John’s Tips, Tricks & Thoughts—August
Lots of new entries and a new and better system is in place and working well.
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John and Andy Schell Podcast
Andy Schell and John Harries do a podcast together. Lithium batteries, seamanship, refits, and much more.
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Lessons From a Tragedy at Sea
John’s take on the causes of the two fatalities on the yacht Escape south of Nova Scotia in June 2022, and some thoughts on how similar tragedies can be avoided.
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How Hard Can We Charge Our Lead-Acid Batteries?
Charging batteries fast has all kinds of benefits: less engine wear, fuel savings, less carbon. But how far can we go?
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Choosing & Installing Battery Switches
Selecting battery master switches and deciding how to wire them is a fundamental part of a good cruising live-aboard electrical system.
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John’s Tips, Tricks and Thoughts—July
Over 80 new entries in the last month, and some thoughts on improving the system too.
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Adventure 40 Rig
The Adventure 40 will be, above all, a great sailboat, and great sailboats have well-thought-out rigs.
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Battery Containment—Part 1
Most production boats have battery boxes that are nowhere near strong enough for use on an offshore boat. Let’s fix that.
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5 Safety Tips For Working on Boat DC Electrical Systems
Just because the battery-supplied systems on cruising boats are low voltage, that does not make them safe. Here are some tips to reduce the chances of a nasty injury.
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Building a Seamanlike Lithium Battery System
Lithium batteries have many benefits, but are too complicated and fragile, and not fault tolerant enough, to be relied upon exclusively on an offshore boat. Here’s how to fix that.
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Two More Shore Power Safety Upgrades
Two fixes many production and new-to-us boats will need to make the high-voltage shore power system safe.
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9 Tips To Select Seamanlike Gear
When we plan to head offshore in a cruising boat we need to think carefully and differently about how we equip the boat.
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John’s Tips, Tricks, and Thoughts—June 2022
Rigging, electrical and tool tips, as well as a scary boat lift collapse and keel issues.
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Adventure 40 Keel—Strength and Grounding Resistance
If we cruise for long enough, we will likely run aground. The Adventure 40 will forgive us and have a keel that will withstand the stress of offshore voyaging for decades.
This article will be useful to all cruisers, regardless of the boat you plan to buy.
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The Future of AAC
AAC is coming up on 20 years old, so a great time to think about improvements and how to make them happen.
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