Systems & Propulsion

During the last few months, while quietly anchored in some of my favorite local anchorages, I’ve witnessed a number of anchoring failures. I observed...

They were off the coast of Bequia in the Grenadines, near the end of a breezy passage on a 34-foot cruising sloop. Just as the boat reached past a rocky point, trouble struck. The steering wheel suddenly turned freely in the skippers hand.

Diesel engines have evolved into incredibly reliable power sources. Change the oil, mind the charging system and batteries, and most importantly, always give them clean fuel. First there is diesel bug. Bacteria and fungus (not algae-that is incorrect nomenclature) can infect the tank, feeding on the diesel and producing volumes of tank-, line-, and filter-clogging biomass with the consistency of snot. It can be prevented by the regular use of biocides (see PS August 2013), but…

If you are thinking of converting your sailboat over to lithium iron phosphate batteries (LFP or LiFePO4), whether for propulsion or house needs, there...

Given the tiny amount of fuel it takes to clear the jetty and hoist sail, our 50-gallon fuel supply can last, quite literally, for years. It certainly lasts through the winter, and all the while, we worry that sludge is growing.

If you are contemplating installing or operating an LFP installation, you will need to become familiar with Battery Management Systems (BMSs), as they will...

Once again we broach a sanitation topic that folks would rather not talk about, and once again we’ve been surprised by the answers we...

Before diving into the topic of responsible boating, we’re required to say something about global warming and carbon. Primordial carbon was sequestered by several...

A new Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery is sold as having a stated storage capacity, such as 100-amp hr. In practice, however, there will...

In "How to Charge Your LFP Battery the Right Way" we explored the charging needs of LFPs and how smart chargers, fed from shore...