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Know-How

Beat the Barnacles

by Peter Nielsen, Posted May 16, 2012
Do you antifoul your propeller? Looking around the yard where we keep our project boat, Ostara, the consensus seemed to be “no”. Most propellers showed the telltale signs of barnacle infestation, as indeed did our three-bladed Gori folding prop.

Know Your Rudder

by Don Casey, Posted April 10, 2012
After hull integrity, rudder integrity is the most vital component of a seaworthy vessel, yet most sailors pay more attention to LED lighting or smartphone apps than they do to their boat’s rudder. Before you shrug off rudder failure as a remote concern, consider that the incidence of mid-ocean rudder failures is close to 1 percent.

Seven Essential Knots for Sailors

by Jeff Werner, Posted April 1, 2013
If you didn’t learn knots when you were young, you can still master them quickly. The key is to learn what a given knot should look like when completed, then practice tying it until you can do it with your eyes closed.

Fuel Consumption: Tug Vs. Cruiser

by Nigel Calder, Posted February 15, 2013
A dinosaur of an engine that is over 70 years old can push a much larger boat than ours, weighing eight times as much, at similar speeds with more-or-less the same fuel consumption!

Convert Your Sloop to a Double-Headsail Rig

by Joe Cooper, Posted January 23, 2013
Most boats today have a single permanently hoisted headsail with a roller-reefing unit on the headstay. This arrangement works well, but becomes problematic when there is more wind than the sail on the furler can handle.

Sails and Sailhandling Systems

by Sail Staff, Posted January 11, 2013
Six experts weigh in on the best ways to improve a boat’s sails and sailhandling systems.

Cetol—An Alternative to Varnish

by Pip Hurn, Posted October 31, 2012
Not so long ago, boat owners would recoil in horror at the mention of Cetol. It was a product used by amateurs who didn’t know any better and the result was an orange coating that dulled quickly and did nothing to enhance the grain of any wood.

Diesel Injector Surgery

by Clark Beek, Posted September 20, 2012
Servicing fuel injectors on a diesel engine is something most any boat owner can accomplish with a few basic tools. The job is especially easy because it really just involves getting the injectors out and sending them to a diesel shop.

Power on the Move

by Adam Cort, Posted July 10, 2012
After proving itself in a number of offshore races, including last year’s Transat Jacques Vabre, the Watt&Sea hydrogenerator is now available in a cruising version.

Make that RIB Sparkle!

by Adam Cort, Posted August 23, 2012
Give your poor abused RIB the makeover it deserves with the environmentally friendly RIB Clean & Shine Kit from Ensearch.
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