Recent content by CaptnNero

Valve pm Just make sure to exercise the valves periodically so they'll work when you really need them. Besides regular p.m., I use the old guideline for seacocks, "if you see them, cycle them".

Be careful what you wish for... Hey wait a minute. Do you really want to be betting AGAINST your boat ?

e38 - rumor control needed According to Sapperwhite in Sailnet, the E38 mold was auctioned when the other PSC's were.

Not such a real issue ? Ok, Guy, can you elaborate on this hole ? How do you get a hole under the boat like that ?

Egregious Web Chiles' E-37 "Egregious" http://www.solocircumnavigation.com/SoloSailingCircumnavigation/SoloCircumnavigators/WebbChiles/WebbChilesEgregious.htm suffered from the hull halves splitting behind the keel throughout his entire solo circumnavigation. He ordered Egregious from Ericson...

I've used that pre-feeder triangle a few times solo. It involves more patience than having someone to help, but with the pre-feeder it only takes a few trips between the halyard at the mast and the bow to get the sail mounted. If the halyard wasn't led to the cockpit already it could easily be...

Ron, nice write-up and thanks for all of the details on your oil quality management. I wasn't aware of the oil disposal problem in the islands.

less is more I've found that when motoring downwind I often adjust the heading to reduce any odors that are noticed by anyone aboard. That definitely helps preserve the good mood for the voyage. The previous owners of one of our boats experienced much strife in their marriage from motoring...

Kokomo is wintering in the slip this year. If we can coordinate with those rare mild winter days we can take shore bound sailors out. Peg and I are always up for getting together with the group ashore too. We just like to have a good supply of friends, beer, and margaritas ;) .

At the same time it might help to tie something like a 5 gallon bucket of rocks to it to reduce the potential buoyant force.

Hi Don, It may just be that the keel bolts need to be torqued, or it may be more serious. An issue such as the keel attachment calls for getting a professional involved. Of course in the extreme case without the keel a monhull sailboat becomes more stable upside down. See another...

self-discharge Chris, for perspective that is on the order of the self-discharge rate for conventional flooded cells.

cargo net bungees After trying various approaches, I've had the most satisfaction using cargo net bungees available at Home Deport, Walmart, or Kmart. It takes two stretched from the toerail on each side to the top of the boom and a third one across the aft cockpit to make enough support to...

John, We had a very good result with a flexible coupling and the PYI PSS dripless shaft seal. However if you go that route there is a high probability that the prop shaft will need to be replaced because of scoring from the old packing friction ending up in the critical area where the PSS...

hold that rudder ! Hi John, On our '88 E34 the prop shaft can be removed/installed without removing the rudder. As I recall from last spring I had to turn the helm to one side (sorry I don't remember) and then there was just enough clearance to slip the shaft past it without the prop of...