Lithium batteries, Starlink, big alternators, catamaran, trimaran, or mono hull, serial hybrid, parallel hybrid, endless “review1” videos of multi million dollar boats, which anchor is best… On and on it goes. How is anyone new to cruising going to sift through all this and actually get out there? Here’s the answer: Login to continue reading […]
Some alternator regulators have the ability to vary output in relation to engine RPM, a great feature that can mitigate the risk of damage to our engine and reduce the risks in close quarters boat handling, but how do we arrive at the right settings? Here’s a step by step guide.
The little Yanmar engine in our J/109 is cursed with the basic panel with no gauges other than rpm. While I have taken a bunch of precautions against overheating, which I have written about before, I really wanted to be able to read engine temperature.
As you can imagine, I’m watching Hurricane Erin very carefully, and this morning, as is my habit, I was reading the forecast discussion when this jumped out at me: After 36 hours, there has been a notable increase in forward speed among the models when Erin becomes embedded in the mid-latitude westerlies, and the NHC […]
Still Required? Ever since we published my thought that lithium batteries had come of age, I have been pondering whether or not they have reached a point of reliability that would make me comfortable installing them on an offshore boat without the lead-acid serial backup we have recommended for years. After all, we now have […]
Out of the way, and no chafe issues.
Powering the Wakespeed WS500 Pro while configuring.
How to buy and install a real live-aboard cruiser’s alternator that will be reliable over the long term.
Displaying Wakespeed WS500 alternator regulator information on a plotter.
A full system example from Victron. It looks intimidating at first, but if we take our time and understand the basic concepts, it’s actually quite approachable—kudos to Victron. That said, it’s our responsibility to make sure that our installation is safe and conforms to the standards for the country our boat is flagged in. And […]
An analysis for any live-aboard cruiser who is considering a lifestyle that will require more than about 250 amp-hours at 12 volts (3 kWh) of electricity daily.
Ben Stein, over at Panbo, has just published a good review of the new Victron NG LiFePO4 batteries and related BMSs, well worth the time to read for most any cruiser who is even faintly interested in lithium batteries. I won’t try to duplicate the excellent job Ben has done describing what makes this new […]
Some thoughts on one of Bob Perry’s best designs and buying older cruising boats in general.
Don’t assume from this photo that I make all my tethers this way. I only use dynamic climbing rope (DCR) in low-traffic areas because of the roll-under-foot danger. More on this and much more about tether construction in the chapters linked to below. Also don’t get confused by the tools and fittings in the photo, […]
I have seen a lot of weird stuff in my day but…
Replacing the stock alternator on our engine is one of the most useful upgrades to a cruising boat but how can we make sure bigger is not too big?
We will not be publishing any Articles or Tips this week, or for most of next. My daughter has just finished her residency and is now a fully qualified board certified paediatrician and so we are off to visit her and help celebrate the culmination of 12 long years of study, exams and residency (including […]
Storm tactics differ between monohulls and multihulls, so here’s a look at each of the ways to survive a storm at sea, with the benefits and drawbacks of each depending on the number of hulls.
A breaking wave bearing down on Nehaj with JSD deployed ©Susanne Huber-Curphey, all rights reserved One of the things that makes me crazy is offshore sailors who claim that getting rolled upside down is just a risk of being out there; yeah, I’m looking at you Don McIntyre. The other, and related, thing than makes […]
Wow, does this ever hit a sore spot for me. I catch myself doing this all the time. But, worse still, I bet there are more times when I don’t even notice I have succumbed to the behaviour. Still, one of the few benefits of getting older is that time and experience has given me […]
My thoughts on the loss of Gunga Din, a well-built, but older, Sweden Yachts 41.
Whenever multihulls are discussed, capsize risk is sure to come up, but monohulls have that problem too, just for different reasons.
I have written a huge amount about hardware and techniques to reduce the risk of falling overboard, but just as important is coming up with our own usage rules.
There’s a headline to attract attention! Fender washers, or penny washers, as guys of my advanced age with British backgrounds call them1, are much beloved by us yachties. Heck, I have a bunch of them, just in case I need one…except now I know I probably never will. Login to continue reading (scroll down) Learn […]
OK, that headline was a test of how clean your mind is. If you didn’t immediately assume that I was writing about my current fixation, bolted joints, you failed.