The Trijicon Reflex's Specifications

• The Trijicon Reflex is ideal for bright and low light conditions. Chase Jarvis/Photodisc/Getty Images

  Trijicon Industries manufactures rifle sights for both recreational and military uses. The company is one of the major suppliers for rifle sights to the American military, and their technology is widely used in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Reflex sight provides users with an aiming system that is effective in both bright and dark conditions. The Reflex sight comes in seven different models, but all contain the basic Trijicon sighting technology.

Sight Lens

• The Reflex uses is a 42 mm, clear aperture lens, which provides the operator a clear field of view. The wide field of view allows the operator to see multiple targets and remain aware. Magnification is limited, with the sight providing 1x of magnification.

Illumination

• The Reflex comes equipped with a fiber optic banding on the top of the sight, which adjusts the brightness level of the sight depending on the light conditions. This provides users with the best possible vision in a variety of different lighting conditions.

Trijicon Tritium-Phosphor Lamp

• All Reflex sights are equipped with a Trijicon Tritium-Phosphor Lamp, which glows in low-light conditions to provide the operator with a clear view of targets. It is guaranteed to be free of defects for up to 15 years.

Materials

• Using aircraft aluminum to minimize weight, the Trijicon Reflex is strong enough to handle tough military conditions, but also light enough to be carried long distances.

Size and Weight of Unit

• The Trijicon Reflex has a length of 4.25 inches, a width of 1.35 inches and a height of 1.65 inches. It is relatively compact and suited for use on compact weapons such as the M4 Carbine. It also weighs only 4.2 ounces, making it relatively light weight.

How to Fix a Flat Rear Tire on a Roadmaster MT Sport SX

Roadmaster is a brand of bicycle manufactured and distributed by Pacific Cycle. Despite its sturdy construction, the Roadmaster MT Sport SX may still suffer the occasional flat tire. For bicycles, flat tires generally happen when a sharp object, such as a nail, pierces the tire's outer casing and passes through the soft inner tube. The old inner tube will need to be discarded and a new one installed. Before the flat tire can be fixed, the rear wheel must first be removed from the bicycle.

Inner Tube Removal

• 1

  Remove the cap atop the Roadmaster MT Sport SX rear wheel valve stem. Using your thumb's fingernail, depress the valve stem core and release any air remaining inside the tire.

• 2

  Set the Roadmaster MT Sport SX wheel upright on the ground or workbench. Rotate the wheel so that the valve is at the bottom.

• 3

  Pick up the tire lever. The tire lever has two ends, one hooked and one smooth like a spoon.

• 4

  Insert the smooth end of the tire lever beneath a portion of tire bead opposite the tire valve.

• 5

  Hold the Roadmaster MT Sport SX rear tire with one hand while using the other hand to rotate the tire lever along the tire bead, causing the bead to pop out of the rim. Rotate the tire lever in one direction, working down toward the valve. Next rotate the tire lever in the opposite direction, again moving toward the valve.

• 6

  Reach inside the tire and grab the inner tube. Pull the inner tube away from the tire, and discard.

Inner Tube Installation

• 1

  Unfold the new inner tube. Insert the valve stem through the hole in the Roadmaster MT Sport SX rim. Using your fingers, tuck the remainder of the inner tube back inside the tire.

• 2

  Stand the wheel upright with the valve at the top. Place both hands over the top of the tire.

• 3

  Use your thumbs to push the loose tire bead back onto the rim, beginning at the valve and working toward the bottom of the tire. Rotate the tire as needed, until each section of bead is tucked inside the rim.

• 4

  Use a bicycle tire pump to inflate the tire. The recommended tire pressure can be found on the side of the Roadmaster MT Sport SX tire. Replace the cap atop the valve once inflated.

How to Start a Fire With a Flint Rod

Starting a fire without matches or a lighter becomes crucial in a survival situation. One method is to use a flint rod, also called a "firesteel." Sparks are created when the flint rod is struck with a knife edge or other striking material. Benefits to using flint rods are that they work even after heavy rains or exposure to water. Downsides include a steep learning curve.

• 1

  Gather dry leaves, twigs and branches. Break twigs into small, 2- to 3-inch lengths.

• 2

  Dig a small depression in the ground and place the dry leaves in the pit. Set the dry twigs to the side.

• 3

  Hold the fire rod in your non-dominant hand. Hold the scraper in the opposite hand.

• 4

  Hold the rod about 1-inch over the dry leaves. Place the scraper at a 45-degree angle on the rod and scrape down the rod. Try to aim the sparks created by the rod/scraper into the dry leaves. Watch for smoke to come from the leaf pile.

• 5

  Blow on the leaf pile when you see smoke arise; use quick breaths. Add larger twigs and branches as the fire gets larger and hotter.

How to Mount Bicycles on a Trailer Tongue

Most vehicles these days have a trailer hitch or tongue extension where you can insert and install a bike rack to carry your bikes. These bike racks generally range in price from $60 - $200. They are quick to install and easy to take off when not in use. Regardless of the brand of bike rack you choose, the mounting process is fairly standard. The process of installing a carrier and putting on a bike should take under 15 minutes.

• 1

  Install your bike rack by inserting the mounting stem into the trailer hitch/tongue. Most bike rack brands such as Thule or Yakima should come mostly assembled. The stem should slide in smoothly, locked in with the provided pin. Make sure to use the safety pin as well to ensure there is no movement when riding over rough terrain.

• 2

  Release the carrier lever on the top of the bike rack. This is usually located near the top of the pole extending from the hitch, allowing the actual carrier to come up and hold bikes. It should be in the down position while driving without bicycles attached.

• 3

  Pick up your bike holding it by the seat and the handlebar stem. This is the best way to maneuver the bike into position. Push the bike onto the bike rack. The carrier stems should have two holders for you to secure the top tube onto the bike rack using either straps or a ratcheting device. The bike will be able to swing slightly, but this is not a concern. Once you put more than one bike on the carrier, they become a solid unit.

What Chokes to Use With My 20 Gauge?

• The 20 gauge is popular with upland game bird hunters Andy Reynolds/Lifesize/Getty Images

  A choke is a metal tube that screws into the end of a shotgun barrel, designed to constrict the pellets to varying degrees as they leave the barrel, determining the distance that the pellets spread out after leaving the barrel. This amount of spread is called the pattern. Different chokes cause different pattern densities, appropriate for uses ranging from target shooting to different hunting applications.

Improved Cylinder and Skeet Chokes

• The two least constrictive chokes commonly used are the skeet and improved cylinder chokes. A skeet choke is typically a cylinder bore, meaning that it provides no or almost no constriction. Improved cylinder provides slightly more constriction than skeet chokes. These chokes are designed to cause pellets to spread faster to hit closer targets such as fast moving clay targets or upland game in dense woods, where you maximum ranges are about 25 yards.

Modified Choke

• The modified choke is the most popular, and most versatile choke for the 20 gauge shotgun. Modified chokes provide moderate constriction providing pattern densities designed to hit targets at medium ranges of about 15 to 35 yards. A modified choke will serve most needs adequately, from upland bird hunting, to trap and target shooting, to waterfowl hunting. Most shotguns come fitted from the factory with a modified choke, and if you only own one choke, modified is the choke to choose.

Full Chokes

• The most constrictive of the standard chokes is the full choke. A full choke is designed to provide the tightest pattern, appropriate for long-range shooting situations such as handicap trap and long-range waterfowl hunting. In a 20 gauge, this means distances from 35 to 45 yards.

Specialty Chokes

• These are not the only chokes made for a 20 gauge. Some manufacturers offer several different styles of skeet chokes, sometimes referred to as #1 and #2 skeet, with different constrictions. Another choke occasionally seen is improved modified, which provides a constriction somewhere between modified and full chokes. Turkey chokes are another specialty choke, designed to provide an extremely tight pattern at medium to long ranges, allowing a shooter to hit the vital head and neck area of a standing turkey with enough pellets to kill it at standard turkey ranges of 35 to 40 yards. Turkey chokes are sometimes referred to as super full or extra full chokes.

Exceptions and Testing

• It's important to note that these choke descriptions are not absolute for all guns and all loads, especially when it comes to shotgun shells containing steel pellets. For example, a given 20 gauge might have a superb pattern at 40 yards while shooting lead #5 shot through a full choke, but that same choke can perform poorly while shooting #1 steel shot at the same range. For this reason, it becomes important to pattern your gun with the choke you expect to use and the type of shells you will be shooting for a given use. It is possible that your 20 gauge has a tighter pattern with a modified choke and #1 steel shot than it does with a full choke and the same load.

Boat Anchor Styles

• Anchors are a necessity for any boat. Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images

  Whether you own a small fishing boat or a luxury yacht, boat anchors are a necessity to have on board every vessel. The type of anchor to use depends on several factors, including type and size of boat, where you are anchoring the boat and the storage equipment the boat has for an anchor.

Danforth

• Danforth anchors, with weights ranging from 2 to 200 lbs, are generally used for smaller boats. The "flukes" that stick out from the side of the anchor dig into the ground. Danforth anchors are best suited for sandy or muddy floors. The anchor weight-to-boat length ratio for Danforth anchors should be 1/2 lb to 1 ft.

Plow/Claw

• The plow comes with either a pivoting -- CQR -- or fixed -- Delta -- shank and is best suited for cruising boats. Plow anchors land on their side and then dig into the ground as the boat starts to pull it. You should use a ratio of 1 lb of anchor weight for every foot of the boat when using a plow anchor. Claw anchors are similar in shape and function, but often are lighter and used on slightly smaller boats.

Kedge/Navy

• Navy-style anchor anchor image by michael langley from Fotolia.com

  A kedge anchor, sometimes called a Navy-style anchor, is best used for larger boats. The sheer weight of the anchor holds the boat in place, rather than solely on prongs or flukes. One side of the kedge anchor digs into the floor, whether it is made up of weeds, hard sand or rocks, while the other side is exposed.

Lightweight Anchors

• Grapnels and mushroom anchors are less expensive, lighter in weight and have less holding power. Ideal for a canoe or small boat, grapnels use four flukes in an "X" shape to hold the boat in place; a mushroom anchor uses its rounded shape to create a suction with a soft floor.

Alternatives to Boat Docks

• Boat docks are a common way to secure boats, but several alternatives also are used. Buena Vista Images/Photodisc/Getty Images

  Boat docks are made of wood or metal, and extend out into a body of water to allow people easier access to a boat to board it or to tie it up when it is not being used. Boat docks can be expensive or difficult to construct, so a number of alternative boat-storage methods also are used.

Anchoring

• Boats don't necessarily need to be stored onshore or against the bank of a body of water. A boater can stop the boat near the shore or in a relatively still, shallow area, and drop some anchors off the front and the back of the boat to hold it in place. As long as the anchors can reach bottom, the boat will not drift. Those using the boat will have to swim or be transported from and to the boat, but no dock is needed.

Boat Lift

• Boats often are lifted out of the water when they are not being used, to help preserve their hulls from the natural wear and tear caused by water. Boat lifts can be operated with manual cranks, lifting the boat with wires and chains, or by a powered mechanism, which will automatically lift the boat out of the water with a flip of switch. Lifts often are installed at boat docks, but they also can be installed off a shoreline to lift the boat out of the water without having to build an entire dock.

Boat Trailers

• Boat owners often store their boats miles from water and transport them via trailer to launch them in some water body when they wish to use them. The boat is launched from the trailer, which the owner backs down a ramp into the water until the boat floats and can be gently pushed off. This is an inexpensive way for a boat owner to store, maintain and transport a boat without needing to rent dock space or purchase a lift.

How to Bait My Foot Traps

Furbearing animals that are caught with steel leg hold traps are classed as carnivores, herbivores, or omnivores. Bait is effective for all three groups. Meat bait is used for predators such as fox and coyote, while fruit or vegetables are used for muskrats and nutria. Omnivores like raccoons, skunk, and opossum will be attracted to either bait. Attractor lures can be used without bait; however, coupled with bait the trap set is more likely to draw in the desired animal.

• 1

  Set the trap at the water's edge for muskrat or nutria. Place slices of apple, carrot, or similar fruit and vegetables just beyond the trap in a way that the animal must step on the trap to reach the bait.

• 2

  Use fresh red meat or fish for mink. Place it in a hole dug into the bank above water line with the trap set in front of it. Once the bait turns old it must be replaced.

• 3

  Make tainted bait for coyotes and foxes by placing walnut size chunks of red meat in a glass jar and leave it to turn old. Dig a hole in the ground and place a piece of tainted meat in the hole with the trap set in front of the hole.

• 4

  Make a 2 foot square pen of rocks or sticks and place fish inside the pen with the trap set in front to attract raccoon. Chicken, beef, or similar meat will also attract raccoon, skunk, and opossum.

• 5

  Cut branches from the trees beaver are feeding on for bait. Peel a bit of the bark off to show the white inside and lay the branches on the bank so the beaver must step in the trap to reach the bait.

How to Tie a Seat Harness

Climbers and canyoneers should have a base level knowledge of how to tie what is called a seat harness, also known as a Swiss seat harness. You fashion this harness using a length of climbing webbing to make an impromptu seat harness used to rappel. Because climbing is a dangerous sport, practice and training should be taken before using any technique in the field.

• 1

  Find the half-way point in the webbing. Place this point of the webbing in your weak, or brake, hand (if you are right handed, place the webbing in your left).

• 2

  Wrap the webbing around your back and place the two equal ends of the webbing back in front of you, in your brake hand.

• 3

  Tie a double-overhand knot at your waist front. Drop the webbing ends so they dangle in front of you, towards your feet.

• 4

  Grab one end of the webbing and pass it between your legs and behind the buttocks. Do the same with the other end of the webbing and wrap it around the opposite side of the buttocks and leg.

• 5

  Bring the wrapped webbing pieces around the legs, and thread them through the waist wraps of the webbing.

• 6

  Bend down as if to squat and pull the ends of the webbing to tighten the leg straps. Thread the webbing ends back around the legs once more and bring them back to the front of the waist.

• 7

  Place both webbing ends in your brake hand. Tie the two webbing pieces together with a square knot. Open the carabiner --- the metal D-clip --- at the hinged gate and insert the webbing knot into the clip. Close the clip and screw it tight all the way to the right, then back one quarter turn to the left.

How to Disassemble an A5 Browning

The A5 Browning shotgun is one of the most successful sport rifles on the market. The gun was first produced in 1898 by John Moses Browning and manufactured by the Fabrique Nationale gun company in Belgium and by Remington guns in the US. In addition to being a popular hunting rifle in the US and Europe, the A5 Browning has seen use in military and law enforcement applications as well. Disassembling an A5 Browning is a necessary step in cleaning and general maintenance of this highly successful shotgun and requires very few tools.

• 1

  Pull back on the bolt several times to eject any unused shells. Pull back on the bolt one more time and look inside the chamber for a visual inspection, making sure the shotgun is empty.

• 2

  Unscrew the fore stock nut with your fingers and slide off the fore stock. The fore stock is the handle directly beneath the barrel and the fore stock nut is located at the front of the fore stock. Slide off the barrel from the breech using your hand. The breech is where shells are loaded into the firearm.

• 3

  Slide the O-ring off the magazine tube, and then slide off the recoil spring. The magazine tube is the cylinder that was covered by the fore stock. Remove the small handle from the bolt by pulling it away from the ejection port with your fingers.

• 4

  Push up on the feed latch located on the underside of the breech, where shells are loaded into the weapon. Then push the shell spring aside, located inside the breech, while at the same time pulling out the magazine tube from the front of the breech.

• 5

  Tap out two pins located directly above the forward and rear trigger guard using a punch tool and small hammer. Pull out the trigger guard with your fingers and the trigger assembly will follow.

How to Adjust My AR15 Rear Sight

The ArmaLite Model 15 semiautomatic rifle, or AR15, has been a prolific symbol of American military and police forces for 50 years. The rifle's style was derived from the ArmaLite Model 10 designed by Eugene Stoner. It is renowned for its accuracy and praised for its modularity. Though many countries prohibit possession of AR15-type rifles, citing them as assault weapons, few restrictions on the semiautomatic variant exist in the United States. Adjusting the weapon's rear sight is simple.

• 1

  Flip the 300 to 800m peephole, located on the rear sight aperture, into the upper position.

• 2

  Rotate the rear elevation dial to 300m.

• 3

  Adjust the front sight's elevation to zero the rifle at 25m. This brings your rifle to mechanical zero, allowing you to adjust the rear sight properly.

• 4

  Adjust the rear sight. Use the rear elevation dial to make the adjustment, based on the range of your target.

How do I Identify a Honda Motorcycle Model Number?

Having your Honda motorcycle's model number can begin the process of getting to know your motorcycle. Every Honda motorcycle has a 13-digit number that helps owners find information such as engine size, tire size and other parts specific to your motorcycle. Identifying a Honda motorcycle model number can help you find and replace parts more efficiently if you motorcycle ever breaks down.

• 1

  Check the frame of your Honda motorcycle's identification number, and write down the numbers. The frame of the motorcycle is the metal piping that holds the bike together. The number, which is at the front of the bike, has four dashes and has a sequence as follows: "xx-xxx-xxx-xxx-xx" or "xxxxx-xxxxxxxx".

• 2

  Look up what each section represents. The first and second sections represent the model's function and component numbers; the middle numbers represent the model's number; and the last numbers are optional model numbers.

• 3

  Access the CMSNL-Honda website to locate the middle three numbers in your 13-digit number on a list of model identifying numbers. Line up your model's numbers to the numbers on the list to identify your motorcycle's model.

• 4

  Contact your local Honda motorcycle dealership. Ask for a specialist, because the dealer might not know how to identify your model with your model numbers. Give the specialist your numbers, and they should be able tell you your model via their computer resources.

Rifles That Shoot Pistol Cartridges

• 9mm cartridges are the most common pistol ammunition in the world today. Ablestock.com/AbleStock.com/Getty Images

  Some of the most famous rifles of all time fall into the category of rifles that shoot pistol ammunition as they were often beloved for their practicality and inventiveness. Having a rifle that fires the same cartridges as your pistol can save time and weight and allow reloading of both quickly and easily. The downfall of the pistol cartridge is its relative inaccuracy over distance when compared with a rifle-only bullet.

Small Bore Rifles

• Small bore rifles are those that fire shells of .22 caliber or less. These rifles tend to be rimfire rather than centerfire and their ammunition is commonly found in both rifles and pistols. The Colt .22 M-16 is a more interesting example than the norm as it is an exact replica of the M-16 rifle (also made by Colt) used by the U.S. military except for the fact that it fires .22 rimfire ammo (very common in pistols) rather than .223. The rifle is used primarily for target shooting. The main attraction to this rifle is the look as it seems to be a full-on assault rifle on appearance but is actually a very manageable target gun. All elements of the rifle are true to form for the M-16 from the muzzle flash suppressor to the all black stock.

Thompson Submachine Gun

• The Thompson submachine gun, better known as the "Tommy Gun" was a revelation when it was invented in 1919 by John Taliaferro Thompson, a retired West Point grad and recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal. This drum-fed .45 caliber fully automatic rifle was categorized as a submachine rifle and was originally intended to be used for clearing trenches and covering no man's land for battles like those which had been seen in Europe during World War I. It quickly became a favorite tool for federal agents and gangsters because of its high capacity, rapid fire and knock down power. The gun has two pistol grips, a rifle stock, a drum or clip for ammunition, and fires full-auto in a rather inaccurate but extremely destructive burst. The .45 caliber pistol shell was decided on when in testing it became clear that rifle shells could not be ejected rapidly enough and created too much recoil for practical use.

Carbines and Custom Rifles

• As of 2010, there are several rifles made to fire pistol cartridges if you just care to ask for them. Ruger, Marlin, Beretta, Colt, Bushmaster, and many more manufacturers make 9mm versions of carbine rifles among other calibers and types. The 9mm became popular thanks to the Luger, a world famous German side-arm first brought into service in the 1930s in the early stages of WWII. The ammunition performed so well for German troops that it was adopted into submachine guns and carbine long arms. Today, the 9mm is used in the side arm of every major armed forces in the world.

  If you prefer a non-carbine standard rifle made to fire pistol cartridges, many companies will deliver what you need on request. Ask at a dealer or contact the company directly to order a rifle custom to the caliber of your preference. Additional fees will usually apply.

How to Hunt With the M44

The Mosin Nagant Model 1944, otherwise known as the M44, was used by the Soviets during WWII. This rifle fires a 7.62X54R bullet and is accurate at long range. Though these weapons are very old and typically only available at gun shows, auctions and surplus stores, the heavy caliber and effective range make the M44 a quality hunting weapon if the rifle is in good condition. Hunting large game with the M44 is much like hunting with other heavy caliber weapons.

• 1

  Scout out your hunting area a week prior to your intended hunting date. Depending on the game you are hunting, look for telltale signs of game such as scat, tracks, scratch marks, foraging trails and available food sources.

• 2

  Set up a few hunting spots, platforms or tree stands in the scouted area. The M44 can be effective at long range, so a stand or platform is ideal for getting into a stable prone shooting position.

• 3

  Sight in your game on the kill zone with the M44. If you have a modern scope installed, place the crosshairs over the heart and lungs region of the animal, or on the head if you have a close, clear shot. If using the flip sights, gauge your distance and slide the elevation bar up or down to the appropriate elevation reading on the sight. Center the front sight post in the rear sight.

• 4

  Pull the bolt back and push it forward to chamber a round. Fire a shot at the kill zone when the animal is in range. Effective range of the M44 is close to 500 yards, but most effective under 300 yards. For the best hunting range, stay within 100 yards to minimize wounding shots or inaccuracy because of wind.

Rules for Playing Broom Ball

• Broom ball is played on an ice rink. Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images

  Thought to originate in Canada, broom ball requires two teams consisting of at least six players per team. Play takes place on an ice rink, either indoors or out. A game lasts a minimum of 36 minutes, as two halves of 18 minutes each are played. Players use a stick known as a broom to smack around the ball in an attempt to score on the opposing team's goal.

Equipment

• All players require proper equipment to compete in a broom ball game. Each player needs broom ball shoes complete with a specially designed rubber sole. Head protection is required, but face coverage by gate or wire attached to the helmet is optional. Male and female players must wear cups for protection. While shoulder and chest pads are optional, knee, elbow and shin guards must be worn. Gloves must be worn as well.

High Broom

• An infraction of the high broom rule results in a minor penalty of two minutes unless an injury occurs as a product of the action. In the event of an injury, a five-minute major penalty takes place. "High brooming" usually entails a player's making contact with the ball with a stick raised above his shoulders. However, the rule may change dependent on the league. Some leagues rule that any stick contact above the waist is high brooming.

Icing

• Similar to ice hockey, broom ball uses the red and blue lines of the rink. An icing call results from a player's intentionally shooting the ball to the opponent's goal line from behind his goal line. In some leagues, this defensive move results in an immediate icing call. In others, the icing is canceled if the opposing goalie touches the ball first or a member of the shooter's team touches the ball past the goal line before the opponent.

How to Measure the Throttle Cable for a Boat

When you need to know how long your boat's throttle cable is, you don't need to take it to the dealer to get the correct size; you can measure it for yourself and keep that money in your pocket. You will need to go to the boat, size the situation up and visualize how the cable gets from the speed control handle back to the rear of the boat and to the carburetor. After that, it only involves making the measurement for real.

• 1

  Measure from the speed control to the gunwale (the top of the side of the boat) with a measuring tape. The cable goes underneath the gunwale. If you're boat has a freestanding center console, measure from the control down to the deck, then over to the side, then up to the bottom of the gunwale.

• 2

  Measure from the point under the gunwale that's directly across from the speed control, along the gunwale to the transom, the "back wall" of the boat where your outboard is mounted.

• 3

  Measure from the point where the transom and gunwale meet, to your engine's throttle.

How to Fix Window Leaks in RV Windows

RV windows will begin to leak after time and need to be maintained to continue to work properly. The seal between the wall of the RV and the frame of the window may begin to separate and allow water and air to seep into the RV. This can cause serious damage to the RV walls if not dealt with immediately.

• 1

  Remove any old caulk from between the window frame and the wall of the RV. A putty knife and utility knife work well for scraping away old pieces. The utility knife will cut the caulk away from the wall. This will need to be removed so the new caulk can bond appropriately.

• 2

  Clean out the inside of the gap between the wall and the window frame. This gap should be no bigger than an 1/8 of an inch. Slide the putty knife through the opening to scrape away any dirt from inside.

• 3

  Clean the frame of the window and wall of the RV with cleaning solution and towels. This will remove any dirt that would prevent the caulk from bonding properly. Wait for the walls and windows to dry completely.

• 4

  Tape around the edges of the window sill. This will prevent caulk from being pushed all over the walls of the RV. It will also leave a cleaner, more professional look.

• 5

  Cut the end of the caulking tube with a pair of scissors. This will open the end of the caulk. You should be able to look down the pointed end of the caulk and see the solution inside. Cut enough away from the tube that the hole left behind is no bigger than 1/8 of an inch in diameter.

• 6

  Insert the tube of caulk into the caulk gun. Tighten the handle so it is inside the end of the caulk tube.

• 7

  Insert the pointed end of the tube into the hole between the window and the wall.

• 8

  Squeeze the "trigger" on the caulk gun to release the sealant into the hole.

• 9

  Push excess caulk into the hole with your finger.

• 10

  Remove the tape from around the window. Do not wait until the caulk has dried.

• 11

  Smooth the caulk with the putty knife or a caulking tool.

The Installation of a Marine Solar Panel

When you decide to use a solar panel to help keep your boat's batteries charged, you will receive a certain amount of applause from those who think your environmentalism is laudable, and who do not have to help you install the panel. Accept their applause graciously and never tell them how you did it. The project is straightforward, requiring only that you have a basic knowledge of soldering wires together and managing a wrench.

• 1

  Unpack the solar panel kit. Loosen the nuts on the clamps and remove one of the two nuts and bolts that hold the halves of each of the clamps together. Set the solar panel mounting frame in the location where you wish to mount the panel, with the clamps wrapped around the component of the vessel to which you plan to clamp the solar panel.

• 2

  Insert the bolts you removed from the clamps back into the clamps and thread the nuts onto the bolts. Tighten the nuts with a wrench.

• 3

  Slide the solar panel into the mounting frame. Thread the screws provided through the mounting frame and into the mounting holes on the edges of the panel. Tighten the screws with a screwdriver.

• 4

  Use a pliers-type crimper to crimp a ring terminal for a 3/8-inch post to one end stranded copper wire of the same gauge as the solar panel's positive wire. Solder an inline fuse to the other end of the wire with a soldering iron and silver-bearing rosin core solder. Solder the other end of the inline fuse to one leg of a Schottky diode of the appropriate voltage and amp rating. Solder the remaining leg of the diode to the solar panel's red (positive) wire.

• 5

  Crimp a 5/16-inch ring terminal to the end of the black (negative) wire of the solar panel. Remove the 3/8-inch nut from the positive post of your battery, set the ring terminal of the red wire over the post and thread the nut back onto the post. Tighten the nut with a wrench.

• 6

  Remove the 5/16-inch nut from the negative post of your battery, set the ring terminal of the black wire over the post and thread the nut back onto the post. Tighten the nut with a wrench.

Information on Vanguard Laser 4.7 Sailboats

LaserPerformance sailboats, formerly Vanguard sailboats, build the laser series sailboats. These sailboats all have the same hull dimensions. The laser designers decided with a one-boat design; it is the sailor and his skills that win races, not the boat design.

Hull Dimensions

• The hull's length is 13 feet 10 inches, the beam is 4 feet 6 inches and the draft is 2 feet 7 inches. The hull weighs 130 lbs. It can carry one to two people. The ideal cargo weight is 100 to 120 lbs.

Sail Dimensions

• The Laser 4.7 sail dimensions are 50.59 square feet. This is the equivalent of 4.7 square meters and the source of its name.

Interchangeable Sails

• The Laser 4.7 sail can be removed and replaced with the Laser 5.7 square meter sail or the 7 square meter sail. As sailors grow in size, a larger sail can be added without buying a new boat. For youngsters, the Laser 7's larger sail area cannot be managed as well as the 4.7.

How to Set the Hook in Saltwater Tuna Fishing

Proper line, hook and bait preparation is required to set the hook properly in saltwater tuna fishing. The fish actually set the hook themselves if the bait is on the hook properly, so the most skill is required when keeping the fish on the line while reeling it towards the boat.

• 1

  Set your line up by attaching the monofilament line leader to the hook using a nonslip mono-loop knot (see Resource 1 for mono-loop knot instructions). Then, attach the fishing line one fathom, or six feet, above the monofilament line using the mono-loop knot. To prepare for baiting the hook, make sure that you have your fishing line coming from your rod and reel and attached to the monofilament leader, and that your monofilament leader is attached to your hook.

• 2

  Bait the hook by putting it through the mouth of the butterfish and out the gill, then bury it within the body of the bait by sticking it through the stomach of the fish. Pull the monofilament line taught against the bait so that the line is coming out of the bait's mouth.

• 3

  Lower your line 40 to 250 feet below the surface of the water, depending on how deep the water is in the area you are fishing. Tuna can be found up to 300 feet beneath the water's surface, so if the water is 100 feet deep, for example, keep your line between 40 and 70 feet. If the water is 500 feet deep, keep your line between 100 and 250 feet. Set the reel to the desired depth, set the reel clicker on and set the level of drag to light.

• 4

  Wait. When a tuna strikes, you will hear a loud zing that comes from your line being rapidly pulled away from the reel. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes to reel the tuna in, and its important to keep the line taught at all times by constantly reeling in the line. The tuna will set the hook on its own when it bites the butterfish; its mouth will become hooked or it will swallow the hook completely when it tries to eat the bait. At least two people on the boat are needed to help to secure the tuna with gaff poles and haul it onto the boat.