For the past 30 years, lead-acid batteries have always been the principal limiting factor in the design of high-capacity DC systems for sailboats. Over the years a number of technologies have been developed that attempt to circumvent this roadblock—NiCad, nickel metal hydride (NiMH), lithium ion (LiI), fuel cells—but none has had sufficient life expectancy at a price affordable enough to be
Edited By Mark CorkeBetter Water-Tank VentJim Hancock sends us this idea from New Zealand, where he and his wife, Eleanor, cruise aboard their Freya 39, Solstice. Solstices freshwater tank vented into the bilge, so when the boat heeled, water from the tank would siphon into the bilge. Jims solution was to buy an inexpensive off-the-shelf dishwasher air gapa device that
The cockpit lockers on my 20-foot trailersailer leak because the lid destroys any seal that is attached to it. Ive resigned myself to needing a waterproof container for anything I store there, but I still have to deal with the water that has leaked in. My solution was to attach a small electric bilgepump (with a hose) to a handle. I used 1/8″ by 1″ aluminum bar stock, which is easy to
In the “Know-How” section of the March issue, Steven J. Henkind wrote about how fuel gauges operate and how you can prevent fuel-gauge errors. Here’s the mathematical formula he discussed in the story. You can also calculate the amount of fuel in a tank mathematically. For a rectangular tank, the calculation is easy: the overall volume of the tank = Length x Width x Height; if the
Most of us sailor types would rather fuss over the rigging and the sails than service that big chunk of metal in the engine room, but it’s also the case that most of us turn to the diesel in times of need, and any engine will have its time of need. Spring commissioning is such a time. It’s also true for the outboard. Here is how to be your engine’s best friend, and it comes with a tip: As you go
The diesel-electric hybrid as an auxiliary power source for sailboats has moved from the laboratory into the water. Though still in early development, it has advantages including fuel efficiency, ease of handling, responsive motor control, low sound levels, immediate-use capability, and, on some systems, power regeneration.I have a Solomon Technologies motor and a Glacier
Developed in record time and on a shoestring budget, a new design hits the bullseye of the cruising market.
This weekend’s International Multihull Show wrapped up yesterday after a landmark year, with 82 boats on display and record numbers of international attendees. First held
Souvenirs are evidence of a life well lived and uniquely documented.
Our 1979 Cheoy Lee 41, Avocet, was anchored in Morro Bay during the worst storm system the state of California had seen in two decades.
Note: This story is excerpted from SAIL Contributing Editor Christopher Birch’s upcoming book The Four Seasons of Boat Maintenance—a compendium of lessons learned during his
In the May issue, Charles Scott writes about sailing OPBs—other people’s boats—and a host of voyages that he’s been on thanks to generous invites, offers
A little know how will save you a lot of stress on passage.
The wind built faster than it was forecasted to. We ate dinner with full sail, close-reaching on a building SSW’ly breeze. Before dark we had
Sailing on a schedule is famously a recipe for disaster, but on charter you don’t have much of a choice. The adventure is what you make of it.
Francesca Clapcich has announced the onboard crew roster for the inaugural Ocean Race Atlantic. First up is Will Harris (Great Britain) who was Clapcich’s co-skipper
