Inside Practical Sailor

Murphys Law has an affinity for old marine diesel engines with aging fuel systems. Contaminated fuel is a common problem, and late last year we looked at various additives that claim to preserve stability in both gasoline and diesel fuel during long-term storage. But fuel system maintenance doesn't stop during the sailing season. Here are some fuel-system management practices that will help you avoid any fuel-related problems this season.

Do they check your boat when you go back to America?They do, I said, though I had no idea if anyone did. And I think the Cuban customs officials bring dogs on board, before we leave, to make sure no one is hiding on the boat.

Most long-time readers are familiar with our ratings categories-Best Choice, Recommended, and Budget Buy-but their significance might not be so obvious to new readers. In fact, weve received a number of letters from people asking us to clarify what these ratings mean. So, here it is.

After my recent post on portable marine heaters and insulation, a few people asked our opinion of liquid petroleum gas (LPG) heaters. Simply stated: We are not fans of portable LPG systems on boats. A boat fire in New England last month offered a pretty good example of the risks of this type of equipment. Even fixed propane heating (and cooking) systems that employ all the safety precautions recommended by the American Boat and Yacht Council or comparable advisory bodies can be dangerous, if they are neglected.

About ten years after Jimmy Buffet first sang about the futility of reasoning with hurricane season, Dr. William Gray was figuring out how. This week, the scientists at Colorado State University carried on a tradition begun by Gray more than 30 years ago when they released their annual prediction for the North Atlantic hurricane season. The forecast predicts the number of named storms, the number of hurricanes, the number of major hurricanes, and the number of days that at least one named storm will be roaming the region this year.

While Hunters marketing genius is enviable, the true achievement in its early boats like the John Cherubini-designed Hunter 30 is that theyve managed to endure at all. The Hunter 30 was launched on the wake of the 1973 oil embargo, and the design survived through nine years of stagflation and rising unemployment. Fortunately, significant improvements in fiberglass construction methods coincided with the need for lower production costs. Selling sailboats could still be lucrative, but profitability in the mid-price ranges often required a few corners to be cut.

Testing any sailing equipment entails a high degree of responsibility, but this is especially true of safety equipment. A tragic accident off the coast of Costa Rica this week called to mind an important study that Practical Sailor did in March of 2013 on the dangers that life jackets can pose to sailors in the event of a capsize. No one will challenge the fact that life jackets save far, far more lives than they ever put at risk, and the accident in Costa Rica is proof of this. However, sailors need to be aware that in certain rare circumstances a life jacket can be an impediment to keeping you alive.

In a few of our past reports on boat financing, Practical Sailor discussed how to pre-inspect your potential dreamboat before committing to the next step and how to bring in a surveyor. Although the articles are geared to the prospective buyer, it is just as relevant to the owner of an older boat. If the boat in question has more than 20 years behind her, one item that will likely come up on a survey is keel bolts - the heavy duty fasteners that keep your keel from going on a bottom tour while you reach for handholds on your suddenly tippy craft.

Most conclude that football is a contact sport and that sailing takes the other tack. But after the amateur crew aboard the 75-foot ocean racer IchorCoal suffered its second fatality in six months, many have suggested that its time to take a closer look at just what went wrong and whats really at stake in pay-to-play big boat ocean racing.

If you are planning to add a new mainsail or genoa during the Northeast winter, now is the most likely time to be able to negotiate a good price. While the migration to high-volume lofts abroad has smoothed the peaks and valleys of sail prices, there are still seasonal bargains to be had. Generally, the lull occurs October through December. By the time spring rolls around and the sailmakers find themselves swimming…