Boat Maintenance

Letters to Practical Sailor, April 2012. This month's letters cover subjects such as: ACR, Raymarine, and LCBS.

When we last reported on bottom paint, several manufacturers were introducing new copper-free paints in response to increased pressure from environmental groups and regulatory agencies. Another key trend is a move toward water-based paints with a low VOC. At this point in our tests, results are mixed with many of our newest paints. A full Value Guide detailing the performance of almost 30 new paints at four months; over 50 hard and ablative paints at 14 months; and close to 20 hard and ablative paints at 30 months is included in this month’s report. Paints from Blue Water, Epaints, Pettit, Interlux, and Sea Hawk continue to do well. Find out which ones are top rated for racing sailboats, aluminum hulls, cruising boats, and environmental friendliness.

Letters to Practical Sailor, March 2012. This month's letters cover subjects such as: Durabak Feedback, Inflatable Bottom Paint, US Sailing Reports, and More!

Letters to Practical Sailor, March 2012. This month's letters cover subjects such as: Smart Plug and Forespar.

We generally recommend high-grade, three-strand nylon for anchor rodes because of its cost effectiveness and elasticity—essential under surging loads. Certainly there are more chafe-resistant lines, but using chafe gear is a more sensible way to prevent rode chafe

The trick is to choose the right one. Some sealants get hard enough to sand or drill, and others stay supple. Some will stick to anything; others pull away from glass and certain plastics. Some will writhe and stretch as your boat "works." Others crack. And some, designed for household use, won't hold up in the harsh heat, cold, wind, and ultraviolet your boat is subject to. We recently took a look at a range of the most common types in the August 2010 issue. If you've got a teak deck to caulk, then our test of teak deck caulks can be found in the October 2008 issue.

A few months ago, we noticed that our dock neighbors were cleaning their decks with spongy-looking nanofiber pads. Ditching a multitude of cleaners for one re-usable sponge was quite appealing, so a test was in order. We pitted the original Mr. Clean Magic Eraser from Proctor & Gamble against the WipeOut Eraser made by Ralph Perez. These rectangular, nanofiber pads resemble sponges but they don’t require added cleaner, and both use a unique cleaning action to lift and trap dirt. We used them to clean dirty gelcoat and nonskid, and to tackle the waterline, rust stains, and scuffs on our test boat.

Determining how much faster a boat can sail with one paint versus another would be difficult as the prep and application of both paints would have to be identical, as would test conditions, in order to have a fair trial. None of the antifouling manufacturers we spoke with are aware of any documented head-to-head speed tests of paints.

Letters to Practical Sailor, February 2012. This month's letters cover subjects such as: Engine-Free, Titanium, Sabre Solace Twin, and More!

Letters to Practical Sailor, January 2012. This month's letters cover subjects such as: West Marine/Navico Reps, Raymarine, Garhauer Marine, and More!