The picture of a beautiful boat anchored in an idyllic tropical bay often evokes thoughts of warm breezes wafting across tranquil blue waters. What the image doesn’t show is how that same warm breeze can cause the interior temperature of a boat to soar past 100°F.

While portholes and hatches can be opened to let air drift into the cabins, they are often too small or poorly positioned to make a significant difference. One common solution is a wind scoop—a canvas bag fitted over hatches to direct airflow. However, wind scoops require adjustment when the wind shifts, which can be inconvenient, especially at night in a marina or dock.

Enter the Breeze Bandit, an innovative product from Cruising Solutions of Charleston, South Carolina, USA. Specializing in practical solutions for boaters, they’ve designed a simple yet effective tool. The Breeze Bandit is a four-sided nylon pyramid that attaches around a hatch using included press-studs. Unlike traditional wind scoops, it doesn’t rely on a single large opening to face the wind. Instead, wind hits the cone and is deflected through a pocket into the cabin, adjusting automatically to shifts in direction. If it rains, the cone can be quickly removed, and the hatch closed.

This concept is so straightforward that I wonder why I didn’t think of it myself during sweltering Florida summers in a marina. Instead, I installed two AC units—a solution far more expensive than the Breeze Bandit’s $65 price tag. A clever marina strategy would be to loan these out to incoming boats; once people experience the comfort, they’d never want to leave.

Watch a video of installing the Breeze Bandit below:

The post Shooting the Breeze appeared first on Cruising World.

Wondering what to get the cruising sailor (or liveaboard) in your life this holiday season? Most of us boat folk are minimalists, which makes us notoriously difficult for gifting. There’s no room for excess on board!

We took a break from publishing a gift guide last year, sending it only to blog subscribers—which generated some email so we’re back, baby! We hope this guide with our handpicked recommendations helps relieve a little holiday stress. Remember, Amazon’s Black Friday begins early.

Disclosure: This post includes affiliate links. No cost to you, and super helpful for us. Learn more at our values statement; we only make recommendations that we support 100 percent. And if we know of a small business you can support instead, you’ll find that linked here, too. If we miss one, don’t hesitate to let us know!

Clever Cameras

Night vision security camera

Motion-activated cameras with sound and alarms. Notifications gave us peace of mind during travel for Annapolis and the low-light image capture was amazing. Bonus: microphone and speaker let you talk (to your cat, even) through the camera!

Thermal infrared camera

Troubleshoot a diesel engine or wiring issue by identifying hotspots with Flir’s One Gen 3 camera. (Also fun for cat pics!) Caveat: Our friend and surveyor Marga Pretorius points out that this model is not strong enough to see into laminates and detect moisture in the hull of a boat.

Insta360 GO 3S

Great cruising vlog features: Level the horizon (for that sunset time-lapse from the cockpit). IPX8 rating means you can take it snorkeling. Way easier to mount with magnetic attachments, and more! Leveling up POV video with this on Totem.

Low-light, weatherproof camera

Security and a nav aid. Spend $2k (or $20k) on a fancy-schmancy marine version, or about $60 for this copycat and use your MFD as the display.

Quality of Life

Nordic Icebreaker

Perfect cubes even if it’s tossed around the freezer. Our friend Susan says “We’ve gone through a lot of ice cube trays with lids but none have worked until this.” Count us in!

No Eggs, No Worries

Easy methods to substitute for eggs, plus a selection of classic egg recipes re-interpreted to be eggless. Why cruisers need this: It may not be possible to buy eggs in remote locations. The eggs you can buy might be bad (the last dozen eggs I got in the Marshall Islands were moldy inside the shell) and are probably costly. It’s at least a month before I may find eggs for sale. And why not be healthy and compassionate? You don’t need to be vegan to appreciate this cruiser-created cookbook.

Malizia sunglasses

By sailors, for sailors, perfect for this sailor! I was gifted a pair earlier this year, and they now live on my face whenever I’m outside. Polarization lets me see into the coral-strewn water here, optical clarity is #chef’s kiss, coverage is excellent (super sensitive eyes here), and grey tint is perfectly dark in the tropics. Bonus: The frame is 85 percent recycled fishing nets. The Vallon store has a pre-holiday 25% off sale, sitewide, until December 3.

Stick-on bifocals

Hydrotac means I can wear Malizias and read a book at the same time. Less than $20 for a pair, they adhere inside lenses with a drop of water. A second pair converted my snorkeling mask. Way easier and cheaper than prescription lenses.

Water Time!

Prescription mask

Vision more complicated than my stick-ons? SeaVision masks are made in St Petersburg, Florida, and get rave reviews. Built to last, they can adapt lenses to your fave mask, too.

Dive clacker

Needed this a few days ago to get Jamie’s attention underwater about a shark swimming nearby (because sharks are gorgeous, and I didn’t want him to miss it). This makes either a rattle (for snorkelers) or clang (divers tap on the tank). Thumbs up on this and the mask from the dive aficionados aboard SV Motu.

Go Green

UNPaper Towels

Washable, reusable replacements for paper towels, these do exactly what they are supposed to, plus they come in fun colors and prints. I haven’t used paper towels in over a year and don’t miss them a bit! We’re linking to the maker site, Marley’s Monsters, so you can peruse the other goodness they have.

Compressed air fan

Koonie makes another product better! “I got tired of looking for compressed air cans,” said our friend Travis. We’re tired, too: Ditch those refrigerant/propellant cans for good.

On-Board Toolkit

Mini soldering iron

The size of a pencil, this charges via USB. Fortuna crew connects it to a power bank for portability.

Universal funnel

May not sound sexy but it’s incredibly useful. Our workaround in the past has been a thin, flexible cutting board held in place. This is much better!

Digital electronic level

Make your installs look pro-level! This clever device from Klein Tools is a level, an angle finder, a relative angle reference. Its magnetic bottom keeps it in place.

Better cable stripper

Jonard’s wire stripper has an adjustable wire depth. Get it right the first time when stripping small-gauge (large-size) wires for, say, battery bank wiring. This and level (above) tips from the current refit underway on Atargatis.

What’s Jamie getting?

I’ve fallen in the habit of sharing Jamie’s gift in this annual post. This paragraph was mysteriously missing in the copy he proofreads for me. (No spoilers, friends!)

Endoscope camera

16-foot cable reaches into deep dark corners to inspect tanks, the hull behind your generator, and other inaccessible dark corners on board. LED lights at the camera, that connects with Wi-Fi to your smartphone. (I nearly spilled the beans recently for a project where he might have used it!)

Timeless Favorites

These gift ideas never go out of style:

Marmara towels

All Turkish towels are not created the same! We’ve used Marmara bath towels for nearly a decade. The standard size makes great hand or dish towels. Currently 25% off on their site (linked).

Bone conduction headphones retain ambient noise sounds while listening to that audiobook on night watch. SHOKZ became instant favorites on Totem.

Solar powered string lights

MPOWERD’s 44-foot length is great for casting a gentle glow in the cockpit.

AND… A discount on our services!

Gift your friend, a loved one or yourself an hourlong consultation with me and Jamie! We are offering a limited number of our “try-us-out” coaching sessions at 50% off. We can do a lot in an hour. Learn more about how we get people happily cruising here, then get in touch for a custom gift certificate—until they run out!

Still struggling for inspiration? Our guide collection and gift ideas (16 posts) can be found at this link.

The post Our Favorite Things: Holiday Gift Guide for the Hands-On Sailor appeared first on Cruising World.

Repairing a shore power cable is a straightforward project that can be tackled comfortably while seated—either indoors or aboard your boat. Shore power is a marina luxury that keeps your batteries charged and powers AC (alternating current) appliances when a “ring main” is installed in the cabins or galley, not to mention another desirable AC acronym, Air Conditioning, if your boat has it fitted. Most marinas provide power pedestals at each dock, typically offering 30-amp, 120-volt outlets. Some also have 50-amp connections for boats with higher power demands, as well as 15-amp outlets intended for light use, such as running a single tool. However, these smaller outlets are usually marked “not for shore power” and shouldn’t be used to handle a boat’s heavier electrical load.

The heavy cables that are needed to connect a boat to shore power can be bought on the web or at chandlers.

The most common type in the US is made by Marinco Inc., but there are also others with the same terminal connectors. All have a male and female plug at each end of cables that are available in various lengths. It’s also possible to buy the wires and the plugs separately to make custom lengths to suit a boat that is always moored in the same dock space. It’s better to use a length that is not overly long, to reduce resistance and overheating of the cable that is exposed to the elements day-in and day-out.

The actual plugs on the ends of these cables are a special configuration that consists of power (black), return (white) and ground (green), and they only plug into a receptacle one way.

They may also have a black locking ring that enables them to be securely attached to a pedestal or a boat that has corresponding threads.

Some pedestal receptacles are angled downward to reduce the incursion of rainwater that could short out the plugs.

If there is no locking ring facility, this type of angled connection is very susceptible to working loose due to the movement of the boat or even the wind. The only remedy is to tie the plug to the pedestal. If there is no locking ring facility on the pedestal it is still useful as a ¼-inch rope fits nicely between the ring and the boot that can then be tied to the pedestal.

If, through a bad connection, the plug overheats inside the receptacle, it usually trips the contact breaker, but if it continues to short out, it can start a fire inside the pedestal. Over time the plugs also become corroded due to the environment they operate in, making it necessary to replace the entire plug or the outer plug connector part of it.

Note: If either plug of a manufacturer’s shore-power cable still has the original plugs attached, they cannot be dismantled because they are one-piece molded assemblies.

The only way to fit a new plug to these cables is to saw the old one off, then fit a completely new male or female plug in the manner described here. This is not at all difficult and much cheaper than buying a new shore power cable set.

The male and female plugs at each end of the wire use different boots and the spare parts are not interchangeable.

A single 1/4” inch thin flat blade screwdriver is all that is required to do these repairs because the Phillips screws all have one open slot across the head of the screws.

Dismantling A Female Plug

To replace or rebuild a failed female plug, first pull the boot away from the plug and slide it a few inches down the wire—because it need not be removed from the wire unless a new boot is to be fitted. Next, remove the three screws in the end of the plug, and loosen the two on the side of the body—but do not completely remove these two, as they only clamp the cable in place. The white plug part can now be pulled out of the body exposing the wires inside.

Move the body back down the wire a few inches. (If this is difficult, the two side screws may not have been loosened enough.) It should now be possible to see what has caused the failure of the connection and there may even be signs of burning on a wire.

To remove the wires, simply loosen the three side screws and the plug can be pulled clear of the wires. The screws are colored red, green and white to match the wires.

Dismantling A Male Plug

Unscrew the three screws in the front of the male plug, and the boot can then be drawn back down the wire. On the male plug, there is no inner body and the plug screws directly into the boot.

This exposes the three wires attached to the plug that can now be unscrewed from the plug and repairs made in the same way as the female end.

Reassembling Both Plugs

Depending upon what is discovered when the plugs are dismantled, Marinco parts may need to be ordered. If the wire shows any signs of burning or brittleness, the cable should be cut back until the wires are clean. This is usually only about two or three inches and is best done with a hacksaw in a vice.

If a new boot is to be fitted, it will be necessary to trim one of the rings off at the end of the boot to be able to slide it onto the 5/8-inch diameter cable. Now, using a box cutter (Stanley knife), a scalpel (X-acto knife), or a similar knife with a new sharp blade, carefully trim the outer cover back 1 5/8-inch and remove it along with its inner strings until only three new wires are left. One method of doing this is to place the cable in the vice and slice into the top half of the outer cover, which is normally quite thin and flexible, but not so deep as to nick the wire insulation. Then, score a straight cut from the circular cut back to the end of the cover, peel it open, and it will then be easier to score around the rest of the cover. Now trim 5/8-inch of the wire insulation to expose the copper conductors and twist them to stop them from fraying.

Now push each wire end into its corresponding colored hole in the plug until the insulation fits inside the little raised hole, then tighten the locking screw. It is important to do this correctly: green wire goes into the green hole, white into white and black into black. If done incorrectly the polarity of the plug will be wrong. On the female plug, push the plug end into the body that locates with a small square keyway, and tighten the screws to fasten the plug to the body. Then, tighten the two clamp screws to secure the plug to the cable and pull the boot back over the complete plug.

This completes the installation of both male and female plugs—with a DIY cost saving of approximately 200 percent over the cost of a new shore-power cable set.

The post DIY Shore Power Cable Repair: Keep Your Boat “Plugged In” appeared first on Cruising World.

Personal safety gear is more than a one-and-done purchase. For gear to be effective, sailors need to become completely familiar with it, and commit to a regular inspection and maintenance routine.

The onset of winter might sideline sailing, but it also affords an opportunity to reconsider personal safety gear. Start with a thorough cleaning and inspection of your kit. This includes the foul-weather gear, life jacket, tether, strobe, whistle and AIS beacon. 

Consider replacing older, worn-out gear while adding some new kit. The goal is to have reliable, comfortable equipment that you’re willing to wear. It’s about function, not fashion. The value lies in how effectively this gear keeps you afloat, makes you more locatable, and wards off hypothermia.  

One of the biggest misconceptions is that if an inflatable life jacket has never been used, it must be as good as new. This ignores the fact that such gear is regularly drenched with salt spray, cooked by the sun, then tossed into a locker and ignored. The best way to ensure operational reliability is to follow the manufacturer’s maintenance procedures. Look online for product updates or recalls. 

A friend and safety expert recently surveyed other safety trainers and equipment experts about how often they encounter inflatable-life-jacket failures. One pro reported a 5 percent failure rate. Another said 11 percent. If aircraft had such a failure rate, lots more people would be taking the train. 

Fortunately, there’s a way to beat those odds. It involves carefully scrutinizing key components while doing an annual, offseason inflatable-­life-jacket inspection and maintenance.  

Begin by checking straps and clips for signs of fraying or cracking. Open and unfold the device, removing ancillary equipment such as a strobe or an AIS beacon. Check battery expiration dates, and operate each device in its test mode. 

Next, remove the carbon-­dioxide cylinder and inspect it. Look for an intact seal on the cylinder, and note any signs of corrosion. 

Then, orally inflate the life jacket and leave it overnight in a temperature-controlled environment. The next morning, check to see if there’s been a noticeable dimension change to the bladder. Even if you are handy enough to repair leaking seams on your inflatable dinghy or stand-up paddleboard, don’t attempt to patch a leaking life jacket. Replace it. 

Note how many exhalations into the inflation tube it takes to fill up the life jacket—because if you’re submerged, water pressure will make the process even more arduous. If you go overboard untethered and the autoinflation feature fails, a reflexive tug on the manual-inflation tab can deliver the requisite buoyancy, or the last resort will be oral inflation.

Pay close attention to the autoinflator hardware, either the bobbin type or the hydrostatic system. The former relies on the solubility of a tabletlike compound, held in a bobbin, which dissolves when immersed. This allows a plunger to pierce the carbon-dioxide cylinder, inflating the life jacket. These bobbins can, over time and exposure to high humidity, harden and become less prone to dissolving. Follow the manufacturer’s recommended replacement timetable—often for annual replacement.

Hydrostatic inflation systems respond to slight changes in water pressure when the unit submerges. The pressure-sensing element must make full contact with the water—and in some cases, the plunge is not deep enough to activate autoinflation. The best bet is to follow US Coast Guard wisdom and treat these life jackets as manually inflated systems with an automatic backup. Train yourself to yank the manual-inflate pull tab immediately. If the autoinflate beats you to it, that’s great, but if the auto system balks, no problem—you have already initiated manual inflation, and you still have oral inflation as a backup.

Most sailors find that there’s no perfect life jacket. Inflatables are comfortable to wear in their dormant state, but it’s important to get into the water and experience the transition from deflated to inflated. See how swimming is affected. Discover how vital the leg and crotch straps are to maintaining buoyancy with your head elevated. 

One of the best ways to accomplish this is to attend a US Sailing hands-on Safety at Sea seminar in a pool with pros.  It’s another valuable offseason skill-building opportunity. 

“Practice makes perfect” might be a bit of an overstatement, but familiarity with safety gear does improve outcomes. Getting to know your life jacket means that you have jumped into the water wearing it, done some swimming with it on, and even tried climbing up a boarding ladder. 

If nothing else, find an indoor pool and a few fellow cruisers interested in gear ­familiarization. Dim the lights, and note how a bright flashing strobe on your vest or jacket destroys your night ­vision. (A light on a stalk might be preferable.) 

Try the whistle, adjust the leg and crotch straps, and consider how an AIS beacon would be deployed. See if you could reach a mini flashlight or handheld VHF radio tucked into the pocket of your foul-weather gear. 

Now is the perfect time, before the next season’s sailing begins.

The post Stay Safe Year-Round: Essential Offseason Gear Prep for Sailors appeared first on Cruising World.

The International Yacht Brokers Association (IYBA) has announced the launch of a comprehensive new database for yachts and boats of all sizes in a consumer-facing marketplace, Yachtr.com.

Powered by Yachtbroker.org, Yachtr gives brokers a new option to list their yachts, and potential buyers an intuitive platform to browse yachts and boats for sale worldwide. Yachtr is the result of several years of software development backed by industry associations and led by IYBA.

Once users visit the website, they can search verified listings that are for sale by category: motor yachts, cruisers, fishing boats or sailboats; by broker or by yacht manufacturer. The association’s From The Bridge blog contains a host of educational posts on topics such as: What is a Sea Trial and Why is it Important?, How to Hire the Right Captain for Your Yacht and Boat Insurance 101: Types of Coverage Every New Boat Owner Should Know. Users can also subscribe to have new articles sent directly to their email. Users interested in selling a vessel can be connected directly to professional brokers by searching either by name, city or zip code.

“Yachtr is taking control from private enterprise solutions and putting it back in the hands of the community,” said Paul Flannery, Chief Operating Officer, IYBA. “We have heard concerns from our members, and we believe that Yachtr addresses and solves the challenges that current listing sites present. We want to provide a platform that is accessible to all, and inherently fair in its approach to displaying listings. Yachtr is and always will be an industry resource, meant to better serve our community and the needs of the boat buying and selling public. We firmly believe that if the industry can be able to control their data that they will then be able to control their destiny and provide an enhanced consumer experience. Help us spread the word about a better way to buy and sell yachts where you’re always in control of your data.”

According to an IYBA spokesperson, Yachtr saw a 25 percent increase in listings during the first 30-day period. Currently, Yachtr offers over 14,000 listings from 285 yacht brokerages, with listings growing every day.

The post Brokerage Platform “Yachtr” Launches appeared first on Cruising World.

We can’t see the wind, but we can see what it is doing to many objects on the water. Understanding the patterns and trends of the ever-­changing wind helps us sail faster, more efficiently, and on a more direct course toward our destination.   

Reading the wind is one of the great joys of sailing. Start by wearing sunglasses to dampen glare. This makes it easier to detect small changes of the ripples that wind causes on the water. I use prescription sunglasses to help me read the wind.  

Stand up in the boat so that you can see farther. Study one section of the horizon at a time. In a minute or two, you will be able to recognize what the wind is doing. 

Start by looking at the wind within 10 boatlengths, and then extend your view farther out, eventually all the way to the horizon. Study the patterns. Out loud, say where you think the wind is best.  

There are many clues. The first indicator is the water. Dark patches with ripples close together indicate more wind. Look for the intensity of the patches. That means puffs. You can also see if the puffs are coming from different directions.   

The next indicator is your sails. The wind flows around the sails and lets you know exactly what is happening around your boat. I use an apparent-wind indicator (a masthead fly) to see what direction the wind is flowing. Other boats sailing in your vicinity are a helpful source of information too. If, for example, you see a boat well ahead of you steering a higher course, that suggests you are about to be lifted (able to sail a higher course toward your destination).  

A change of direction that forces you farther off course is called a header. Often, when wind changes direction, it is part of a puff with more ­velocity. Anticipate a puff just before it flows into your sails. If it is a strong gust, be prepared to ease out your sails and head up a few degrees to lessen the effects of the puffs.  

Flags flying on the shoreline are helpful in trying to figure out if the wind is going to change direction. A set of anchored boats is another helpful source. (Be mindful that current flow can affect how a boat sits at anchor.) 

If a strong gust approaches your boat, then alert the rest of the crew that you are about to get a blast of wind. Crews don’t like surprises. Suddenly heeling over can startle an unsuspecting crew. 

Smokestacks are another good source of wind-direction information. A smokestack is high in the air and indicates what direction the wind is blowing at a higher elevation.

While you are sailing, keep a mental note of how each puff of wind is affecting your boat. The patterns repeat throughout the day. On a light-air day, head for a set of clouds. Often, good wind is underneath clouds. On a ­very-light-wind day, you can feel a subtle breeze on your neck. Wet a ­finger and hold it in the air, and you can feel which ­direction the wind is blowing.

Buddy Melges once told me that he looks to see what direction cattle are standing onshore so they can feel the wind on their backsides.

Thermal factors have a big impact on wind. When air heats up on land, it rises. A cooler breeze over the water fills in to take the place of the rising air. This is called a thermal or a sea breeze. 

Before sailing, take a few minutes to check out different forecasts by weather services. My favorites include Windy, PredictWind, SailFlow and the National Weather Service. I like looking at more than one source to get a sense of what might happen while I am on the water. 

For long-distance passages, consider subscribing to a private weather service. On an expedition to Antarctica, our crew engaged a weather service that gave us accurate forecasts every 12 hours. We received the information via email on a satellite phone. Many ­grand-prix racing crews use customized weather services as well.

The locals can be helpful. A gardener at a yacht club used to give me tips every Saturday before I went out racing. He would say: “There is a lot of dew on the grass this morning.  There’s going to be a strong breeze from the south.” Or: “I noticed cobwebs on the fence. Probably going to be a westerly wind today.” I smiled at the lore of the gardener, and yet his forecast generally proved accurate, so I always factored his commentary into my thinking.

Expect the wind to be choppy and confused in harbors and around moored boats. You are better off sailing in open water. Areas with many powerboats chop up the waves and cause confusion reading the wind. I try to sail in areas with as few power vessels as possible.  

Superstar sailor Buddy Melges once told me that he looks to see what direction cattle are standing on the shoreline so they can feel the wind on their backsides. Melges also advised watching the direction birds take off because they usually fly into the wind to generate lift.

When you sail into a gust of wind, it helps to use your sail trim, steering, and weight placement to maintain an even keel. When a boat heels over too far, it makes leeway. The rudder and keel stall, making it difficult to steer, and the boat slows down.  

When I am daysailing, I like to keep my boat sailing fast. The helm feels better, and the boat performs better. So, I ask the crew to sit to windward in a breeze and to leeward in light wind. If you plan to make a maneuver, let the crew know well in advance so that they will be prepared to switch sides of the boat. Reading the wind accurately will help you understand when it is time to tack or jibe.

More than anything, practice. I’ve spent my entire career studying the wind. Predicting what is going to happen will make your sailing more enjoyable.

The post How to Read the Wind appeared first on Cruising World.

Haulouts are a necessary evil. They are the only time a boat owner can perform a thorough inspection of the hull, rudder and underwater hardware, as well as apply bottom paint and perform other below-the-­waterline maintenance.  

There are several ways to make the most of this process. Here are a few tips.

Keep the Water Out

Watertight integrity rises above all other priorities. The weakest links in this chain are hull fittings and seacocks. That’s why it’s important to use time on the hard to inspect each one.  

If they are metallic, then scrape off some paint. The metal color should look like copper. While the telltale green shade of verdigris is not harmful, any sign of a pinkish hue is cause for concern. Pink indicates de-zincification. It means the metal is brass, which contains zinc, rather than bronze, which does not. The former is definitely not suitable for use in seawater.  

Work all the seacocks, and replace any that are seized. Those that are stiff can often be freed with exercise and a little penetrating oil. Most modern ball-type seacocks use Teflon or other synthetic seals, which don’t need lubrication, however, those that have drain plugs can usually accept Zerk fittings, which allow the void around the ball to be filled with grease, making movement easier.

Stay On Course

Closely inspect the rudder for damage, and remember to look at the very bottom surface. Many rudders “leak” water while hauled. This might not be cause for concern. However, if the liquid is rust-colored, then water may have penetrated to the rudder’s internal metallic support structure. That structure might be stainless steel or a combination of stainless and mild steel (the latter is undesirable, but both can suffer). If corrosion is present, surgery might be necessary to avoid a parting of the ways between the rudder stock and blade—and the resultant loss of steering or the rudder altogether.  

If the rudder is skeg hung, then check the condition of the gudgeon, the stationary support for the rudder’s lower pivot point, called the pintle. It’s normal to have a small amount of lateral play here, but too much can indicate wear or damage. Fiberglass around the pintle hardware should be free of anything other than minor gelcoat surface cracks.

With spade rudders (those that are not supported at the bottom), grab the lowest portion and push-pull it to port and starboard. A small amount of play is normal where the rudder stock enters the rudder log, tube and bearing that provide support at the hull interface. Excessive movement can indicate wear and the potential need to replace the bearing. Both rudder types should otherwise move freely to their stops without binding.  

Keel and Stub

Have a close look at the keel, especially if it is externally ballasted. Trouble can lurk in the interface between the ballast and hull, which might be direct or might rely on a fiberglass protrusion called the stub. It’s not unusual to see some water leaking from this interface, but if it is rusty in color, it indicates corrosion to keel fasteners, which are typically made from a stainless alloy.  

How much corrosion has occurred is impossible to know without separating the keel from the hull, but there have been a few high-profile cases of keel loss, often with fatalities, so better safe than sorry.

Dropping an external ballast keel is no small undertaking, but for a skilled yard, it should be fairly routine. If the keel is externally ballasted and it is cast iron, the integrity of the coating is critical. Any breach will lead to rust, which will spread. Correction requires cleaning, grinding to bright metal, and then coating with an epoxy primer rather than simply applying antifoulant.

For all keels, check the bottom for grounding damage. If the keel is internally ballasted, then severe grounding damage can allow water to reach the ballast. This is problematic for lead ballast and especially concerning for iron ballast, which will rust and expand, damaging the fiberglass structure. Better to catch this problem early. —Steve D’Antonio 

Steve D’Antonio offers services for boat owners and buyers through Steve D’Antonio Marine Consulting.

The post After the Haulout: First Things First appeared first on Cruising World.

As sailors we all share the same fundamental belief: Do right by the boat and it will do right by you. Most of the time, routine maintenance is what’s required. But then, there are the times when we need something more…a rethink and a bigger project—The Refit. That’s what the latest issue of “At The Front” is all about.

Year after year we ask…how can we make this boat easier or safer to sail? How can we keep up with the way the leaders sail them today? How can we make what’s not quite right…right? Just because it wasn’t launched that way, doesn’t mean we can’t rig it that way. This fall, we dedicate our issue of At The Front to refits. In this issue you’ll find detailed content with video about:

• Two all-out race boats
• A racer/cruiser refit while on the water
• The entire RC44 Class refit at once 
• An International 505
• A safer alternative for Warrior Sailors
• And a Herreshoff S Class design from 1926. 

Check out At The Front—The Refit Issue

Harken’s Engineering Manager in Pewaukee, Steve Orlebeke, has this to say about the role Harken often plays in refit projects: “In my 20+ years at Harken, I’ve followed a large number of refits. I’ve helped design a lot of custom equipment fueled by the objectives of those refits to both cruising and racing boats. At Harken, some of our most successful catalog products began out of a design brief from a naval architect or project manager looking to improve ease of use or performance. New thinking regularly results in new solutions. What comes out of those refit projects is some of the most creative, most enjoyable work we do in the Harken Engineering department. Refits…I say if you’ve got a project, we’re happy to wade into it with you. Just get in touch!”

The post The Boat Refit Edition: Next Season’s Upgrades appeared first on Cruising World.

My jaw ached from hours of clenching. My fingers grew numb from white-knuckling the companionway as a brace. We were crossing the Sea of Cortez from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, with our course set for Chacala on the mainland. There, we planned to rendezvous with my partner’s family.  

We had disobeyed the cardinal rule of cruising: You can choose a time or a place, but you can’t choose both. 

Despite the weather reports predicting sporty winds blowing into the 20s with moderate northwest swells, we were 40 miles southeast of Cabo when the northwest swell grew to 10 to 12 feet, every six to eight seconds, breaking frequently over the beam of our 41-foot Cheoy Lee sailboat, Avocet. The wind was sporty, as predicted, but at a much higher speed of 25 knots sustained with chronic gusts into the mid-30s from behind us.

I was on the first watch of the night, my harness clipped into our dodger, my eyes on the horizon. The only light to fill the ink-black space ahead of us came from the breaking waves that painted the sea with moments of phosphorescence.

Then, the faint glow of the moon began to rise. It was around that time that things took a turn for the worse. 

Bang is a sound you never want to hear at sea, let alone at night. Chris sprung from below as I tried to free myself from the dodger. “What was that?” he asked, thinking we had hit something. 

“It came from the rig!” I yelled over the deafening wind and sea. “I can’t see anything!” 

It took a few moments to realize that our 130 percent genoa that was heavily reefed had completely unfurled, leading us to become overpowered very quickly.

We disengaged our autopilot and immediately broke off, putting the swell more on our aft quarter to prevent further rounding up. Avocet became a sled with hull speeds into the double digits as we tried to figure out a plan. 

I clipped into the helm. Chris secured himself to the jack lines and walked to the bow with a new furling line in hand. 

In horror, I watched waves break over the bow and snuff out his headlamp. He would soon realize that our furling line had chafed through at the drum. 

At first, he tried to install the new furling line within the drum, but there was no way he could get enough wraps. Chris returned to the cockpit to grab another line, kissed me on the forehead, gave me a reassuring smile, and scrambled back to the bow. He attached the bitter end of the line to the sail’s tack and wrapped as many loops around the top of the drum as he could, essentially creating an external furling unit. 

Then, Chris sat, feet braced against our bulwark, and pulled in the furling line. The wind was howling, but it couldn’t muffle his cheers as the sail began to furl in. 

We then used the same technique as dousing our spinnaker to have our main sail shade the genoa, removing as much power as we could from the sail before blowing the sheet to make it easier to pull it in. Once the secondary furling line was secured to a cleat, Chris could remove the defunct line within the drum, install the new one, and reef the sail again to get us back on course. 

This was a worst-case scenario for a furler failure, but the method worked in a pinch. It prevented us from having to pull down the sail, which would have increased risk for us and for Avocet. In high winds, you should actively avoid coming into irons because there is a high probability that it will shred your sails to oblivion or tangle your lines. Or both.

In calmer seas later, after further investigation, we concluded that the furler drum had been set incorrectly and went undetected until the furler line was tested under tension, causing the abrupt chafe and snap. Ever since then, we have reset the furler drum and replaced the line, and have not had a single issue in the additional 2,000 nautical miles under our keel. 

We hope you never have to try this yourself, but we urge you to run through a Plan B, C and D if you should ever experience a failure like this.

The post Redundancy of Thought appeared first on Cruising World.

There’s an art to ending the season. A good boatyard with a capable crew smooths the transition from sea to land.

Every skipper who faces the fall haulout ritual can benefit from a glimpse at how other yards handle sailboats. Most yards utilize Travelifts and U-shaped lift piers, but the way that a crew maneuvers a sailboat into the lift slings, hauls, and blocks can add valuable insight. There are subtleties in the way that the lift operator snugs up slack in the slings and smoothly controls the powerful hydraulic winches. Attention to detail reveals competency. 

Equipment condition is important too. Beware of rusty lifting cables, frayed slings, and tires that show signs of sun rot and sidewall damage. 

And, as one old salt put it, “Even in the best of yards, you don’t want your boat to be the biggest boat that the yard has ever hauled.” 

There are ways to expedite the prehaul boat preparation. Remove the sails, dodger, and Bimini top, and offload provisions and gear for the winter. It’s usually a lot easier to do this dockside rather than after the haulout. Also make sure the holding tank has been pumped out, the ­knotmeter transducer is retracted, and the yard manager or lift operator has an underwater profile picture or drawing of your boat. 

Some yards allow owners to pilot their boats into the Travelift slip, while others don’t. In either case, boathandling skills are tested, and good and bad habits stand out. For example, most lift operators make good use of long boat hooks. They use them to tug on a rail or cleat. But some also reach for lifeline stanchions when a big pull is needed to coax the boat sideways. Even worse is when a lift operator uses an upper shroud to stop the boat’s forward motion. Skilled sailboat handlers can nudge a vessel into the Travelift slip without such rigging torment. 

If you’re engaged in a DIY approach to the lift slip, you must make sure that the boat is ready to be hoisted. Often a headstay or backstay needs to be disconnected at the deck. If so, cinch up a halyard and set running backstays to keep the mast stabilized. ­Double-check to make sure that the lift operator and sling crew know where your boat’s vulnerable folding or feathering prop resides. 

Strap locations are critical. Catching the sling on a prop blade is a costly mistake, and it’s the reason why most experienced lift operators appreciate that profile picture of the boat’s underbody. Also, they often use a long pole or boat hook as a probe to make sure there’s plenty of prop-to-sling separation. The two slings are connected with a line to prevent slippage, and are padded or sleeved where the webbing touches the topsides. 

Shallow Travelift piers and deep-draft vessels are a challenge. A skilled crew uses the upper portion of a rising tide to haul deeper-draft vessels, with a plan to finish during the last part of the flooding. This extra insurance often comes in handy. Note the high-water time on the day you go, and see how the yard crew handles scheduling. 

Good timing is just as essential during the ebbing side of the tidal cycle. This is one reason why many yards add a hydraulic trailer to the mix. Hauled boats can be placed in a trailer to be moved, pressure-­washed and delivered to the blocking location while the Travelift is free to haul the next boat. 

Less common are crane-hoist haulouts and traditional marine railways that follow the slope of the bottom during the transition from water to land. With crane hoists, it’s important that the cable is attached to a steel framework or spreader bars to keep the slings from overcompressing the sheer. Marine railways use a cradle fit to the shape of a specific hull. It’s secured to a railway carriage that’s run into the water, where the vessel powers, or is pushed, into the cradle. These methods are viable but slower.

The second task on the annual haulout list is bottom-cleaning effort. Over the years, this work has become more efficient and environmentally friendly. Residue from biological growth and bottom paint must be retained, preventing contaminants from washing back into the bay. Most antifoulant significantly reduces growth. High-pressure water blasting can help prep the surface for next season’s bottom paint.

Finally, the boat is moved to its ­designated space, in a growing number of cases by a boat trailer with a hydraulically raised and lowered frame and padded arms. Boatyards benefit from these trailers because hauled vessels can be placed ­closer together. DIY owners often prefer yards where space between boats is ­greater, leaving more room to tackle projects.

Blocking up sailboats, especially with masts stepped, is an art unto itself. Part of the challenge stems from the varied underbody shapes and draft differences among modern sailboats. In addition, ­many boatyard storage areas are not paved—sometimes not even gravel-­coated. These issues are exacerbated when winter storms besiege the blocked-up fleet. Many owners look for better yards in less-­populated areas where land is less ­expensive and storage is more available. 

The best yards don’t skimp on screw jack stands. They carefully block each sailboat’s keel and run chains between port and starboard opposing stands. Each jack stand is aligned so that the pad against the hull and the supporting column of the stand are as perpendicular as possible. 

When blocking is done on unpaved surfaces, especially in poor drainage areas, plywood pads are used under each tubular foot. In most cases, yard crews check stand tension regularly during the season, and specifically before major forecast weather.

Before signing a haul-store-launch contract, make sure you are aware of the date you must be ready to launch. Yards usually follow a first-out, last-in and ­last-in, first-out format, somewhat like sardine packing.

The post Keys to a Successful Haulout appeared first on Cruising World.