Belowdecks & Amenities

Although rules of thumb for heating requirements exist, every boat is different. A simple way to measure the heating requirements of a boat is to use a space heater and a few simple calculations. A typical electric space heater is 1,500 watts, or 5,150 British Thermal Units per hour output when set on high. Pick a cool day (does not need to be the coldest expected day) and observe how many watts it takes to warm the boat and how many watts are required to hold that temperature. Several hours should be allowed for this test (it takes time for the furnishings and hull liner to warm up), and it is best done at night when temperatures are cooler.

Two stories this month-installing an LPG fireplace and sealing portlights and hatches-had me pondering the challenges of a winter afloat. But what literally raised goosebumps were photos sent to us by Jimmy Cornell, whose popular cruising rallies and books have inspired countless dreams of sailing around the world.

The air surrounding us on the surface of the earth weighs about 1.2 kilos per cubic meter, and when we stack up these invisible building blocks of the atmosphere, they add up to tons of pressure pushing down upon us. Its little wonder that when air at the surface starts moving sideways, it has a profound effect on sails and the sea surface.

Many electronic barometer/barographs feature an auto alarm that warns of pending bad weather, and we found them to be accurate enough to heed. But whats most interesting is how an instrument that only tracks pressure and temperature can make such accurate calls. It all boils down to how rapidly atmospheric pressure is changing, and according to Alan Watts in his Weather Handbook (a longtime favorite among cruisers), a change of 3 millibars or more per hour is a reliable indicator that gale-force conditions are likely to be headed your way.

You would think that with all the emphasis cruising sailors put on their boats and equipment, we would pay a little more attention to ensuring a clean and safe supply of water. This is less a concern in developed countries, where dockside water is safely treated or bottled water is affordable and readily available. However, once you begin to expand your horizons, ensuring a clean water supply requires more thought and effort. This is the first report in a three-part series on equipment and practices that no matter where you and your boat are, you can be reasonably sure that your on-board water supply is safe.

Water filtration isn't rocket science, but some filter media is better suited for the marine environment than others. And, as we found in our test, some cartridge designs are better than others. Here are the most common types.

Ever find a bug doing the backstroke in your water tank? We have. Would you leave a glass of water sitting uncovered for weeks and then come back to it? Of course not, but many builders either lead the hose to a mushroom-type through-hull fitting, or terminate it inside the cabin, with nothing to keep the ubiquitous critters from seeking shelter, fresh water, or a nesting site.

For those of you unfamiliar with Baja fuel filters, they are multi-layer strainers, purchased or handmade, used to filter diesel fuel of dubious pedigree before loading. Water, whether from a dockside hose or rainwater, presents a similar challenge. Weve been exploring freshwater filtration possibilities for a series of articles to come, and while there are great pre-filtration products out there, none offer the versatility of our own home-grown solution, which we call the Baja water filter.

Shortly before this issue went to print, Practical Sailor learned that Irgarol, a pesticide commonly used as a boosting agent in antifouling paints, is in short supply in the United States. Although we have not fully investigated the ramifications of this news for boat owners, it seems likely that the supply of paints containing this pesticide will be exhausted sometime this year.

Sixteen years ago, contributing writers Joe and Lee Minick equipped their Mason 43, Southern Cross, with a Heart Interface Freedom 20 charger/inverter and a Link 2000R from Cruising Equipment, both made by companies based in Valley Forge, Penn. When both of these units were ruined during a knockdown (see PS, April 2013 online), they were forced to look for a replacement.