Safety & Seamanship

Although the Icom GM1600 marine VHF handheld radio is not meant for use as a recreational marine VHF, Practical Sailor was interested in determining whether the unit’s survival-oriented design might make it a good choice for inclusion in a life raft or ditch bag. We were also interested in comparing its specs to another marine electronics product, the Standard Horizon HX850S VHF handheld, one of the top picks from our most recent series of tests (April 2009, July 2009, October 2009, December 2009).

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.

With hundreds of sailing schools throughout the United States-offering courses ranging from one-hour beginner lessons to weeklong offshore adventures-its hard to know which school to enroll in. Practical Sailor wanted to get the scoop from sailing school grads on their experiences and hear from industry professionals to determine what criteria prospective students should pay attention to when selecting a school. To that end, Practical Sailor recently polled readers on courses they had attended, interviewed representatives from several schools, and talked with the schools affiliate certifying associations. This report includes the survey results, tips from the American Sailing Association, and an in-depth look at some of the county's top sailing schools, including the Annapolis Sailing School, J/World, Colgate Offshore Sailing School, the Olympic Circle Sailing Club (OCSC), New Jersey Sailing School, Blue Water Sailing School, Club Nautique, and the San Juan Sailing School.

There is no denying that Practical Sailor is a publication preoccupied with the material world. Our very existence depends on hulls, spars, sails, cordage, and all the other gear and gadgets that go into boats. One of the great ironies of my own fascination with boats and gear is that it is so far removed from the notions that first led me to lands end. Each sailor has his own reasons for going to sea, but I like to believe that theres a common impulse behind that choice.

I recently installed an 80-watt solar panel on my bimini. I am concerned that this may have reduced the positional accuracy of my GPS, a Standard Horizon 180i, which has an internal antenna mounted directly below the solar panel. Do solar panels cause interference with GPS signals?

For many people, one of the most appealing aspects of the sport of sailing is that the sailors education is never complete. Practical Sailor (July 2010) recently looked at the online courses that help mariners obtain their U.S. Coast Guard Masters License, one of the benchmarks in a professional sailors education. Next on the editorial agenda are sailing schools, the wide range of on-the-water programs that guide the recreational sailor along in his or her development. This month, we look at two new texts from the two largest organizations responsible for setting the standards for sailing instruction in North America: The American Sailing Association and U.S. Sailing.

Not only do bilge pumps serve to clear incidental water, but they can also give the crew extra time when a boat is taking on water-time that can be spent repairing a leak, donning life jackets, or making a distress call. Practical Sailor tested more than a dozen centrifugal pumps from Attwood Marine Products, Rule/ITT Corp., Shurflo, and Johnson Pump. In this report, we look at the eight higher-capacity electric bilge pumps (output rated at or above 1,600 gallons per hour, or GPH) and see how they fared in exhaustive bench testing. A follow-up report next month will examine pumps rated for 1,500 GPH or less. Testers measured bilge pump flow rates and power ratings at two voltages and tested for compliance with the American Boat and Yacht Councils standards for dry run performance. In the final analysis, we picked the best bilge pump based on performance, warranty, wiring, and price.

In October 2006, Practical Sailor tested infants life jackets and our top pick was MTI Adventurewears Bay Bee 201-I, one of the few jackets we looked at that met our chief criteria for an infant life vest: flotation that turned the infant face up and kept his head well above water, comfortable snug fit, easy donning, and a wide grab strap near the top that allowed someone to easily lift the child from the water or dinghy.

Joe and Lee Minick added an Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver to the nav station of their Mason 43, Southern Cross, and have used it for several years in some of the most heavily traveled waters of the world. Required on large commercial vessels, AIS devices add a whole new dimension of collision avoidance, transmitting dynamic information about a vessels speed, course and position plus static information including a vessels name, call sign and Mobile Marine Service Identity (MMSI). With a Class A AIS and a more recent Class B AIS system for small craft, AIS changes the landscape in marine navigation. The Minicks report in Practical Sailor proves how useful AIS can be for cruisers and other small boaters.

In a moment of exasperation last month, I chipped in a few bucks to a charity group that promised to blow 100 vuvuzelas for a full day outside BPs corporate office. Four-foot-long African trumpets that produce an ear-piercing moan, vuvuzelas were responsible for that annoying buzz you might of heard on ESPN during the World Cup soccer action last month. My donation didnt save the planet, but I slept a little better. The scheme, dubbed the Experimental Vuvuzela Exhalation Procedure in London and organized through www.kickstarter.com, ended up raising more than $7,000 for the Gulf Disaster Fund.