In Part 1 Matt shared how he arrived at an all-in budget of US$30,000 for a starter cruiser. Now he shares his search process and reveals the boat they bought.
Matt
Colin looked at the practicality of getting a real offshore boat for US$100,000. Now Matt goes hunting for a starter cruiser at US$30,000, all in and ready to go (US15,000 buy price). Is this possible? He thinks so and is willing to throw his own money into the project to prove it.
For nearly 20 years billionaires have been promising that worldwide, fast, always on, and reasonably priced internet, that we could use anywhere on our boats, was just around the corner, but now Matt makes a convincing case that we really will see this soon, and why things are different and better this time. Most important of all, he explains what we need to do to get ready.
Drones and mast cameras, can they be useful for navigation? Matt says yes. We also want to hear about your experiences with this intriguing technology.
Tucked into the heart of North America, five hundred miles from the sea, lies one of the world’s great adventure cruising grounds. A quarter-million square kilometres of water, and seventeen thousand kilometres of coastline, call out to sailors seeking a season or two off the beaten path.
Many waterborne cruisers have thought about trying the land-based version. Matt, who has done a bunch of the later, explores the challenges and rewards.
Just what is a commercial or continuous duty rating on an engine, and should you get that? Matt starts this chapter with the reason that these ratings exist, and then moves on to how to select the correct engine duty rating for a displacement boat.
Sick of fighting with an outboard? Want to keep fit while cruising? Like to get on the water in a small fun boat? Matt has the answer.
So far in this Online Book we have learned about the fundamentals of engine and propeller efficiency and, in the last chapter, we looked at a way to make our existing engines a bit more efficient. In this chapter Matt explains a much better way to get the very most out of every drop of diesel fuel.
Matt brings his customary clarity to a complicated subject: propellers. Reading this post will cause you a bit of brain sweat, but doing so can help you get big gains in engine efficiency.
Matt explains those graphs that adorn engine brochures and manuals. Understanding these diagrams is the key to better fuel economy and less problems with your diesel engine.
Most yacht engines are horribly inefficient, but that can be fixed. Matt, AAC Engineering Correspondent, introduces the book with this chapter.
Pretty much all of us rely on GPS, but have you every wondered how the thing actually works? Matt has the answers, and they are fascinating.
Lightning strike! Just the words can make us cruising sailors, who sail around the ocean with the highest thing in hundreds of square miles sticking up above our heads, nervous. In this chapter Matt, AAC Engineering Correspondent, will help you understand how lightning strikes happen and what you can do to reduce the associated risks.
Matt examines lithium ion batteries in detail and answers the question, Should I use lithium ion batteries for the house bank on my boat?