Larry Barth of Columbia, South Carolina, asks:”For some reason the metal fuel tank feeding the Fischer Panda genset on my Hunter 41 now contains some water and other debris. How should I clean the tank? Would I be better off replacing the fuel tank with one made of plastic? Also, there is still about 10 gallons of diesel in the tank. How do I filter the fuel so I can use
John Green of Kemah, Texas, asks:”Many sailboats in my marina have grouper or guppy anodes that dangle in the water on a wire clamped to a shroud or backstay. Ive asked a number of owners why they are doing this, and their answers range from grounding the standing rigging, to preventing galvanic corrosion of the rigging, to helping lightning find a route to the water
Ben Hathaway of Coos Bay, Oregon, asks:”My boats VHF and SSB both have the same Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) number. Ive recently purchased a new marine VHF handheld with DSC capability. Should this new handheld have the same, or a different MMSI number?” Gordon West replies:This is a great question, and its one that is
David Kampenga of Houston, Texas, asks:”Im thinking about converting my Hunter to an electric motor propulsion system, which would involve installing a 6kW 48VDC motor. I would like to keep the fixed two-blade prop thats on the boat. I would also like to retain the existing gear reduction, which is 2.14:1. I dont quite understand the reduction gearing and am curious how
Mark Gagyi of Vermilion, Ohio, asks:”Last year I converted from a manual to an electric windlass and replaced the rode. Now I wish I had more chain. Is it is safe to weld some more chain on to what I now have?”Don Casey replies:The answer is no and the reason is that the welds in every link of an anchor chain must be stronger than the rod
Joanne Rideout of Astoria, Oregon, asks: “I’m a new crewmember racing on an Olson 30 and one of the jobs I’ve been assigned is going on the foredeck to skirt the genoa when we tack. I’ve nearly fallen overboard a couple of times trying to get the sail inside the lifeline after it gets caught outside. What’s the best way to skirt a genoa when it gets stuck? Also, how do I
Jack Fyfe of Westerly, Rhode Island, asks:”Ive really enjoyed reading about Nigel Calders solar projects, because I am getting two 24-volt Sanyo 205 watt panels and two Morningstar MPPT controllers. Im using AWG 2/10 wire for the 25foot run from the dodger where the panels are located to the battery switch. I wonder whether connecting the charge controllers to the
John Manzano of Charlottesville, Virginia, asks:”I am planning to install a copper grounding plate on the hull of my Pearson 365 for lightning protection, but Im not sure how to connect the mast and shrouds to that plate. The boat has no keelbolts. Do I drill a hole through the hull, and if so how big should the hole be? What should I use to seal the hole?”
David Stiller of Miami, Florida, asks:”Im getting a new Standard Horizon GX2100 marine VHF with integrated AIS receivers, and Im curious whether it will work with my Shakespeare masthead antenna?”Gordon West replies:AIS frequencies are 4.6 MHz higher than normal VHF ship-to-ship channels. However, Ive done some tests, and Don Henry at
David von Fruke of Ssen, Minnesota, asks: “Last year I purchased a 202 ft2 asymmetrical spinnaker for my Hunter 170 along with a sock for dousing the sail. My goal is to set the spinnaker singlehanded, and while I can manage it, I do have trouble raising and lowering the sail. I have been thinking about putting the spinnaker on a roller furler. What do you
Doubting his choices one chilly day, a sailor wonders whether he’ll have to make changes.
Catching and prepping your own dinner while underway is one of those one of a kind cruiser experiences. The process gets a whole lot better with the right gear.
In her first Marion-Bermuda Race as skipper of a Navy 44, Nancy Rhodes and her team of U.S. Naval Academy midshipmen aboard Integrity stuck to their strategy—even when things looked grim—and walked away with bragging rights and an armful of silver.
In addition to having the trophy for fastest circumnavigation named after him, what other Junes Verne reference might be found in the modern sailor’s vocabulary?A)
Managing Editor Lydia Mullan sits down with the winningest navigator in Transpac history for a breakdown of what this year’s fleet can expect.
By Tim Queeney (304pp, St. Martin’s Press, $27.00) In ancient times man responded to the urgent need for food, transportation, and trade by building all
The Marion-Bermuda Race wrapped up yesterday after a slow approach to the finish, but it certainly wasn’t a drifter for the whole way. The first
48 years after the first Marion-Bermuda race, 20 boats competed in this summer’s event, including the J42 Dianthus, on which SAIL Editor in Chief Wendy Mitman Clarke and crew won the Class A division.
Winning scores of races or cruising thousands of miles, their 34 years with a Cal 40 has always been about great sailing.
Four Seas has announced a new folding inflatable RIB, the Fore Runner, designed for convenience, durability, and a few adventures of its own.
