Ask Sail: I have installed a shaft-saver coupling on the prop shaft on my sailboat and have realized the shaft is now isolated from the ground. Is this a good thing, or should I put a grounding strap on the coupling?
I sail an S2 8.7 with a Yanmar 2GM engine. When sailing, should the prop be locked or should I let it freewheel? If I should lock it, is it better to put the transmission in forward or reverse?
My question is this: what effect will diesel have on the blue desiccant beads in the H2Out? Is there some change I should make to the air vent?
When I turned on my recently installed chartplotter, I got a “low voltage” message. Using a digital voltmeter, I measured 9.7 volts at the circuit breaker on the load side. Voltage on the battery side was 12.5 volts.
I have a 1984 Vandestadt & McGruer Siren. She’s in excellent shape but for the galvanized swing keel.
Steph Lakner of Annapolis, Maryland, asks:”I have a Westerbeke engine (circa 1987) on a Cal 28. The engine overheats (to 210-215 F) after about 20 minutes running at full rpm. The impeller is fine, but water flow is reduced beyond the heat exchanger. I have found no obstructions (broken vanes, etc). I brought the heat exchanger home and cleaned it with vinegar. It was
The Optimist may be the most successful class in history. Thousands of kids around the world have cut their teeth sailing and racing Optis since the boat first appeared in 1952, but is that it? Must young sailors start out in a square boat thats not too durable, not self-bailing, and needs fixed buoyancy bags? Yes, the Opti has earned its place by sheer force of numbers, and its going to take a
In addition to the Santa Cruz 37, several performance/racing designs (King 40, A35 and A40 from Archambault, Andrews 28, and the Melges 20) debuted this year, and a case can be made for each design in this category. But the Santa Cruz 37 ended up narrowly edging out the others because its hit the sweet spot between racing performance, accommodations, and trailerability. For starters, the boat is
Octobers Annapolis Boat Show opened as Wall Street experienced one of the biggest sell-offs in history. With the scary economic news, it was easy to think that many people would put off investing in a new boat. That idea went out the window as VIP Thursday appeared to be more crowded than ever. Instead of panicking, sailors seemed to be turning to sailing, much as they did after 9/11as a
Bill Schultz of Bay City, Michigan, asks:”I am installing a 24-volt battery bank in the bow of my 40-foot sailboat to power a bow thruster. Do I need to run a grounding wire to my engine block? Or can I use an alternative grounding site? What size wire do I need?”Nigel Calder replies:Technically, if the bow thruster has a case ground
Six sailors have been selected as 2026 inductees to the National Sailing Hall of Fame for their achievements, leadership, and enduring impact on the sport
Editor’s note—This is the second installment of a story that began in the March 2026 issue.Click here for part one. I’m dimly aware of the
In tomorrow’s e-newsletter, we conclude the story of my transatlantic crossing with the Women Wave Project. For part one, click here. In retrospect, the whole crossing
You’ve probably seen the clips online. During the first day of racing in SailGP’s New Zealand series, the worst crash in the league’s six seasons
Log the Glass These days with weather forecasts available wherever there is WiFi, it doesn’t do to forget the old ways. Last season I was
This weekend saw the fourth annual Northeast Ocean Racing Symposium (NORS), held at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts. The day of technical lectures and networking
Contributing Editor Christopher Birch’s much anticipated book The Four Seasons of Boat Maintenance is out now. Billed as “the maintenance manual that should have come
On March 1, the U.S. SailGP Team shook up the Grand Prix series and won the Sydney Sail Grand Prix, marking their first victory since
Lessons learned by others are a great guide when putting together a vacation to remember.
After being the Chief Designer at Tartan Yachts for 48 years, Tim Jackett has found a new home with Niche Watercraft. The company has announced
