Lifehacks: How to bring order to chaos - four helpful tricks for storage

Jam 1: Practical wall bracket in the aft berth

Space is at a premium on board a boat, so we have started to stow equipment visibly and easily accessible in the interior. The shroud cutter, which was already rusting slightly in the damp forecastle locker, and the bulky spare winch handles, which were taking up too much space in the drawer at the navigation station, were bolted to the wall of the unused aft berth on the port side. As we only use this berth per se for storage purposes, this is not a problem for us. Thanks to the overhanging bunk boards, there is enough space for such installations. With simple wall brackets from the DIY store, the items are now securely fastened, quickly accessible and they don't rattle even when the engine is running and there are lots of waves.

Christiane & Heiko Kamp, Wesel

Stowage 2: Crank fixation

A fixed storage place for the winch handle improves the manoeuvring process and keeps the cockpit tidy. The commercially available plastic quivers or cloth bags were too bulky for us. Our solution consists of a self-adhesive Velcro strip, the rough side of which is attached to the GRP at the desired location. The fluffy counterpart is wrapped around the winch handle in a spiral. This keeps the crank securely in place without slipping around. As soon as it is needed, it can be quickly and easily removed from the holding device.

Roland Dunkel, by e-mail

Jam 3: Tool drawer

A flat wooden box screwed against the lid from below with two hinges and secured with a latch provides a good place for important on-board tools, shackles or rigging utensils. If there is no room for conventional toolboxes, permanently installed wooden slats keep everything organised. Approximately six centimetres wide and provided with suitable holes and recesses, they serve as seaworthy storage for screwdrivers, pliers, etc. Small parts and screws can be stored in narrow assortment boxes.

Tip from YACHT 12/2010, "Systematic stowage"

Jam 4: Plug-in bulkhead fastening

Anyone who closes the companionway of their boat with a multi-part plug-in bulkhead knows the problem: where to put the individual parts, especially if they are made of scratch-sensitive Plexiglas? We screwed a carpet bay to the vertical inside of the forecastle, which is held together at the top right and left by a rubber strip. We laid another layer of carpet in the centre, which serves as a divider between the two plastic discs. These can now be stowed away quickly and safely, even when the back box is full.

Gabriele Krenn, Hamm

Do you have any advice for other sailors?

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