Ben Cantor of New Bedford, Massachusetts, asks: “I’ve been cruising on a 1973 Pearson 36 for the past 10 years, and this year I plan to splurge and buy all new sails and running rigging. I expect I will order high-quality Dacron sails. I’ve read a lot about high-modulus line and would like to try it out, but I wonder if it is worthwhile using it on a cruising boat. I like
Ben Hatheway of Coos Bay, Oregon, asks:”The VHF and SSB radios on my boat share the same Maritime Mobile Service Identity number. I recently purchased a new marine VHF handheld with DSC capability, and Im wondering if my new handheld, which is sometimes off the boat, should have a different MMSI number.”Gordon West replies:This very
As a marine electrician Ive found that in-line fuse holders are the most common cause of problems I encounter with modern electronics equipment. Quality marine electronics are generally very reliable, as long as their electrical connections are sound and there is no voltage drop in the ships power supply. Unfortunately, all electronic devices come from the factory with in-line fuse holders on
Anyone who has played with electrical gear for any length of time is familiar with the distinctive smell of burned windings. Unfortunately, this smell, wafting out of engine rooms from fried alternators, may soon become familiar to a much wider audience. Why might alternators, generally known for their reliability, become more likely to fail in the next few years?The answer lies in
There are times when we find exactly what we arent looking for, and this was one of them.I was tired of technology and wanted to write a sailing story about the good old days, when a Windex was high-tech and real navigators dealt with celestial fixes and high-anxiety uncertainty. What better place to look for such things than at the annual Annapolis Classic Wooden Boat
A. As you come alongside, its often the top of a hard tenders gunwale that damages the bigger boats gelcoat.B. The top edge of the gunwale can be padded with a purpose-made canvas-covered fender strip.C. Some people fit old industrial hose, as shown here; others pad the void and remove the cover if its too
Not long ago I was bemoaning the fact that so many boatbuilders are still using highly inefficient incandescent and halogen lights, even though fluorescent lights have long been available and LEDs are now viable for most marine lighting applications. Since then, Neil Harrison, a reader from the UK, has pointed out that the next revolution in lighting may already be on the horizonOrganic
As I knelt beside the open cockpit locker of my 36-foot Pearson cutter Sonata, I could hear the gentle whir of my freshwater pump. It didnt sound normal. I reached down and felt the pump housing. The pump was in constant-cycle mode and running hot. It could pump until it burned out and still fail to pressurize the freshwater system I thought I had just finished
John A. Moore of Punta Gorda, Florida, asks:”Is it true that putting portable electronics like GPS receivers, EPIRBs and handheld radios in the ships oven will protect their circuitry in the event of a direct lightning strike?”Gordon West replies:Your ships oven will, in fact, act like a Faraday cage, and if properly grounded, most anything
James Caven of San Diego, California, asks: “I’ve been reading some older “how-to” sailing books and one describes a technique for taking a jib or genoa sheet out to the end of the main boom when reaching. Is this worth the trouble? Is it a commonly used method today? I assume it is to open up the sheeting angle. Is there an easier way to achieve the same
Bali has announced the launch of the new Bali 5.2 just a year after the launch of the 5.8, and a first look suggests 5.2 takes lessons from her big sister and fits them skillfully into a more approachable LOA.
The Magenta Project seeks applicants for its 2025-26 mentorship program.
Cottage Park Yacht Club hits a milestone: one million dollars raised for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Perfect places to drop the hook are hard to come by. Have a few different anchoring techniques in your back pocket to make the best of it.
We recently ran a sail design trivia question about an outdated sail called the “blooper.” It stumped a good number of you who guessed that
Lydia Mullan takes the helm at SAIL Magazine, succeeding Wendy Mitman Clarke.
This past weekend we had the pleasure of being invited to the Marblehead, MA stop of our sister publication Sailing World’s national tour—the Helly Hansen
Routine summer care of your boat is as valuable as long-term maintenance. Here’s a handy schedule to follow.
A summer cruise in Maine becomes a whole new adventure when island hiking leads the way.
Toward evening on a summer’s day, there’s nothing like a quick spin around the harbor.
