How to install a sailboat winch pad

If you're installing a winch on a sailboat, you may want to install the sailing winch on a teak winch pad. I just re-seated a new stainless steel chimney flue on this winch pad. The deck of my Newport 30 sailboat has a curve right in the spot where the stove pipe exits the deck, so the teak pad lets me flatten out the plane of the chimney flue. The pad is generally used as a platform for winches, but it also worked out well for this project.

Teak winch pad used to mount a fireplace chimney

I think you can find these at some boating stores, perhaps West Marine, not entirely sure. I found this teak winch pad online,  Its the one in the pictures, its a nice piece of teak and looks good with a coat of varnish. 

For my application, I drilled out a 5 inch hole with a circular drill bit, then sanded down the base of the winch pad, till the slope of the pad was complimentary to the slope of my boat deck. Then I laid down some 4200 sealant and drilled the teak pad down into the balsa core fiberglass deck of my boat. This makes for a solid, water-proof attachment. I've never seen a leak on the inside of the boat.

we drilled a 5 inch hole in the teak winch pad

This is the pad I used. Looks pretty, ages well...

Boat drone over San Diego

We got this shot flying the Phantom drone above the sailboat in Mariner's Cove.

Gorgeous shot at about 50 feet in the air.

Is your boat insured in 2015?

      I just returned from some traveling this winter and when I got back down to my boat, I realized something felt different. Something felt a bit more unhinged. And then I realized, 'oh yeah, i let my boat insurance expire'. I am now the owner of an uninsured boat. This is a bit unsettling. I have decided to wipe the slate clean and attempt an unbiased pursuit of a new insurance company. I have not settled on one company yet. But, I am making the calls and seeing who is best suited to insure my 38 year old sailboat. I found this helpful review of the top boat insurance companies and thought I would pass it on. Here is a link to a Comparison of boat insurance companies for 2015. 

If anyone has any recommendations for me, please let me know. I should be able to find something for under 500$ for the year. All the best!

The Gary down in La Paz

My good friend - Gary Caprario - has made the leap to salty expat down in the salty expat town of La Paz, Mexico. Follow his adventures at http://www.simpleseas.com/

He now lives a simple life of swimming with whale sharks and fixing boat problems in the hot, subtropical climate of southern Baja. If you are down around the docks of La Paz, reach out to him on his website. Maybe he will take you out for a sail!

The Gary at the helm of his 36 Catalina

a windy sunset near La Paz

exploring Espiritu Santo on foot