Generating electricity — how the alternator and regulator produce their magic Issue 33 : Nov/Dec 2003 Although sailboats are usually small and compact, they have the infrastructure of a large city: th...
Here’s how to get that professional finish Issue 33 : Nov/Dec 2003 My Sunbrella dodger is a wonderful asset, and I can’t imagine why I sailed so many years without one. I keep mine in place nine month...
When the fog arrives, it’s time to blow your own horn Issue 35 : Mar/Apr 2004 Operating your boat in a dense fog can be an anxiety-filled experience. You need to maintain a safe course; check your com...
GPS, the system that supports your navigational eyes in the sky Issue 35 : Mar/Apr 2004 In October 1957, the first man-made satellite was thrust into orbit around the earth. The USSR’s tiny Sputnik ha...
Eight ways to steer a boat Issue 36 : May/Jun 2004 When it comes to steering a sailboat, even die-hard wheel enthusiasts agree there is no steering system that is simpler, more affordable, or offers b...
What’s at the end of your shrouds and stays? Issue 36 : May/Jun 2004 The stainless-steel standing rigging that supports our masts is critical to our sailing safety, and the terminals at the end of the...
The magic combination of plastic and glass that changed boatbuilding Issue 37 : Jul/Aug 2004 Composite construction in the United States began in the 1940s — during World War II — when a southern Cali...
The best way to join fabric to hard surfaces Issue 38 : Sept/Oct 2004 There occasionally comes the time when you need to fasten fabric to wood, fiberglass, or some other hard object. Sometimes eyes an...
Inspecting and maintaining seacocks Issue 38 : Sept/Oct 2004 The hull of a boat is designed to keep water out, but most boats also have through-hull fittings and seacocks that are designed to allow wa...
How to put that water back outside where it belongs Issue 39 : Nov/Dec 2004 There is an enormous variety of bilge pumps on the market. Some are electric, some manual, and some are belt-driven from the...
Keeping that drip-drip-drip under control Issue 40 : Jan/Feb 2005 A shaft log guides the propeller shaft through the hull while keeping watertight integrity. It consists of two parts, a watertight sea...
Electronic charts offer choices for every budget Issue 41 : Mar/Apr 2005 The typical chart plotter consists of a display unit, either black-and-white or color, and a GPS. The plotter displays your boa...
A trailerable pocket cruiser from a legendary designer Issue 42 : May/Jun 2005 In the late 1960s, we owned one of the first Rhodes 22 sailboats manufactured by General Boats Corporation. We sailed our...
Treat them with care and they’ll serve you well Issue 42 : May/Jun 2005 A binocular is an essential piece of boating equipment, and the selection of this item of navigational gear requires some basic ...
A novel way to overcome the problem of lying alongside pilings Issue 43 : Jul/Aug 2005 Fendering a boat in a berth next to pilings — such as alongside a bulkhead — is always a problem. If the fender i...
This proven safety feature is now practical for all sailboats Issue 43 : Jul/Aug 2005 Radar is an acronym for RAdio Detecting And Ranging. A marine radar is used to determine the distances and azimuth...
It’s the simplest, most reliable instrument on your boat Issue 45 : Nov/Dec 2005 There are many types of compasses that help the mariner determine direction: the electronic flux-gate compass, an elect...
Keep your batteries topped up with a slow but steady charge Issue 46 : Jan/Feb 2006 On a bright, sunny day, with the sun directly overhead, the sun supplies about 1,000 watts of energy per square mete...
The basic rules of anchoring — and staying put Issue 46 : Jan/Feb 2006 Everyone who owns a boat have occasion to anchor at one time or another, perhaps when cruising overnight, clamming, fishing, swim...
How to read your boat’s “birth certificate” Issue 47 : Mar/Apr 2006 Unless you have a really old boat, you probably have a set of 12 characters embedded on the upper starboard side of your boat’s tran...
Available fuel choices for cruising sailboats Issue 47 : Mar/Apr 2006 The selection of the best galley stove for use aboard your sailboat depends on the size of the boat, the layout of the galley, and...
The way we keep time at sea Issue 48 : May/Jun 2006 The concept of latitude and longitude have been known since the early days of sail, but without accurate timepieces longitude readings required long...
Check out the various ways to reduce sail area Issue 49 : Jul/Aug 2006 When the wind suddenly picks up or a squall line is approaching, the ability to douse the sails or reduce sail area quickly, effi...
Extra guest? No problem with this jumpseat Issue 50 : Sept/Oct 2006 When we have guests sailing with us, there never seems to be enough room around the cabin table. To add another seat quickly, I inst...
Turn your cockpit into a porch Issue 50 : Sept/Oct 2006 It’s annoying to have to stay in the cabin during all-day rains. Some days it’s also annoying to have to be out in the cockpit, regardless of ho...
Extend your time cruising … in comfort Issue 50 : Sept/Oct 2006 Heating your boat in the off-season make sailing more enjoyable and extends your time on the water. For any planned heater installation,...
What it’s made of and how to check it Issue 52: Jan/Feb 2007 STANDING RIGGING IS THE TERM GIVEN TO THE CABLES that support a sailboat’s mast(s): the forestay, backstay, and shrouds, as well as special...
The basics on auxiliary propulsion systems Issue 51 : Nov/Dec 2006 Unless you are exceptional sailors and purists, like Lin and Larry Pardey, you probably have a mechanical propulsion system on board ...
Modern systems for stowing sails and reducing area Issue 53 : Mar/Apr 2007 When the wind suddenly picks up or a squall line is approaching, the ability to furl or reef sails efficiently and safely is ...
