Inside Practical Sailor

The spectacle of computer-molded carbon fiber screaming across San Francisco Bay in the America's Cup 34 has brought heaps of attention to the sport of sailing, and if one more kid signs up for Opti camp this summer because of it, I suppose it is worth it-even if he does infuriate the rules committee in his next Pinewood Derby. Just as importantly, I can see all sorts of ways the AC trend toward automation can trickle down and revolutionize cruising sailing. Here are just some of the Cup-inspired inventions I envision for our brave new future-when the virtual world is more real than we would ever want it to be.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission is conducting a two-week survey to collect public comment on its anchoring and mooring pilot programs in five municipalities: St. Augustine, Stuart/Martin County, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, and Monroe County/Marathon/Key West. As it stands, these pilot ordinances will expire on July 1, 2014, unless the Florida Legislature extends the program. I can't comment on how the pilot programs in other areas are going, but in our home city of Sarasota, the ordinance has been poorly executed-to say the least.

Within a day of US Sailings release of a report that concluded that four out of five Spinlock Deckvests failed to work properly in a fatal sailing accident earlier this year, PS testers were in the water with a Spinlock Deckvest (5D, 170N, Pro-Sensor inflator), trying to figure out what might have gone wrong. Our findings re-emphasize what weve said several times before-inflate and try a PFD out in the water as soon as you buy it. Learn how to service it and adjust it for ideal fit. If it doesn't fit, send it back and try another.

By now, some who read this blog regularly may be wondering if Practical Sailor will be covering the Americas Cup. The answer is . . . sort of. Im not going. The votes are in; the jury has spoken. Practical Sailor readers have made a persuasive argument that they don't see much value-apart from the gee-whiz factor-in expending our limited resources on an event that is already over-hyped. Let Larry Ellison play with his toys. (Yes, Im a closet fan of the Kiwis.)

A couple of our ongoing tests are (literally) spilling over into the world of products still dominated by home appliances, bringing up the subject of inverters that convert your boats 12-volt, direct-current (DC) system to an alternating-current (AC) system like those found in our homes. As the trend toward off-the-grid living grows (solar panels, wind generators, and fuel cells produce DC current), so does the list of appliances that run off of DC power. …

On older boats, the complication factor is almost sure to multiply when you talk about installing deck hardware. Access to belowdecks bolts and backing plates is often tricky, and the condition of the deck itself can pose problems. Along with our genoa car and track test report in the September 2013 issue of Practical Sailor, we included a rundown of installation tips. The tips offer a general view of the scope of a genoa track upgrade, remedies for common problems, and techniques for preventing future damage to the deck core. Although the tips apply specifically to genoa tracks, much of the advice is relevant to any deck hardware installation.

Although Thor Heyerdahls theory regarding human migration across the Pacific has been discounted, his 1948 book and 1951 Oscar-award winning documentary, Kon-Tiki, is responsible for inspiring more than a few dreams of cruising the Pacific. I find it interesting that when American sailors followed Heyerdahls path across the Pacific in the 1960s and 1970s, they often did so in Colin Archer-type boats, like John G. Hannas Tahiti ketch-and later, the Westsail 32, a variation on William Atkins Archer-esque Thistle. It is as if all roads to Tahiti first passed through Oslo, Norway, where I happen to find myself this week.

In the upcoming July issue of Practical Sailor, contributor Drew Frye plunges into the the not-so-funny topic of joker valves (if you don't know what this is yet, consider yourself lucky) and emerges with some valuable tips on keeping our marine heads healthy. One of his potentially controversial discoveries is that the eco-friendly anti-freeze propylene glycol isn't really any kinder to the marine environment than the anti-freeze it was designed to replace, ethylene glycol-and it is definitely harder on plumbing components.

One of the first things that you realize after a few seasons of cruising is that approaches to life aboard vary between two wide extremes: cruisers who by choice or because of a limited budget live with minimal creature comforts, and those cruisers who sacrifice little more than living space when they move aboard.Youd think that when it came to basic essentials like food and water, there would be some overlap between these two groups, but that isn't necessarily the case. Take water, for example.

As the worlds largest solar-powered boat heads toward Miami for its U.S. debut and the start of a 16-city world tour, I was reminded of one of the most frequent questions I hear from Practical Sailor readers: "Which is best, solar panels or a wind generator?" The answer, like many things regarding cruising equipment, depends on where you cruise and the type of boat you own.