Category: DIY

DIY Electric systems
04/10/2026

Boat Solar Made Easy: Complete DIY 12V Solar System Guide

Want to install solar panels on your boat and keep your batteries charged without constantly running the engine or plugging into shore power? A simple 12V solar system can give your sailboat a surprising amount of energy independence — and building one is easier and more affordable than you might think. In this guide, we’ll explain how to build a DIY boat solar system from […]

DIY Security
12/09/2026

Orca attacks, solutions and fixes of fortune

Orca attacks and interactions with sailboats have become a major concern for sailors navigating the Strait of Gibraltar, the Atlantic coast of Spain and Galicia. In this episode of The Low Cost Sailor, we take a practical look at what happens during an encounter with Iberian orcas, why they so often target a sailboat’s rudder, what sailors can do, and how to deal with serious […]

DIY
05/09/2026

Hempel Silic One DIY: How to Apply Silicone Antifouling to a Sailboat

How to Apply Hempel Silic One Silicone Antifouling Yourself For quite some time, I had been thinking about trying Hempel Silic One silicone antifouling the next time my sailboat was hauled out of the water. The problem was that both the amount of work involved and the cost of having it professionally applied seemed quite high. Eventually, the opportunity came up, so I did the […]

DIY Electric systems Electronics
25/07/2026

Rev counter for our engine

I am surprised and concerned at how expensive some original parts for our boat engines can be.My Yanmar 2GM20F engine did not come with a rev counter, a tachometer, and when I started looking for the original part, especially the engine sensor, I almost fell on my ass: 200 euros for the engine sensor and at least 100 more for the clock !! A search […]

Comfort on board DIY Electric systems
11/07/2026

12V Boat Fridge: How to Reduce Power Consumption and Save Your Batteries

A 12V fridge can become one of the biggest electrical loads on a boat. It runs 24 hours a day, works especially hard during summer, and, if the installation is not properly adjusted, it can drain the batteries much faster than expected. In episode 122 of The Low Cost Sailor, we look at how a compressor fridge really works, which factors determine its energy consumption, […]

DIY Electronics Toys
30/05/2026

Must-have tools and other nautical gifts

With Christmas just around the corner, and knowing how difficult it is to get the gifts right, we have decided to make a list of ideas to give to any fan of Boating, DIY or the sea in general … Let it not be said that the wise men fall short of ideas. In the video you can see my favorites, the ones that I […]