Tips, Tricks & Thoughts:
Tips
-
Battle Born Batteries Get The Memo
9 CommentsReading Time: 2 minutesFree
Read more: Battle Born Batteries Get The MemoGreat to see that one of the largest vendors of lithium batteries has finally got wise to the fact that when used on boats, lithium batteries with an internal BMS must be able to communicate with external devices and the user to be safe and compliant. That said, Battle Born are making a lot of […]
-
Takacat Dinghy On Test
26 CommentsReading Time: 2 minutesFree
Read more: Takacat Dinghy On TestI’m constantly correcting people who assume that because my last three boats were monohulls I must be a multihull hater. Why is it that these days so many people seem to jump to the conclusion that just because we own one type of boat, we must think that it’s the best and all other boats […]
-
Updated Norwegian Cruising Guide, Volume 3
2 CommentsReading Time: < 1 minuteFree
Read more: Updated Norwegian Cruising Guide, Volume 3Many of you may not be aware, but Phyllis and I have a second job as publishers and editors of the Norwegian Cruising Guide. Actually, that’s a bit of a stretch in that Phyllis, together with our friend and Norwegian partner Hans Jakob, do 95% of the work on that project and I get my […]
-
Backer Plate Hack
2 CommentsReading Time: < 1 minuteFree
Read more: Backer Plate HackPretty much any deck fitting should have a substantial backer plate. I like G10 for this function, although fibreglass sheet can work for less money when less stiffness is required. I keep some of each in different thicknesses on hand. But how do we hold the backer plate in place while we drill the holes?The […]
-
Great Core Removal Drill Bits
8 CommentsReading Time: < 1 minuteFree
Read more: Great Core Removal Drill BitsI think pretty much everyone knows that when installing new fittings on a cored boat we should first remove the core before filling the void with thickened epoxy and then re-drilling for the fastener(s). There are a bunch of different ways to do this, but the set of Alfa Tools Forstner bits I just bought […]
-
Q&A Winch Service Intervals & grease.
17 CommentsReading Time: 2 minutesFree
Read more: Q&A Winch Service Intervals & grease.Member Courtney asked: In this whole set of articles on rigs/spars/lines and the bits and bobs that make the sailing happen I see no mention of the service schedule or recommended sundries for winches. I found your suggestions for a water-based degreaser, but no suggestions for the grease (And there’s sooo many, and they all claim […]
-
Cutting Bolts Hack¹
6 CommentsReading Time: < 1 minuteFree
Read more: Cutting Bolts Hack¹I’m guessing most of you know this one, but I didn’t when I first started working on boats, so it may be useful. When cutting a bolt off that’s too long, first put a nut on it as shown in the above. Winding the nut off cleans up burs on the threads from cutting. But […]
-
Drawings For Improved Force 10 Stove Bracket
6 CommentsReading Time: < 1 minuteFree
Read more: Drawings For Improved Force 10 Stove BracketI just added a drawing of this much-improved stove bracket to the original article so others can use it to get one made to improve the safety of Force 10 stoves. Should have done this years ago. Thanks to member Nina for the nudge.
-
Recommended Deck Wiring Glands
1 CommentReading Time: 2 minutesFree
Read more: Recommended Deck Wiring GlandsI have a pathological hatred for drilling holes in the deck of our boat, but sometimes it’s unavoidable, and when it is I’m guided by a healthy dose of deck-leak paranoia—it only takes one passage with a leak over your bunk to instill said condition for life. The cables in the shot will be under […]
-
Wire Routing Hack
2 CommentsReading Time: < 1 minuteFree
Read more: Wire Routing HackI have been running a bunch of new cables up to the instrument pod on our new-to-us J/109 while installing a better on-deck navigation system, including radar. The cables run through the head under some trim in a very tight space with no room for wire ties, and they needed to stay put while I […]
-
Oil Change Danger
2 CommentsReading Time: < 1 minuteFree
Read more: Oil Change DangerWe have a friend who was well into a voyage across the Atlantic when the oil pressure alarm went off on her engine. She and her crew made all the usual checks but to no avail. When they finally got to the Azores under sail and with no engine for charging, the mechanic found parts […]
-
A Shed For Your Boat
0 CommentsReading Time: 2 minutesFree
Read more: A Shed For Your BoatA couple of years ago my friend David sent me the above photos of a Stimson shed he built to winter store his lovely Hinkley 41, the same boat he so kindly lent me for a cruise. I’m ashamed to admit that said photos have languished on my computer until I stumbled over them while […]
-
While Converting To Lithium
5 CommentsReading Time: 2 minutesFree
Read more: While Converting To LithiumMember Rob sent us the above photo of the very cool (in more ways than one) equipment and battery bay he and his installer built in the aft cabin of his 2002 Beneteau Oceanis 473 while they were changing the boat over to a lithium house (service) bank. Prior to that change, as is so […]
-
Loos Rigging Tension Gauge
2 CommentsReading Time: < 1 minuteFree
Read more: Loos Rigging Tension GaugeA cool tool for tuning a one-design boat where the settings are known, as they are on our J/109. Probably not worth the money otherwise. Here’s how to tune a rig without.
-
Small Problems Add Up To Big Problems
7 CommentsReading Time: 2 minutesFree
Read more: Small Problems Add Up To Big ProblemsMember Tim Newson sent us the attached account of a serious situation that developed when several small oversights and maintenance failures came home to roost during a challenging early winter voyage across the North Sea—only Brits would think such a cruise might be fun! …OK, I have done that sort of thing, too, but then […]
-
Question and Answer—Limited Fuel Range Voyage
2 CommentsReading Time: 2 minutesFree
Read more: Question and Answer—Limited Fuel Range VoyageMember, George asked: I’m presently faced with challenge of a transatlantic delivery Maine- Azores and beyond. Boat is old 1978 NY 40, Palmer Johnson built. Pretty solid for IOR era as it was intended for Bermuda races as well as inshore events. Stickey issue is the 12 gallon fuel tank! I don’t like lashing 5 […]
-
Thoughts on The Golden Globe Race 2022
9 CommentsReading Time: 2 minutesFree
Read more: Thoughts on The Golden Globe Race 2022Member Jim asked: So now that GGR 2022 is in the final stretch – What do you think? Seems like the later start had some benefits – if I recall correctly one boat sank (auto-pilot broke off?) otherwise barnacles seems to be the biggest issue… and kudos to Kirsten! Yes, the later start was a […]
-
Answer to Electrical Quiz
0 CommentsReading Time: < 1 minuteFree
Read more: Answer to Electrical QuizA bit over a week ago I posted an electrical quiz question. A couple of members came close in the comments, but no one got it exactly right. I had the volt meter connected between a reference anode, immersed in the water next to the boat, and the boat’s bond system, and was looking to […]
-
Jordan Series Drogue Works Even if Caught Beam On
2 CommentsReading Time: < 1 minuteFree
Read more: Jordan Series Drogue Works Even if Caught Beam OnSusanne Huber-Curphy and I were chatting by email about her use of the Jordan Series Drogue, our (and her) recommended storm-survival gear, when she clarified a point I think many people worry about, unnecessarily as it turns out: The most amazing thing of the JSD is that after a front has passed with a dramatic […]
-
AAC Site Slow Down
0 CommentsReading Time: < 1 minuteFreeRead more: AAC Site Slow DownWe had a three-hour slowdown on Sunday afternoon (AST) that made the site pretty much unusable. This was the result of a new site-search engine that we are installing that was building an index and ran amok. Fixed now. Sorry for the problem.
-
Instrument Loads
1 CommentReading Time: < 1 minuteFree
Read more: Instrument LoadsSeems like a lot of cruisers are leaving their instrumentation on, even when at anchor, these days. Do what you want, but this practice could push you into a major electrical system makeover that might not be necessary if we just turned that stuff off. The above photo shows the load (battery monitor to the […]
-
NMEA 2000 Trouble Shooting Kit
0 CommentsReading Time: 2 minutesFree
Read more: NMEA 2000 Trouble Shooting KitI’m in the throws of installing a new autopilot and radar on our new-to-us J/109. As part of that I cleaned up the dogs breakfast of a NMEA 2000 network the boat came with to make it both easier to trouble shoot and hopefully more reliable, particularly since this new kit required adding quite a […]
-
Stopping Rigging Hum Q & A
8 CommentsReading Time: 2 minutesFree
Read more: Stopping Rigging Hum Q & AMember Arne asked: When I tuned the rig on my OVNI, it started vibrating/resonating in the wind when on anchor. It starts at fairly low wind speeds, and I can’t tell exactly where in the rig it is. I can sometimes feel some vibrations in the shrouds. It sounds like a motorboat approaching a couple […]
-
Is Reading Time a Good Addition to AAC?
20 CommentsReading Time: < 1 minuteFree
Read more: Is Reading Time a Good Addition to AAC?Early this week we added a reading time estimate to the header of every article (but not these Tips). The idea is to show how much information you can get from a small investment in time at AAC, particularly when compared to trying to get technical information from YouTube, podcasts, or the biggest time sink […]
-
Turnbuckle Securing Hack
6 CommentsReading Time: < 1 minuteFree
Read more: Turnbuckle Securing HackHere’s a quick way to secure turnbuckles with no need for taping and that is quick to take off when we need to adjust the rig. The secret is selecting a ring-ding (a technical term that shows the user is a real professional rigger) that is just too big in diameter to allow the barrel […]
