To the editor: I enjoyed the very informative and well-written article by John Kettlewell about the registration situation in Florida (“A fog of regulation,” Issue No. 210, May/June 2013). I would like to add two points. 1. If your boat is at least 30 years old, and still has the same type of power plant, it is eligible for a greatly reduced fee as an antique vessel. For my 63-foot motorsailer, it dropped the fee from more than $100 to $5.25 per year! 2. Some water police may make an issue of a lack of a hull identification number (HIN). This number is normally molded into the upper, starboard part of the transom by the manufacturer. But if the boat has been rebuilt in this area, or (in my case) is a homebuilt…
Their dinghy exploration of the coral reefs over, it was time to get the dinghy back on board. The cable was hooked up to the lifting harness and the dinghy began to rise out of the water. Then — nothing. What now? Weighing some 900 pounds, give or take a hundred, there was no way to get the dink aboard without the crane. The nearest possible marine repair shop was almost 200 miles away from their location in the remote San Blas Islands of Panama. The only option being a long tow, the yacht owners began to make preparations and checked the weather, looking for a smooth window that would allow them to safely make it back to a marina where repairs would be possible. Sound unlikely? That was a real…
You’ve finally crossed the border into Florida after more than 700 statute miles of Intracoastal Waterway cruising and your mind begins to wander to thoughts of that upcoming Gulf Stream crossing to the Bahamas. But, your daydream is suddenly cut short when a marine patrol boat with blue flashing lights blasts up alongside and the uniformed officer waves at you to stop for a check of your papers and an inspection. Welcome to Florida! All too often this scenario is repeated in Florida as boaters find that the combination of popular winter cruising grounds, numerous law enforcement agencies with boats, and confusing laws and regulations create scofflaws out of even the most button-downed cruisers. Some of the least understood aspects of Florida boating law are the rules for reciprocity for…
John Kettlewell, one of ON's contributing editors has just released the sixth edition of his book The Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) Chartbook, which he co-authored with his wife Leslie. The published by International Marine/McGraw-Hill. Full-scale, full color NOAA charts cover the 1,090 miles of the ICW. New to the latest edition are a marina appendix, along with fuel docks and anchorage points. Marinas are listed with GPS coordinates and telephone numbers. With the inclusion of major inlet charting and alternate route documentation, the book is well-equipped for navigation. The book was published by International Marine/McGraw-Hill. Here is a link to the new edition on Amazon.
Anxious to see the beautiful coral reef, they piled their diving gear into the dinghy and headed off for an afternoon of underwater fun. After an hour it was time for a break and a change of tanks, so they swam back to their anchored inflatable and pulled themselves out of the water. A billowing cloud of black smoke coming from the anchorage caught their attention. Quickly realizing it must be a boat fire they fired up the outboard and blasted back to see if they could help, only to experience the gut-wrenching realization that their own boat, their liveaboard home with all their possessions, was just about to sink beneath the water’s surface. Their first thought was for their dog, left behind to guard the boat. Luckily, someone found…
Few things are more frightening than an uncontrolled fire on board: the potential for total loss is extremely high. Unfortunately, fire is a not uncommon occurrence on boats of all sizes: witness the recent cases of cruise ships disabled due to fire. The U.S. Coast Guard cites fire as one of the top 10 casualty events on uninspected passenger vessels. Statistics from the International Maritime Organization indicate fire as the cause of total loss in about 15 percent of the cases involving small (40- to 80-foot) fishing vessels. With such a compelling threat then, why do many sailors buy the requisite two fire extinguishers, stow them in a deep recess somewhere, and hope for the best? Hope is a terrible risk mitigation strategy. Jeff Williams One of three boats destroyed…
To the editor: I have a 46-foot sloop that has a bow eye approximately one-foot above the waterline, making it a favorable position for an anchor snubber. In his recent article on using a bow eye (Benefits of a bow eye, issue #197, October 2011), John Kettlewell states that he attaches the snubber with an eye splice. I assume this means the snubber is “permanently” attached, as opposed to passing the splice through the bow eye and back through on itself, correct? —Andrew Sonis sails his Sabre 456 out of Manchester harbor in Massachusetts. John Kettlewell responds: You could splice it directly to the bow eye, but I just pass the snubber eye through and then run the long part of the snubber through the eye — in other words,…
One thing every reader of this magazine knew about our late contributing editor Chuck Husick: he loved marine technology. Everything from raw water strainers to batteries to engines to electronics — they all were fodder for his active, inquisitive mind. Chuck knew how everything worked, and could take anything apart and rebuild it. He often did rebuild gear and usually added his own unique modifications to make them work better. To honor Chuck and his outstanding contributions to explaining marine technology to mariners everywhere, Ocean Navigator has instituted the Chuck Husick Marine Technology Award. This annual award will be given to a product the board of judges thinks advances the field of marine technology for recreational voyagers. And there is one more criterion for the winner, as well. It has…
Many, if not most, long-range power voyaging yachts utilize all-chain anchor rodes, or at a minimum a long length of chain backed up by nylon so that the majority of the time the boat is secured by nothing but chain. This makes a lot of sense when anchoring in areas with possible chunks of coral or rock on the bottom (most of us try to never anchor on live coral), and is also useful because of the reduced scope necessary due to the weight and drag of the rode. However, the use of chain necessitates the use of a snubber line to add some elasticity to the system. Experiments by knowledgeable boaters have indicated that an all-chain rode can become nearly bar taught in as little as 30 knots of wind,…
When voyaging, your boat’s diesel engine needs a steady supply of oil and filters An ocean voyaging vessel is first and foremost a very small cargo ship. It needs to transport you and all your worldly goods safely and efficiently to where you wish to go. Yes, sailing ability is nice, comforts are nice, looks are nice, entertainment is nice, but you aren’t going far if you can’t carry sufficient food, water, and gear to supply your needs on the trip. And for many of us, an important part of moving this cargo is the auxiliary engine, which in turn needs its own supply of essential consumables, parts, and tools to maintain its functionality. The volume of supplies required by the typical auxiliary diesel engine can be significant: oil, filters,…
