Offshore Log: Thoughts on Engine Spares For Cruising
Emptying out the spares inventory for Calypso's Perkins diesel was an eye-opener—there were plenty of parts back-ups, and, in Nick's view, all for the best of reasons.
Engine Replacement on Islander Bahama 30
There may come a time when repowering your cherished sailboat needs to be addressed. I suspected that not all 13 horses of the venerable...
Sailing Triteia: Budget Bluewater Cruising
If I were to sum up, in one word, how James Frederick has managed to create his sailing life, I’d say “resourcefully.” The 49-year-old...
Fuel Lift Pump: Easy DIY Diesel Fuel System Diagnostic and Repair
As with all things in life, everything goes well until it doesn’t. It is an inevitable truth that something will go wrong eventually and...
How to Change Your Engine Mounts
It is always discomforting when you know, and actually feel, that something is not quite right. For a little while now, while navigating under...
How to Do an Engine Compression Test
An engine compression test is an important diagnostic test that any boat owner can do with equipment that costs about $50. You can also...
Diesel Performance Additives
We think of ourselves as sailors, but we all depend on reliable power to propel us in and out of harbor, through calms and...
What Oil Analysis Reveals About Your Engine
We've all heard that if you give a diesel good clean fuel, keep it cool, and stay on top of the oil changes, its...
Worship Your Universal M-Series Diesel With the Marinized Kubota Block
The Universal name resonates with many of us as one of the best sailboat engines available. Despite Universal Motor Corp. no longer being in...
What Your Boat and the Baltimore Super Container Ship May Have in Common
When the mega container ship Dali struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge at 1:28 am on Tuesday, March 26, the world saw a remote...
Carl Alberg’s Family Sailboat for the Ocean – Alberg 37
Are you looking for a family sailboat that can cross the ocean and sail the Caribbean in safety and comfort? Carl Alberg designed the...
Latest Sailboat Review
Irwin Citation 34 Used Boat Review
The Irwin 34 is in many respects a typical Irwin boat. It was originally called the "Citation 34," which was meant to indicate that it was more of a plush cruiser than the race-oriented Irwins at the time, but more of a racer than the larger cruisers. According to the company, 305 Irwin 34s were built in the production run, from 1978 to 1985, a moderate but successful model for the era. Near the end of its production, the boat was advertised as the Irwin 34 rather than the Citation 34. There were no major changes in the boat from beginning to end, just the details and equipment that are typical of any long production run.