After years of dealing with the 40-year-old track on the mast of his Allied Seabreeze 35, SAIL’s Andrew Howe installs a track and slide system from Tides Marine. Although the project sounds complicated, it proved to be a surprisingly straightforward one, and the results are more than worth the effort. The key is to take your time, follow the
For several years we sailed our 34ft sloop without feeling the need for a windlass. The weight of the ground tacklea 22-pound Delta anchor, 70 feet of 5/16in hi-test chain and 200 feet of nylon rodewas seldom an issue in the shallow anchorages we tend to frequent. But Ive been involved in enough anchoring dramas to know that for more ambitious cruising, an electric windlass
For several years we sailed our 34ft sloop without feeling the need for a windlass. The weight of the ground tacklea 22-pound Delta anchor, 70 feet of 5/16in hi-test chain and 200 feet of nylon rodewas seldom an issue in the shallow anchorages we tend to frequent. But Ive been involved in enough anchoring dramas to know that for more ambitious cruising, an electric windlass
When your boat spends the winter on the hard, relaunching in the spring will go easier, and perhaps happen sooner, if you tackle a few of your pre-launch tasks during the fall and winter months. Some of these are jobs you might otherwise neglect or skip in the rush to launch. And the nice part is you get to mess about doing boat things during the off-season.
Ron Hall of Aberdeen, Maryland, asks:”My radar antenna is currently on a pedestal at the transom. If I mount it instead way up on the front of my mast, will its range be dramatically improved? Also, will the mast interfere with target detection directly behind the antenna?”Gordon West replies:The radar range horizon for a pedestal-mounted
Bob Meier of Mount Vernon, Ohio, asks:”I need to repair an 80-gal fiberglass water tank that is leaking. What food-grade material would you recommend for this purpose? Id like to use an inert substance that will seal the tank and reinforce the weak area without contaminating my drinking water.”Don Casey replies:There are plenty of food-grade
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
Richard Roach of Youngstown, Ohio, asks: “I have a 1988 Freedom 30 with an unstayed carbon-fiber mast. What risk do I run of harming my mast if I fly a small full-hoist drifter or asymmetric spinnaker? I occasionally attach the tack of my lightweight genoa to the bow pulpit (where the spinnaker pole is normally mounted in a canister designed to hold it) and hoist it
In 1982, I mounted four ARCO Solar M-55 monocrystalline panels to a stainless steel frame above the dodger on my Ericson 41 sloop, Wind Shadow. On sunny days during the hours closest to noon, my amp meter indicated an 8 to 10 amp charge. Before and after the midday feast, the flow tapered to 2 to 6 amps.
I was sailing solo to Bermuda one year when the weather turned wicked. The wind and waves kept building, until finally I lay ahull with the sails furled. Knockout blows from the steep seas pounded my Westsail 32, Antares. When at last the storm blew over I found both halyards were loose and had wrapped around the masthead in a huge tangle. I had no choice but to climb. Going aloft in a
Dufour 44 The latest from Dufour continues the French builder’s move toward refining its performance cruising chops under the guidance of naval architect Umberto Felci,
Prevailing WindBy Thomas DolbyArchway Publishing, hardcover $39.99 When he was a youngster, Thomas Dolby received a book by Beken of Cowes, and the oversized black-and-white
It’s hard to impress in a town with Newport’s yacht racing pedigree, but the fourth Safe Harbor Race Weekend brought something for everyone.
The new Xquisite 30 Sportcat looked like a drag racer, tugging at her dock lines at the Annapolis sailboat show. At 30 feet, she was
The two-time Race to Alaska winner and Sail Like a Girl founder navigates multiple sclerosis.
You might say I learned to sail on my family’s 32-foot Pearson Vanguard. But my most memorable lessons came after we dropped anchor, when my
Every year the editors at SAIL pull together our most up-to-date reviews of the new boats out so far this year, a quick look at
The first day of any charter means a mountain of responsibilities for the skipper and extended periods of hurry-up-and-wait for the rest of the crew.
Nestled on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, Annapolis has long been a pilgrimage site for sailors. Dubbed America’s Sailing Capital, the city’s narrow streets
Jamie Brown had always nurtured a dream of sailing a transatlantic. He thought he’d have to wait until he retired, and then he’d spend ages
