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
Im a real fan of downwind sails because they add a lot of speed and fun. On my 40-footer I carry a 1.5-ounce symmetric spinnaker in a sock, a 75-ounce asymmetric, also in a sock, that I set on a collar around the headstay, and a 2.2-ounce Code 0 that I have mounted on a Harken furler. I use the symmetric when I have a good crew but leave it ashore when Im sailing shorthanded. The Code 0 is
This really is an excellent new marine-electronics network protocol. So why isnt the industry getting behind it? It was almost two years ago that I first got out on the water with an NMEA 2000 navigation network and, though the trial rig looked a bit funky (see above), I became a believer. I was bowled over by how easy it was to screw together a multi-manufacturer system of
Sailors have been tying knots for millennia, and no doubt innovators have been trying just as long to invent both stronger rope and better knots. Yet the basic problem still remains: Every rope is weakened when its fibers are bent. Loading a knot with a large amount of weight creates a sheer force on the fibers; given enough force, the fibers break and the rope fails. Todays
This wasnt the first VHF call I had taken from someone seeking advice for an onboard problem, and the caller was clearly distraught. He had accidentally filled his diesel tank with fresh water. To make matters worse, when he tried to start the engine, fresh water had been sucked through the fuel system. Always interested in a challenge, I went over to his boat. Together we fixed the problem
As you get older, you usually discover its a little harder to climb on and off a boat. At least, thats whats happened to me. Attempting to improve my lot, I tried out several commercially available boarding steps. Some had good features, but I wasnt really happy with any of them. Then one day Vince and Dianne Purcell stopped by aboard Finn MacCool, their classic Bill Trippdesigned
As part of a major refit of our BoatWorks Bailout boat, a 1983 Ericson 34, we installed an up-to-the-minute electronics package. It was easier than expected.By Mark CorkeInstalling a new pedestal from Edson gave us space for a number of instruments, with the C80 display taking center stage. The C80 acts as a chartplotter, radar display, and, with optional modules, can be
As part of a major refit of our BoatWorks Bailout boat, a 1983 Ericson 34, we installed an up-to-the-minute electronics package. It was easier than expected.By Mark CorkeInstalling a new pedestal from Edson gave us space for a number of instruments, with the C80 display taking center stage. The C80 acts as a chartplotter, radar display, and, with optional modules, can be
As part of a major refit of our BoatWorks Bailout boat, a 1983 Ericson 34, we installed an up-to-the-minute electronics package. It was easier than expected.By Mark CorkeInstalling a new pedestal from Edson gave us space for a number of instruments, with the C80 display taking center stage. The C80 acts as a chartplotter, radar display, and, with optional modules, can be
Sahula rests at anchor just offshore of a deserted sandy islet and a comfortable swimming distance inshore of a fish-laden coral reef. Not another soul
While vacationing in West Cork, Ireland, in August, one of my goals was to spend some time sailing with Don Street. It says a lot
The sailing sisterhood was out in force on Labor Day weekend in Annapolis for the second Fleet 3 J/105 Women’s Regatta. Host Sailing Club of
Elan Yachts has created the second model in its cruising Impression line with an eye to the ultimate voyaging boat, with comfort, ease of use,
For those of us on smaller boats, it’s always a challenge to figure out how and where to place enough solar panels to power our
It’s about a two-block bike ride from Bill Pinkney’s house in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, to the marina where a 44-foot Norseman catamaran is moored. He
When talking shop among sailors or reading about safety at sea, ventilation is not a topic that comes up much. Evidently it’s secondary to things
Beneteau’s new 37-footer is the latest in the seventh generation of the French builder’s Oceanis line, which began in 1986. It updates the popular 38.1,
I had been at the U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis for a couple of days when I took a brief break from the 50-footers and
Steve Earley doesn’t sail like you and me. Example: One night, he and his 17-foot open boat, Spartina, were anchored in a cove near Crab
