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Entries from July 2007

Exploring Nooks and Crannies With A Digital Camera

July 31st, 2007 · by Tim Flanagan, Managing Editor

Maybe it’s some hard-to-reach spot at the end of the bilge. Perhaps you’re wondering what’s around that blind corner in your engine compartment. In my case, I just wanted to know what kind of fuel/water separator I had, and how hard it was going to be to replace the filter element.

fuelwaterseparator-006_small.JPG

Sometimes, you just can’t get your eyes in where you need to see, especially on a boat. I’ve often wished I had some kind of miniature remote-control robot, like those Mars rovers, with a tiny camera aboard.

But then I realized: Maybe I’ve got something nearly as good! (more…)

Tags: Electronics · New Posts · Tools

Telltale Smart?

July 30th, 2007 · by Aaron Tinling, Publisher

Those little bits of red and blue yarn or ribbon on your sails can tell you a lot about how effectively you are steering and trimming. This great article from WB-Sails is one of the most informative I’ve ever run across on the subject. The animated diagrams are just great! If you feel a little fuzzy on why the telltales on your sails do what they do, it’s well worth a read.

If you are sailing too low, or if the sail is sheeted in too hard, a separation bubble forms on the leeward side. This is very harmul to the performance and should be avoided at all times.

Leeward separation bubble

Independently of the luff separation bubble, the airflow may get detached from the sail just before the leech on the leeward side. The eddy formed like this makes the leech telltale disappear behind the sail. For the sake of clarity, the size of the separation bubbles is exaggerated in the drawing.

Thanks to LiveSailDie for the link.

Tags: Sails

Should Your Next Repower be Electric?

July 25th, 2007 · by Aaron Tinling, Publisher

Re-Epower Epod Sailboat Electric Drive

When I bought my cruising cat a few years back, the un-loved, raw-water cooled 18hp Volvo diesels were one of my biggest concerns, and I set aside some cash for new diesels and saildrives. As luck would have it, I found a couple new, still-in-their-crates, 27hp Yanmar diesels with matching saildrives, being sold by an inventor who decided he’d rather not build his own catamaran. Since then, the crates have been sitting in my shop waiting for the old Volvos to give up their places. But, lately, I’ve been thinking seriously about going diesel/electric hybrid instead.

Electric drives for sailboats have been gaining noticeable momentum in the last few years, and it no longer seems to be such a bleeding edge proposition. Here are some of the systems I know about:

(more…)

Tags: Electrical · Power · Propulsion

Classic Cuties: Fiberglass Pocket Cruisers

July 23rd, 2007 · by Tim Flanagan, Managing Editor

I encountered a small flotilla of incredibly charming little boats this weekend. I think of my C-Dory as a pocket cruiser with pint-sized, classic looks, but these boats are positively precious. I was smitten.

fiberglassicsnw_sanjuanislandscalmruntosucia.jpg
I spoke briefly with Bruce and Vicki Bridwell, aboard their 1958 Skagit 20 Express (and note the classic Johnson outboard they’re running). It turns out these folks are all associated with FiberGlassics Northwest, dedicated to the restoration and enjoyment of classic fiberglass cruising boats.

Fiberglassics Northwest: classic fiberglass Skagit cruising boatFiberglassics Northwest: classic wood and fiberglass Grandy cruising boatFiberglassics Northwest: classic fiberglass Skagit cruising boat

The club started out as (more…)

Tags: New Posts

Philippe Kahn: Sextant is a Great Gizmo

July 20th, 2007 · by Aaron Tinling, Publisher

image

In a quite interesting boating technology-related post, Brian Lam of Gizmodo gets the lowdown from Philippe Kahn in the midst of his double-handed Transpac record attempt. This is an especially nice remark: (more…)

Tags: Communication · Electronics · General Interest · Navigation

Red Sky At Night: Cruiser’s Delight

July 19th, 2007 · by Tim Flanagan, Managing Editor

Sucia Island Sunset

Just thought I would share Monday evening’s sunset from Fossil Bay (Sucia Island, San Juan Islands). I was chillin’ out on my hammock/parbuckle/ladder, and the next time I looked up from my book, this is what I saw. The perfect end to a perfect day.

Tags: General Interest · Photography

Icom M72: An Oldie But A Goodie

July 18th, 2007 · by Tim Flanagan, Managing Editor

Icom M72 handheld VHF radio transceiverIcom’s M72 handheld VHF transceiver is only two years old, but in the world of marine electronics, two years can seem like a long time! I’ve been shopping for a handheld VHF radio, but it ain’t easy: There are so many small radios on the market, choosing one can be overwhelming.

In this kind of situation, it’s immensely reassuring to find an opinion you trust. In this case, a strong endorsement from Vessel Assist skipper Richard Rodriguez may mean my search is over. So why does he prefer this model? (more…)

Tags: Communication · Electronics · New Posts

My Favorite Little Kite

July 16th, 2007 · by Tim Flanagan, Managing Editor

Prism Kites is another one of the many local businesses I like to promote. They’re well-known for their cutting-edge stunt kites; you know, those two-line rigs you see spinning, flipping, and dancing all around at the park. I own two of these, but the fact is, I don’t take them cruising with me.

Prism Triad box kite

Why not? Mostly, because I like another Prism kite even better! I love my little Triads. In my opinion, the Triad is Prism’s most versatile kite, and I’ll tell you why:
(more…)

Tags: Misc. · New Posts

Yet Another Coast Guard Rescue

July 12th, 2007 · by Tim Flanagan, Managing Editor

I’m sorry if I sound like some sort of Coast Guard groupie. In my defense, I used to be a big-time Trekkie, so at least my heroes nowadays are real people wearing real uniforms! If I start showing up at conventions in a home-made Coast Guard uniform, though, you’ll know something’s gone terribly, horribly wrong.

cgvid

But any way you slice it, these folks are awesome. (more…)

Tags: New Posts · Videos

Boston Ferry Collision: We Weigh In

July 11th, 2007 · by Tim Flanagan, Managing Editor

Boston ferry collision
The hot blog topic today is the collision of two passenger ferries in Boston yesterday. gCaptain, Panbo, and Captain Rodriguez have all weighed in…now it’s our turn!

In case you missed it, here’s the aftermath:

I’ve got to agree with Captain Rodriguez: AIS is wonderful, and it might have helped, but hold on: fog is not new! (more…)

Tags: Navigation · New Posts · Safety