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Low buck projects- Let's see 'em!

858K views 2K replies 341 participants last post by  pdqaltair 
#1 ·
In this forum, we've seen big projects on small boats and small projects on big boats- let's see the cheap projects! Show us what you have done on your boat on a budget.
Here's the rules:

1) Gotta be under $100 US, or equivalent currency.

2) You must have done it yourself. Although, if you found someone to work on your boat for less than $100, feel free to post contact info.

3) bonus points will be given for elegance and ingenuity.

Here's one of mine:

I needed a cockpit table. Well, I, personally, didn't need a cockpit table, but the admiral did, and I need a warm place to sleep, so you can see how the stars aligned on this one. I sussed out commercially available, marine priced cockpit tables and promptly gagged. So, I thought to myself, "self, you could make it yourself for a lot less." One problem. Well, four actually. I have limited woodworking skills, limited woodworking tools, and limited time. oh yeah, and I am cheap.
So, I went to plan "c".

I spent some time eyeballing the cockpit in question:


Then I moseyed into action. I bought one of these for $29.99


A frenzy of measuring, remeasuring, cutting, screwing, drinking, varnishing, etc. later, and this is how it finished up:



Let's see yours.
 
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#39 · (Edited)
I don't have a pic.

My Jon boat trailer had a broken fender where the the bolt (one of two) hold it to the frame. A few times of the kids climbing into the boat while on the trailer and then pulling it back up to level + time + rust = broke.

I unbolted it, drilled two holes on the other side and put it back on.

Cost + 0.00:D

PS the two bolts that looked really bad with gunk, and rusty after 10 years of every-so-often being dunked in salt water at the ramp with no rinse came right off with no trouble - Why you ask? - because before I put together any fastener on a boat (or trailer) I use something. In this case cheap marine grease slopped on. The cheap stamped steel (walmart) wheels look fine too if you can see through the caked on grease, dirt, grunge and yuk. HEHE!

<edit>
OK here is a pic - new camera for Xmas and learning.
 

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#40 ·
This was posted before but seems relevant enough to this thread to repeat.

This was my nav station before:



I took:
  • Phillips flat screen monitor discarded during a company computer upgrade $0
  • A Radio Shack power supply gifted by another sailor $0
  • Exisiting radar, radios and stereo $0
  • Existing notebook and MaxSea software
  • 12mm marine ply off-cuts from a local kitchen fitter's bin $0
  • 2 12v plug fittings $13
  • A sheet of American Cherry veneer $26
  • A wireless keyboard and mouse $58
  • Some fasteners, glue and varnish $?
and after many hours of work, I ended up with this:



Unfortunately, the rest of my projects could not possibly qualify for the "under $100" classification, they conform too closely to the "standing in a cold shower tearing up $100 notes" classification :eek:
 
#43 ·
This was posted before but seems relevant enough to this thread to repeat.

This was my nav station before:

I took:
  • Phillips flat screen monitor discarded during a company computer upgrade $0
  • A Radio Shack power supply gifted by another sailor $0
  • Exisiting radar, radios and stereo $0
  • Existing notebook and MaxSea software
  • 12mm marine ply off-cuts from a local kitchen fitter's bin $0
  • 2 12v plug fittings $13
  • A sheet of American Cherry veneer $26
  • A wireless keyboard and mouse $58
  • Some fasteners, glue and varnish $?
and after many hours of work, I ended up with this:

Unfortunately, the rest of my projects could not possibly qualify for the "under $100" classification, they conform too closely to the "standing in a cold shower tearing up $100 notes" classification :eek:
Very nice.
 
#41 ·
Andre, the only change I would make to that would be to put the wood panels on hinges for easy access (changing the monitor settings, for one) and installing a positive lock on the opposing sides.

I always enjoy seeing people open up panels and seeing amazingly tidy wiring, clearly labelled. I think I have sailor's OCD.
 
#42 · (Edited)
Yeah I thought of that but all the buttons alongside the monitor (all original monitor controls) provide everything I need for the settings and there really is nothing else I need to be behind the panels for unless something stops working.

I like uncomplicated things and hinges and catches just seemed to be too much trouble both initially and longer-term. The fasteners holding the panels are machine screws going into recessed nuts so can be undone infinitely without wearing anything out and opening the panels takes about a minute.

And the wiring behind is really simple and uncomplicated (but still neat :) )
 
#44 ·
Composite gasoline and water tanks under bridge deck.

I got tired of a portable fuel tank being in the way and always too small, and of not having water for a shower in the summer. They hang from an integral flange with no mounting hardware other than a ring of bolts. Each holds ~ 12 gallons.

And the nice thing about multihulls - no risk of fumes in enclosed spaces.

15 years and counting. The gas tank resin is e-10 rated and the water tank resin is potable water rated.

Probably $50 each.
 
#45 ·
OK, this is sort of cheating because I haven't done the projects yet, but I just discovered Quick Fists. They are rubber, mountable, adjustable grabbers. Off-roaders use them for attaching fire extinguishers, axes, flashlights, etc. to their jeeps.

I plan on ordering a whole mess of 'em and just going bonkers. My first task is my emergency tiller that is lying loose in my cavernous cockpit locker. I'm going to Quick Fist it to the bulkhead within grasp of the locker lid.

West Marine sells 'em, but they're cheaper on other sporting goods sites such as cabelas.com. Here's another site that has more pictures: QUICK FIST clamp in use
 
#46 ·
. My first task is my emergency tiller that is lying loose in my cavernous cockpit locker. I'm going to Quick Fist it to the bulkhead within grasp of the locker lid.

West Marine sells 'em, but they're cheaper on other sporting goods sites such as cabelas.com. Here's another site that has more pictures: QUICK FIST clamp in use
Why not mount it to the locker lid itself, that way you flip the lid up and the tiller is right there (provided it fits on the lid)
 
#53 ·
(There's not much of a visual on this one -- unless I take a picture of the water next to my boat, with no diesel slick showing!)

A friend suggested this one: a high loop in the hose can be used to eliminate fuel spillage and seawater contamination through the fuel tank vent.

My SJ28’s fuel vent was routed directly to a through-hull vent just below the starboard toe rail. By lengthening the hose, and looping the extra way up inside the aft cabin corner and back down to the through-hull, I avoid spillage from over-filling my tank, and prevent water entry (and/or diesel drainage) at extreme heel.

Way cool, and I didn’t have to relocate the vent opening, as I’d been planning.
 
#54 ·
Operation "Quick Fist" was a success. My emergency tiller is now snugly Quick-Fisted to the cockpit locker "wall", out of the way yet ready to grab in an emergency.

Overall, a very good, though somewhat expensive, solution. I paid $10.99 per pair at the West Marine. I used three Fists to mount the tiller. They're slightly cheaper online at cabelas.com and other outfitter sites, but I prefer instant gratification with small purchases.

Installation was easy, except that I attached the Quick Fists with screws instead of through-bolting them. That's strong enough for my purposes. However, getting the drill in place to drive the screws was tricky, requiring me to spread apart the rubber pincers of the Fist. No big deal, but more hassle than it should have been.

I liked Sap's idea of mounting the emergency tiller to the underside of the cockpit locker lid, but it just wouldn't fit.

My wife has already warned me not to sully the good looks of our cabin interior by mounting stuff all over the place, so I have to limit my fun. However, I'm thinking the berths need some handy Mag Lites mounted in convenient locations....
 
#57 ·
Nice. If you don't mind me asking, what did you use for the materials on those cushions. How comfortable are they for sitting/sleeping.
The seats (bottoms) and the birth are done with a 3/8 plywood base painted with polly sealer.

Padding is 4" foam from a water bed place covered all around with batting and covered with denim from Jo Anns.

The backs are the same but just 1" foam was used.

The material is just streched over the foam and stapled with stainless staples.

The plywood was placed with the natural bow up so that when streaching the fabric it pulled up the ends.

I don't sleep in the dinette but the seating is good.

The v-birth cushions were don the same way but with them running accross. Doing this got rid of the "sleeping in the crack" and also gave ez access to the storage area below. It also kept one side from sliding out.

Sleeps great, like on the couch.

To keep thing from sliding around a little velcro stapled to the backs works well and allows ez removal.

 
#58 · (Edited)
I hope this works since I am having trouble including the photo.

This was a very low budget addition that worked very well when we cruised to Nova Scotia last summer. There is a foul weather locker in the after head of my J40 but it was always a mess and no matter how hard I tried to impress the crew on the importance of keeping organized, things always got out of hand when it got rough.

I made the storage compartments out of Sunbrealla and 1/2 plywood. Each crew member has three of the vertical compartments, the top one for the jacket, the middle for the pants and the bottom for harness/inflatable lifejacket. There is also room for boots in the bottom slot with cutouts for the boots to hag upside down to drain. Nothing dries very well when rolled and stuffed this way but when you're in bad weather on a small boat nothing dries anyway, unless you have a heated space. Ya just gotta wait for the sun.

A couple of yards of sunbrealla and a piece of scrap plywood is my definition of cheap. (the grommets in the photo were put there because I thought I would need shock cord to keep the stuff from falling out when heeled. Turns out I didn't need it because it's tight enough to keep everything in.
 

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#60 ·
Poor man stand up blocks

Poor man stand up blocks.

if you need standup blocks, in this case, for the Spinnaker sheets , I don't like to have springs and other systems that more than often end up snagging some of the lines, in all rearwards blocks, and cockpit area...

So, to modify your regular blocks into stand up blocks, I often use the "poor man" standing block...

since 1980 I use tennis balls underneath the blocks to keep them up, and this is a good idea for dinghies where we sail barefoot most of the time and kicking the foot of a block with your toes hurts like a devil, and because its more difficult for the block to snag and hold a line that is accidentaly near it..

So this is what I do:

You will need a block, a padeye (off course attached to the deck, cabin or whatever), and a tenis ball or other soft rubber ball that is hollow and fits the size...



Attach the block as ususal to measure the height between the block and the deck/cabin...



Take a tennis bal and cut a round hole on one side, that has to be wide enough to pass the block shaft...

On the opposite side cut a slot, that is as long as the length of the padeye. Don't be affraid to cut, watch your fingers..



Install the block shaft thru the hole, attach the shackle thru the slot underneath, and attach to the padeye..

BINGO there you have the POOR MAN STANDING BLOCK



You may also cut the ball in half if you need to get different heights...experiment..generaly the more you cut the ball the softer it will be and the more flexible it will be.

This is what I use for my spinnaker standing blocks..

And I have to admit...when you look at a boat, and you see these little tricks applied, such as the tennis ball under a block...one can imediately tell there is someone that knows what he is doing on the boat...I think it also makes the boat look really sporty and racey...

Ahh gets better, you can use many colours, as long as tenins industry paints them, and once dirty, just get a new ball.....

Good luck

Alex
 
#63 ·
Poor man stand up blocks.

if you need standup blocks, in this case, for the Spinnaker sheets , I don't like to have springs and other systems that more than often end up snagging some of the lines, in all rearwards blocks, and cockpit area...

So, to modify your regular blocks into stand up blocks, I often use the "poor man" standing block...

since 1980 I use tennis balls underneath the blocks to keep them up, and this is a good idea for dinghies where we sail barefoot most of the time and kicking the foot of a block with your toes hurts like a devil, and because its more difficult for the block to snag and hold a line that is accidentaly near it..

So this is what I do:

You will need a block, a padeye (off course attached to the deck, cabin or whatever), and a tenis ball or other soft rubber ball that is hollow and fits the size...



Attach the block as ususal to measure the height between the block and the deck/cabin...



Take a tennis bal and cut a round hole on one side, that has to be wide enough to pass the block shaft...

On the opposite side cut a slot, that is as long as the length of the padeye. Don't be affraid to cut, watch your fingers..



Install the block shaft thru the hole, attach the shackle thru the slot underneath, and attach to the padeye..

BINGO there you have the POOR MAN STANDING BLOCK



You may also cut the ball in half if you need to get different heights...experiment..generaly the more you cut the ball the softer it will be and the more flexible it will be.

This is what I use for my spinnaker standing blocks..

And I have to admit...when you look at a boat, and you see these little tricks applied, such as the tennis ball under a block...one can imediately tell there is someone that knows what he is doing on the boat...I think it also makes the boat look really sporty and racey...

Ahh gets better, you can use many colours, as long as tenins industry paints them, and once dirty, just get a new ball.....

Good luck

Alex
I like this...I'll give it a go.
 
#64 · (Edited)
Rejuvinated Seacock Handles

About $10.00 for primer and paint. A couple of hours of electrolytic rust removal (see, for example, Electrolytic Rust Removal). Like new seacock handles. The first image shows one of the handles after the removal (top) and another before (bottom). Zero elbow grease.
 

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#65 ·
Thanks, people! THIS is the stuff i am talking about- getting your hands dirty, doing it yourself, making your boat really YOURS.

Keep 'em coming.

After hours of shopping for a dinghy, I have finally decided to build a D4. I think I can build it in under 20 hours, for under $100 in materials, without cheating and scrounging through my scrap pile. I'll keep you posted if anyone is interested.
 
#67 ·
Omatako,

That is pretty sweet. I've been thinking of doing something like that but I don't know where I would put the desktop tower.
Have you thought of using a laptop instead? The power requirements are a lot lower and you don't always need AC to run it. You can buy 12V DC adapters for many laptops even if they require higher voltages (like 19V). Then you can take it with you :)

Just a thought.
 
#76 ·
Screen tent

Bene;
I purchased ours at a Walmart in NJ, but my neighbors down in NC wanted them also, once they saw it. The Walmarts down there had them also (obviously). They are in the camping or outdoor area and they are probably seasonal. But my neighbors found a couple of them in the store even over Xmas. So, just go look. It scrunches up into a small plastic bag as its all netting and hardly any material. It has held up really well so far, but only had it for a year.

:eek: :eek:
 
#77 ·
Diesel Maintenance Help

My favorite low-bucks project was re-plumbing my fuel line. I put an outboard-style squeeze bulb in the line as it comes from the tank, then a Y-valve that directs the fuel: 1, to the filter/separator (& on to the engine), or 2, to a ~2 ft. hose with a valve at its end.

By squeezing the bulb, I can easily: 1, prime the fuel system, or 2, run the first batch of (possibly cruddy) diesel out of the system & into a bottle for inspection & disposal. I always drain a few squeezes-worth of diesel before starting the engine after a period of inactivity.
 
#78 ·
We all know that storage space on any boat is at a minimum, so here's a project that I did this winter.

I call it The Galley Hutch. It's simply a 3.50" deep storage shef behind the stock table on my C-27. The supplies where one 1"x8"x8' piece of oak lumber at a cost of $29. Some stain, glue, staples and varnish that I had in stock.

No thats not my Pink bulkhead, I have the unit attached to the wall in my hottub room until I uncover the boat. It makes a great kiddy table during the Holidays.

So anyway - that's my $29 contribution - Enjoy!
 

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#84 ·
This project was free.

The white speakers that came with our boat bugged me. They were too bright against the teak, and every time I looked that way they seemed to demand attention. I know, it's just a little thing. I had mentally put replacing the speakers near the bottom of my list along with the other changes I never expected to get to.



Then one day I noticed a can of black spray paint in my basement. Aha!



There were so many big projects this spring. This little one was satisfying because it was quick, simple, and easy to see.
 
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