen and you could suffocate.  If you need extra heat, look into getting an appropriate heater rated for in-cabin use but still make sure you have enough ventilation!  The human body puts out about as much heat as a 100 watt incandescent light bulb and one or two bodies in the confines of small boat cabin will usually warm things up quite nicely in a surprisingly short amount of time.  

Electric stoves or cook tops eliminate the problems associated with fuel vapors and toxic fumes.  However, many boats and most smaller boats lack a generator or large battery bank and an inverter to power an electric stove.  And any cooking on a boat is subject to the problems of movement.

Chow down!

Non-skid boat decking

Having a good non-skid surface on the deck of your boat is essential to safety when moving about, especially out on the water where things are often tipsy-turvy and the deck is wet.  Falling overboard can be fatal but even on-deck falls can cause serious injuries.  You want to make sure you have every advantage when it comes to safety!  A non-skid deck will reduce chances of you slipping.  When moving about always try to maintain at least 3 points of contact to avoid falling.  In rough seas or high winds, wear a safety harness and hook onto a secure lifeline.

We spent one season with the deck of one of our sailboats painted with topside paint without any non-skid additive.  Never again!  Even with a the textured finish on the fiberglass deck it was noticeably slippery.  We repainted it with non-skid additive the next time it was out of the water.

There are a number of options for non-skid decking.  The most common and easiest solution is painting the portions of the deck you walk on with a paint containing a non-skid additive.  The high gloss paint or gelcoat that looks so good can be pretty slippery when wet.  It is great for vertical surfaces and other places you won't be walking.  The areas designed to walk on usually have a textured surface, but non-skid paint is still advised.  Applying glossy topside paint over the texture nullifies its non-skid capabilities to some extent.  Non-skid additives are usually made of sand or crushed walnut shells.  Instead of mixing the additive into the paint some folks prefer to scatter the sand on top of wet paint.  That may give a little more aggressive grip since the grains of sand aren't totally covered in paint as they are when added to the paint before application.  There are a couple of things to consider when thinking about using the scatter method over the additive method.  For one thing, the grains of sand are lying on top of the paint instead of embedded in the paint.  That means they are more likely to get rubbed off so the extra grip may wear away fairly quickly.  A second possible downside to the scatter method is that the raw sand will be rougher on bare hands, feet, and knees. Sand and crushed walnut shells, both common non-skid additives, have rather sharp particles than can be rough on bare skin.  Since many of us like to go bare foot on our boats, that might be an issue.  I'm thinking crushed walnut shells would probably be the roughest on bare feet.  Crushed walnut shells are often used as the abrasive for sand blasting to remove paint and scour metal!  There are also plastic additives that might be more comfortable, depending upon whether the particles are round or jagged.  One I've seen (Clear-grip) is pretty fine, about like talcum powder, so it is easy on bare feet but still provides enough grip to keep you from slipping. 

An option for more comfortable yet still safe non-skid paint is something called Softsand.  It is essentially ground up rubber instead of sharp bits of silica.  Like other additives it can be mixed with paint or scatter on top of wet paint.  The softer rubber particles are more comfortable on bare feet and yet still provide excellent non-skid.  Softsand is available in several colors making it a more attractive option when using the scatter method where it isn't covered in paint.  I have had trouble finding a local retailer for Softsand and the lowest shipping from the manufacturer is about twice the cost of the additive itself, pretty much pricing it out of reach!

Another alternative to harsh sand or other non-skid additives with sharp particles (like crushed walnut shells) are synthetic (plastic) additives.   The one I am familiar with (Clear-grip) is nearly a powder rather than rough particles so it should definitely be easy on the feet.  I recently repainted all the non-skid surfaces on my Macgregor 25 sailboat using this product and am very pleased with the results.  It was easy to mix consistently into the paint and to easy apply.  The resulting surface is not slick yet is not abrasive.  Our boat had previously been painted with regular Topside paint without any additive and even the textured portion was very shiny and slippery.  The new surface is more of a satin finish (but not dull and it still looks really good) and feels good to the touch, kind of velvety and not slippery like the high gloss finish was.  We liked it so well we used in on the wooden decks on our house too!  When we bought the house the decks were so slippery the previous owner had nailed shingles on to the steps.  Now, with the non-skid additive, the unsightly shingles or no longer necessary and the decks are safe even in Oregon's famous rain.  Of course it works REALLY well on the boat deck too!

There are also non-skid flooring materials that can be applied to boat decks.  Some even simulate teak to add a very attractive decorative solution.  Others are colorful rubber materials.  Since these are much thicker than any paint they usually last a lot longer but tend to be more expensive to buy and more difficult to install.  If they aren't properly installed they may peel off, not only becoming unsightly but creating a trip hazard.  Some may come with a self adhesive backing but using a directly applied adhesive is generally thought to be more durable and less likely to pull up.  They are usually less likely to come off  than paint when cleaned with a pressure washer, unless you direct the pressure under the edge!  These flooring options usually give the surface a padded feeling that can be comfortable to bare feet.  They can even help insulate your boat when used inside the cabin.  Depending on the thermal properties of the material they are made of they may help insulate the deck and could be either hotter or cooler than the deck, depending on what they are made of.  In general, darker colors will warm up more than lighter colors.

Regardless of whether you use paint or non-skid flooring proper surface preparation is critical to a satisfactory installation.  The deck must be thoroughly cleaned and any old wax and dirt removed.  It usually isn't necessary to strip the surface down to the bare material but you will need a clean surface to which paint or the glue for the flooring can securely adhere.  You usually need to lightly sand any old surface to provide proper adherence for new paint or adhesive.  If painting it will be absolutely necessary to mask off all the adjacent areas.   If the flooring is self-adhesive you won't need to mask things off but if you have to apply adhesive separately masking is a good idea.  Most adhesives make a mess of paint or gelcoat if not quickly cleaned up.  Sometimes you can clean up wet adhesive with a solvent, but solvents may damage paint or gelcoat.  Better to mask it off and keep things clean to start with.  You may or may not need to sand the old surface, depending on how badly deteriorated it is.  If the surface is chalky, oily, or dirty new paint or adhesive probably won't stick well unless you sand it down to solid material.

It is always helpful to apply at least two coast of paint almost any time you are painting.   Multiple coats generally insures complete coverage and provides extra thickness for added durability.  Paints thickened with non-skid additives will be harder to spread.  Most topside paint and even non-skid paint suggests applying at least two coats.  When using a non-skid additive only put it in the top coat.  If for any reason you can't use two coats, make sure the one coat you do put down covers completely and try to make it consistently thick.  When apply non-skid paint you not only need to cover the old surface for cosmetic appearance, you need a sufficient and consistent amount of non-skid particles evenly distributed everywhere.  Be sure to thoroughly mix the additive into the paint before applying.  If you are painting over the same color you will want to watch carefully to make sure you get complete coverage.  Even with non-skid additive the new paint will usually be a bit shinier than the old until it dries so, if you see little dull spots you probably need more paint in that area.

Correct masking tasks time but it is SO worth it.   For best result use blue painters tape or the green "frog" tape.  The green tape is supposed to give a more precise edge.  Both the green and blue tape will pull off easier than ordinary masking tape when you are done, especially if you leave it on for several days.    Straight edges and sharp corners are easy to match with masking tape.  Curves and radius corners usually require you to apply several short strips to form the proper curve.  You may be surprised how nice a curve you can form with a bunch of straight edged pieces of tape.  I usually mask off the major portions first, then keep using short pieces of tape to fill in any pointed corners until it makes a smooth arc.  Another option is to cut the arc in the tape using a mat knife.  Not too difficult a task for someone with a steady hand and a sharp eye.  Masking is essential for painting and may be helpful when gluing down deck coverings to protect the areas you won't be covering from adhesive.

There are two major opinions about removing masking tape:  wait for the paint to dry completely or remove it while the paint is still a little wet.  First of all, don't remove the masking tape until after applying the final coat of paint.  Then, for best results (at least in my experience), remove the tape about 1 hour after painting and pull it at a 45 degree angle to minimize chances of it tearing instead of pulling off.  Sometimes, if you wait too long and the paint has completely dried  the paint may stick to the tape so well that the masking tape may pull up paint along the edges.  You can usually touch up any problems using an artist's brush or just mask it off and paint it again to ensure a clean, straight edge.

Inspect all the nearby areas to see if any paint (or adhesive) got accidentally on them.  You will want to clean up any unwanted spots as soon as possible, before the paint completely cures.  Paint that is dry to the touch will still be somewhat soft for several hours, usually allowing you to remove it without damaging the finish beneath it.  You can usually remove new paint from old painted surfaces by gently wiping it with acetone or another solvent but be careful not to damage the surface under the unwanted paint.  It is a good idea to test any solvent in an inconspicuous spot before using it in more visible locations so you don't make things worse!

Proper curing time after installation can be a significant factor in the appearance and durability of both paint and non-skid decking.  Paint needs to dry thoroughly before you walk or put anything on it.  Since boats are often kept outside protect any newly painted surfaces from rain and dusty winds until they have dried completely.   Flooring adhesive needs time time to cure.  Sometimes manufacturers will recommend using a heavy roller or  placing weights on newly applied flooring for a certain amount of time to improve adhesion.

Good non-skid decks will look good and help keep you and your precious passengers safe.  Old, faded decks can make your boat look bad even if everything else is shipshape.  Worn decks can be slippery and dangerous.  Non-skid paint may stain more easily than glossy topside paint so non-skid areas may need to be cleaned and/or repainted more frequently, both for appearance and to maintain the non-skid function.  You may also want to clean up any spills more quickly on non-skid surfaces to reduce the chances of staining.

Most marine paints are oil based so cleanup involves the use of paint thinners or other powerful solvents.  You may find some latex based paints that can be cleaned with soap and water, but because of the humidity associated with marine environments, most marine paints will be oil based.  The only place I used latex on my sailboat was on the inside of the cabin and then I used outdoor rated, semi-glass paint.  The semi-gloss is fairly easy to clean but doesn't reveal small imperfections in the underlying fiberglass as strongly as full gloss paint does.  I like gloss for exterior surfaces and semi-glass inside the cabin.

Non-skid paint should be kept clean.  The non-skid texture may attract dirt faster than glossy topside paint.  Dirt and other debris can reduce its non-skid capabilities and often causes faster wearing.  So keep it clean to stay safe and help it last and look good longer.

One more thing:  Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for painting.  Painting involves several steps that require face masks and hand protection.  Sanding is usually one of the preliminary steps to painting and can produce dust that is dangerous if inhaled.  Many paints contain highly volatile solvents that put off toxic fumes.  A face mask, or better yet, a respirator, will protect your nose and lungs from dangerous contaminates.  Gloves will protect your hands against abrasives and the chemicals in paint.   I like to use something like mechanics gloves for sanding and latex gloves for painting,   If using any kind of spray paint (cans or spray guns) eye protection (googles) are also a good idea.  Ordinary glasses or sunglasses won't seal out the vapors that could irritate and damage the sensitive tissues of your eyes.

No slip ups!

Online Shopping for Camping and Boating

With the COVID-19 lockdowns, online shopping has become almost ubiquitous.  You can buy just about anything online and have it delivered right to your door.  Some online sellers, like Amazon even offer free shipping (Amazon Prime gives you free next day shipping on many items).   Sometimes you may have to pay extra for expedited shipping but it still save you a trip to the store, which is significant if, like us, you live 40-50 miles from town!  Many stores offer to let you shop online and then they will deliver your order to your car so you don't even have to go into the store.  Home delivery is also sometimes an option, either by the merchant or through one of the online delivery services like Grubhub, Ubereats, or Doordash.  Delivery charges may apply but the added convenience and the extra protection against COVID-19 may be well worth it if they are available to your address.

Online shopping works well for things you don't need to try on.  You may be able to make informed choices for shoes and clothing if you know your sizes but always check the return policy in case things don't fit when they arrive.  Most manufacturers follow pretty commonly accepted sizing practices but some items run larger or smaller than normal.  Be aware that shoe sizes are very different between U.S. and European sizing.  Conversion tables are available if you need them.   Less personal items, like tools and appliances that don't require fitting are good candidates for online purchase.  That being said, personally I find the way a tool feels in my hand is kind of important so if how something feels is important to you, you might want to make sure you can check it out in person before buying it or the the seller has an acceptable return/refund policy.  Keep in mind it is fairly common for you to have to pay the shipping costs for returns and you may have to pay re-stocking fees so returns are not always free!  Sometimes it is better to just buy your new item and hang on to the old one in case you find a use for it or can resell it online or at a garage sale.

One good thing about online shopping is it is usually pretty easy to check around to make sure you are getting the best price and the best product.  Some websites, like Amazon, even offer alternate sources.  Ebay usually has an option to sort your search results by lowest Price+shipping so you can at least see if there is a better price from another seller on ebay.  There are also many online price comparison websites that will search the web for you.  Just Google "online price comparison" to get a long list of candidates.   Being able to compare products and prices can help you get the best products and the best value.  It is a lot easier to check multiple sellers online than it is to drive around town checking products and prices at various retail stores.

Many of the items we need or want to support camping, RVing, or boating can be purchased online and usually don't require personal fitting.  Many of the tools and pieces of gear we use are readily available online and usually don't require any hands-on fitting make them excellent candidates for online purchasing.  You can usually find several possible sources that can help you make better choices whether you complete your purchase online or at a retail location.  Online sources for camping, RV, OHV, and boat items include websites for retail stores and online retailers like Amazon.com.  I often find what I need on ebay.com or craigslist,org.  I have been quite amazed at the extensive variety of products now available on Amazon.com, many with free shipping if you have Amazon Prime.  Amazon Prime started out at $99 a year but now I think it costs $129.  It includes free shipping on many items on Amazon.com and access to many streaming online programs.  Many items that qualify for Prime are even available for next day delivery!  Keep in mind that free shipping has to be paid for somehow and sometimes it is added into the item price so very often it can pay to do some comparison shopping.  Always compare the total cost, including shipping and handling, not just the item price!

When shopping on line you won't be able to do the kind of hands-on quality checking your would be able to do at a retail store.  That isn't a problem if you are buying brand name merchandise you are already familiar with.  For other items, consider the reputation of the seller and look for product reviews by other buyers.  If you have any doubts be sure to check return policies.  If how a clothing item feels is important to you or you have any concerns about how it fits, make sure you check it out at a brick-and-mortar store before buying it online unless you already know how it is going to feel.

Country of origin might be of concern to some shoppers.   Made in U.S.A. is often used by American manufacturers to promote their products.  Today's global market place has largely erased the differences between countries of origin.  I remember, way back when I was a kid, that "Made in Japan" had very negative connotations.  For a time you would sometimes see things labeled "Made in USA", note that was USA, not U.S.A.  Japan actually named an island Usa so they could play that name game!  You might remember a little exchange about "Made in Japan"between Marty McFly and Doc Brown in Back To The Future.   In Doc Brown's 1955, it was a slur, but in Marty;s 1985 "all the best stuff comes from Japan".   I also recall an amusing comment by a Russian astronaut in the movie Armageddon where talking about computer components he quips "Russian parts, American parts, all made in Taiwan!"   Country of origin might affect shipping times and is sometimes, but not necessarily always, a factor in quality or durability.  That being said I am still a big fan of anything "Made in the U.S.A."

It can be helpful to check out customer reviews if you have any questions, but reviews are not always accurate or honest.  Less ethical sellers may post multiple positive reviews of their own products and dishonest competitors might most unfavorable reviews.  You can sometimes detect fake reviews by unusual grammar or very similar or even identical wording.  I like to look at a number of both positive and negative reviews to try to get a balanced picture of what other customers have reported.  Sometimes you can track a particular reviewer's other reviews to get an idea of their personal bias too.  I have noticed that people are far more likely to spend time bitching about something than acknowledging good products or service so I tend to take at least some of the negative criticism lightly.   Also consider the total number of reviews and the ratio of good to bad reviews.  A few bad reviews among many good ones will not deter me from making a purchase.  I often find reviews tell me a lot more about the reviewer than they do the product!

Always check your shipping and handling charges before submitting your order.   Sometimes you will find bargain prices are offset by excessive shipping and handling fees.  While some high fees might be legitimate, there are some sellers who deliberately under price their products to suck you in then make it up on high shipping and handling charges.  If you question shipping and handling costs you can usually use size and weight of your package to verify legitimate charges from the seller to your zip code.  You should be able to get online estimates from UPS, Fed EX, and the United States Postal Service (USPS).  Be aware that some large items have to shipped via commercial trucking companies and that can be quite expensive, but most of our online purchases qualify for normal shipping via UPS, Fed Ex, or the USPS.  I have seen small items that were sent via First Class Mail with single postage stamp that sellers charged several dollars for shipping and handling! Somebody was charging a high fee for just putting something in an envelope and mailing it!  I recently found a small, $11 item online with a shipping charge of $23!  Suddenly the trip to town is looking more affordable!  When I had trouble finding a local source I went an entirely different route.

Another hidden expense that might pop up sometimes are local taxes.  Online sellers are at the very least required by law to charge sales tax if they have any physical presence in a state that charges sales tax.  Other taxes may also apply.  Note, even if YOU are located in a state that has no sales tax but you send a gift directly shipped to someone in state that does have sales tax, sales tax will be added to your purchase, but the sales tax may be cheaper and certainly faster than re-shipping the item from your home.

Online Search Engines like Google, Yahoo, and Duckduckgo can be used to find alternate sources for most items, allowing you to track down the best price and/or fastest or lowest cost shipping.  You can also compare similar products from different manufacturers to read product reviews to make sure you are getting the best value and that the product you choose will meet your wants and needs.   Positive reviews can strengthen your confidence but even negative reviews can sometimes provide valuable insights into a product.  Personally I tend to be a little wary of extremely negative reviews and often find the reports say more about the reviewer than they do the product!

Online price comparisons can help you find the best overall price. Here is a link to the results of a Google search for ''online comparison shopping''.  There quite a few options that can help you track down the best price.

Some popular online websites that I have found useful for getting things for camping and boating include craigslist.org, ebay.com, and amazon.com.  Craigslist is handy because it has local listings.  Ebay is "the world's biggest garage sale" and has a wide variety of new and used items, some of which are often hard to find anywhere else, and I am frequently surprised by the wide selection of things on amazon.  You can also find online shopping for most large retail stores and many of your smaller local outlets. 

Online shopping can be an convenient way to get things you need or want.   If nothing else you can use online shopping to compare brands and prices in preparation for a trip to the store.

Shop line and enjoy it!

Useful Rope Knots for Camping and Boating

Rope and twine are both very useful tools for camping, sailing, and many other outdoor activities.  For the most part to be able to use them effectively, you need to know how to tie them together and to objects you want to secure or move.  You can use ropes to secure loads on your truck, trailer, RV,  boat,  ATV, UTV, or side-by-side.  You can use ropes and twine for guy lines on tents and awnings and to tie things to your pack or keep your sleeping bag or tent from unrolling in storage and transit.   You can use ropes to move heavy objects.  Pulley systems are especially helpful in moving heavy objects as they can provide a mechanical advantage.  Basically that means with a pulley your can lift or move heavier objects.  To do so means you have to pull the rope 2 or more times the distance you are moving the object.  To move a 100 # load 1 foot with a single pulley attached to the load you would have to apply 50# of force for 2 feet.  By the way, a fixed pulley doesn't add mechanical advantage, it only changes the direction of the pull, which is sometimes very useful.  A pulley attached in the middle of the rope so it moves with the load adds mechanical advantage.  To calculate mechanical advantage count the number of ropes attached to the pulley(s) that move with the load.  In any case, the ropes will need to be fastened securely.  For this you need to know how to use knots and hitches.  You also need to know some basic rope terminology.

Rope terminology:  basically a  rope has two ends, the standing end (which is the long middle part of a rope not in the knot) and the working end (which is the part in the knot).   The working end is also sometimes called the tail.   A bight is a bend in a rope that does not cross back over itself.  A loop is a bend in a rope that does cross back over itself.  Knowing these terms will be helpful in understanding how to tie knots and hitches.

 
Knots and hitches are often thought by novices to be interchangeable or  just subtle variations of the same thing but there are technical differences.  Knots hold their form on their own.  Hitches fasten around an object.  Without an object, a hitch does not keep its form.  Knots connect two ropes or two parts of a rope together.  Hitches connect a rope to an object.

There are several commonly used knots and hitches that can be useful for camping and sailing.   Most are fairly easy to learn to tie.  There are many Youtube videos you can view to teach you how to tie knots so in this post I will mostly identify knots I have found useful and let you use Youtube to learn how to tie them.  And, yes, I realize they say there are no ropes on sailboats (only lines, sheets, and halyards).  However, lines, sheets, and halyards are all made of rope so it is reasonable to talk about tying knots in ropes on sailboats as well as when camping.

Initial learning is only the first step.  In order for knots to be useful you will need to practice them until you can tie them easily without giving it a lot of thought.  Some knots have little memory aids, like the rabbit, hole and tree used for bowlines, but they may or may not be useful.  I tried to learn the bowline, including its silly rabbit/tree memory trick way back when I was in Boy Scouts.  I finally learned how to tie it when I became a volunteer firefighter a few years ago.  But it wasn't until I got a sailboat and needed to use it frequently that I finally mastered it enough to be comfortable tying it.

Here is my list of common useful knots.  Click on the link for each name in the descriptions below for a Youtube to learn how to tie it.

• Overhand Knot
• Square knot
• Sheep bend
  
• Bowline
• Figure 8 knot
  
• Taughtline hitch
• Half hitch
• Clove hitch
• Cleat hitch 
• Stopper Knot
  

On overhand knot is about the simplest of knots.  It is the first step in tying the bow knot on your shoes.  It is not a very secure knot but it is useful as a safety knot to secure the loose end of a rope after tying another knot.  A Safety Knot doesn't hold any load, it simply secures the end of the rope so it doesn't get caught on something or come loose.  An overhand knot is  easy to untie.

The square knot is useful for joining two ropes of the same size.  It is kind of like two overhand knots stacked on top of each other but you have to make sure each end goes the right way each time you wrap the ropes around each other.  When it is properly tied a square knot looks like two inter-locking loops.  A square knot holds pretty well but not well enough to be used on life safety line.

Sheep bend is primarily used to join ropes of two different sizes together.

Bowline is used to make a secure loop in the end of a rope.  It is often used by sailors to secure a line or halyard to a sail or to tie a docking line to a pier.  It can be tied around a tree or other stable object as an anchor point for rope systems or around tools to hoist them to a roof.

Figure  8 knot  is another knot that is useful for making a loop in a rope.  There are several varieties of figure 8 knots including a simple figure 8, a figure 8 follow-through, and a figure 8 on a bight.

Taughtline hitch is a great knot for tent campers and for securing awnings on RVs and loads on trucks and trailers.  It has two distinct advantages.  It allows a kind of mechanical advantage to help tighten the rope and it is fairly easy to adjust if the rope needs to be tighter or looser.  A variation of it is also know as a "truckers haul" or "trucker's hitch".  When I first started dirt biking I didn't have any tie downs so I had a trucker friend show me how to tie a trucker's hitch and it worked really well.  Having the mechanical advantage to help cinch loads down tight is a very real advantage.  Here is a nice video on using it as a guyline hitch for tents and awnings.  The taughtline hitch does not use any pulleys for mechanical advantage -- it uses a loop in the rope as a pulley.  Doing a lot of pulling on that loop may cause the rope to wear and weaken but for how it is normally used it should last a long time.  If you see your rope beginning to fray where the two ropes rub together, replace the rope before it fails.

A half hitch is essentially the first step in tying a square knot.  It is usually used to secure the end of a rope after tying another knot or to guide a rope, such as when it is used around the handle of a tool to hold it in place while lifting it up onto a roof or up a ladder, with the head of the tool secured by another knot or a clove hitch.

A clove hitch is used to attach a rope to a ring, hook, or object by taking two turns of rope around the object and passing the ends under both turns to form two half hitches.

A cleat hitch is used to secure a docking line to a cleat on the dock or on a boat.  A properly tied cleat hitch holds securely but can be easily unfastened when the time comes.  There are many Youtube videos that tell you how to tie a cleat hitch, but the in the link at the beginning of this paragraph by Captain Tom I have found to be the best.  A common mistake when tying a cleat hitch is to wrap the line around the cleat too many times.  If you follow Captain Tom's directions you can always form a secure cleat hitch that is also easy to undo when it is time to cast off.  And it looks good, like you know what you are doing!  A properly tied cleat hitch looks like a figure 8.

A stopper knot is used to keep a line from pulling back through pulleys.  A lot of people use other knots such as a figure 8 or even a simple overhand knot as a stopper knot, but this one is more secure and yet is very easy to tie.  The video shows how to use it as a stopper knot along with another knot on a climbing rope but you can tie it alone as a stopper on a loose rope.  In a way it is kind of like a simple overhand knot but using two initial loops instead of one.

Avoid "knife knots".   Really tight knots are sometimes called "knife knots", because you need a knife to undo them!  Sailors often have a "marlin spike"on their rigging knives to aid in loosening tight knots instead of cutting the rope but it is always better to avoid getting knots so tight you can't undo them by hand, mostly by using the right knots in the first place.

If you want to learn more knots, check out Corporal's Corner on Youtube.  He has a number of videos on useful knots.

Knotty but nice!