My brother was hanging upside down, peering through a 9-inch square cutout in a bulkhead at the raw-water pump housing on his 3-cylinder Yanmar marine diesel. How the heck do you get the impeller out of there? he asked me.This is a very good question. Removing an impeller is something that should be done on a regular basis; Yanmar recommends replacing the impeller on this particular
“The mainsheet traveler on my boat is mounted on a bridgedeck at the forward end of the cockpit with the mainsheet itself running through a six-part tackle from the traveler up to the end of the boom. The mainsail is about 350 square feet. I’d like to run the mainsheet back to a winch near the helm. How should I proceed?” — Robert Elder , New York, New York Win
How much VHF signal strength will I lose if I put a coaxial cable disconnect assembly at the base of my mast? I want to eliminate the hassle of having to pull out the cable every time I step or unstep the mast, and this seems like a good solution.– Dennis Thompson , Annapolis, MarylandGordon West replies : If you can be sure the coax disconnect assembly
“Ive taken out the cabin liner on my 1984 Beneteau 35 and have wire-brushed the glass surface underneath and painted it with EZPoxy. I now want to line the side walls with cedar paneling. How would you prep the painted glass surface, and what adhesive do you recommend?”– Charlie Wetherill , Bayfield, WisconsinDon Casey replies : Many lockers that contain
“Ive had my boat, which has a Volvo Penta saildrive engine, for eight years. For the first six years, when I hauled the boat for annual maintenance I found the zinc anode on the saildrive was slightly eroded but was still firmly attached. I changed the zinc annually.However, when I hauled the boat two years ago, I found the anode was loose and the erosion had occurred primarily around the
“We love to sail our older Hunter 34 and want to upgrade the navigation setup at the helm. Wed like to add a wind indicator and combine our existing speed and depth displays in a single unit, using the existing sensors if we can. We cruise on Lake Michigan and rarely leave the Wisconsin coast. Is there an economical solution for us, and can the new instruments talk to our laptop?”– Peter
Honda Marines full line of current production models can meet the rigorous emissions standards set forth by a new EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) standard introduced Thursday, according to a company announcement.”The EPA’s new exhaust standards are based on those currently set forth by California Air Resources Board (CARB) 2008 marine regulations,” said John Fulcher, senior manager,
Carry the spares that keep critical systems runningBy Don CaseyOur multi-year cruise was still mostly in front of us when our Yanmar diesel engine uncharacteristically refused to answer my call for more revolutions. We reached our next port on reduced rpm, and the following morning the engine would start, but not keep running. When an otherwise mechanically sound
Thinking hard about the little things increases efficiencyBy Rob LuceyMost production galleys are fine for a weekend cruise, but if youre thinking about a longer time frame for the galleys useextended cruising or living aboardany shortcomings will quickly become apparent. Fortunately, you dont have to settle for what you are given. For example, my wife and I
Recently, a sailmaker called to inquire about upgrading the backstay system on his clients mid-1980s 34-foot masthead-rigged sloop. The client was buying a slightly larger headsail that could cover a broader spectrum of wind ranges and thought that the standard backstay and turnbuckle just werent up to the task. The working range of the turnbuckle was 2 to 3 inches of length, and the time
Back in the 1960s, the ornithologist Roger Tory Peterson was watching a tragedy unfold in and near Great Island saltmarsh, where the Connecticut River enters
It has been more than three weeks since Jacqueline Lawson last heard from her husband, Donald Lawson, aboard the ORMA 60 trimaran Defiant, which he
Are you happy with your boat? Few of us are, at least not 100%. There’s always something that could be improved or altered. There are
It’s really not fair. That’s what I was thinking perched on the weather rail of the Italia Yachts 14.98 Artemis while beating up Eastern Bay
I must admit, I cracked. The last voice shouting mansplanations at me about how to work the bow thruster that we didn’t have was the
Applications for The Magenta Project’s mentorship program are now open for the 2023-2024 cycle. This program aims to improve diversity and in particular support women
When the first gun sounds at the E Scow National Championship regatta this September, more than 100 boats are expected to be on the line
Xquisite catamarans are well known as comfortable, well-built long-distance cruising cats, with all of the luxury and accouterments one would expect—the antithesis, in other words,
The 50th edition of the Rolex Fastnet race was one to remember, with extreme conditions wiping out a quarter of the fleet before tapering off
This column is usually about seamanship, a technical look at things to make us better sailors. But how does history play a part in that?
