Port of San Diego Publishes Antifouling Paint Study
San Diego port officials forwarded the Final Report on Safer Alternatives to Copper Alternatives to Antifouling Paints for Marine Vessels to the EPA on Feb. 4. Presenting data on a wide range of alternative antifouling paints that contain limited or no harmful biocides, the 152-page report is based on both controlled panel tests and field tests on several different powerboats and sailboats that berth in the port district.
Quickline Recalls Cast Stainless-steel Flip Swivels
Quality Marine Importer, Quickline, Recalls UFS8 Swivel Designed For Use With 1/4- and 5/16-inch Anchor Chains.
Build Your Own Long-range WiFi Antenna for Less than $100
As most sailors have found, trying to use a typical laptop WiFi card to connect to a marina or yacht club hotspot doesn't cut it. A more acceptable compromise is an amplified WiFi card which can theoretically boost transmission power to about 1,000 milliwatts.
New High-Tech Rope from Yale
Tom Yale, of Yale Cordage, unveils the companys new Ph.D. (Performance Handling Delivered) single-braid Spectra 1000/polyester line.
Attack of the Mutant Barnacles?
Several alert Practical Sailor readers passed on news reports regarding new research by Professor Anders Blomberg at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. Blomberg reports that his team, along with researchers in Finland, has discovered the gene that reacts to a medetomidine, a veterinary medicine that has been shown to prevent barnacle larvae from attaching to boat hulls.
PS Readers Letter Sparks West Marine Tether Recall
In response to a Practical Sailor query regarding the design of a popular offshore safety tether, West Marine issued a voluntary recall of its tether (Model 9553512).
The Ultimate Underwater Camera Housing Endurance Test
Annie Greenbergs Associated Press story of the underwater camera housing that kept its Nikon camera in pristine condition and survived a 2,000-mile voyage, including a possible turtle attack, kept me chuckling this morning. Sounds like a good protocol for a Practical Sailor test. According to the story, the camera and its housing were lost off the coast of Aruba by a diver, only to arrive months later in Key West, Fla. The housing was encrusted with…
Online Learning Worked for Me
A little voice said check your ego at the door when I plunked down my $700 for the Mariners Learning Systems online course for OUPV, Masters 100-Ton Upgrade and Sailing Endorsement.
Abby Sunderland Awaits Rescue
Like any sailor, I was very relieved to hear that Abby Sunderland (right) was alive and well after a harrowing dismasting in the Indian Ocean. The 16-year-0ld teen was attempting to become the youngest sailor to circumnavigate when her boat was dismasted in the Indian Ocean.
Two New “Green” Marine Products
Practical Sailor welcomes any new technology or product that lessens boaters environmental impact and encourages more sustainable practices, but were always a little skeptical when companies unveil new green products. Are they truly eco-friendly innovations, or simply marketing attempts to snag consumers willing pay a little more to pollute a little less?
