ChecklistToolsScrewdriversWrenches Cordless drill Tube cutterMaterialsWater heater 5/8″ heavy-duty water hoseNPT fittingsFasteners, as neededAfter upgrading the mostly original fresh-water plumbing system on our 1973 Norlin 34 project boat with new hoses,
ChecklistToolsScrewdriversWrenches Cordless drill Tube cutterMaterialsWater heater 5/8″ heavy-duty water hoseNPT fittingsFasteners, as neededAfter upgrading the mostly original fresh-water plumbing system on our 1973 Norlin 34 project boat with new hoses,
Tom Gilbert of Jensen Beach, Florida, asks:”I’m about to install Wi-Fi on my boat so I can use my laptop when I’m in the harbor. I think a 14-element YAGI, such as the RL/WAVRVMAR or the RL/14ele2.4wp, would be good units I can aim, set, and receive. However, other people tell me that an omnidirectional antenna is the answer. Which is the better
Howard Lennox of Lexington Park, Maryland, asks:”I’d like to know how to inspect (for corrosion) a chainplate that is encapsulated inside a bulkhead. Are there any nondestructive tests I can perform to determine a chainplate’s condition without having to cut into the bulkhead?”Don Casey replies:When a through-the-deck chainplate begins to
Having a VHF radio on a boat is always a good idea. It allows you to communicate with other boats, marinas, and rescue services if necessary. I have two on my boat, one a handheld and the other a fixed set. Fixed sets have a maximum radiated power output of 25 watts, while handhelds normally have a maximum output of 5 watts. The more power a transmitter has, the farther its signal can travel. The
Having a VHF radio on a boat is always a good idea. It allows you to communicate with other boats, marinas, and rescue services if necessary. I have two on my boat, one a handheld and the other a fixed set. Fixed sets have a maximum radiated power output of 25 watts, while handhelds normally have a maximum output of 5 watts. The more power a transmitter has, the farther its signal can travel. The
Having a VHF radio on a boat is always a good idea. It allows you to communicate with other boats, marinas, and rescue services if necessary. I have two on my boat, one a handheld and the other a fixed set. Fixed sets have a maximum radiated power output of 25 watts, while handhelds normally have a maximum output of 5 watts. The more power a transmitter has, the farther its signal can travel. The
Bob Graveline of Bismarck, North Dakota, asks:”Last summer my 34-footer was hit by lightning when it was sitting unattended in my marina slip. The boat was plugged into shore power when it was hit, but it was not drawing power. Do you think that having a boat plugged into shore power increases, decreases, or has no effect on the chance of damage from a
Upgrading the deck gear on your boat can seriously enhance your sailing pleasure. Once youve sailed a boat set up with low-friction blocks, good rope clutches and jammers, and genoa-sheet cars that are quick and easy to adjust, its hard to go back to the creaky, friction-riddled 30- or 40-year-old deck gear that so many older boats are still saddled with.We had always planned to replace
Upgrading the deck gear on your boat can seriously enhance your sailing pleasure. Once youve sailed a boat set up with low-friction blocks, good rope clutches and jammers, and genoa-sheet cars that are quick and easy to adjust, its hard to go back to the creaky, friction-riddled 30- or 40-year-old deck gear that so many older boats are still saddled with.We had always planned to replace
One thing you can say for sure about sailboat designers and builders, they are always up for a challenge—whether that’s finding new ways to provide
French catamaran builder Lagoon has launched a new 51-footer that is an evolution of the best features of previous models combined with new additions. With
I’ve had a few different relationships with Brian Harris over the years. The first time I encountered him, back in the 1990s, he was running
Tomorrow, we sail for Greenland. Falken is parked in St. John’s, Newfoundland, along the bulkhead of the enormous fishing and commercial harbor, tucked as far
As the push for more renewable energy grows, the need for high-capacity, long-life battery storage increases. Everybody and their uncle seems to want to transition
NETGEAR’s next-gen WiFi router provides unparalleled connectivity wherever you may roam.
“Have you ever sailed on Lake Erie before?” Fred Hunger asks as he maneuvers his new Tartan 455 deckhouse sloop from the slip at the
This year’s Hospice Cup off Annapolis on September 19 saw 94 racing boats competing on three different courses, a record turnout of participants, and record
Next to sailing on a lovely beam reach or watching a sunset across an anchorage at happy hour, stories are the best things about time
Last year, we reviewed the new Hallberg-Rassy 400 and deemed it one of SAIL’s Top 10 Best Boats for 2023. Interestingly, it came to the
