Mailport: October 2014

Stuart KnockaboutInboard Field NotesLED bulbs in the fieldSlippery shoes, YanmarBaboon WatchTrue Wind

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Stuart Knockabout

Photos courtesy of Tyler Fields

In response to your request for information on Stuart Knockabout boats: Ive sailed many different kinds of boats over the last 45 years. To my mind, the Stuart Knockabout is the finest boat Ive sailed. She is so easy to sail, that my wife called her an old mans boat, yet we raced them last summer in 30 to 40 knots with reefed mains and mostly crews of two!

Stuart Knockabout

The boat is very simply laid out, and I can get her off the mooring and sailing quicker than I can my Herreshoff 12. I can singlehand her easily in winds on choppy Buzzards Bay, Mass., up to 25 knots, and often do. She knifes through the chop effortlessly and surfs the waves downwind easily. We often outsail 40-foot-plus cruising boats upwind and down.

Plus, and its a very big plus, she has the classic lines and sheer that only L. Francis Herreshoff could draw. Theres really nothing like sailing a beautiful thoroughbred, and I know my fellow SK sailors would agree, we always have a smile on our faces when we are aboard our boats.

Ken Legg
Stuart Knockabout
Massachusetts

The June 2014 Mailport section included a letter seeking input on inboard engines, so heres mine. Ive got a 1983 Newport 27-S II running its original Universal/Kubota 5411 diesel. The engine is still going strong, never a bit of trouble other than a temp gauge that seems to always read low, even with a new sensor installed. Im beginning to wonder if the Newports cooling circuit (raw water) might be oversized for the engine and passing too much water? Other than that, never a bit of trouble.

The reader who asked for this feedback also mentioned having nothing but trouble with a Volvo turbo, which reminded me of a Saab owners story: Saab said they saw no good reason for a consumer-oriented, non-racing engine to include a turbocharger, as this introduced much higher stresses into the mechanics. They did not feel turbos were justified when durability and dependability were desired. (This was the late 70s or early 80s.)

Obviously, Saab has since succumbed to market pressures, but they did originally express this engineering philosophy that we might want to pay attention to in our marine environment, where even solid as a rock breaks eventually, no sense introducing higher stresses into our world unnecessarily.

Jeff Stennett
Listen, 1983 Newport 27-S II
Magothy River, Md.

In regard to your LED light bulb test (see PS, January 2009 online): I have purchased all my standard fixture bulb replacements from Superbright LEDs (www.superbrightleds.com). The bulbs I used in my reading and bunk lights have been excellent and have a very pleasant color temp. The red LEDs, which I used to replace red-tinted bulbs in overhead domes, have been superb. They are bright and draw about .2 amps. Some have noted the inability of various, less-expensive 12VDC LED bulb replacements to contend with the varying voltage found aboard the typical small sailboat, but mine have done just fine for four seasons now.

I have also purchased several battery-powered LED fixtures at $13 each. These have an internal timer, which switches them off after 30 minutes. I use these for casual light at anchor. They work perfectly; the batteries last for many hours of light. As a matter of fact, I use these lights as much as I use my main cabin lights. Total investment for four lights: $52.

Finally, with regard to the 20,000 to 50,000 hours of bulb life claimed. Maybe the LEDs will actually last that long, but at the low end, that is that is nearly seven years of light at eight hours a day, 365 days per year. For the vast majority of us, this is a meaningless statistic and might as well be a lifetime. The real question is how long is your fixture, wiring, etc. going to last.

Mike Cunningham
Via www.practical-sailor.com

First a comment about using acetone to restore grip to slippery boat shoes (PS Mailport, June 2014). If you use acetone, or a similar solvent, the chemicals are absorbed into the rubber, causing swelling and apparent restoration of grip. Eventually, these solvents evaporate, and the soles again become slippery. Damage to the sole may also become a problem. Boat shoes lose their grip by surface oxidation of the rubber. This thin layer is easily removed by lightlysanding with 60-grit sandpaper. Just be sure to scrub out any residual grit.

Secondly, Id like toshare my experience with my 3GM Yanmardiesel engine, an original installation on my1982 C&C 37 TR. The engine hasused Mobil synthetic oil for as far back as can be traced (through two previous owners). I change the oil and various oil, fuel and airfilters each fall at haulout, and have never had to add oil during the April to October season here onLake Erie. It starts every timein seconds, even the first time after spring launch. I installed an anti-vibration coupling, and the vibration is minimal at all throttle settings. The only repair that was necessary was to replace the pair of cast-iron exhaust elbows, after approximately 29 years of service. I carefully coated the exterior and internal passages with high-temperature aluminum paint, a precaution to extend the life of these parts. Replacement parts, such as the water-pump impeller, V-belts, etc., are readily available. The engine is clean and free of all leaks. Given regular maintenance, this engine will easily last the life of my boat.

Dr. Charles F. Barth
Crazy Horse, C&C 37 TR
Lorain, Ohio

Stuart Knockabout

Photos courtesy of Tyler Fields

Based on your review (PS, June 2014), I bought the book Jack Tar and the Baboon Watch by Frank Lanier. Even with my limited knowledge, I found two mistakes in the book: POSH derives from a Romany word for money; it is not an acronym for Port Outward Starboard Home, and by and large refers to a vessel that could sail well before the wind and to weather. I now have little confidence in the rest of the book and regret the purchase.

Dave Powell
Allegaroo, Precision 23
Sarasota, Fla.

In our estimate, the entertaining book is principally a work of humor, not a work of etymology. It seemed clear to us that the POSH story-which does indeed have a long history-has been discounted as just that, a story.Weve yet to find anything absolutely definitive regarding the origin of POSH. The Merriam-Webster website does, however, offer an entertaining story on the words history.

Heres what the books author, Lanier, had to say: Anyone who attempts to write a book on a topic such as this will soon learn that history is not always neat, tidy, and without arguments. This is particularly true when it comes to the origins of terms and phrases, many of which were originally spoken rather than written, and thus not always clear or agreed upon.

Take POSH for example: There are a number of sources that indicate that it is not an acronym for port out, starboard home, but these sources don’t offer a definitive origin of the phrase. There are just as many sources that say POSH did originate with the P&O practice of stamping tickets as described in my book. The Oxford History of the British Empire: Volume III: the Nineteenth Century (a pretty respected historical reference) states the following: The European diaspora generally, and the British emigration to temperate zones in particular, were significantly facilitated by this revolution in steamer traffic. Also much enhanced was British access to tropical climes, their journeys facilitated by posh (port out, starboard home) accommodation even if marred by the prevalence of coal dust, especially when loading fuel.

I could quote others, but my point is that every term or phrase in my book was thoroughly researched and is backed by multiple references. Does that mean theyre all iron clad and argument free? Heck no! But the bulk of them are. If they were deemed credible enough after having done due diligence, they were included with a qualifier that there was some dissent as to their origin or meaning.

The bottom line is that this book was truly a labor of love on my part. It wasnt written with an eye for financial gain; it was written because I love this stuff and wanted to share it with others.

In regards to your May 2014 report on wind instruments: While the articles Alphabet Soup of Sensing the Wind sidebar was instructive, I believe you got the definition of true wind wrong, at least for those of us with Raymarine electronics.

I believe true wind refers to the wind experienced by a vessel drifting motionless with respect to the water. I used to wonder why Raymarine would show such a thing. I suggest two likely reasons: It can be calculated using only apparent wind corrected for speed through the water. Since no GPS is required, the typical three-pack of instruments (speed, depth, wind) can provide it. Secondly, when using this true wind in conjunction with a vessels polar diagram, the true effectiveness of sailing performance can be evaluated without any current-induced distortion.

Paul Goss
Virago, Catalina 470
Pico, Ranger Tugs 25 Classic
Alameda, Calif. & Portland, Maine

Most sailmakers define true wind as the wind relative to a stationary object, so that the winds observed speed and direction is not affected by the motion of the observer. A vessel affected by a current is not stationery. However, the nature of true-wind speed and true-wind angle can differ among electronics makers.

You are correct in that from Raymarines point-of-view, true wind speed and direction is calculated to reflect wind relative to the water. To get this, an accurate reading of speed through the water is required.

The same is true for Garmin, true wind is the wind measured with respect to the body of water that the vessel is in. If the body of water is moving (current/tide), it will change the true-wind calculations. Garmin has three data fields that show true-wind values: true wind speed (the speed of the wind measured with the respect to the water), true wind direction (the angle of the wind measured with the respect to the water, referenced from north), and true wind angle (angle of the wind measured with respect to the water, referenced from the bow of the boat).

If there is no water speed sensor available, Garmin electronics will use the magnitude of the GPS vector (speed over ground) to calculate true wind; this requires a wind sensor and a GPS sensor.

NKE allows the user to select which reference point will be used to determine true wind-speed over ground (which requires a GPS), or speed through water. To get true wind direction however, the NKE must have either true heading or magnetic heading data from a compass. NKE does not use course over ground for the purposes of calculating true wind.

LCD Versus Polarized Sunglasses Solution
Mailport: October 2014
Where Credit Is Due
Darrell Nicholson
Practical Sailor has been independently testing and reporting on sailboats and sailing gear for more than 50 years. Supported entirely by subscribers, Practical Sailor accepts no advertising. Its independent tests are carried out by experienced sailors and marine industry professionals dedicated to providing objective evaluation and reporting about boats, gear, and the skills required to cross oceans. Practical Sailor is edited by Darrell Nicholson, a long-time liveaboard sailor and trans-Pacific cruiser who has been director of Belvoir Media Group's marine division since 2005. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master license, has logged tens of thousands of miles in three oceans, and has skippered everything from pilot boats to day charter cats. His weekly blog Inside Practical Sailor offers an inside look at current research and gear tests at Practical Sailor, while his award-winning column,"Rhumb Lines," tracks boating trends and reflects upon the sailing life. He sails a Sparkman & Stephens-designed Yankee 30 out of St. Petersburg, Florida. You can reach him by email at practicalsailor@belvoir.com.