Mailport & PS Advisor

Linear polyurethane paint is a thin, hard coating in comparison to gelcoat, and does not have the same ability to be compounded and waxed. It can be cleaned with a mild, non-abrasive detergent, and some can be waxed. But once the gloss is gone, it takes very careful use of a fine rubbing compound and wax to extend the coatings life for an extra season or two. The one-step waxes compared in our April 2007 issue were not tested on LPU paints because most contain an abrasive that, with repeated use, would shorten the life of an LPU paint.

In 1997, we routed a recess around the windows and had new acrylic windows bedded without mechanical fasteners. We eventually had to add mechanical fasteners. But the bolt holes werent large enough to allow for expansion, and in 2004, we replaced the windows again. Now, they are cracking at the bolts. Weve realized they are affected by hull flexing. Were seriously considering fiberglassing the openings and installing portlights. If we decide to install Lexan windows, which compound and caulking should be used?

I have little space to stow a life raft on my 30-foot Baba. On my three trips to Bermuda, I rented a valise-packed raft, tied it down, and used it as a helmsman seat. For liability reasons, most life raft manufacturers oppose sitting on the raft, but cannot explain why it is an unsafe practice. I have read too many stories of life rafts being swept off deck mounts, plus, I do not have a good place for a deck mount. In my view, there is no downside to a valise-packed raft, especially a vacuum-packed one from Winslow. I am considering one of theirs, and they will pack it to spec so I can fit it in a cockpit locker (on top of course). Most life raft makers officially support the valise for liability reasons. My only suggestion to Winslow is to include a meter of some type inside the vacuum packaging so that any moisture intrusion can be detected.

Keel voids of this size are quite common, and its one reason why you don't see bare lead at boat shows or in the dealers lot. Casting imperfections and partial, localized collapse of the sand mold cause these voids and much worse. When voids form around the support for the keel bolts, bad things happen. Narrow, high-aspect keels tolerate this far less, and its one of the reasons carbon or high-modulus steel fins and ballast bulbs now rule in that realm.We forwarded this readers question on to the folks at Alerion, who then passed it on to Mars Metal, a Canadian-based metal manufacturer and one of the most prominent manufacturers of lead keels. Heres what they suggested.

There used to be a product available called CARD. I believe it was short for Collision Avoidance Radar Detector. As I understand it, it picked up the signal of a ship using its radar and had a nifty little display in the shape of a ship to show you what sector the ship was in, relative to you, and a means to interpret its distance away. I cannot find info on the unit anywhere, and since I do not have radar on our boat, I thought it would be a good addition. Do you have any knowledge of it? Have you reviewed it?

During our testing a of a harness without a crotch strap, the harness did ride up on the victim, but there was no tendency for the wearer to slip out. If the waist strap is tighter than the wearers shoulder width, its not possible for him to slip out. This answer begs the question: What about people whose tummy is wider than their shoulders? Harness waist belts should be worn as taut as is comfortable. If that practice is followed, then crotch straps should not be needed.

Regarding your search for better Wi-Fi connections: The key to wireless onboard computing is transmit power and antenna gain. The SMC 2532W-B 802.11b PCMCIA card has four times the normal power level. You can combine that with antennas of increasing gain to increase range. The SMC ANT-OM5 gives a 5-dB gain with an integrated antenna . . .

Wet-storing a boat over the winter has its pros and cons. Blistering is always more prevalent on boats that remain wet-stored year-round. If left unattended, these blisters usually increase in depth and diameter. Hauling a vessel does lessen the contact with water, but in winter climates that are below freezing, the issue of expansion-caused micro cracking becomes a factor to consider. One answer is barrier coating, which at least lessens the porosity of the surface and slows, if not stops, moisture intrusion.

Based on your recent ranking of Franmar Soy Strip as the top-rated antifouling stripper ("Stripper Showdown," November 2006), I purchased two gallons of that product to remove four coats of six-year-old Interlux Micron Extra self-polishing paint that we had applied over Interlux Interprotect 2000E on our Caliber 33. I tried several methods of using the Soy Strip from leaving it on for six hours covered with plastic wrap, to scraping it off after one hour and I found that the Soy Strip was totally inadequate in removing this paint.

What kind of glue do you use when that faux leather or woven liner starts falling off the cabin top? The best solution may be no glue at all.