Stowage life hack 1: Insulation prevents rattling
The gas cylinders have some play in our gas locker and can hit the wall of the storage space if the boat moves a lot. We wanted to eliminate the loud rumbling and the risk of damage and came up with a simple solution: we made a collar for the bottles from pipe insulation and two long cable ties. We looped the cable ties into each other so that they went around the bottle once. Then we pushed the insulation over it and closed the cable tie loop. The padding can be pushed over the bottle from above so that it is firmly wedged into the gas locker and can no longer rattle. The foam ring can also be easily removed again if the gas cylinder needs to be filled or replaced. The solution can be produced in next to no time and costs just a few euros.
Bernd Müller, Ketzin/Havel
Stowage life hack 2: Grab lines for storage boxes
Mobile stowage boxes are almost indispensable for large forecastle boxes. Rope handles are attached so that the boxes can be easily hoisted upwards. A thin pilot line attached to the inside edge of the lid makes it easy to reach the tappot. In particularly long stowage spaces, such as under the cockpit, a circumferential line with deflection can make sense. The box can then be conveniently pulled out and simply lowered back into the depths of the boat. The space in front is still available.
Hans Sack, Schwarzenbek
Traffic jam life hack 3: Lawn instead of mould
Problems with sweating or even stagnant water in bailing or anchor boxes? Artificial turf can be the solution here. The material with short but very coarse "blades of grass" is cut to size and laid on the floor. Moisture under diesel canisters, bailers or anchor gear drains away easily; the storage spaces remain dry. The artificial turf also serves as an anti-slip mat and protects the crates from scratches or other damage caused by heavy stowage items.
Lore Janssen, Leer
Storage life hack 4: Plywood brackets
A lot of equipment is stored in our forecastle box, and some of it was in a mess, so it was difficult to find anything straight away. At least we have now found a good storage option for the buoy hook, the gennaker pole and the support for the folding mast. We sawed out the appropriate holders from two rectangular pieces of plywood and glued them to the inside of the cockpit wall. This way, these relatively heavy pieces of equipment are safely stowed away.
Joachim Kannengiesser, Strande
More on the subject of stowage:
Do you have any advice for other sailors?
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