Ali Wood drinks 2-year-old stagnant rainwater from leaky project boat Maximus... and survives to tell the tale
Ali tests the Liberty Lifesaver filtration bottle by drinking the locker waterDrinking bilge water isn’t something you do every day, but it seemed like a great opportunity to test the...
When the gas locker on Maximus turns out to be dangerous, surveyor Ben Sutcliffe-Davies pulls out a gas detector before continuing the survey
Detecting gas leaks on boats is very important, especially as gas standards on boats were very different 40 years ago. Sadly the PBO Project Boat Maximus is going to require a whole new installation if we decide to keep gas onboard.
After discovering a faulty DIY gas locker and out-of-date hoses on the Maxi 84, marine surveyor Ben Sutcliffe-Davies insisted on getting his gas wand out before...
Most tuning guides for centerboard dinghies and scows tell you to raise your board 1-2″ in heavy air. In this post we’ll briefly discuss three reasons why this is important. This post updates our previous post on setting leeboard height…
The post Raise Your Board in Heavy Air – Three Reasons appeared first on SailZing.
PBO reader Mike James get in touch for help solving an issue he's having with his alcohol stove
We fitted a CO detector when we had a gas stove on our GK24. The gas stove was replaced with an alcohol stove and the CO detector started going off immediately we lit up the alcohol. It turns out that CO detectors are also directly sensitive to ethanol vapour.
They have a filter membrane on some designs to slow response but eventually they will go off just on ethanol. Reading technical documentation on CO detectors shows this is a well...
Treating diesel engines is not too different to treating patients, says Gilbert Park
Gilbert listens to the engine using a mechanic’s stethoscope. Notice the bulb just below his right hand acts as amplifying box for the probe.An idea struck me when I ordered an oil analysis for Merlot, my lockdown project boat. Routine health checks are part of medicine so why not for my engine?
Merlot used to be the Poole Harbour workboat and is probably 30 to 40 years old...
Rupert Holmes explains why this new portable wind sensor from Calypso Instruments is a such significant step forward
Wireless, portable wind sensors have been around for many years, but none are as neatly packaged as this impressively compact ultrasonic unit which has no moving parts.
Power is via a solar panel, backed up with an internal battery, while data communication to the boat’s instrument system, smartphone, or Garmin watch is via Bluetooth with a 50m range.
Secondary sensors include a thermometer, gyroscope and...
Struggling with boat speed? Want to sail more by feel? Understanding and managing helm balance will help. In this post we’ll discuss the factors affecting upwind helm balance and give examples of how to apply them. We’ll cover downwind helm…
The post Manage Upwind Helm Balance for Speed and Feel appeared first on SailZing.
PBO reader Roger Brown wants to know if he should be worried about the orange cloudy diesel in his fuel tanks...
Roger Brown's yacht NunkiThe red diesel in the bowl of my primary filter looks cloudy and has a more orange colour than normal. There is no sign of water in the bowl. I have been treating the diesel with Fuel-Set.
The filter element in the primary filter looks clean and unblocked, but the element in the fine filter (supplied as a genuine Perkins part) has picked up a very fine chalky looking dust.
The engine is...
Clarionet, a 1966 Cowes Week and Fastnet winner, gets a new wooden rig and set of sails in a bid to return to her former glory
Spot the difference: Clarionet in 1966 and todayClarionet, the famous 1966 Sparkman & Stephens One Tonner, has been restored to her original glory.
Built by Clare Lallow’s yard in Cowes, Isle of Wight, the yacht was previously optimised for the IRC handicap, but has now been returned to the way she was, with the intention of racing in classic regattas.
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Dog lovers, SUP-ers and surfers to head to Poole this Sunday – PLUS top tips for paddleboarding with dogs
Does your dog love paddleboarding and surfing? If so, make your way to Poole this weekend for the UK’s only dog surfing and paddleboard championships.
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