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,…
When the VHF DSC radio system was first developed, the idea of automated distress calls seemed an idea with only upside. What could be better than a system that ensured a call for help got sent and received, even if you were too busy trying to save your boat to do more than push a button? Unfortunately, the law of unintended consequences has kicked in. Many of the automated distress calls the Coast Guard is receiving have no lat/long position or Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) number associated with them. Leaving Coast Guard watchstanders with no way of contacting the vessel sending the call. Coast Guard Rear Admiral R.E. Day outlined the problem in a recent letter to National Marine Electronics Association president David Hayden, “Of the roughly 100 digital…
Like many other traditional uses of the printed word, the era of mariners sending messages in a bottle may finally be over thanks to digital technology and the increasing use of text messaging on devices that formerly did not offer messaging features. The advent of new devices and systems now allow those in trouble to not only send for help via satellite technology, but also to send short text messages to just let loved ones or friends know that you are OK and where you are, or what the nature of your distress might be. One new device packages all this with extensive GPS positioning/mapping/charting capabilities. You can even connect with social networking sites using your satellite emergency beacon/messenger. For many voyagers, the ultimate fallback position, when all else has…
With the surprise announcement on April 30, 2010, that National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) nautical charts would no longer be available in printed form, voyagers are suddenly faced with the necessity of obtaining electronic charts for waters outside of the U.S. whether they like it or not. By the time you read this, there may be a new vendor making NGA paper charts available again, but the future of charting is clear and it doesn’t include large sheets of printed paper. A few years ago we were sailing south, trying to get below 10° north before the start of hurricane season. After rounding Cabo San Antonio on the west end of Cuba, the prevailing southeast winds came in strong and we could begin to tack to windward, slogging our way down…
Many countries, states, and regulatory agencies are monitoring the current state of the art in antifouling technologies. Studies in harbors have noted high levels of the poisonous substances mainly found in bottom paint. Mainstream paint companies still sell lots of bottom paint containing copper (mostly in the form of cuprous-oxide) and one or more other biocides — all of which may soon face legal limitations or banishment. This has spurred a flurry of experimentation, which appears to hold out the possibility of new environmentally friendly paints that not only perform a stellar job of preventing fouling, but also hold the promise of side benefits like improved longevity, reduced water resistance, and less health implications for those handling the materials. Anyone who has scrubbed and sanded a dirty boat bottom readily…
