Articles by Ed Zacko

Description

A diverse collection of articles written by Ed Zacko

• The Case for the Light-air Mainsail  Ed Zacko names his light-air mailsail Mainster and tells us about its design and use.
• Fire Aboard!  While waiting for a pot of water to boil, Ellen tried to get a jump on the next day’s varnishing. She opened a gallon can of denatured alcohol and began to pour some into a 2-pint bottle…
• Tight and Tidy Sails  Mainsail reefing systems vary in detail but have one problem in common: what to do with the excess lines from the reef-clew outhauls…
• On Watch in All Weather  I threw a companionway seat together using materials I had lying around. It turned out far better than I dreamed…
• Entr’acte’s Bubble of Comfort   Returning to the bubble-turret concept, I came up with a nifty solution to cold-weather watches…
• Dead in the Water   Smoke begins pouring from the engine room vents as we fight a current on the River Seine…
• An Engine with a Fever   I inspected the engine very carefully to avoid further problems with blockages…
• AIS for the Rest of Us   There are three basic forms of AIS: Class A and Class B transponder units, which send and receive information, and receive-only units with no class designation…
• The Ship’s Log   Entr’acte’s log, which began on her launch date April 1, 1980, now fills 37 beautifully bound volumes…
• The Storm Trysail  Setting a trysail in heavy weather is not only about taking off sail area, it’s also about getting rid of the boom…
• Roll, Roll, Roll My Boat … No More!   A flopper stopper makes untenable anchorages amenable…
• Battling With Ball Valves   Ed explains the differences between the types of ball valves and why he has chosen to use a tried and true one…
• Refurbishing an Aging Furler   Anyone can repair a ProFurl furler with simple parts available at an auto parts store. Ed shows how with step-by-step photos.
• The Rata of Seville   A ravenous rat unites a community while wreaking havoc on board…
• Torquology   Set fasteners to the right tightness with a torque wrench.