Offshore Log: Still In Class
Feedback on our October 1 column gives us a chance to stay in school and dig deeper into the same topic.
Chartplotter-Sounder Conversions
You can add a conversion kit and transducer to a chartplotter/radar display, and have robust sounder capabilities without needing another screen. We evaluate conversion kits from Garmin, Furuno and Raymarine.
Walker Bay RIDs
There will be added drag in some conditions, and the nine-footer is tough for one person to carry. Minor gripes aside, though, Walker Bay's addition of an inflatable tube was a great move.
Offshore Log: The Volvo Open 70
This new class of round-the-world racers has just been introduced. The boats will be designed for even more speed than their 60-foot predecessors, but also engineered for more safety.
PS Advisor: 10/15/03
Lifesling Recovery OptionsI've read about the difficulty of getting a crewmember back aboard once s/he's fallen into the water. It's not hard to imagine...
Offshore Log: Back to School
We harp on the theme of learning and maintaining piloting skills. People tire of it, but it must be done. Here's another example.
Electronic Cartography Update
Ever get confused about the names and types of electronic charts out there, and what runs on what, and where the data comes from? We do, too, so here's a review, and a reference guide.
Monochrome GPS Plotter-Sounders
Need a sounder and a chartplotter but don’t have the space or the money for two separate units? A monochrome combination unit might be the answer. Pickin's are slim: either Garmin or Lowrance.
Offshore Log: A Pitch for Adjusting Pitch
We shouldn't take prop pitch for granted. The Max-Prop VP prop is adjustable underwater. It costs a lot, but so does a haulout.
406 MHz EPIRBs
The ACR Global Fix 406 with internal GPS is the top pick, followed by the Pains Wessex SOS Precision. The NAT Satfind lacks an integral GPS, but has a user-changeable battery.
You Can’t Insure Old Sailboats… Right?
Are older sailboats really uninsurable? If you’ve been shopping for a 20, 30, or even 40-year-old sailboat, you’ve probably seen the warnings online: “Insurance...
Latest Sailboat Review
Irwin Citation 38 Used Boat Review
As the largest of the Citations, the Irwin Citation 38 is probably the best looking, handling the high-sidedness better than her smaller sisters. The boat has three windows set in the sheer stripe on each side, so they are not very noticeable. Like the other Citations it is distinctly modern-looking not pretty, but not ugly either.