Advertisement

Ask Sail

Ask SAIL: Lowering the Gooseneck

My boat is a 1974 C&C 30 with a gooseneck fitting that is set very low on the mast. What would you think of raising the gooseneck 12 inches? As it is, it isn’t possible to use a conventional boom vang, and fitting a dodger under the boom is out of the question

Ask SAIL: Cabin Insulation

I would like to add some insulation to the cabin sidewalls, because we sail in Maine, where it often gets chilly. Is there a way to do this without developing a future mold problem?

Ask SAIL: Bad Plug?

Do marine electronic plugs just go bad on their own? I have a GPS chartplotter that sometimes go off intermittently until I reach back and wiggle a certain multi-pin plug connection.

Ask SAIL: Repainting Fiberglass

 I have a 1972 Cal 2-29. The interior fiberglass was evidently painted at the factory. Now, however, large pieces of paint are peeling off everywhere. I have found a solution for removing the old paint by first scraping and then using a combination of peel-and-strip paper with some orange citrus Home Depot paint remover.

Ask SAIL: Thumb Trick Test Coax

I am doing a retrofit on my old CRT radar to a new Garmin LCD radar system. All my wiring is replaced, except for a spaghetti-sized coax cable that was original

Ask SAIL: Boom Pocket Configuration

I’m planning on replacing the mainsail on our 1994 Catalina 320 with a loose-footed cruising sail, using a two-line Dutchman rig. One loft is recommending that the Dutchman boom pockets be fitted with a bolt rope

Ask SAIL: Saildrive Conundrum

 My 35ft Cooper 353 sloop, Rhumb Line, has a Volvo MD2030 saildrive. The zinc between the saildrive and three-bladed folding Volvo-supplied propeller comes loose and rotates on the shaft.

Ask SAIL: Teak Deck Removal

We are removing the teak deck from a 1972 Swan 43. We will not be putting any teak back on and will be looking to apply nonskid and paint. I have taken all the fixtures off and removed all the old teak.

Ask Sail: Not so Sweet Sounds

My newly installed stereo system works great out on the water until I turn on the autopilot. Then every time the pilot makes a course correction, I hear a grinding noise on the stereo, at any volume level. Is there a cure?

Ask Sail: Soot or Something Else?

There is a soot-like buildup on the face of the alternator on my diesel engine. I have not noticed any fumes or exhaust leakage in the engine compartment.

Kasper07-copy-(1)

Gear: GOST Kasper

From the security experts at GOST (Global Ocean Security Technologies) comes a new security tracker for small boats and dinghies.  You can think of Kasper

lydia-DSC06029-02-2048x

From the Editor: Here We Go Again

I’m about to set out on what could be my greatest adventure yet: My first transatlantic crossing. A group of young climate advocates are trying

Photo Courtesy of Linda Crew-Gee

Blue Water Medal Awarded to Pete Hill

The Cruising Club of America has announced its 2025 awardees. The highest honor, the Blue Water Medal for “exceptional seamanship and adventure by amateur sailors,”

Advertisement
Advertisement