As part of my hybrid propulsion research I have been looking carefully at large-capacity litihum-ion batteries as a possible energy source on modern cruising sailboats. Lithium-ion batteries are common in cell phones and laptops, but they are rarely used in higher capacity applications. This may rapidly change, because the hybrid automotive and electric vehicle markets are in desperate need of
Jim Ballantine of Charleston, S. Carolina, asks: ’ve installed new adjustable cars for my genoa aboard my 39-foot sloop. But now that I have them, I’m not sure what adjustments I should make to the cars when sailing in different wind conditions. I do know that whenever I reef down the headsail I should move the cars forward. But I’m not sure what other adjustments to make
David Watkins of Parrish, Florida, asks:”I have a 15-year-old fiberglass boat that I bought new. It has spent most of its life either in Florida or the Caribbean and has suffered severe exposure to the sun. There is surface crazing or cracking on the deck, coach roof, and upper topsides. These are not stress cracks, but they are widespread. Do you have some thoughts on
Jack Hammond of North Carolina, asks:”Reception was good on my analog TV using a Shakespeare SeaWatch 2025 amplified omni-directional masthead antenna. But Ive been told the new digital converter box wont work with this antenna and that I should get a new TV. Is this right?”Gordon West replies:The antenna is fine but make sure the converter
The Government Accountability Offices report last week on the parlous state of the Global Positioning Satellite system should set alarm bells ringing. When a body like the GAO warns that the GPS system is in crisis, all of us not just sailors need to take notice. GPS technology is so omnipresent in modern life that few areas of transportation remain unaffected by it.The GAO report
Henry Buckminster, of Seattle, Washington, asks: “My 35-foot 7⁄8 rig sloop has a 135 percent roller-furling jib, and once the wind starts blowing over about 12–14 knots I want to take a reef. But I’m not sure whether I should reef the mainsail or the headsail first. Are there any reefing rules when going to windward, and does the protocol stay the same when I am running off
“Reception was good on my analog TV using a Shakespeare SeaWatch 2025 amplified omni-directional masthead antenna. But Ive been told the new digital converter box wont work with this antenna and that I should get a new TV. Is this right?”– Jack Hammond, North CarolinaGordon West replies: The antenna is fine but make sure the converter box is on the TV
David Worden of Kemah, Texas, asks:”Im thinking of buying an older Cheoy Lee pilothouse 32-footer with sections of teak deck on either side of the pilothouse that flexes when I walk on them. I can see signs of water damage when I look up from below. Do you have an opinion on the best way to repair the deck?Could I cut the fiberglass skin out from belowdecks and
Michel Bouffard, of Sept-Iles, Quebec, Canada, asks:”Im installing a 75-Watt solar panel and an AirBreeze 200 wind generator on my Hunter Legend 35.5. I have two 12-volt deep-cycle batteries, one starting battery, one combiner and a Perko (Off-1-Both-2) battery switch. Im planning to use the solar panel and wind generator when I am sailing, but I also want my starting
Black clouds bearing cold rain showers are racing across the sky. The VHF radio is broadcasting gale warnings. This is not the day to be testing propellers, but nevertheless we are headed out of a marina near Aarhus, in Denmark, on a Bavaria 42 equipped with a Gori three-bladed folding propeller.The three- and four-bladed Goris are unique in the propeller world. They look much like any
Jeanneau brings a catamaran design brief to the monohull market with the new Jeanneau Yachts 55. The cockpit layout is unconventional, with twin helms moved
The Jeanneau Yachts 55 has an intriguing layout both below and on deck, including unique gull-wing doors to separate guest cabins, a luxurious owner’s suite
For more multihull reviews and stories, subscribe for free to Multihull Power & Sail at sailmagazine.com/multihull The Paris 2024 Olympics are right around the corner,
Cruising sailors headed for the Bahamas may want to take note of a Seven Seas Cruising Association (SSCA) rally that culminates with the third annual
The ubiquity of smartphones means we all have a powerful tool for protecting the environment right in our pockets—if we stock them with the right
The new HH44 a luxury, high-performance cat for cruising families and couples sailing long distance with a focus on alternative energy. Construction is a carbon-reinforced,
For more multihull reviews and stories, subscribe for free to Multihull Power & Sail at sailmagazine.com/multihull With heavy backpacks and our hands laden with as
Oct. 5/2023: I wrote a tongue-in-cheek post about the orcas-messing-with-boats phenomenon back when the first incidents off Spain and Portugal were reported three years ago.
Seawind Catamarans owner and CEO Richard Ward started building cats in Australia in 1982 and over the years became that country’s largest multihull builder. Now
Built for ocean or coastal cruising for a couple, the new 39-foot Seawind 1170 combines an updated hull design with proven interior layout characteristics that
