Boat Maintenance

Letters to Practical Sailor, January 2011. This month's letters cover subjects such as: Sailing non-profits, wind gens, pressure cookers, wood finish and mildew remover.

We made the embarrassing mistake of putting fuel in one of our water tanks (built-in fiberglass tanks). The silver lining is that we were trying to figure out how to expand our fuel capacity. Can you advise me on how to figure out if the tank can serve as our new fuel tank?

As a publication that strives to give readers a thorough look at similar items competing in the marketplace, Practical Sailor's long-term testing is vital to determining product durability. Over the years, weve found various ways to update our views. Occasionally run a column called Gear Graveyard, and once in a while, we just round up products that have or havent stood the test of time. This is one of those roundups. All of the items mentioned are, or have been, in use aboard either a 26-foot biodiesel-powered inboard powerboat or a 32-foot Union cutter test boat. They are among quite a few items aboard that undergo testing and abuse, formal and informal, intentional and unintentional. The 10 items included in this report are the Plastimo flexible water tank, Seoladair Easystow inflatable fender, Garmin GPSMap 545s chartplotter, Coleman thermo-electric cooler, Jabsco oil changer, ACR Firefly 2 strobe light, Force 10 Seacook single-burner propane stive, FilterBoss, Aere inflatable fender, Boatsense systems alarm.

There are a variety of wire types that exceed government and industry standards for onboard wiring. Because these types of wire can be 10- to 15-percent less expensive than high-quality boat cable, Practical Sailor wanted to determine whether any of these other options would be acceptable for the cost-conscious sailor.Using a moisture chamber designed to mimic years of use in a harsh marine environment such as a bilge, PS's test focuses on the durability of tinned wire, non-tinned wire, and various wire connectors. It also examines whether using a corrosion-inhibiting product could help extend the life of these wires and connections. The test led to some definitive conclusions on which wire types are best in specific onboard uses, and also showed that long-term wire protection begins with well-sealed connections. Our July 2010 issue reported the six-month results, and here, we offer the one-year update.

Letters to the Practical Sailor editors in December 2010 include: paint colors, sailmaker services, bilge pumps, pest control and the Wirie v. a DIY WiFi antenna.

Letters to Practical Sailor from our readers. November 2010's topics include cleaning products, sail hardware, galley stoves and anti-fouling paints.

The editors at Practical Sailor get a few reports of broken anchors each year. Typically, these are failed fluke welds on Danforth-style designs or bent shanks on plough-types. The experience of Ted Goodwin, whose 43-pound cast aluminum Barnacle anchor catastrophically broke on the Bahama Bank earlier this year, is fortunately quite rare. …

We tested a total of 15 products-including eco-friendly cleaners, concentrated formulas, degreaser-cleaners, and even one homebrew formula-from 11 manufacturers. While the test field wasn't inclusive of all the marine cleaners marketed as multi-purpose products, it did include a good cross-section of products from such companies as Star brite, Nautical Ease, Spray Nine, Yacht Brite, Biokleen, MDR, and Marykate. To get an idea of how they would stand up to real-world tasks, the products were tested on grease and grime on multiple surfaces-fiberglass, rubber, vinyl, and Formica. Practical Sailor also measured the pH balance of each test cleaner to find out which products were best suited for certain applications. With multiple data tables presenting the test findings, the report offers PS's picks for the best general cleaner, the best green cleaner, and the product that offers the best clean for the buck.

Every November, Practical Sailor editors celebrate the impending holiday season by reviewing gift ideas for the sailors on your list-or to add to your wishlist. This years wrap-up covers a range of interests and includes something to fit every budget. Looking for a new gizmo for the gadget junkie? Check out solar-powered, water-resistant Eton Soulra sound system, which can play most MP3 players and iPods, iTouch and iPhones while charging them. Or take a look at the SolarTech SolarPulse, a solar-powered device that charges and maintains a ship's batteries. The featured galley goodies from Galleyware and JetBoil will make practical gifts for those galley goddesses, and the Sailor's Solutions wireless remote switch for 12-volt devices is a good stocking-stuffer for creative boat owners and those looking for convenience.

On the heels of its performance evaluation of electric bilge pumps rated at 1,600-gallons per hour (GPH) or more, Practical Sailor bench tests 10 smaller pumps rated at 1,500 GPH or less. These smaller centrifugal pumps are a good fit for small boats or as a primary bilge pump when installed in conjunction with a high-capacity bilge pump. When selecting the best overall pump from such a diverse group, a number of factors have to be considered to make the choice meaningful as it relates to the real world. In addition to performance, all of our top picks rated well for price, wiring, quality of construction, and warranty. Testers evaluated automatic bilge pumps and pumps without float switches from Shurflo, Attwood Marine, Johnson Pumps, and Rule Industries.