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Read more: Servo-pendulum is Not Bullet Proof Either
A few weeks ago I pondered the very high loads that auxiliary-rudder self-steering gears put on themselves and the parts of the boat they are bolted to, based on the failure of Simon Curwen’s Hydrovane gear while leading the GGR. Now we are getting reports that Abhilash Tomy is having a hell of a time […]
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Read more: A Real World Tested Tool Kit For CruisersA recommended kit that weighs less than sixty pounds and tool budgets for coastal and offshore cruising, as well as refits.
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Read more: Invaluable Measurement ToolsI have a couple of tape measures (one metric, the other imperial) in my tool bag, and even have a really nice digital calliper for when dead-nuts measurement is required, but the two measurement tools in my kit that get the most use are a cheap pocket calliper (top photo) and an even cheaper metal […]
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Read more: Inflatable Boat Maintenance Wisdom
I just got off the phone with a local guy who repairs inflatable boats. Seems like he really knows of what he speaks. I learned a few things: He is going to rehab our nearly four-decade old Avon. If it goes another 20 years I’m thinking I might be done with it. Final tip from […]
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Read more: Five Boat Lift Usage TipsA hair-raising account of a boat-lift collapse and tips to reduce the chances of this happening to us.
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Read more: The Perfect MalletI pretty much never use a hard-headed hammer on a boat; in fact, I don’t even have one in my onboard tool kit on our new-to-us J/109. But I use a mallet often to move something stuck without damaging it, or drive a punch or chisel. This one from Lixie is just the right weight […]
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Read more: Garmin Cut Vesper Users LooseAlthough we had a lot of trouble with our first Vesper AIS, I have long been a fan of their products, with the exception of the Cortex, which tried to do too many things in one unit and had a lot of issues as a result. When Garmin bought Vesper I had a sense of […]
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Read more: Adventure 40 Reveal—Salon and Forward CabinIn the last interior arrangement reveal article we covered the galley, head, and storage areas aft. Now let’s move forward into the salon and forward cabin.
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Read more: Lubricate Steering Chains and CablesI mentioned in another tip that I have just finished a full maintenance on the steering gear on our new-to-us J/109 and that nothing was properly lubricated before I started and probably never had been. On that subject, I have long noticed that the chain and steering cables on many boats are bereft of any […]
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Read more: TZ iBoat UpdatedI have used a bunch of iPad navigation software over the years, but TZ iBoat, by the same folks who have been doing navigation software on computers for some 30 years, is by far the best. Lots of reasons, but the most important is that it’s the only app that I can enter and edit […]
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Read more: A Good HacksawSince I let all my old tools go when we sold our last boat, I have been upping my standards as I buy new tools for our new-to-us J/109. One of my best acquisitions has been this premium hacksaw from CK Tools. It’s quite amazing how much easier this saw is to use with its […]
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Read more: Are Auxiliary Rudder Self-Steering Gears Strong Enough?
I was really saddened to hear that Golden Globe Race leader Simon Curwen is probably out of the race due to a catastrophic failure of his auxiliary rudder self-steering gear in a broach. I have long wondered if these gears that actually steer the boat with a separate rudder, rather than control the main rudder […]
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Read more: When Did Your Steering Last Feel The Love?I’m just about finished rebuilding the steering gear, less the rudder since we did that last year, on our new to-us J/109. When I pulled it apart half the bearings fell out and there was not a drop of grease or oil on any of it…except the brake pad, where we don’t want it! I’m […]
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Read more: Installing a Propane Detectori just finished installing a propane gas detector with two sensors, one near the stove and the other just aft of the engine where gas would pool prior to kaboom, on our new-to-us J/109. I settled on the above-pictured unit from BEP Marine. So far it seems like a well-thought-out piece of safety gear. One […]
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Read more: Balancing Battery Bank and Solar Array SizeIt’s easy to assume that the bigger the battery bank and solar array the better, but there’s a much better way to optimize the system for a live-aboard cruising boat, which will save a bundle of money too.
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Read more: Q & A: Iridium Go! or Go ExecThe new Predict Wind Iridium Go Exec device does indeed have a subscription plan that limits data according to how much one pays, i.e: $159.95/month buys you only 50MB of data. That includes all data transfer including tracking data. Do you happen to have a clue how much data you found that you used, on […]
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Read more: Good Wire CuttersNormally I’m reasonably good at keeping track of my tools, but there is an exception: Every few years I lose my wire (diagonal) cutters—I’m not talking misplaced, but rather gone forever. How this happens, particularly on a small boat like our new-to-us J/109, is beyond me, but nonetheless it’s true. In the past I have […]
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Read more: Going Up The Mast at SeaUp to now in this series we have been looking at going up the mast in sheltered water, but when we need to go up offshore everything gets hugely more difficult and risky. As usual, preparation is the key to safety and success.
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Read more: Updated: Our Tips On Using Tablets For NavigationWe just updated our 11 tips to make navigating with a tablet easier and safer chapter based on our experience of doing just that on our new-to-us J/109.
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Read more: The Rolls Royce of iPad Waterproof CoversWhile I’m not a fan of relying on tablets exclusively for navigation, on smaller boats like our new-to-us J/109 they can be a good option, at least in conjunction with a plotter. However, the big problem can be how to charge a tablet and still keep it waterproof. The product pictured above solves that problem. […]
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Read more: Dive Weights Are Useful In The WorkshopIt’s amazing how often I use the stack of dive weights I needed to get neutral when wearing my Arctic-level dry suit, (bought when we were cruising the high latitudes) to hold stuff down or together while glue is kicking off. In the photo above the weights were invaluable while I was splatting¹ new TreadMaster […]
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Read more: Winch-Cleaning SolventI have always cleaned winches with kerosene, but I hate the smell and I’m guessing that breathing the vapours for hours is not good for us. So last winter I tried this water-based degreaser from WD-40, even though I don’t like or use their spray lubricant. The stuff really works. After a good soak the […]
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Read more: Check For Correct Winch Pawl SpringsWe have to check everything on a new-to-us boat. The top spring is for Lewmar, the bottom for Harken. All of our Harken winches had a mix of both. Trust no one, least of all boatyards who will often use whatever is to hand. Would the wrong spring cause the winch to slip? Probably not, […]
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Read more: Credit Where It’s Due: McMaster-CarrPhyllis and I have been buying tools, fastenings, and half a hundred other things from McMaster Carr for decades, and are such fans that I often say that if the company goes out of business I’m selling our boat and taking up golf…and I hate golf. Over all those years, and hundreds of orders, I […]
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A Simple Way to Decide Between Lithium or Lead-Acid Batteries for a Cruising Boat
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Read more: A Simple Way to Decide Between Lithium or Lead-Acid Batteries for a Cruising BoatWith all the claims and counterclaims for the two chemistries, how on earth do we make the right decision? Good news, it’s not hard.
