Mailport & PS Advisor

Letters to Practical Sailor from our readers. September 2010's topics include barnacles, teak finish, knots for a bosun chair and LEDs.

I use Collinte’s No. 885 Heavy-duty Fleetwax in the Chesapeake Bay area, and I’ve been impressed with how well water still beads each spring as I wash the hull in preparation for a new coat. But no matter how nice the shine, black streaks develop, starting with the first rain following waxing. I think the boat would look better with no wax than with wax with black streaks.

Letters from the August 2010 issue of Practical Sailor. Subjects include: Shore anchoring, feathering props, earth-friendly cleaning products, staying hydrated and dink repairs.

I’ve got an old manual anchor windlass with a badly corroded gypsy that needs to be replaced. There is a 1:1 bronze "cross" on the outside of the gypsy—where the lever fits to turn it when not using the geared mechanism. Unfortunately, I can’t figure out how to get the bronze cross off, which needs to happen in order to replace the gypsy. There’s a grease zirk/fender washer on the outside of the cross, but unscrewing it still doesn’t get the cross off.

Letters to the editors of Practical Sailor in July 2010 include questions and comments about mildew, galley blenders, teak cleaners, online captains courses and personal hydration.

Practical Sailor tested the FLIR system (www.flir.com) in the June 2008 issue, and we tried out the company’s new First Mate recently (look for that report in an upcoming issue). While the FLIR images are impressive and offer some information not available with radar or even night-vision gear, infrared thermal imaging is no replacement for radar. FLIR bases its readings on thermal contrast, and objects that are the same temperature as their surroundings remain invisible. Take for example, a steel buoy or granite ledge that’s the same temperature as the sea surface at night. Another drawback: FLIR doesn’t offer any range or bearing information.

The June 2010 issue featured letters on subjects such as: spiders, addition of color to handheld electronics, DIY boatyard recommendation and propane fridges.

My wife and I leave our boat moored in Bahia Coyote, Sea of Cortez, BCS Mexico. Our mooring is a system of anchors and chain that has worked well for us since 1987. Last year, I hired some friends to dive it. They replaced the chains and reported that everything else was in good shape. Days later, a neighbor noticed the boat drifting and rescued her. The cause: a swivel had failed. The swivel was in good shape, but the nut holding the halves together unscrewed. I don’t use jaw/eye swivels because cotter pin-related failures are too common, and I don’t use Chinese swivels because the U.S.-made ones are more reliable. Have you heard of this happening?

Letters to the editor in May 2010 included topics: lightning, tsunami warnings, MOB retrieval and cam cleats.

I am re-mounting the handrails and deck hardware on our 26-year-old Tartan 33. I had detected some moisture around the mounting area on the handrails and decided to remove them, and fill and re-drill them with epoxy. To my surprise and dismay, I found a lot of crevice corrosion on the existing bolts, and at least three of the heads broke off when I removed the rails.