Marine Metal Warning
When it comes to marine metals, appearances can be deceiving. The shiny surface on that brand new stainless steel cleat could really be concealing cheap, highly ferrous metal, while that green crusty silicone bronze seacock could be as structurally sound as the day it was fabricated. As part of a series of articles focusing on problems that plague older boats (as well as poorly built new ones), Technical Editor Ralph Naranjo helps pinpoint potential trouble spots for metal parts and hardware.
A nuts-and-bolts guide to our galaxy
Used boat buyers beware. Some potentially serious problems turn up with discouraging frequency during a routine search for bargains in the used boat market.
Iron vs. Lead Ballast
Whether it is, as the iceboaters say "soft water" or "hard water," the principles are exactly the same. However, because when iceboating the apparent wind behaves so much more radically, the sailtrimming techniques are considerably different. By the way, an airplane wing is just a sail turned horizontal; thats why so many airplane pilots own sailboats or iceboats.
Bronze Polish Test
Bronze portlights, even those coated with a thick layer of patina, give many sailboats a salty appearance, but if you want your portlights to look shiny, what is the best bronze polish? We apply the top products in our stainless steel polish test to some bronze portlights that had not been cleaned since the Carter Administration. Our test field features 19 different products, including: Miracle Cloth, Nevr Dull, Noxon 7, Prizm Polish, Flitz Metal Polish, Collinite No. 850 Metal Wax, Star Brite Chrome and Stainless Polish, 3M Metal Restorer and Polish, Turtle Wax Chrome Polish and Rust Remover, Meguiars Mirror Glaze, and more.
Ethanol Fuel Attacks Outboard Engines, Inboard Engines and Fuel Tanks
No matter what brand outboard engine you have Yamaha, Suzuki, Mercury, Tohatsu, or Johnson youll want to be wary of ethanol fuel. Owners of older sailboats with gasoline inboards like the Universal Atomic 4 should also be on alert. Ethanol fuel presents a wide range of problems for owners of gasoline engines. The new blend of fuel can attack tanks, hoses, seals, and can gum up your engine if you don't take certain precautions. We examine the issues surrounding ethanol fuel and offer some tips for safely storing a boat that runs on ethanol fuel.
Conditioners Help Combat Sulfate Build-Up
With the rising awareness of the new lead-acid battery "Desulfator/conditioner" products that are currently hitting the market, we tested the claims of two leading products to see if they are worth the money.
Great Maintenance Products: 2006
Fill your bucket with these favorites for a boat that shines from the bilge to the bow.
Mailport: 12/06
MARINE INSURANCE REDUXI have been reading with much interest your articles about marine insurance this year (April and May 2006).
Rhumb Lines — Getting a Fix on Reality
It was mid-July 1990 on the Caicos Banks, a stretch of shallow, gin-clear water extending for about 70 miles east to west in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Along with a dozen other cruisers whod chosen to thumb our noses at hurricane season (ah, those were simpler times), we were pausing in Providenciales before heading south. …
Fending Off the Funk
A 52-paint checkup: Antifoulants 12 months later.
The Moody 46 CC Cruising Sailboat Review and Boat Tour
Join us for a deep technical dive into the Moody 46 Center Cockpit, a true bluewater cruising sailboat designed by Bill Dixon and built...
Latest Sailboat Review
Endeavour 32 Used Boat Review
The Endeavour 32 began life back in 1970 as the Irwin 32. Ted Irwin designed her as a dual-purpose cruiser-racer before the development of the IOR. By 1975, the IOR was in full swing, and boats such as the Irwin 32 were obsolete as racers, since PHRF had not yet emerged to help handicap non-competitive boats raced at the club level. Although the Irwin 32 and the Endeavour 32 look identical and have the same displacement, the Endeavour 32 is listed by the builder as being 4" wider, 4" longer overall, and 6" longer on the waterline.