June 2016 Mailport

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Re-design Survey

In response to your Mailport article (May 2016) on re-designing the Value Guide tables to be more friendly to color-vision deficient readers: I am red/green color deficient. Color-blind is a misleading term as most of us are not blind to red or green, just deficient in detecting shades of these colors in certain situations. Be aware that there are other colors to which some people are insensitive; red/green is just the most common.

Catalina 320

It has long bothered me that graphic designers sometimes seem oblivious to the problems encountered by color vision-deficient people. The worst is red letters on black or vice-versa for red/green-deficient people. Here, the matter seems to be the degree of contrast between the foreground and background colors. There should be some metric related to relative contrast to provide guidance for designers. The other situation is discerning among shades of the same colors within the deficient palette. I have no problem seeing green traffic lights; but, place a green leafy tree in line behind the traffic light, and it will take me five times longer to find the green light.

Being color vision-deficient isn’t exactly a handicap; the US Navy was happy enough with me for six years, just not on the bridge.

Warren Updike

Warr de Mar,

1994 Catalina 320 (#62)

Towson, Md.


Color-vision deficiency

In response to PSs re-designing the tables for better viewing by color vision-deficient readers: Thank you so much for doing this! Im a red/green vision-deficient boater. Colored type that disappears on dark-printed backgrounds is way more challenging for me than nav aids and lights. I wish boat-product manufacturers would take your cue and consider color-vision deficiencies in the design of their products, especially those intended to be read and used in low light.

Howard Tag

Smilyn, Back Cove 29

Via email

Wed like to thank the color-vision-deficient readers who responded to our survey on which Value Guide re-design option was easiest to view for those who struggle with discerning colors on dark backgrounds. We also appreciate those who explained that being color-deficient is not the same as being color blind, a term we used in the May article. As it turns out, quite a few PS readers have challenges discerning red/green and blue/green. Were still tallying votes on which re-design option (see PS Mailport, May 2016 online) will be the final choice, but so far, the majority of survey respondents have selected the white symbols as the easiest to see, followed by the yellow, then light blue, so weve opted to use the white symbols in this issues tables.


Spinlock Deckvest.

Spinlock Deckvests

In April, I posted on the PS website about the lack of customer service I received from Spinlock regarding the failure of a Deckvest inflatable life jacket. We had bought two Spinlock Deckvests years ago, during the building of my boat. Now that we are preparing to launch, I decided to service the PFDs; one had a failure pulling apart the bladder from the main part of the jacket. I emailed Spinlock a few times and had gotten no response after a few days.

Thanks to the intervention of Practical Sailor, Spinlock has now been in contact with me and will be replacing the life jackets at no cost. Spinlock responded very quickly and professionally with a positive outcome for all.

Lea-Anne Isaacs

Djapana 2, Martz 46

Brisbane, Australia

The Spinlock Deckvests in question were identified as part of a batch that was recalled in 2010 because the bladders were separating from the cover at their connection point. Your experience is a good reminder that owners should regularly inspect their safety gear and that customers should always register their boat gear with the manufacturer. By registering your products with the maker, you ensure that you will be contacted should any product updates or recalls be issued; this is especially critical for safety-related and systems items. (See Product Updates in this issue for news on two recent product recalls.) Registering a product can usually be done on a makers website and often offers the added benefits of expanded product support or extended warranties.


Dustless Sanding

I built the DIY dustless-sanding bucket you featured in the April 2016 issue, but the paint dust didnt end up in the bucket. It ended up in either the hose or the small shop-vac that I used. Could the problem be too little vacuum or too much?

William March

Via www.practical-sailor.com

The setups airflow is low, so it is normal for much of the dust to stay in the hose. Simply shake the hose when finished (with the vacuum still running), and the dust should flow through. As for no dust in the bucket, either the 90-degree turn at the inlet is not creating the correct spin-be sure that the inlet 90 is aimed parallel to and slightly toward the bucket wall-or there was simply not enough dust to accumulate. This is not unusual, if the amount of sanding is relatively small. The very fine material makes it to the shop vac, and the coarser material stays in the hose.


Snubber Q

The listing in the new Defender (www.defender.com) catalogue for Yale Cordage Nylon Brait eight-strand nylon rope says: Braits ability to absorb up to 75 percent more energy than three-strand means less fatigue on your boats fittings and a softer ride at anchor. Granted, up to 75 percent isn’t very specific and would include only 1 percent more energy, but in your opinion, would eight-strand line be a better choice than three-strand for a snubber? I have a 44-foot, 40,000-pound boat.

Also, I bought half-inch brait for my snubber. My anchor chain is 3/8-inch, and the brait will fit inside the links. Would it be acceptable to thread the brait through three or four links of the chain, and then use a figure-eight stopper knot to hold it in place, instead of attaching the brait to the chain with a rolling hitch?

Steve Babcock

Columbine, 44-foot Seaton design

Washington, D.C.

To answer your first question, eight- or 12-strand brait are good choices to use as a snubbers. We suggest nylon double-braid or brait. This is not an exact science, and the differencesbetween brait, double braid, and three-strand are not that great, given that the snubber selection criteria is an estimate fusing science, testing, andexperience.

The stretch of brait and three-strand are very similar. YaleBrait, New England Ropes Mega Braid, and three-stand nylon all elongate about 10 to 13 percent at20-percent breaking strength. Climbing ropes elongate 17 to 20 percent at 20-percent breaking strength.

Dynamic climbing rope absorbs significantly more energy, but it is morevulnerable to chafe. Brait-type ropes are also vulnerable to UV andchafe damage, since all fibers are on the surface at some time. Snubber material choice always involves a compromise. Theimportant things are to retire the snubber every few years, inspect it regularly, and never let it get between the chain and the roller.

As far as your question about running the snubber through the chain, that figure-8 knot is going to get jammed the first time it is loaded hard. Also, it seems like an awkward thing to untie in the dark or on a bouncing deck.

Instead, try a camel hitch-very similar to a rolling hitch but far more secure. You will be able to untie it, even after heavy loading. Be sure to check out our article on gripping hitches for anchor chain in the May 2016 issue.


Diesel Odor

In response to the December 2015 PS Advisor on getting rid of diesel-fuel odors: Tell the reader to try the laundry product Calgon. A grizzly old diesel mechanic once told me about this, and by golly, it works!

Daniel Lindsey

Via email


Survey Checklist Adds

In response to your article on do-it-yourself (DIY) used-boat surveying: Shoppers should check older wire-especially welding wire used for starter cables and winch wiring-for brittle insulation. Any cracks or crunchiness means its time to replace the wire, which is probably undersized anyway. The article mentions grit in the oil that you feel with your fingers. If you suspect grit in the oil, get it tested; testing is fast and cheap. Ive never met a mechanic over 15 years old who had enough feeling left in their fingertips to detect contaminated oil.

Phil Rink

Via www.practical-sailor.com

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.