Diesel engines, keep ’em running A diesel engine in a sailboat is a wonderful thing and I speak as someone who sailed thousands of miles without one. But a boat with an unreliable engine is almost worse than a boat with no engine at all. A sailboat can overcome loss of power in open water, […]
Well, of course he’s got a knife, he’s a sailor. Do you remember the scene in Crocodile Dundee (I’m sure you’ve seen the film), where the thief pulls a knife, which is a piddling little thing, and Mick Dundee pulls one the size of a sabre and says “now that’s a knife?” Well, it got […]
(A complete product list is at the end of the article) Are you a do-it-yourselfer? Or, more to the point, are you a brave do-it-yourselfer? If you answer yes to part two of the question, and you have looked at your fading hull and thought I would like to respray that but can’t really afford it then perhaps […]
Knots A knot will reduce the strength of the rope, sometimes very significantly. This loss is caused by the tight bends and compression found in any knot. The amount a rope will be weakened will depend on the knot, type of rope and the material from which it is made, but can be up to […]
All hatches leak eventually. To fix a leak, you first have to find the source of the leak. You might immediately assume that the gasket around the lid is the source of the problem and very often it is. It might also be a failing oring or gasket on the handle, or aging caulk around […]
General Hatches and port-lights should be fitted to a flat surface with maximum tolerance of +/- 1 mm. For decks of composite construction (e.g. GRP) it is recommended that the exposed laminate be sealed with the appropriate material prior to fitting the hatch. Openings in metal decks should have all burs and sharp edges removed. […]
Chain is made to standards, so strength, size and properties are quite similar within a given grade and size. Still there can be differences (in galvanizing, for example). For imperial sizes, Budget Marine offers European “Vigouroux” chain, which has the highest standard in consistency and strength specification. For the US sizes, Budget Marine offers the […]
A common misconception is that stainless steel is non-magnetic. There are five classes of stainless steel, and only one is non-magnetic. However, it just happens to be that the most widely used type (austenitic) is the one that is not magnetic. Magnetism has more to do with the steel’s grain microstructure than with its chemical […]
SecurityWire and cable runs should be robustly secured wires with clamps and wire ties to resist vibration, pounding, rolling and pitching. Size MattersYou need more copper for more current. If your wire is undersized, it can get hot enough to melt the insulation and cause all kinds of catastrophes. Use sizing charts to make sure […]
The rigors of the marine environment, such as vibration, pounding, salty air, engine-space, heat and exposure to chemicals, put a lot of pressure on the wires that are the central nervous system of any modern boat. But we like electricity — a lot — so taking extra steps to ensure our circuits are safe and […]
