Diesel problems usually begin at the tank. Most fuel tanks more than 5-10 years old have accumulated a mix of water, live, or dead bacteria and algae, rust, etc. in the bottom. If possible, use up most of the fuel in your tank, remove the inspection port and visually inspect the bottom of the tank. You may be surprised. If you are confronted by black sludge or water, youll need to remove it to ensure you have a clean fuel supply.

The Brewer 12.8 and the Brewer 44 are developments of the Whitby 42, a cruising boat from the board of Ted Brewer. Brewer is one of the great modern cruising boat designers. His boats are well-mannered, attractive and practical. To improve windward performance, a high aspect ratio centerboard extends through the bottom of the 12.8's shallow keel. Since the board is not ballasted, it does not affect stability, but can be used when reaching to shift the center of lateral resistance.

During the last few months, while quietly anchored in some of my favorite local anchorages, I’ve witnessed a number of anchoring failures. I observed that these failures were due to two...

Historically, fiberglass boat hulls and decks were molded separately, and then bonded at the deck seam. Bulkheads were added either with polyester or epoxy putty, and then taped into place with...

Some people are prone to motion sickness while others are not. For those who suffer from this malady, sailing isn’t usually their sport of choice, and with good reason. Nausea and...

They were off the coast of Bequia in the Grenadines, near the end of a breezy passage on a 34-foot cruising sloop. Just as the boat reached past a rocky point, trouble struck. The steering wheel suddenly turned freely in the skippers hand.

When couples go cruising they often consider 42 ft (13 m) to be a sort of highwater mark for a cruising boat that two people can handle safely. But what if...

The paradox of my experience with inflatable dinghies is that in trading up to a bigger sailboat, I found myself wanting a smaller support craft for coastal exploration and shore excursions....

As a young family we had been sailing Dreamer, our O’Day 25, for five years, exploring the fabulous cruising grounds of the Canadian Gulf Islands from our home port of Tsawwassen,...

In our test of waterproof epoxies for making underwater repairs, we also looked into making underwater patches. Obviously, your success in this effort depends a lot on the situation and the...