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  23. <title>Download The Full May 2024 Issue PDF</title>
  24. <link>https://www.practical-sailor.com/full-issue/download-the-full-may-2024-issue-pdf</link>
  26. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Darrell Nicholson]]></dc:creator>
  27. <pubDate>Mon, 22 Apr 2024 14:09:46 +0000</pubDate>
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  33. <li>Best E-bikes for Boats</li>
  34. <li>Easy Seacocks Switch</li>
  35. <li>The Eye of the Storm</li>
  36. <li>Boat Partnerships</li>
  37. <li>Terms of Agreement</li>
  38. <li>Sail Repair Magic</li>
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  49. <h4>Subscribe to Practical Sailor</h4>
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  58. <p>The post <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/full-issue/download-the-full-may-2024-issue-pdf">Download The Full May 2024 Issue PDF</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com">Practical Sailor</a>.</p>
  59. ]]></description>
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  61. <li>Best E-bikes for Boats</li>
  62. <li>Easy Seacocks Switch</li>
  63. <li>The Eye of the Storm</li>
  64. <li>Boat Partnerships</li>
  65. <li>Terms of Agreement</li>
  66. <li>Sail Repair Magic</li>
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  86. </div><p>The post <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/full-issue/download-the-full-may-2024-issue-pdf">Download The Full May 2024 Issue PDF</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com">Practical Sailor</a>.</p>
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  93. <title>Launching into the Modern Era</title>
  94. <link>https://www.practical-sailor.com/rhumb-lines/launching-into-the-modern-era</link>
  95. <comments>https://www.practical-sailor.com/rhumb-lines/launching-into-the-modern-era#respond</comments>
  97. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Darrell Nicholson]]></dc:creator>
  98. <pubDate>Mon, 22 Apr 2024 14:08:42 +0000</pubDate>
  99. <category><![CDATA[Rhumb Lines]]></category>
  100. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.practical-sailor.com/?p=842859</guid>
  101.  
  102. <description><![CDATA[<img width="1154" height="875" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_James_caird.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_James_caird.png 1154w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_James_caird-300x227.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_James_caird-1024x776.png 1024w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_James_caird-768x582.png 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_James_caird-696x528.png 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_James_caird-1068x810.png 1068w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_James_caird-80x60.png 80w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_James_caird-400x303.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1154px) 100vw, 1154px" /><p>n early March, as the short austral summer was ending, I stood beneath a red-and-white striped lighthouse at the southern tip of South America. Sitting on weathered beech stump in the lee of the abandoned light, I watched through binoculars as a bright red sloop rounded Cape San Isidro on its way west through the [&#8230;]</p>
  103. <p>The post <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/rhumb-lines/launching-into-the-modern-era">Launching into the Modern Era</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com">Practical Sailor</a>.</p>
  104. ]]></description>
  105. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="1154" height="875" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_James_caird.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_James_caird.png 1154w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_James_caird-300x227.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_James_caird-1024x776.png 1024w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_James_caird-768x582.png 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_James_caird-696x528.png 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_James_caird-1068x810.png 1068w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_James_caird-80x60.png 80w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_James_caird-400x303.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1154px) 100vw, 1154px" /><p>n early March, as the short austral summer was ending, I stood beneath a red-and-white striped lighthouse at the southern tip of South America. Sitting on weathered beech stump in the lee of the abandoned light, I watched through binoculars as a bright red sloop rounded Cape San Isidro on its way west through the Magellan Strait.</p>
  106. <p>To reach this remote place, my partner, Erin McCormick, and I drove to the end of Route 9—the Route to the End of the World—and then hiked for three hours along a rugged, windswept coast. How strange that we’d reach the light at almost at the exact moment that a sailboat, so rare in these parts, was laboring past.</p>
  107. <p>It was Icebird, a custom Van de Stadt 61, returning from another adventure to Antarctica. The bare spars on the innovative Aero rig stabbed at the sky as the boat powered into a 25-knot breeze, throwing off spray. The boat could have easily tacked up the strait, but it had a schedule to keep. The motor’s hum carried in the wind.</p>
  108. <p>The next day, while Icebird rolled and bucked at anchor in Punta Arenas, an open roadstead exposed to the straits, Erin and I drove west to visit the replica of a much different boat also known for its Antarctic adventures, the James Caird.</p>
  109. <p>The James Caird was one of three small boats that famous Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton and his crew salvaged from the Endurance before the frozen Weddell Sea crushed it 1915. Measuring just under 23 feet, the double-ended whaling boat carried Shackleton and five crew more than 1,000 miles across the Furious Fifties to South Georgia Island. Anyone who still believes that size alone determines a boat’s seaworthiness would do well to read at least one account of the James Caird’s incredible voyage.</p>
  110. <p>The sight of two very different boats built to survive the same inhospitable waters made me think again of the passage of our own stout voyager—a vessel that you have helped build. Next month, Practical Sailor, a small, but mighty publication constructed of ink, paper, and decades of sweat, will make her last passage as a print publication—50 years since first setting out.</p>
  111. <p>Instead of being forced to convert an old whaler into a lifeboat, we’ve been busily fine-tuning the equivalent of a modern polar explorer like Icebird, and now she is ready to launch. The mode and master will be different, but the mission hasn’t changed. Not only will the all-digital version of Practical Sailor be able to venture to places we could not go before (video will play key role in the new PS), it will be better equipped to weather the storms that come.</p>
  112. <p>I have no doubt that some readers will lament the loss of their favorite print magazine, but we’ve not made it this far by running blind when the weather turns foul, or by stubbornly holding a course toward a lee shore. Making better use of technology to inspire sailors around the world, the new PS is shipshape and ready to help you chart your own great adventure.</p>
  113. <p>The post <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/rhumb-lines/launching-into-the-modern-era">Launching into the Modern Era</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com">Practical Sailor</a>.</p>
  114. ]]></content:encoded>
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  122. <title>Are E-bikes Worth the Extra Weight and Cost?</title>
  123. <link>https://www.practical-sailor.com/belowdecks-amenities/are-e-bikes-worth-the-extra-weight-and-cost</link>
  124. <comments>https://www.practical-sailor.com/belowdecks-amenities/are-e-bikes-worth-the-extra-weight-and-cost#respond</comments>
  126. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Drew Frye]]></dc:creator>
  127. <pubDate>Mon, 22 Apr 2024 14:08:40 +0000</pubDate>
  128. <category><![CDATA[Belowdecks & Amenities]]></category>
  129. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.practical-sailor.com/?p=842864</guid>
  130.  
  131. <description><![CDATA[<img width="2058" height="1245" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_E_bike_getty1960390703_1.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_E_bike_getty1960390703_1.png 2058w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_E_bike_getty1960390703_1-300x181.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_E_bike_getty1960390703_1-1024x619.png 1024w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_E_bike_getty1960390703_1-768x465.png 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_E_bike_getty1960390703_1-1536x929.png 1536w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_E_bike_getty1960390703_1-2048x1239.png 2048w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_E_bike_getty1960390703_1-696x421.png 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_E_bike_getty1960390703_1-1068x646.png 1068w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_E_bike_getty1960390703_1-1920x1162.png 1920w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_E_bike_getty1960390703_1-400x242.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 2058px) 100vw, 2058px" /><p>I’m an avid cyclist. I raced in college, and I still take my college bike on my cruising cat and just hang it on a rack on the stern rail. At Practical Sailor, we’ve looked at folding bikes in the past and touched on e-bikes and e-bike conversions, but it’s high time for an update. [&#8230;]</p>
  132. <p>The post <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/belowdecks-amenities/are-e-bikes-worth-the-extra-weight-and-cost">Are E-bikes Worth the Extra Weight and Cost?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com">Practical Sailor</a>.</p>
  133. ]]></description>
  134. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="2058" height="1245" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_E_bike_getty1960390703_1.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_E_bike_getty1960390703_1.png 2058w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_E_bike_getty1960390703_1-300x181.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_E_bike_getty1960390703_1-1024x619.png 1024w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_E_bike_getty1960390703_1-768x465.png 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_E_bike_getty1960390703_1-1536x929.png 1536w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_E_bike_getty1960390703_1-2048x1239.png 2048w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_E_bike_getty1960390703_1-696x421.png 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_E_bike_getty1960390703_1-1068x646.png 1068w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_E_bike_getty1960390703_1-1920x1162.png 1920w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_E_bike_getty1960390703_1-400x242.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 2058px) 100vw, 2058px" /><p>I’m an avid cyclist. I raced in college, and I still take my college bike on my cruising cat and just hang it on a rack on the stern rail. At Practical Sailor, we’ve looked at folding bikes in the past and touched on e-bikes and e-bike conversions, but it’s high time for an update. While I’m quite happy with a “push bike” as the Brits call it, we know that many people, especially older sailors, will want a little more help going up hills. Enter the e-bike.</p>
  135. <p>There are several classes of e-bikes. A Class 1 e-bike only uses pedal assistance and has a max speed of 20 mph. With regards to traffic rules in most jurisdictions, a Class 1 e-bike is considered a bicycle.</p>
  136. <p>A Class 2 e-bike uses pedal assistance and an accelerator (throttle). It also has a max speed of 20 mph. Although most places treat these the same as Class 1 bikes, some jurisdictions prohibit their use on certain bike trails.</p>
  137. <p>Class 3 bikes can go up to 28 mph, require a helmet to ride, and are generally excluded from bike paths (you can use the bike lane or ride on the road). Most Class 3 e-bikes get around the bike path prohibition with a switch that limits speed. If you keep your speed under 20 mph on the local bike path, you probably won’t get into trouble.</p>
  138. <p>Aside from getting you there quicker, an e-bike’s ability to sustain 20 mph makes it easier to keep pace with traffic in urban environments.</p>
  139. <h3>POWER</h3>
  140. <p>A power range of 350–500 watts is standard for Class 1 and Class 2 bikes, enough to whip you along at bicycle speed. For comparison, a fit racing cyclist can deliver about 250–300 watts to the wheels for about 30 minutes. Greater than 500 watts of power is more than you can safely use on anything that still looks like a conventional bicycle.</p>
  141. <p>Folding bikes may have only 250–350 watts, and this is acceptable because a bike with 16- to 20-inch tires becomes unsafe above 15 miles per hour. Many 16-inch e-bikes are governed at this speed. For safety reasons, we don’t recommend e-bikes with wheel diameters smaller than 16-inches.</p>
  142. <h3>RANGE</h3>
  143. <p>Range is a function of amp hours (Ah). A higher voltage battery will deliver more power per Ah (Watts = Ah x Volts). Assuming you have a battery of 36–48 volts, and you operate with pedal assist—your range will be about 1–1.5 miles per Ah, depending on speed, terrain, and weight.</p>
  144. <p>So with a 36-volt, 500 watt battery you can count on about 20 miles, but you will get greater range with pedal assist, or riding at modest speeds (15 mph or less) on flat terrain. All of the bikes have a charge indicator, but how far that will get you depends on the terrain.</p>
  145. <p>Manufacturer range ratings are generally optimistic when compared to actual use patterns. Because most e-bikes are inefficient pedal bikes and going fast is fun, most riders rely more heavily on the electric boost than the makers’ estimates assume. As a result, most users get less range than they hoped for. In the adjacent table, the bikes with the greatest number of watt-hours should deliver the longest range.</p>
  146. <h3>WEIGHT</h3>
  147. <p>Conventional bicycles and 20-inch folding bicycles weigh about 20–30 pounds. Add a battery, motor, wiring, controls, fat tires, a fat seat, a big rack, and heavy frame and, in our opinion, you no longer have an electric bike—you have an electric moped. Presumably you want a bike to put on your boat, and over 45 pounds will be difficult to lug aboard without help. The lightest bike we looked at, the 20-inch folding Dahon Mariner, is about 27 pounds. Heavier e-bikes can weigh twice that.</p>
  148. <h3>HUB DRIVE VS. MID-DRIVE</h3>
  149. <p>Rear hub drives feature a large rear hub with a built-in motor. Mid-drives attach to the bottom bracket and drive through the chain and sprocket train. Because a mid-drive takes advantage of the bike’s gearing system, they offer more power for steep hills. The mid-drive Montague that we tested would go up anything the tire would stick to with little effort.</p>
  150. <p>A mid-drive places more strain on the chain and drive train, and a hub drive potentially puts more strain on the axle. Both are trouble-free when properly engineered. (All of the e-bikes we looked at were well designed to handle the higher loads.) A mid-drive provides a more natural feel, and you will still go through the gears for hills as you normally would. Hub drives are simpler to retrofit, less expensive, and still strong enough to climb modest hills.</p>
  151. <h3>SPOKES, SPROCKETS, AND FIT</h3>
  152. <p>A hub drive puts more strain on the spokes, though probably not much more than a young, aggressive rider. Look for e-bikes with 12-gauge spokes, rather than the 14–16 gauge spokes seen on lighter bikes.</p>
  153. <p>Most e-bikes have only one front sprocket, and five to eight different rear sprockets (speeds). Although not in the same league as your lightweight touring bike’s 18-speed setup, the e-bike’s gearing is adequate for hitting 20 mph in the flats and for grinding up hills.</p>
  154. <p>Many e-bikes have smaller wheels and frames than conventional bikes. Because fit is important, and because you best know your needs, we recommend you find store dedicated to e-bikes, and test ride a few different types. Riding an e-bike is different from riding a regular bike, so you want to experience it for yourself. Traditional bike shops are not your best bet; they tend to specialize in full size e-bikes, and the prices (more than $4,000) may take your breath away.</p>
  155. <h3>CONVERSION KITS</h3>
  156. <p>You can probably buy a factory-made compact or folding e-bike for less than it costs to convert the bike you have. Unless you really like your current conventional bike, you’re better off exploring the myriad of choices in e-bikes.</p>
  157. <p>We chose to convert my wife’s tadpole trike, a low, recumbent tricycle with two wheels in the front. She needs three wheels because Menier’s disease has disrupted her sense of balance, and several knee surgeries have made it painful for her to ride, especially up hills. An electric trike would have served her well, but she really likes her current trike, so an e-bike conversion made the most sense and ended up saving us quite a bit of money.</p>
  158. <p>There are three types of motors for conversion kits—rear hub, front hub, or mid-drive. The mid-drive takes advantage of the bike’s gearing system, but we chose hub drive for simplicity.</p>
  159. <p>To accommodate my wife’s limited range of motion, we replaced the trike’s 170 mm cranks with 151 mm cranks. The 170 mm length common on many adult bikes is optimized for 5΄9˝ men, so shorter riders might want to consider reducing the crank length if they expect to do a lot of pedaling. Cranks of 160–165 mm are a common retrofit. Although shorter cranks will reduce your leverage, they are easier to pedal fast, so many riders won’t notice any loss in power. Shorter cranks are available for most bikes and e-bikes.</p>
  160. <p>It took about an hour to install our Bafang kit. The installation required no special skills or tools, other than a freewheel wrench (about $8). The kit was designed for a mountain bike, but with a few small changes, it worked well on the trike. A range of wheel sizes are available. The kit included a new rear wheel, built with heavier spokes and rim than stock. You reuse your existing bike’s tire and freewheel (sprocket assembly).</p>
  161. <h3>BIKE CHOICES</h3>
  162. <p>The range of bikes and the niches they fill are even broader than conventional bikes. We tested several different types and found something to like in each of them. Although we focused on folding e-bikes, we included one conventional bike, one non-folding e-bike, and a non-pedal e-bike for comparison.</p>
  163. <h3>FUJI ACR 2.0</h3>
  164. <p>Our representative for conventional bikes, the Fuji ACR is a low-end carbon/aluminum racing bike. It is out of production, but you can find it or comparable model in good condition on the used market for less than $500. The big advantage of an entry-level racing bike is its light weight. It is about half the weight of an average e-bike. If the bike is fitted with click-in cleats on the pedals, a fit rider can move as fast as a Class 2 e-bike on flat terrain. No, it does not fold, but quick-release hubs make it easy to take apart and arrange in a package that occupies no more space than a full-size folding bike.</p>
  165. <h3>DAHON MARINER D-8</h3>
  166. <p>Among the most common folding bikes used by cruisers, the time-tested Dahon Mariner is compact and lightweight. As on all bikes of this size, the 20-inch wheels make for a bumpy ride on rough roads. It’s less stable than a conventional bike, although you may not notice this unless you are descending a steep hill.</p>
  167. <p><strong>Bottom line:</strong> Weighing 10 pounds less than any e-bike we tested, the Dahon Mariner is an affordable folding bike option that will serve as a grocery-getter. Recommended.</p>
  168. <h3>ZIZZO LIBERTÉ</h3>
  169. <p>One of several models offered by California-based Zizzo bikes, the Liberté is very much like the Mariner, but with cheaper parts. Zizzo also makes an upgraded rust-resistant model, the Marino, which we did not test, but is probably worth the upgrade for a full-time cruiser. The Liberté folds and unfolds quickly—good for multi-mode commuting. Rinse it after use, and keep the chain, gears, and cables well-oiled.</p>
  170. <p><strong>Bottom line:</strong> With some care, the Liberté will do fine on a boat. We rated it a Budget Buy.</p>
  171. <figure id="attachment_842870" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-842870" style="width: 998px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-842870" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_montague_riding_monatgue_1.png" alt="" width="998" height="757" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_montague_riding_monatgue_1.png 998w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_montague_riding_monatgue_1-300x228.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_montague_riding_monatgue_1-768x583.png 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_montague_riding_monatgue_1-696x528.png 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_montague_riding_monatgue_1-80x60.png 80w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_montague_riding_monatgue_1-400x303.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 998px) 100vw, 998px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-842870" class="wp-caption-text">The Montague MT-1 easily shifts gears and has excellent stability, even at higher speeds.</figcaption></figure>
  172. <h3>CONVERSION KITS</h3>
  173. <p>If you are dead set on keeping your pedal bike, there are several conversion kits to choose from. Some offer specialized features that you might prefer. We chose Bafang because the company has a good reputation and is well-established in this market.</p>
  174. <h3>BAFANG HUB KIT</h3>
  175. <p>Bafang is the best known among conversion kits. We picked a large 816 Ah battery size and a powerful 500-watt motor because the trike we were powering was heavy. The kit includes sensors to deactivate the drive if the pedals are not moving or if the brakes are applied. We disconnected the pedal sensor, allowing us to power the bike home without pedaling. Bafang offers a range of display models. All provide the basic functions—speed, remaining charge, and a way to control the amount of boost. Other display options include a smart phone app that will allow you to operate the boost kit while also using a navigation app all in one device. Installing the system, including the basic 500c display ($70) took about an hour.</p>
  176. <p><strong>Bottom line:</strong> The large battery provided the greatest range of any bike in our review. We gave it a Recommended rating for a mountain bike, trike, or a similar full-size bike that you want to power.</p>
  177. <figure id="attachment_842869" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-842869" style="width: 999px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-842869" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_montague_wheelbarrow_copy.png" alt="" width="999" height="750" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_montague_wheelbarrow_copy.png 999w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_montague_wheelbarrow_copy-300x225.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_montague_wheelbarrow_copy-768x577.png 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_montague_wheelbarrow_copy-696x523.png 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_montague_wheelbarrow_copy-80x60.png 80w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_montague_wheelbarrow_copy-265x198.png 265w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_montague_wheelbarrow_copy-400x300.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 999px) 100vw, 999px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-842869" class="wp-caption-text">The partially folded Montague MT-1, like others in our test, can be rolled like a wheelbarrow.</figcaption></figure>
  178. <h3>BOSCH TRIKE BOOST KIT</h3>
  179. <p>The dealer offered us a kit for $2,850 plus installation, more than five times the price of the basic Bafang kit. Comparing the two is apples to oranges, but it’s still hard to justify the price, unless you really love your current ride. We tried the mid-drive conversion, which provided a silky-smooth proportional boost through a very simple and intuitive interface.</p>
  180. <p><strong>Bottom line:</strong> You won’t go wrong with this high-end conversion. We rated it as Recommended, but only for the deep-pocketed rider who can’t let go of their favorite bike.</p>
  181. <h3>ZIZZO E-BIKE CONVERSION KIT</h3>
  182. <p>Have a folding bike you like? For $500 you can electrify it. This rear-hub kit looks a lot like the Bafang kit and presumably performs similarly. It’s a little heavy, so your conversion will approach the weight of Zizzo’s 42-pound folding electric e-Forte ($1,000).</p>
  183. <figure id="attachment_842868" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-842868" style="width: 912px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-842868" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Bike_Rack_with_Bikes.png" alt="" width="912" height="620" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Bike_Rack_with_Bikes.png 912w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Bike_Rack_with_Bikes-300x204.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Bike_Rack_with_Bikes-768x522.png 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Bike_Rack_with_Bikes-696x473.png 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Bike_Rack_with_Bikes-400x272.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 912px) 100vw, 912px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-842868" class="wp-caption-text">A modified car rack holds two bikes on the stern of our test boat. Fresh-water rinses and anti-corrosion sprays keep rust at bay.</figcaption></figure>
  184. <p><strong>Bottom line:</strong> This is a decent kit, but we’d recommend the Bafang, since conversions are their specialty. If you don’t already have folding bike, consider the e-Forte.</p>
  185. <h3>FOLDING E-BIKES</h3>
  186. <p>As a rule, e-bikes are both heavier and bulkier, even folded. To compensate for the added weight, some folding e-bikes use smaller 16-inch wheels—a bad trade-off if stability and a smooth ride is your priority.</p>
  187. <h3>DAHON K-1</h3>
  188. <p>We tested the 16-inch version, which provided a choppier ride and was less stable steering than the Dahon 20-inch pedal-only Mariner. The owner of the bike we tested, however, was enthusiastic about the advantage of the electric motor, and praised the bike’s reliability.</p>
  189. <p><strong>Bottom line:</strong> We rated this bike as Recommended for basic transport. It comes from a well-established maker of folding bikes, so parts should be readily available.</p>
  190. <h3>MONTAGUE MT-1</h3>
  191. <p>With a Shimano E6100 mid-drive system and a Shimano Deore crankset, the Montague rode like a good bike. The brakes are crisp, it shifts easily, and it’s as stable and predictable at high speeds and across soft and rough surfaces as any full-size bike. With the boost turned off, it pedals as well as any similar weight bike. The display is small and simple, but it gives you speed, boost level, and remaining battery life, which is all you need.</p>
  192. <p><strong>Bottom line:</strong> Although a little heavy, the Montague is a bike you can ride fast and far. Recommended.</p>
  193. <h3>AVENTON SYNCH.2</h3>
  194. <p>We’d seen a couple local riders with these tank-like bikes on the bike path, so we asked if we could give one a whirl. The owners found the fat tires very comfortable and the range acceptable, while admitting that they keep the boost on high and don’t pedal much. At 68 pounds, the Aventon is more than triple the weight of our representative road bike. We’d want help lifting it onto the boat.</p>
  195. <p><strong>Bottom line:</strong> We had trouble heaving it into our car trunk. Unless you are stuck on land, oversized e-bikes of this style are not a good choice.</p>
  196. <h3>JUPITER DISCOVERY X5</h3>
  197. <p>We encountered several Discovery e-bikes on the local bike path and were able to put one through its paces. Like all 16-inch wheel size bikes that we tested, it could have been more stable, but frequent riders say they soon become accustomed to the smaller dimensions. The small wheel size is not advisable for riding at high speeds, but it is fine for around-town commuting.</p>
  198. <p><strong>Bottom line:</strong> A compact around-town rider at a competitive price. Recommended.</p>
  199. <h3>QUALISPORTS VOLIDOR</h3>
  200. <p>Although we did not test this bike, we included it after seeing it stowed on a local boat. The battery is hidden in the seat post, creating an elegant, compact design. It seems well made, weighs less than 40 pounds, and folds into a compact package. The owner had been using it for about a year and considered it reliable.</p>
  201. <p><strong>Bottom line:</strong> Not tested. The seat-post battery design is interesting. The 7Ah battery will limit range.</p>
  202. <h3>ZIZZO E-FORTE</h3>
  203. <p>Although we didn’t ride this bike, it is based in the Zizzo Liberté, which we did test. We expect it will ride like a folding bike with a basic hub conversion kit, which is to say it will be practical and reliable. It’s on the lighter side but is still nearly twice the weight of our example pedal-bike.</p>
  204. <p><strong>Bottom line:</strong> Modest range, good price, and compact design. Recommended.</p>
  205. <h3>NON-FOLDING E-BIKES AND SCOOTERS</h3>
  206. <p>As with any new product category, the e-bike field is still evolving. Although most non-folding e-bikes on the market would be a bear to stow on a boat, a couple non-folding designs caught our eye before we went to press.</p>
  207. <h3>VELOTRIC T1-ST</h3>
  208. <p>Though this bike doesn’t fold, it is economical and relatively light, and has a clean design that integrates the battery pack and wiring into the frame. It rides like a regular bike, something that few folding bike fully accomplish, with 30 percent less weight than the Montague. The 9.8 Ah battery is a little on the small size, and we noticed drag when peddling on a dead battery.</p>
  209. <p><strong>Bottom line:</strong> If you have room for a full-size, non-folding bike and want a little extra push, give the Velotric a spin.</p>
  210. <h3>JACKRABBIT</h3>
  211. <p>A lightweight (24 pounds) electric motor scooter, the JackRabbit is an outlier in this review, but we included it after seeing sailors tooling around the Annapolis Boat Show. The maker says these toy-like two-wheelers have a 10-mile range, which seems a little optimistic for a 4.2 Ah battery (there’s room for a second battery). It folds quite flat, good for storage on deck during short hops, but it’s too long to fit in some lockers. Like the folding bikes with small-diameter wheels in our comparison, it lacked stability we prefer for longer hauls.</p>
  212. <p><strong>Bottom line:</strong> Compact and nearly half the weight of any of the bikes in our comparison, the Jack Rabbit might appeal to small-boat sailor constrained by space.</p>
  213. <h3>CONCLUSION</h3>
  214. <p>Before getting caught up in the e-bike craze, ask yourself whether you will use a bicycle, and if so, do you need an electric one? If you are not a regular rider at home, chances are, you won’t suddenly pick it up once you go cruising. Bicycles give you the freedom to explore new places, and an increasing number of coastal towns have pathways that make it safer to get around on a bike. Ease of use is important. Unless you are staying for a few days somewhere, a bike that is heavy or difficult to assemble will probably just stay in its locker.</p>
  215. <p>Heavier and bulkier, e-bikes can compound the hassles of assembly and transport to shore—not to mention disassembly and stowage. For a fit rider, we don’t see a big advantage in having a bike with electric power. And if age or injuries are prompting you to consider an e-bike, make sure you can safely lift and stow the bicycle on board. Also be sure to review our report on rechargeable lithium battery safety, which includes guidance on preventing onboard fires (see “<a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/safety-seamanship/powering-portable-devices-safely">Power Portable Devices Safely</a>,” PS April 2022).</p>
  216. <figure id="attachment_842867" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-842867" style="width: 722px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-842867" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_jack._an_Ebike_without_peddles.png" alt="" width="722" height="546" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_jack._an_Ebike_without_peddles.png 722w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_jack._an_Ebike_without_peddles-300x227.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_jack._an_Ebike_without_peddles-696x526.png 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_jack._an_Ebike_without_peddles-80x60.png 80w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_jack._an_Ebike_without_peddles-400x302.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 722px) 100vw, 722px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-842867" class="wp-caption-text">The pedal-less JackRabbit packs small, but is wobbly to ride. Buy two batteries if you want to roam far.</figcaption></figure>
  217. <p>This is a very competitive marketplace, and prices are coming down, so it is tempting to jump on the e-bike bandwagon. Personally, I’m happy with my full-size bicycle, which can be disassembled and stowed in a matter of minutes, can keep up with a Class 1 e-bike, and is no trouble to lift over the boat’s lifeline.</p>
  218. <p>If you just want something to get you over the steep hills in St. Somewhere, an electric conversion will do the trick, but a conversion only makes financial sense if you are attached to your current bike.</p>
  219. <p>Don’t underestimate the advantage of having a bike with a light frame. I have two bikes to choose from—one weighing 44 pounds and the other 22 pounds. Needless to say, the 44-pound bike sees very little use.</p>
  220. <figure id="attachment_842866" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-842866" style="width: 1108px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-842866" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Ebikes_getty675552920.png" alt="" width="1108" height="712" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Ebikes_getty675552920.png 1108w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Ebikes_getty675552920-300x193.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Ebikes_getty675552920-1024x658.png 1024w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Ebikes_getty675552920-768x494.png 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Ebikes_getty675552920-696x447.png 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Ebikes_getty675552920-1068x686.png 1068w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Ebikes_getty675552920-400x257.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1108px) 100vw, 1108px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-842866" class="wp-caption-text">E-bike concessions are common in major port cities, but they are usually bad pedal bikes and have limited range.</figcaption></figure>
  221. <p>Although I can see the appeal of a folding bicycle, they don’t pack much smaller than my 22-pound Fuji, and they are not nearly as fun to ride. I’ve never had trouble finding room for my Fuji on the boat. The wheels easily pop off. I turn the handlebars 90 degrees and stuff it down the hatch. On a boat with even less room, the wheels and frame can be stowed in separate lockers.</p>
  222. <p>The best thing you can do before investing in any of these bikes is to try them out. For this report, I found no shortage of strangers on local bike paths who were happy to talk about their bikes and let me put them through their paces. Each style has their own attraction, and your preferences may be different than mine. Different spokes for different folks, so to speak.</p>
  223. <h3>CONTACTS</h3>
  224. <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>AVENTON, </b></span><a href="http://aventon.com">aventon.com</a></p>
  225. <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>BAFANG, </b></span><a href="http://bafang-e.cn/en">bafang-e.cn/en</a></p>
  226. <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>BOSCH, </b></span><a href="http://bosch-ebike.com">bosch-ebike.com</a></p>
  227. <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>DAHON, </b></span><a href="http://usa.dahon.com">usa.dahon.com</a></p>
  228. <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>JACKRABBIT, </b></span><a href="http://jackrabbit.bike">jackrabbit.bike</a></p>
  229. <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>JUPITER, </b></span><a href="http://jupiterbike.com">jupiterbike.com</a></p>
  230. <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>MONTAGUE, </b></span><a href="http://montaguebikes.com">montaguebikes.com</a></p>
  231. <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>PEDEGO, </b></span><a href="http://pedegoelectricbikes.com">pedegoelectricbikes.com</a></p>
  232. <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>QUALISPORTS, </b></span><a href="http://qualisports.us">qualisports.us</a></p>
  233. <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>VELOTRIC, </b></span><a href="http://www.velotricbike.com">www.velotricbike.com</a></p>
  234. <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>ZIZZO, </b></span><a href="http://www.westsystem.com">www.westsystem.com</a></p>
  235. <div class="brief"><div class="brief_title">E-bike Details That Stand Out</div><div class="brief_content"><p>Materials, construction quality, and components are quite similar among brands, but there is a greater variety in the design details.</p>
  236. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-842874 aligncenter" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Jupiter_Detail_BatteryRemoval_WHT.png" alt="" width="579" height="475" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Jupiter_Detail_BatteryRemoval_WHT.png 579w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Jupiter_Detail_BatteryRemoval_WHT-300x246.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Jupiter_Detail_BatteryRemoval_WHT-400x328.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 579px) 100vw, 579px" /></p>
  237. <p>1. The Jupiter Discovery X-5 achieved a compact size when folded in part because of the 16-inch wheel size. The 5Ah lithium battery slides inside the frame.</p>
  238. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-842873" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_A-zizzo_forte_1024x1024.png" alt="" width="579" height="475" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_A-zizzo_forte_1024x1024.png 579w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_A-zizzo_forte_1024x1024-300x246.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_A-zizzo_forte_1024x1024-400x328.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 579px) 100vw, 579px" /></p>
  239. <p>2. The Zizzo Forté folding bike is heavily reinforced to carry loads up to 300 pounds, the largest payload among our folding bikes. An electric version is also available.</p>
  240. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-842876" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_dahon_k1_drive.png" alt="" width="579" height="467" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_dahon_k1_drive.png 579w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_dahon_k1_drive-300x242.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_dahon_k1_drive-400x323.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 579px) 100vw, 579px" /></p>
  241. <p>3. Some makers, like Dahon, offer both mid-drive (shown here) and a less expensive hub drive version. The Dahon mid-drive model, the Unio E20, costs about $900 more than the hub drive K-1 we tested.</p>
  242. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-842875" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_aventon_detail.png" alt="" width="571" height="467" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_aventon_detail.png 571w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_aventon_detail-300x245.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_aventon_detail-400x327.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 571px) 100vw, 571px" /></p>
  243. <p>4. The Aventon Sinch.2 features integrated brake lights with turn signal functions.</p>
  244. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-842872" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_bafang_motor.png" alt="" width="575" height="467" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_bafang_motor.png 575w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_bafang_motor-300x244.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_bafang_motor-400x325.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 575px) 100vw, 575px" /></p>
  245. <p>5. The Bafang hub drive can be fitted to a variety of bikes, but will cost nearly as much as a complete e-bike.</p>
  246. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-842877" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Montague_Motor_Detail_HQ.png" alt="" width="579" height="467" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Montague_Motor_Detail_HQ.png 579w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Montague_Motor_Detail_HQ-300x242.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Montague_Motor_Detail_HQ-400x323.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 579px) 100vw, 579px" /></p>
  247. <p>6. The Shimano E6100 mid-drive system gave the Montague MT-1 the look and feel of a well-balanced, full-size bike.</p>
  248. </div></div>
  249. <h2 id="tablepress-184-name" class="tablepress-table-name tablepress-table-name-id-184">VALUE GUIDE: EBIKES FOR BOATS</h2>
  250.  
  251. <table id="tablepress-184" class="tablepress tablepress-id-184 tablepress-responsive" aria-labelledby="tablepress-184-name">
  252. <thead>
  253. <tr class="row-1 odd">
  254. <th class="column-1">BRAND</th><th class="column-2">WATTS</th><th class="column-3">BATTERY AH</th><th class="column-4">DRIVE</th><th class="column-5">VOLTS</th><th class="column-6">WATT-HOURS</th><th class="column-7">WEIGHT (pounds)</th><th class="column-8">WHEEL SIZE</th><th class="column-9">FOLDED SIZE (inches, HxLxD)</th><th class="column-10">CLASS</th><th class="column-11">COST</th>
  255. </tr>
  256. </thead>
  257. <tbody class="row-hover">
  258. <tr class="row-2 even">
  259. <td class="column-1">Standard bike</td><td class="column-2"></td><td class="column-3"></td><td class="column-4"></td><td class="column-5"></td><td class="column-6"></td><td class="column-7"></td><td class="column-8"></td><td class="column-9"></td><td class="column-10"></td><td class="column-11"></td>
  260. </tr>
  261. <tr class="row-3 odd">
  262. <td class="column-1">Fuji <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/2714.png" alt="✔" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></td><td class="column-2">NA</td><td class="column-3">NA</td><td class="column-4">NA</td><td class="column-5">NA</td><td class="column-6">NA</td><td class="column-7">22</td><td class="column-8">700c</td><td class="column-9">34x47x12</td><td class="column-10">NA</td><td class="column-11">$999 </td>
  263. </tr>
  264. <tr class="row-4 even">
  265. <td class="column-1">Folding bike</td><td class="column-2"></td><td class="column-3"></td><td class="column-4"></td><td class="column-5"></td><td class="column-6"></td><td class="column-7"></td><td class="column-8"></td><td class="column-9"></td><td class="column-10"></td><td class="column-11"></td>
  266. </tr>
  267. <tr class="row-5 odd">
  268. <td class="column-1">Dahon Mariner D-8 <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/2714.png" alt="✔" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></td><td class="column-2">NA</td><td class="column-3">NA</td><td class="column-4">NA</td><td class="column-5">NA</td><td class="column-6">NA</td><td class="column-7">28</td><td class="column-8">20 in.</td><td class="column-9">25x31x12</td><td class="column-10">NA</td><td class="column-11">$950 </td>
  269. </tr>
  270. <tr class="row-6 even">
  271. <td class="column-1">Zizzo Liberte $$</td><td class="column-2">NA</td><td class="column-3">NA</td><td class="column-4">NA</td><td class="column-5">NA</td><td class="column-6">NA</td><td class="column-7">23</td><td class="column-8">20 in.</td><td class="column-9">27x31x12.5</td><td class="column-10">NA</td><td class="column-11">$479 </td>
  272. </tr>
  273. <tr class="row-7 odd">
  274. <td class="column-1">Conversion kit</td><td class="column-2"></td><td class="column-3"></td><td class="column-4"></td><td class="column-5"></td><td class="column-6"></td><td class="column-7"></td><td class="column-8"></td><td class="column-9"></td><td class="column-10"></td><td class="column-11"></td>
  275. </tr>
  276. <tr class="row-8 even">
  277. <td class="column-1">Bafang Rear Hub <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/2714.png" alt="✔" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> $$</td><td class="column-2">500</td><td class="column-3">17</td><td class="column-4">Hub</td><td class="column-5">48</td><td class="column-6">816</td><td class="column-7">21 + bike</td><td class="column-8">20, 24, 26 in. &amp; 700c</td><td class="column-9">NA</td><td class="column-10">3</td><td class="column-11">$425 </td>
  278. </tr>
  279. <tr class="row-9 odd">
  280. <td class="column-1">Bosch Trike Boost</td><td class="column-2">500</td><td class="column-3">8.3</td><td class="column-4">Mid-drive</td><td class="column-5">48</td><td class="column-6">400</td><td class="column-7">18 + bike</td><td class="column-8">20 in.</td><td class="column-9">NA</td><td class="column-10">1</td><td class="column-11">$2,850 </td>
  281. </tr>
  282. <tr class="row-10 even">
  283. <td class="column-1">Zizzo</td><td class="column-2">350</td><td class="column-3">12</td><td class="column-4">Hub</td><td class="column-5">36</td><td class="column-6">432</td><td class="column-7">18 + bike</td><td class="column-8">20 in.</td><td class="column-9">NA</td><td class="column-10">2</td><td class="column-11">$499 </td>
  284. </tr>
  285. <tr class="row-11 odd">
  286. <td class="column-1">Folding e-bikes</td><td class="column-2"></td><td class="column-3"></td><td class="column-4"></td><td class="column-5"></td><td class="column-6"></td><td class="column-7"></td><td class="column-8"></td><td class="column-9"></td><td class="column-10"></td><td class="column-11"></td>
  287. </tr>
  288. <tr class="row-12 even">
  289. <td class="column-1">Dahon K-1 <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/2714.png" alt="✔" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></td><td class="column-2">250</td><td class="column-3">8.7</td><td class="column-4">Mid-drive</td><td class="column-5">36</td><td class="column-6">313</td><td class="column-7">42</td><td class="column-8">16 in.</td><td class="column-9">26x33x15</td><td class="column-10">2</td><td class="column-11">$1,650 </td>
  290. </tr>
  291. <tr class="row-13 odd">
  292. <td class="column-1">Montague MT-1 <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/2714.png" alt="✔" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></td><td class="column-2">250</td><td class="column-3">14</td><td class="column-4">Mid-drive</td><td class="column-5">36</td><td class="column-6">518</td><td class="column-7">54</td><td class="column-8">700c</td><td class="column-9">28x36x12</td><td class="column-10">1</td><td class="column-11">$3,995 </td>
  293. </tr>
  294. <tr class="row-14 even">
  295. <td class="column-1">Pedego Latch</td><td class="column-2">500</td><td class="column-3">11</td><td class="column-4">Hub</td><td class="column-5">52</td><td class="column-6">546</td><td class="column-7">56</td><td class="column-8">20 in.</td><td class="column-9">28x34x15</td><td class="column-10">2</td><td class="column-11">$2,795 </td>
  296. </tr>
  297. <tr class="row-15 odd">
  298. <td class="column-1">Aventon Sinch.2</td><td class="column-2">500</td><td class="column-3">14</td><td class="column-4">Hub</td><td class="column-5">48</td><td class="column-6">672</td><td class="column-7">68</td><td class="column-8">20 in.</td><td class="column-9">30x46x28</td><td class="column-10">2</td><td class="column-11">$1,300 </td>
  299. </tr>
  300. <tr class="row-16 even">
  301. <td class="column-1">Jupiter Discovery X-5</td><td class="column-2">350</td><td class="column-3">5.2</td><td class="column-4">Hub</td><td class="column-5">36</td><td class="column-6">187</td><td class="column-7">40</td><td class="column-8">16 in.</td><td class="column-9">30x21x15</td><td class="column-10">2</td><td class="column-11">$1,000 </td>
  302. </tr>
  303. <tr class="row-17 odd">
  304. <td class="column-1">Qualisports Volador</td><td class="column-2">350</td><td class="column-3">7</td><td class="column-4">Hub</td><td class="column-5">36</td><td class="column-6">252</td><td class="column-7">38</td><td class="column-8">20 in.</td><td class="column-9">26x33x16</td><td class="column-10">2</td><td class="column-11">$1,200 </td>
  305. </tr>
  306. <tr class="row-18 even">
  307. <td class="column-1">Zizzo eForte $$</td><td class="column-2">350</td><td class="column-3">7</td><td class="column-4">Hub</td><td class="column-5">36</td><td class="column-6">252</td><td class="column-7">41.5</td><td class="column-8">20 in.</td><td class="column-9">27x31x12.5</td><td class="column-10">2</td><td class="column-11">$999 </td>
  308. </tr>
  309. <tr class="row-19 odd">
  310. <td class="column-1">Standard e-bike and push bike</td><td class="column-2"></td><td class="column-3"></td><td class="column-4"></td><td class="column-5"></td><td class="column-6"></td><td class="column-7"></td><td class="column-8"></td><td class="column-9"></td><td class="column-10"></td><td class="column-11"></td>
  311. </tr>
  312. <tr class="row-20 even">
  313. <td class="column-1">Velotric T1ST <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/2714.png" alt="✔" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></td><td class="column-2">350</td><td class="column-3">9.8</td><td class="column-4">hub</td><td class="column-5">36</td><td class="column-6">353</td><td class="column-7">36</td><td class="column-8">700c</td><td class="column-9">34x60x28</td><td class="column-10">1</td><td class="column-11">$999 </td>
  314. </tr>
  315. <tr class="row-21 odd">
  316. <td class="column-1">Jackrabbit OG </td><td class="column-2">300</td><td class="column-3">4.2</td><td class="column-4">hub</td><td class="column-5">36</td><td class="column-6">151.2</td><td class="column-7">24</td><td class="column-8">20 in.</td><td class="column-9">31x50x7</td><td class="column-10">4</td><td class="column-11">$999 </td>
  317. </tr>
  318. </tbody>
  319. </table>
  320. <!-- #tablepress-184 from cache -->
  321. <p>The post <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/belowdecks-amenities/are-e-bikes-worth-the-extra-weight-and-cost">Are E-bikes Worth the Extra Weight and Cost?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com">Practical Sailor</a>.</p>
  322. ]]></content:encoded>
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  328. </item>
  329. <item>
  330. <title>New Seacocks for the Offshore Sailor</title>
  331. <link>https://www.practical-sailor.com/boat-maintenance/new-seacocks-for-the-offshore-sailor</link>
  332. <comments>https://www.practical-sailor.com/boat-maintenance/new-seacocks-for-the-offshore-sailor#respond</comments>
  334. <dc:creator><![CDATA[John Stone]]></dc:creator>
  335. <pubDate>Mon, 22 Apr 2024 14:08:38 +0000</pubDate>
  336. <category><![CDATA[Boat Maintenance]]></category>
  337. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.practical-sailor.com/?p=842880</guid>
  338.  
  339. <description><![CDATA[<img width="2211" height="1088" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Leadimage_003_2.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Leadimage_003_2.png 2211w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Leadimage_003_2-300x148.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Leadimage_003_2-1024x504.png 1024w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Leadimage_003_2-768x378.png 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Leadimage_003_2-1536x756.png 1536w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Leadimage_003_2-2048x1008.png 2048w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Leadimage_003_2-696x342.png 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Leadimage_003_2-1068x526.png 1068w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Leadimage_003_2-1920x945.png 1920w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Leadimage_003_2-324x160.png 324w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Leadimage_003_2-533x261.png 533w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Leadimage_003_2-400x197.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 2211px) 100vw, 2211px" /><p>Are you having trouble with your boat’s critically important seacocks? Maybe the handle is frozen and attempts to free it using penetrating oil, a breaker bar, or heat failed to loosen the sea’s vicious corrosive grip. Or maybe you can open and close the valve, but it leaks. Perhaps you’ve thought about replacing the half [&#8230;]</p>
  340. <p>The post <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/boat-maintenance/new-seacocks-for-the-offshore-sailor">New Seacocks for the Offshore Sailor</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com">Practical Sailor</a>.</p>
  341. ]]></description>
  342. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="2211" height="1088" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Leadimage_003_2.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Leadimage_003_2.png 2211w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Leadimage_003_2-300x148.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Leadimage_003_2-1024x504.png 1024w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Leadimage_003_2-768x378.png 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Leadimage_003_2-1536x756.png 1536w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Leadimage_003_2-2048x1008.png 2048w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Leadimage_003_2-696x342.png 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Leadimage_003_2-1068x526.png 1068w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Leadimage_003_2-1920x945.png 1920w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Leadimage_003_2-324x160.png 324w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Leadimage_003_2-533x261.png 533w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Leadimage_003_2-400x197.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 2211px) 100vw, 2211px" /><p>Are you having trouble with your boat’s critically important seacocks? Maybe the handle is frozen and attempts to free it using penetrating oil, a breaker bar, or heat failed to loosen the sea’s vicious corrosive grip. Or maybe you can open and close the valve, but it leaks. Perhaps you’ve thought about replacing the half dozen or more seacocks on your boat but gasped when you checked the prices of traditional bronze seacocks. What to do?</p>
  343. <p>During the rebuilding of my Cape Dory 36 Far Reach (“<a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/sailboat-reviews/rebuilding-a-cape-dory-36-part-v">Rebuilding a Cape Dory 36</a>,” PS Nov 2022–Mar 2023) I faced a similar problem. After conducting a lot of research, I installed a new style multi-component bronze seacock system called the Groco IBVF which saved me significant money and more than met my needs for a robust reliable offshore capable seacock. It’s also less expensive to purchase and easier to maintain than traditional seacocks. Finally, the IBVF seacock exceeds the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) recommendations for strength. This article describes the IBVF system; the building of new backing plates from G-10 composite; and the installation of the IBVF through-hull, flange base, and ball valve system.</p>
  344. <p>Before we get started let’s define some terms.</p>
  345. <p><strong>Through-hull:</strong> A threaded pipe fitting, usually bronze, with a mushroom shaped head (or flat-top head for recessed through-hulls) that passes through a hole in the hull of the boat.</p>
  346. <p><strong>Seacock:</strong> A valve (usually bronze) on the inside of the boat, which screws onto the through-hull. The seacock controls flow through boat’s raw-water inlets (engine cooling system, saltwater wash-down pump, etc.) and outlets (scuppers, sink drains, etc.). You can close the seacock to prevent flooding if a hose fails, protect vulnerable components during freezing temperatures, or to allow maintenance to the connected plumbing.</p>
  347. <p><strong>Pipe to Hose (PTH) Fitting:</strong> A fitting (usually bronze) often threaded on one end and with hose barbs on the other end. The PTH screws into the seacock unless it’s part of the seacock casting. The hose barb allows an appropriately sized hose to be connected to an engine, generator, head, sink, or other systems on the boat.</p>
  348. <p>Traditionally, all of these components are made of high-quality bronze which is very resistant to saltwater corrosion. However, on aluminum boats Marelon (fiberglass reinforced nylon) fittings are often used, since bronze and aluminum in saltwater can create a galvanic cell that will degrade the aluminum. Some through-hulls are made of stainless steel. Cheap plastic through hulls are available, but should be avoided.</p>
  349. <h3>REMOVING OLD THROUGH-HULL FITTINGS AND SEACOCKS</h3>
  350. <p>The first step in my project was to remove all 10 through-hulls, 9 of which were connected to traditional bronze seacocks. The seacocks were made of high-quality bronze alloy by Spartan Marine and regarded by many sailors as top of the line. They were, however, 25 years old with at least 20 years spent in the water. While all the handles rotated, several required significant force to turn. Most of the seacocks were weeping when the boat was last in the water. Part of my plan was to reduce the number of through-hulls from ten to three, reusing the best Spartan seacocks and coupling them to new through-hull fittings.</p>
  351. <figure id="attachment_842882" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-842882" style="width: 970px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-842882" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_IBVF_1.png" alt="" width="970" height="674" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_IBVF_1.png 970w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_IBVF_1-300x208.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_IBVF_1-768x534.png 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_IBVF_1-218x150.png 218w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_IBVF_1-696x484.png 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_IBVF_1-100x70.png 100w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_IBVF_1-200x140.png 200w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_IBVF_1-400x278.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 970px) 100vw, 970px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-842882" class="wp-caption-text">The Groco system has four main components: through- hull, flange adapter, valve, and pipe-to-hose fitting.</figcaption></figure>
  352. <p>Depending on the bedding compound used to install through-hull fittings, the difficulty of removal varies. (One trick to breaking the external bond between the mushroom-shaped through-hull flange and the outside of the hull is to use piano wire, guitar string, or fishing leader wire to saw away the bedding compound beneath the flange.) I did not have a step tool, which functions like a hex-socket designed to fit inside a variety of through-hull sizes. Instead, I bought a 1-foot section of steel bar from Lowes hardware about ¼-inch thick and 1.5-inch wide. I cut off about 4-inches and ground its width so it would fit snugly inside the through-hull fitting.</p>
  353. <p>I inserted my DIY step tool into the through-hull and turned counterclockwise until it engaged with two tabs that prevented it from spinning further. I then gripped the flat bar with a large pipe wrench and unscrewed the through-hull from the seacock. If your seacock is not fixed inside the hull to prevent turning, you may need someone on the inside of the boat with a wrench to carefully grip the valve body while you turn. A seized through-hull can usually be persuaded with a longer breaker bar or with a careful application of heat from a propane torch, or both. Be careful not to overheat the fitting and damage the surrounding fiberglass.</p>
  354. <figure id="attachment_842883" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-842883" style="width: 1027px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-842883" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Spartans.png" alt="" width="1027" height="667" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Spartans.png 1027w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Spartans-300x195.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Spartans-1024x665.png 1024w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Spartans-768x499.png 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Spartans-696x452.png 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Spartans-400x260.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1027px) 100vw, 1027px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-842883" class="wp-caption-text">Spartan seacocks feature a tapered cone that rotates inside a cylinder to open or close. The valves need regular greasing and can be reconditioned.</figcaption></figure>
  355. <p>Next, I lightly sanded and probed on the outside of the hull adjacent to the hole to locate the heads of three bronze flat-head fastener bolts, buried under putty and bottom paint. These bolts passed through the hull, backing plate, and into holes in the flange base of the seacock located on the inside of the boat’s hull where they are secured by nuts. The purpose of the bolts is two-fold: First, they secure the seacock to the inside of the hull should the through-hull be compromised and second, they prevent the seacock from rotating when the threaded through-hull is installed or removed. Once the bolts were removed it was simple to remove the seacock from the plywood backing plate. [Editor’s note: Many installations on thinner hulls secure the seacock flange to the internal backing plate without passing through the hull itself. See “<a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/systems-propulsion/seacocks-for-thin-hulls">Seacocks for Thin Hulls</a>,” PS June 2020].</p>
  356. <p>With careful planning, I was able to reduce the number of through-hulls I needed from ten to three: one for each of the two cockpit scuppers and one for the galley sink drain. I didn’t need one for the engine since I didn’t have an inboard engine. I wanted to reduce the number for three reasons. First, I wanted to eliminate as many holes in the boat as possible. Second, seacocks require yearly maintenance, or they will eventually leak and seize up. Fewer seacocks means less maintenance. Third, seacocks are expensive and a smaller number of them equates to smaller outlay of funds which can be used for something else.</p>
  357. <figure id="attachment_842884" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-842884" style="width: 1359px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-842884" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through_hulls_2_18_Apr_10.png" alt="" width="1359" height="894" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through_hulls_2_18_Apr_10.png 1359w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through_hulls_2_18_Apr_10-300x197.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through_hulls_2_18_Apr_10-1024x674.png 1024w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through_hulls_2_18_Apr_10-768x505.png 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through_hulls_2_18_Apr_10-696x458.png 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through_hulls_2_18_Apr_10-1068x703.png 1068w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through_hulls_2_18_Apr_10-741x486.png 741w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through_hulls_2_18_Apr_10-400x263.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1359px) 100vw, 1359px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-842884" class="wp-caption-text">The seacock flange and hose-to-pipe fitting are integrated into the body of the original, all-bronze, Spartan seacock valves.</figcaption></figure>
  358. <p>Confident in my plan, I filled in the remaining seven holes using biaxial and West Systems Epoxy as described in their “Fiberglass Boat Repair and Maintenance, Annex D How to Fill Machined Holes in Fiberglass Laminate.” This useful manual can be downloaded as a PDF for free from their website (<a href="http://tinyurl.com/2mtn9zjr">tinyurl.com/2mtn9zjr</a>).</p>
  359. <p>I cleaned up the seacocks and took them apart. For a tight seal, it’s important to keep the tapered bronze cone and the body of used seacocks as matched pair. I chose what I considered the three best 1.5-inch seacocks and cleaned them further with mineral spirits.</p>
  360. <p>Cast by New England foundry out of high-quality bronze, Spartan seacocks can last for decades if properly maintained. I’d intended to apply Spartan’s fine abrasive valve lapping compound and lap (mate two flat surfaces using an abrasive compound between them) the tapered cones with the seacock body. By adding the abrasive and rotating the cone a full 360 degrees inside the body (not just back-and-forth partial rotations), I could create a smooth, tight connection between the two parts. Further inspection, however, revealed significant wear on both parts, convincing me to invest in new seacocks. The seacocks might have been rehabilitated, but I did not want to launch Far Reach only to find out I had leaky seacocks.</p>
  361. <figure id="attachment_842885" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-842885" style="width: 656px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-842885" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Step_tool_and_heat.png" alt="" width="656" height="546" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Step_tool_and_heat.png 656w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Step_tool_and_heat-300x250.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Step_tool_and_heat-400x333.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 656px) 100vw, 656px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-842885" class="wp-caption-text">An adjustable wrench, a step-wrench, and butane torch are preferred for removing through-hulls.</figcaption></figure>
  362. <p>Spartan, Groco, and Apollo all make seacocks with a flange base and integrated valve, but only Spartan makes a traditional seacock entirely out of quality bronze. Even some new boats today use inexpensive in-line ball valves instead of flanged fittings, but these hybrid combinations introduce risks (mis-matched threads, galvanic corrosion, etc.) that I wanted to avoid. If your boat has an inline ball valve screwed directly onto a through-hull, you should replace it with a proper seacock as soon as possible.</p>
  363. <p>As I considered my options, a trusted friend suggested I consider a relatively new design made by Groco called the IBVF.</p>
  364. <h3>IN-LINE BALL VALVE FLANGE ADAPTER (IBVF)</h3>
  365. <p>Introduced by Groco Engineering, the IBVF system became available around 2007. It has two components that combine the strength of a bronze flange base with the advantages of a replaceable screw-on ball valve. The bronze flange base adapter has NPS female threads on the bottom to match the through-hull and NPT male threads on top to fit a standard marine UL approved bronze in-line ball valve. Three bolts fix the flange base in place. Once the base and valve are installed, you can fit your chosen NPT pipe-to-hose fitting to the valve’s threads.</p>
  366. <figure id="attachment_842886" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-842886" style="width: 654px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-842886" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through_Hull_tools_copy.png" alt="" width="654" height="546" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through_Hull_tools_copy.png 654w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through_Hull_tools_copy-300x250.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through_Hull_tools_copy-400x334.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 654px) 100vw, 654px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-842886" class="wp-caption-text">For removing through-hulls, a DIY step wrench and pipe wrench (top) will work like a step-wrench (shown with two wrenches, bottom).</figcaption></figure>
  367. <p>According to the ABYC, an installed seacock must be able to withstand a 500 pounds of static force applied for 30 seconds to the inboard end of the assembly [tip of the PTH fitting], and still be capable of closing to stop the ingress of water. Groco’s testing shows that the IBVF system far exceeds this performance standard.</p>
  368. <p>Through-hull fittings are relatively thin, but the threaded flange in the IBVF system is thick, providing reinforcement when the two parts are threaded together. Groco conducted a series of static tests to the ABYC standard on three 1.5-inch seacock systems: a ball valve screwed onto a through-hull; a Groco flanged ball valve, and the IBVF system.</p>
  369. <p>The ball valve/through-hull combinations in the test broke below the ball valve or just above the nut on the through-hull when testers applied 190 pounds of force. The Groco traditional style flanged ball valve (FBV) assembly did not deform or break after testers applied 1,000 pounds of force. The IBVF combo (through-hull, flange base, and ball valve) deformed, but did not break or leak, at 992 pounds of static force.</p>
  370. <figure id="attachment_842887" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-842887" style="width: 653px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-842887" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Right_angle_drill.png" alt="" width="653" height="479" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Right_angle_drill.png 653w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Right_angle_drill-300x220.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Right_angle_drill-80x60.png 80w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Right_angle_drill-400x293.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 653px) 100vw, 653px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-842887" class="wp-caption-text">A 90-degree angle adapter drills where clearance is tight.</figcaption></figure>
  371. <p>In short, the IBVF combination is UL approved for underwater seacocks and exceeds the standards for seacocks recommended by the ABYC Pipes and Fittings Committee.</p>
  372. <p>A key advantage of the IBVF system is you don’t have to remove the flange base or through-hull to service or replace the valve assembly. Carry a spare valve (or two) and you’ll be able to tackle most seacock problems with your boat still in the water.</p>
  373. <p>Groco ball valves with inside diameters 1¼-inch and larger come with a stainless steel zerk (grease) fitting to improve sealing and promote smooth operation. The zerk can be screwed into the threaded drain port to grease the valve assembly. Groco suggests you can leave the zerk in the ball-valve if it’s well-greased, but I remove it after greasing and reinstall the drain bolt.</p>
  374. <p>When I asked Dan Phelan, vice president at Groco, about the quality control at the Chinese foundry used to make the IBVF, he explained that the company works with only one foundry and that Groco has a very long relationship with the company and its owner. Every component is cast to Groco specification, UL approved, and hand inspected before shipping to vendors. With this information, I decided to replace my Spartan Marine seacocks with the Groco IBVF seacock system.</p>
  375. <figure id="attachment_842888" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-842888" style="width: 1156px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-842888" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Backing_Plates_4.png" alt="" width="1156" height="721" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Backing_Plates_4.png 1156w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Backing_Plates_4-300x187.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Backing_Plates_4-1024x639.png 1024w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Backing_Plates_4-768x479.png 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Backing_Plates_4-696x434.png 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Backing_Plates_4-1068x666.png 1068w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Backing_Plates_4-400x249.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1156px) 100vw, 1156px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-842888" class="wp-caption-text">The author cut his backing plates out of G-10, a high-density laminate.</figcaption></figure>
  376. <h3>BACKING PLATES</h3>
  377. <p>This was a good time to replace the original plywood backing plates with ½-inch G-10 I purchased from McMaster-Carr. G-10 is a flame-retardant epoxy resin with fiberglass fabric reinforcement. Sometimes it is referred to as epoxy-grade industrial laminate and phenolic. [Editor’s note: PS tech editor Drew Frye considers 5/8-inch thick fiberglass laminate to be a good low budget alternative to ½-inch G-10 for through-hull backing plates].</p>
  378. <p>I cut the G-10 with a Bosch jig saw using carbide tipped blades. G-10 is ridiculously hard on blades. To save costs, I tried using less expensive metal cutting blades I purchased from Lowe’s, but these just needed to be replaced sooner. I cleaned up the rough edges of the backing plates on a bench top sander. [Editor’s note: A multi-tool with a fine carbide cutting blade will cut G-10, as will an angle-grinder with a cut-off blade. Cooling the blade with sprayed water will prolong its useful life.]
  379. <p>Next, I located the center of each backing plate and cut a 2-inch diameter hole with a standard hole saw. I test fit them in the boat with an assembled seacock. I checked that the handle would be convenient to open and close, and also made sure the winter drain plug was facing downward. This meant the handle was not always exactly where I wanted it, but the drain plug is no good if it’s on the high-side. With a sharpie, I traced the center of the backing plate hole on the inside of the hull. I drilled a ¼-inch pilot hole from the inside. I went to the outside to confirm that it looked good, then used the hole-saw to cut the hole from the outside to the inside.</p>
  380. <figure id="attachment_842889" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-842889" style="width: 643px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-842889" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_G10_Backing_Plate.png" alt="" width="643" height="808" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_G10_Backing_Plate.png 643w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_G10_Backing_Plate-239x300.png 239w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_G10_Backing_Plate-300x377.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_G10_Backing_Plate-400x503.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 643px) 100vw, 643px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-842889" class="wp-caption-text">The triangular backing matched the flange base. A round backing plate would also work and be easier to install, since orientation doesn’t matter.</figcaption></figure>
  381. <p>Next, I sanded the backing plates and the inside of the hull with 40-grit. Then I vacuumed the area and finished with an acetone wash. I retraced the outline for the location of the backing plates. I mixed up West System 406 thickened epoxy and glued the backing plates in place making sure the holes in the hull were lined up with the holes in the backing plate. Then, I cleaned the area around the base plate with an acetone-soaked rag so as not to leave any epoxy runs, drips, etc.</p>
  382. <h3>FINAL ASSEMBLY</h3>
  383. <p>I took my time during the final assembly, adhering to the woodworker’s mantra “measure twice, cut once,” and always dry-fitted before applying glue or sealant. It will be easier if you have a helper to work from the outside, but I managed by myself. Here’s an abbreviated step-by-step description of the process.</p>
  384. <p><strong>Step 1 |</strong> I measured the through-hull for correct length by sticking it through the hull from the inside, and marking the threads where it exited the hull. I then measured the depth of the threads inside the flange base and subtracted ¼-inch. This measurement told me how far beyond my initial mark I should make my cut. (The ¼” adjustment would ensure the through-hull would not bottom out in the flange when fully tightened.)</p>
  385. <p><strong>Step 2 |</strong> To guide the cut, I screwed on the bronze nut that came with the through-hull, marked the through-hull for the correct length, and taped the threads to protect them.</p>
  386. <p><strong>Step 3 |</strong> With the through-hull in a vise, I hack-sawed it to the proper length, stopping frequently to check the angle of the cut. If a hacksaw starts cutting off its lines, it’s hard to correct. I used a mill file to smooth the freshly cut edge. I cleaned up the threads by unscrewing the nut from the through-hull.</p>
  387. <p><strong>Step 4 |</strong> I dry fitted all the flanges, through-hulls, and ball-valves and rechecked the alignment. It is important to number these components and keep them together. The length of each through-hull is matched to hull thickness at its location, and hull thickness can vary.</p>
  388. <p><strong>Step 5 |</strong> I marked on the backing plate where I wanted the drain plug to be. Because I used a triangle-shaped backing plate, I would have fewer options to re-orientate the through-hull once the plate was bonded in place. (A round backing plate would give you more flexibility but requires an expensive large diameter metal cutting hole saw. The triangle shape is easier to cut neatly with a jig saw.) I was careful to check handle location for easy and complete opening and closing. If you don’t like the handle location, you have to rotate the whole flange/ball-valve assembly 120 degrees.</p>
  389. <p><strong>Step 6 |</strong> Once satisfied with the fit, I drilled the holes for the flange base bolts using the flange holes as the guide. Remember to drill a hole, then drop one of the bolts through from the inside to keep the flange in place to maintain the alignment for the second hole. After drilling the second hole, I dropped another bolt through it before drilling the last hole. Remove the hardware and counter sink the holes from the outside.</p>
  390. <p><strong>Step 7 |</strong> I cleaned and washed with acetone the mounting area (inside and outside the hull) as well as the flange base and the through-hull.</p>
  391. <p><strong>Step 8 |</strong> I applied bedding com-pound (3M 4200 adhesive sealant) to one bolt and inserted it from the outside of the boat; the 4200 held the bolt in place. Inside, I gooped up the flange base, making sure to fully encircle each bolt hole with sealant, and positioned it in place. I went back outside the hull, gooped up the remaining two bolts and inserted them through the holes.</p>
  392. <p>Back inside the boat again, I placed the washers, lock washers and nuts over the bolts and tightened them by hand until I saw the smallest amount of sealant squeeze out from under the flange. Outside the boat again, I applied 4200 to the through-hull base and threads and screwed it into place.</p>
  393. <p><strong>Step 9 |</strong> I used my homemade through-hull step tool to tighten the through-hull. I went back into the boat and tightened down the flange nuts and cleaned up any excess sealant. Although I used 3M 4200, there are many other sealants designated for below-the-waterline that have done well in our testing, including Sikaflex 291 LOT and West Marine’s 8200 (see “<a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/blog/the-right-caulk-for-your-boat">The Right Caulk for Your Boat</a>,” PS December 2021).</p>
  394. <p>I carefully checked the alignment and clearances for all the components in the flange base assembly. However, I failed to test-fit the ball valve on the flange. To my surprise, I did not have enough clearance around the valve to screw them on without removing the handles. I was able to put the handles back on later, so all was well.</p>
  395. <p><strong>Step 10 |</strong> For the ball valve’s final fit, I applied pipe dope to the ball valve threads and screwed it on to the flange base. I also used dope for the PTH fitting. [Editor’s note: both Rector Seal and Oatey have done well in PS testing. See “<a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/systems-propulsion/plumbing/leak-proof-unions-get-a-second-look">Leak-proof Unions Get a Second Look</a>,” PS December 2021.]
  396. <p>The project was complete.</p>
  397. <h3>CONCLUSION</h3>
  398. <p>I have used the IBVF seacock system for nearly 9 years. They have worked perfectly. There is no sign of corrosion and no trouble opening or closing them. In 2021, when I installed a small Beta diesel engine, I chose to use IBFV for the ¾-inch raw water through-hull/seacock (see “<a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/systems-propulsion/diesel-engines/marine-diesel-repower-part-2">Repower From Scratch</a>” PS Apr-May 2023).</p>
  399. <p>The IBFV seacock system exceeds the ABYC standard for seacock installations by a factor of at least two. Depending on your application it may be a good alternative to the far more expensive traditional bronze seacocks that require more maintenance.</p>
  400. <h3>CONTACTS</h3>
  401. <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>GROCO, </b></span><a href="http://www.groco.net">www.groco.net</a></p>
  402. <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>SPARTAN, </b></span><a href="http://www.spartanmarine.com">www.spartanmarine.com</a></p>
  403. <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>BUCK ALGONQUIN, </b></span><a href="http://www.hydrasearch.com">www.hydrasearch.com</a></p>
  404. <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>FORESPAR, </b></span><a href="http://www.forespar.com">www.forespar.com</a></p>
  405. <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>PERKO, </b></span><a href="http://www.perko.com">www.perko.com</a></p>
  406. <div class="brief"><div class="brief_title">Fitting an In-line Ball Valve</div><div class="brief_content"><p class="Sidebar_SB_3_dropcap ParaOverride-25"><span class="_idGenDropcap-2">T</span><span class="CharOverride-47">he Groco in-line ball valve flange adapter (IBVF) makes it easier to install a new through-hull and seacock, but it still requires careful planning.</span></p>
  407. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-842891" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through-hull_2_3_June_10.png" alt="" width="626" height="542" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through-hull_2_3_June_10.png 626w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through-hull_2_3_June_10-300x260.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through-hull_2_3_June_10-534x462.png 534w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through-hull_2_3_June_10-400x346.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 626px) 100vw, 626px" /></p>
  408. <p class="Sidebar_SB_4_body ParaOverride-26"><span class="CharOverride-47">1.</span><span class="CharOverride-3"> </span><span class="CharOverride-3">Far Reach</span> has a thick, solid laminate hull, making it possible to fasten the seacock flange with fasteners that are recessed in the hull. For thinner hulls, the fasteners can be embedded in the backing plate.</p>
  409. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-842893" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through-hull_4_3_June_10.png" alt="" width="626" height="525" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through-hull_4_3_June_10.png 626w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through-hull_4_3_June_10-300x252.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through-hull_4_3_June_10-400x335.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 626px) 100vw, 626px" /></p>
  410. <p class="Sidebar_SB_4_body ParaOverride-26"><span class="CharOverride-47">2.</span><span class="CharOverride-3"> </span>The author bedded the seacock and fasteners in 3M 4200, a polyurethane adhesive that is designated for use both above and below the waterline.</p>
  411. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-842892" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through-hull_3_3_June_10.png" alt="" width="621" height="479" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through-hull_3_3_June_10.png 621w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through-hull_3_3_June_10-300x231.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through-hull_3_3_June_10-400x309.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 621px) 100vw, 621px" /></p>
  412. <p class="Sidebar_SB_4_body ParaOverride-26"><span class="CharOverride-47">3.</span><span class="CharOverride-3"> </span>If the ball valve needs to be replaced in the water, you can plug the through-hull from the outside and unthread the valve from the adapter.</p>
  413. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-842894" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Installed_1.5_IBVF.png" alt="" width="621" height="840" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Installed_1.5_IBVF.png 621w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Installed_1.5_IBVF-222x300.png 222w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Installed_1.5_IBVF-300x406.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Installed_1.5_IBVF-400x541.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 621px) 100vw, 621px" /></p>
  414. <p class="Sidebar_SB_4_body ParaOverride-26"><span class="CharOverride-47">4.</span><span class="CharOverride-3"> </span>The finished assembly with hose- to-pipe fitting. All seacocks below the waterline should have two hose clamps securing the hose.</p>
  415. </div></div>
  416. <div class="brief"><div class="brief_title">Is it Brass, or is it Bronze?</div><div class="brief_content"><p>T<span style="font-family: Verdana, BlinkMacSystemFont, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">he term bronze is generally used to describe alloys made mostly with made copper and tin, but it is also applied to a variety of bronze alloys with other minerals added to improve performance in certain applications. Depending on the intended use, bronze alloys are dosed with everything from aluminum to lead to iron to manganese. The high tensile strength of silicon bronze (universal numbering system, UNS 65500) makes it a common choice for fasteners.</span></p>
  417. <figure id="attachment_842896" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-842896" style="width: 946px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-842896" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through-hull_3_June_10.jpg.optimal.jpg" alt="" width="946" height="667" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through-hull_3_June_10.jpg.optimal.jpg 946w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through-hull_3_June_10-300x212.jpg.optimal.jpg 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through-hull_3_June_10-768x541.jpg.optimal.jpg 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through-hull_3_June_10-696x491.jpg.optimal.jpg 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through-hull_3_June_10-100x70.jpg.optimal.jpg 100w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through-hull_3_June_10-200x140.jpg.optimal.jpg 200w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Through-hull_3_June_10-400x282.jpg.optimal.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 946px) 100vw, 946px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-842896" class="wp-caption-text">A Groco through-hull is cut to fit Far Reach. The through-hull is cast with a bronze alloy designed for marine use.</figcaption></figure>
  418. <div id="_idContainer157" class="_idGenObjectStyleOverride-2">
  419. <p class="Sidebar_SB_4_body">Both Spartan and Groco seacocks are cast with the bronze alloy UNS 83600 (85 percent copper, 5 percent zinc, 5 percent silicon, and 5 percent lead). Generally known as gunmetal because it was used to cast gun barrels, the alloy includes a small trace of zinc that helps facilitate casting.</p>
  420. <p class="Sidebar_SB_4_body">Brass is made primarily of copper and zinc. Zinc is not resistant to salt water, so brass hardware can be subject to an electro-chemical process called dezincification, in which zinc is lost and the metal becomes very weak. Small amounts of zinc (less than 10 percent) combined with proper amounts of tin, antimony, and arsenic, make certain kinds of brass resistant to saltwater corrosion. There is a huge variety of brasses, most of which are not suitable for marine applications. A few can be used below the waterline, but most are better used on deck or inside a boat.</p>
  421. <p class="Sidebar_SB_4_body">Because the terms bronze and brass are often misused, and each term applies to any variety of alloys, you want to ensure your underwater fittings are made by a well-established company. For more on marine metals, see Everett Collier’s “The Boat Owner’s Guide to Corrosion.”</p>
  422. </div>
  423. </div></div>
  424. <p>The post <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/boat-maintenance/new-seacocks-for-the-offshore-sailor">New Seacocks for the Offshore Sailor</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com">Practical Sailor</a>.</p>
  425. ]]></content:encoded>
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  431. </item>
  432. <item>
  433. <title>Hard Lessons from Hurricane Florence</title>
  434. <link>https://www.practical-sailor.com/safety-seamanship/hard-lessons-from-hurricane-florence</link>
  435. <comments>https://www.practical-sailor.com/safety-seamanship/hard-lessons-from-hurricane-florence#respond</comments>
  437. <dc:creator><![CDATA[John Stone]]></dc:creator>
  438. <pubDate>Mon, 22 Apr 2024 14:08:37 +0000</pubDate>
  439. <category><![CDATA[Safety & Seamanship]]></category>
  440. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.practical-sailor.com/?p=842897</guid>
  441.  
  442. <description><![CDATA[<img width="2395" height="1339" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_2463_John_Stone.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_2463_John_Stone.png 2395w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_2463_John_Stone-300x168.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_2463_John_Stone-1024x572.png 1024w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_2463_John_Stone-768x429.png 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_2463_John_Stone-1536x859.png 1536w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_2463_John_Stone-2048x1145.png 2048w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_2463_John_Stone-696x389.png 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_2463_John_Stone-1068x597.png 1068w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_2463_John_Stone-1920x1073.png 1920w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_2463_John_Stone-400x224.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 2395px) 100vw, 2395px" /><p>August through October are hurricane months in the Carolinas. While it’s almost always best to haul out for a hurricane, it’s not an option for every boat owner. In the summer of 2018, our only viable option for securing our 36-foot Cape Dory Far Reach was to remain in our marina slip and get ready [&#8230;]</p>
  443. <p>The post <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/safety-seamanship/hard-lessons-from-hurricane-florence">Hard Lessons from Hurricane Florence</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com">Practical Sailor</a>.</p>
  444. ]]></description>
  445. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="2395" height="1339" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_2463_John_Stone.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_2463_John_Stone.png 2395w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_2463_John_Stone-300x168.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_2463_John_Stone-1024x572.png 1024w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_2463_John_Stone-768x429.png 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_2463_John_Stone-1536x859.png 1536w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_2463_John_Stone-2048x1145.png 2048w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_2463_John_Stone-696x389.png 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_2463_John_Stone-1068x597.png 1068w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_2463_John_Stone-1920x1073.png 1920w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_2463_John_Stone-400x224.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 2395px) 100vw, 2395px" /><p>August through October are hurricane months in the Carolinas. While it’s almost always best to haul out for a hurricane, it’s not an option for every boat owner. In the summer of 2018, our only viable option for securing our 36-foot Cape Dory Far Reach was to remain in our marina slip and get ready best we could.</p>
  446. <p>Our marina is on the Neuse River about 20 miles from where it empties into Pamlico Sound, a large body of water between the mainland and the famous Outer Banks of North Carolina. Our marina has 360 degrees of protection. The docks are fixed (non-floating), recently rebuilt, and in good shape. The marina did not require evacuation because it is one of the best hurricane holes in the area.</p>
  447. <p>Every June, my wife and I discuss our plan for the upcoming hurricane season. Our plan in 2018 was to keep Far Reach in the marina. We limited our travel plans during September or October so we could be present and prepare the boat if a hurricane threatened our area.</p>
  448. <figure id="attachment_842899" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-842899" style="width: 1358px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-842899" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_05_IMG_5893_John_Stone.png" alt="" width="1358" height="925" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_05_IMG_5893_John_Stone.png 1358w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_05_IMG_5893_John_Stone-300x204.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_05_IMG_5893_John_Stone-1024x697.png 1024w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_05_IMG_5893_John_Stone-768x523.png 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_05_IMG_5893_John_Stone-696x474.png 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_05_IMG_5893_John_Stone-1068x727.png 1068w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_05_IMG_5893_John_Stone-400x272.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1358px) 100vw, 1358px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-842899" class="wp-caption-text">The author strings a safety line along the length of his dock before the arrival of Hurricane Flo. The line will serve as a handhold when water rises above the dock.</figcaption></figure>
  449. <p>Before the hurricane season began, we made one of the most important decisions we could have made—we chose to put the Far Reach in one of two empty 26-foot-wide catamaran slips. While other boat owners considered the wide slip as inconvenient, I believed the extra space would help Far Reach better survive a storm.</p>
  450. <h3>9 SEPTEMBER—STORM ALERT</h3>
  451. <p>Hurricane Florence was in the news. She was making a beeline for the US with early projections for a landfall on the southeast coast. We began planning for its arrival. The first thing we did was turn Far Reach around in her wide slip, so her bow was facing northeast toward the longest fetch and predicted wind direction.</p>
  452. <figure id="attachment_842900" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-842900" style="width: 1357px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-842900" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/h2405_urricane_22_6051_John_Stone_copy.png" alt="" width="1357" height="908" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/h2405_urricane_22_6051_John_Stone_copy.png 1357w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/h2405_urricane_22_6051_John_Stone_copy-300x201.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/h2405_urricane_22_6051_John_Stone_copy-1024x685.png 1024w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/h2405_urricane_22_6051_John_Stone_copy-768x514.png 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/h2405_urricane_22_6051_John_Stone_copy-696x466.png 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/h2405_urricane_22_6051_John_Stone_copy-1068x715.png 1068w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/h2405_urricane_22_6051_John_Stone_copy-400x268.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1357px) 100vw, 1357px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-842900" class="wp-caption-text">Properly sized spring lines that are well protected from chafe are essential to<br />keeping the boat centered fore-and-aft in its slip as water rises.</figcaption></figure>
  453. <p>We removed sails, canvas, solar panel and cleared the decks. I removed the bowsprit’s sprit-shroud stays so they wouldn’t chafe the bow lines. Far Reach was practically empty.</p>
  454. <h3>10 SEPTEMBER—3 DAYS TO PREPARE</h3>
  455. <p>The forecast was dire. Florence had grown to a Category 4 hurricane. The most powerful winds would be coming from the NE and E, driving the water into Pamlico Sound and up the Neuse River. The early surge forecast would prove to be very accurate—9 to 13 feet.</p>
  456. <figure id="attachment_842901" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-842901" style="width: 996px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-842901" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_25_6059_John_Stone.png" alt="" width="996" height="742" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_25_6059_John_Stone.png 996w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_25_6059_John_Stone-300x223.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_25_6059_John_Stone-768x572.png 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_25_6059_John_Stone-485x360.png 485w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_25_6059_John_Stone-696x519.png 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_25_6059_John_Stone-80x60.png 80w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_25_6059_John_Stone-265x198.png 265w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_25_6059_John_Stone-400x298.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 996px) 100vw, 996px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-842901" class="wp-caption-text">A too-small backing plate ripped right through the deck of this storm-damaged sailboat.</figcaption></figure>
  457. <p>We expected the hurricane force winds and heavy rain would knock down trees and, along with flood waters, block the roads in our area. We made a reservation at a military hotel on the Marine Corps base where our marina is located. We felt it was important to be able to check lines during the surge and address any concerns until the last possible moment. We also wanted to be able to take in slack on the lines after the hurricane passed and the surge dropped, to keep the boat from hitting the dock.</p>
  458. <h3>12 SEPTEMBER—SECURING DOCK LINES</h3>
  459. <p>Our everyday dock lines for the Far Reach (16,000 pounds) are high quality ½-inch nylon three-strand New England Ropes. Allowing plenty of stretch and easy to inspect, three-strand lines are my preference for this duty. The lines were in good shape, but I wanted to double all the dock lines for added strength and to provide redundancy should a line break or chafe through.</p>
  460. <figure id="attachment_842902" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-842902" style="width: 1000px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-842902" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_30_7342_John_Stone.png" alt="" width="1000" height="742" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_30_7342_John_Stone.png 1000w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_30_7342_John_Stone-300x223.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_30_7342_John_Stone-768x570.png 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_30_7342_John_Stone-485x360.png 485w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_30_7342_John_Stone-970x720.png 970w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_30_7342_John_Stone-696x516.png 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_30_7342_John_Stone-80x60.png 80w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_30_7342_John_Stone-265x198.png 265w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_30_7342_John_Stone-400x297.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-842902" class="wp-caption-text">An extra hitch on this bowline provides security. Big cleats with large backing plates spread the load.</figcaption></figure>
  461. <p>For the second set of lines, I cut 250 feet of ¾-inch double braid nylon anchor line into four lines of about 50 feet and two lines 25 feet in length. To protect them, I had about a half dozen of the old-style rubber Taylor Made chafe guards and another half dozen Chafe-Pro guards (see “<a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/boat-maintenance/chafe-protection-for-fiber-rodes">Chafe Protection for Fiber Rodes</a>,” PS October 2019).</p>
  462. <p>We added those six additional ¾-inch double braid lines, and two more 3-strand lines to our everyday eight ½-inch bow, stern, and spring lines for a total of 16 dock lines. All were long enough to accommodate the surge we expected. We added chafe guards to the lines to prevent lines from chafing through on deck chocks or hawse holes.</p>
  463. <p>The fixed docks are normally about 4.5 feet above the water. With a predicted 9- to 13-foot surge, the water could rise 5 to 9 feet over the top of the dock. Our wide slip gave us an important advantage when setting dock lines to compensate for this surge.</p>
  464. <figure id="attachment_842903" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-842903" style="width: 722px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-842903" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_28_6110_John_Stone.png" alt="" width="722" height="587" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_28_6110_John_Stone.png 722w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_28_6110_John_Stone-300x244.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_28_6110_John_Stone-696x566.png 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_28_6110_John_Stone-400x325.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 722px) 100vw, 722px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-842903" class="wp-caption-text">The wear on chafe gear on Far Reach after the storm shows how important it is to protect dock lines from friction.</figcaption></figure>
  465. <p>We centered the Far Reach in the slip. We gave the lines plenty of slack—enough that she could float up without breaking the lines. The stern spring lines were the linchpin for the rest of the lines. With the winds expected from the front, we set the aft spring lines so they would prevent her from drifting over the dock and into the slip behind her.</p>
  466. <p>The forward spring lines were left very loose because I was not concerned if the boat moved forward toward open water. Finally, I added bow and stern lines. There were no breast lines since these would be too short to deal with the surge.</p>
  467. <figure id="attachment_842904" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-842904" style="width: 1358px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-842904" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/hurricane_08_IMG_5978_John_Stone.png" alt="" width="1358" height="892" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/hurricane_08_IMG_5978_John_Stone.png 1358w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/hurricane_08_IMG_5978_John_Stone-300x197.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/hurricane_08_IMG_5978_John_Stone-1024x673.png 1024w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/hurricane_08_IMG_5978_John_Stone-768x504.png 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/hurricane_08_IMG_5978_John_Stone-696x457.png 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/hurricane_08_IMG_5978_John_Stone-1068x702.png 1068w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/hurricane_08_IMG_5978_John_Stone-741x486.png 741w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/hurricane_08_IMG_5978_John_Stone-400x263.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1358px) 100vw, 1358px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-842904" class="wp-caption-text">Older marinas with fixed docks and low pilings provide limited protection against high surge. This boat appears intact but the, insurer wrote it off as a total loss.</figcaption></figure>
  468. <p>We terminated the lines on the boat and made them adjustable on the dock. We limited the number of lines per cleat to two. One line passed through the center of the cleat with a bowline and an extra overhand knot in the tail for safety. The second line was cleated normally with an additional half-hitch in the tail to keep it from slipping loose.</p>
  469. <p>The dock had fixed pilings on each outboard end. We secured the bow lines and the aft spring lines to the pilings with rolling hitches. We then took the tails around the piling one more time and tied the ends off to the standing part with half hitches.</p>
  470. <p>We had no choice but to tie the stern lines and forward springs to the dock cleats. As we did with the boat cleats, we knotted the tails with a half hitch for extra measure.</p>
  471. <figure id="attachment_842905" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-842905" style="width: 1358px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-842905" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_14_6015_John_Stone.png" alt="" width="1358" height="884" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_14_6015_John_Stone.png 1358w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_14_6015_John_Stone-300x195.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_14_6015_John_Stone-1024x667.png 1024w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_14_6015_John_Stone-768x500.png 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_14_6015_John_Stone-696x453.png 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_14_6015_John_Stone-1068x695.png 1068w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_hurricane_14_6015_John_Stone-400x260.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1358px) 100vw, 1358px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-842905" class="wp-caption-text">To prepare for the storm, Far Reach was pointed toward the longest fetch. Having an extra wide slip facilitated the use of longer lines to allow for surge.</figcaption></figure>
  472. <p>Finally, I created a chest-high safety line along the dock using our secondary anchor rode. This would give me something to hold onto if the dock was underwater.</p>
  473. <h3>13 SEPTEMBER—LAST DAY TO PREP</h3>
  474. <p>The day before Florence arrived, we loaded up our truck with a cooler, ice, food, water, flashlights, raingear, life jackets, coils of lines, tools, binoculars, and a handheld VHF radio. We moved into our hotel room. By 11 a.m. on 13 September the water was just over the dock. By 2 p.m. the water was about 18 inches over the dock. I made my way out to the boat and added slack to the lines.</p>
  475. <p>We returned at 6 p.m. to make another adjustment, but there was four feet of fast-moving water over the dock, and the wind was too strong for us to do more. I said a prayer for Far Reach and returned to the hotel room.</p>
  476. <p>It was a long night. The boat I spent six years building and had safely carried me to and from the West Indies was having the trial of her life.</p>
  477. <h3>14 SEPTEMBER—FLORENCE MAKES LANDFALL</h3>
  478. <p>Shortly before landfall, Hurricane Florence had subsided to Category 1 storm, with winds of about 105 mph. She was moving very slowly, causing terrific wind damage and flooding. By 10:30 a.m., the eye was past our longitude. The storm had not made landfall, but I felt it was safe to go to the marina.</p>
  479. <p>The road to the marina was blocked with downed trees. We parked the truck, grabbed our gear, and started hiking to the boat. The wind was still blowing about 45 knots.</p>
  480. <p>The marina was a disaster. Peering through my binoculars, I could see at least four boats had sunk, all over 34 feet in length. Five boats had been driven up on land. One boat was missing entirely.</p>
  481. <p>Still searching through the binoculars, I strained to see Far Reach. Nothing. My heart sank. Then, peering hard through the horizontal rain, I suddenly recognized her mast. She was afloat and looked to be centered in her slip. We made our way down to the parking lot, still under a foot or more of water. I donned my life jacket and worked my way out along the flooded dock using the safety line we rigged the day before.</p>
  482. <p>The destruction was shocking. Every boat on our dock had been damaged. An Islander 37, a slip away from Far Reach, had sunk. One 30-footer had floated over the top of its pilings and landed alongside another 30-footer in its slip. Both boats were severely damaged.</p>
  483. <p>As I approached Far Reach, it was apparent she was unharmed. We estimate the marina had 10 to 12 feet of surge and winds over 80 mph. With the surge rapidly falling, I snugged the lines to ensure the boat would not bang against the docks.</p>
  484. <p>My wife Gayle and I took refuge at the clubhouse until the winds dropped later that afternoon. We were the only boat owners present. The water level and wind speed were dropping fast. As soon as it was safe, we began to secure loose boats and take in slack on dock-lines to prevent further damage to as many boats as we could.</p>
  485. <p>We pushed boats off pilings and recentered them in their slips the best we could. By the next morning many owners had arrived. We all worked together to restore some order to the marina. There was minimal damage to the robustly constructed docks, but the number of sunk and damaged boats was stunning.</p>
  486. <h3>LESSONS LEARNED</h3>
  487. <p>Many of the lessons we learned will ring familiar to sailors who live in a hurricane zone, but they bear repeating. I am convinced the reason Far Reach survived without damage was because we’d followed proven techniques.</p>
  488. <p><strong>Marina action plan.</strong> A marina should have a written posted storm action plan available to every boat owner. Email it. Attach it to the contract. Put it on the website. Send it out at the start of hurricane season. Hold a meeting before a hurricane. Open an email dialogue with boat owners as soon as a storm looks like a threat. Our marina did not have one.</p>
  489. <p><strong>Proactive dockmaster.</strong> The value of a proactive, knowledgeable dockmaster cannot be overstated. The dockmaster should have the knowledge and tools he needs to communicate with all owners (especially absentee owners), and to prevent storm damage as much as possible. One marina in our area has a volunteer hurricane strike team, under the supervision of the dockmaster, to ensure boats are properly secured in the days leading up to the storm.</p>
  490. <p><strong>Doubled-up lines.</strong> Use adequately sized lines, doubled up and with chafe guards. Boat cleats should be well backed. Lines should be adjustable from the dock since you likely will not be able to access the deck of the boat.</p>
  491. <p><strong>Reduced windage.</strong> Strip the boat. Many boats were not stripped and still had headsails on furlers, mainsail covers, and Bimini tops rigged.</p>
  492. <p><strong>Safer slip.</strong> Use the best slips available to you, even if you must move.</p>
  493. <p><strong>Smart forecast.</strong> Analyze how the wind and surge will affect your marina. Plan for it. Position the boat accordingly.</p>
  494. <p><strong>Good connections.</strong> Develop a relationship with adjacent boat owners. Share contact info. Formulate plans together. Helping your neighbor helps protect your boat.</p>
  495. <p><strong>Safe access.</strong> Having safe access to your boat before, during, and immediately after a storm can be the difference between no damage and a lot of damage.</p>
  496. <h3>CONCLUSION</h3>
  497. <p>While hauling your boat out is probably the best option, it’s not always possible. Our boat survived a large, powerful hurricane in a marina with fixed piers, one of the last places you’d want to be during a storm like Florence, bringing with it a high, long-lasting surge. With forethought, an understanding of how the storm will affect your marina, planning, hard work, an active marina staff, an amazing partner, and a little luck, your boat can survive one too.</p>
  498. <p>The post <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/safety-seamanship/hard-lessons-from-hurricane-florence">Hard Lessons from Hurricane Florence</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com">Practical Sailor</a>.</p>
  499. ]]></content:encoded>
  501. <wfw:commentRss>https://www.practical-sailor.com/safety-seamanship/hard-lessons-from-hurricane-florence/feed</wfw:commentRss>
  502. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  505. </item>
  506. <item>
  507. <title>Sharing the Cost of Boat Ownership</title>
  508. <link>https://www.practical-sailor.com/uncategorized/sharing-the-cost-of-boat-ownership</link>
  509. <comments>https://www.practical-sailor.com/uncategorized/sharing-the-cost-of-boat-ownership#respond</comments>
  511. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Drew Frye]]></dc:creator>
  512. <pubDate>Mon, 22 Apr 2024 14:08:35 +0000</pubDate>
  513. <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
  514. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.practical-sailor.com/?p=842907</guid>
  515.  
  516. <description><![CDATA[<img width="1508" height="1205" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Replacing_wind_indicator.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Replacing_wind_indicator.png 1508w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Replacing_wind_indicator-300x240.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Replacing_wind_indicator-1024x818.png 1024w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Replacing_wind_indicator-768x614.png 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Replacing_wind_indicator-696x556.png 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Replacing_wind_indicator-1068x853.png 1068w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Replacing_wind_indicator-400x320.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1508px) 100vw, 1508px" /><p>As mooring and maintenance fees skyrocket, joint boat ownership can seem like an attractive way to contain expenses and still enjoy all the benefits of having your own boat. For the past several years, I’ve been a satisfied co-owner in a Corsair F-24, but the arrangement does involve compromises that not every sailor is prepared [&#8230;]</p>
  517. <p>The post <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/uncategorized/sharing-the-cost-of-boat-ownership">Sharing the Cost of Boat Ownership</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com">Practical Sailor</a>.</p>
  518. ]]></description>
  519. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="1508" height="1205" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Replacing_wind_indicator.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Replacing_wind_indicator.png 1508w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Replacing_wind_indicator-300x240.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Replacing_wind_indicator-1024x818.png 1024w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Replacing_wind_indicator-768x614.png 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Replacing_wind_indicator-696x556.png 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Replacing_wind_indicator-1068x853.png 1068w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_Replacing_wind_indicator-400x320.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1508px) 100vw, 1508px" /><p>As mooring and maintenance fees skyrocket, joint boat ownership can seem like an attractive way to contain expenses and still enjoy all the benefits of having your own boat. For the past several years, I’ve been a satisfied co-owner in a Corsair F-24, but the arrangement does involve compromises that not every sailor is prepared to make.</p>
  520. <p><strong>Consider the options.</strong> If you aren’t planning to do a lot of sailing, bare boat chartering, fractional ownership and peer-to-peer programs can make more sense (see “<a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/safety-seamanship/learning-to-share">Learning to Share</a>,” PS January 2006, and “<a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/boat-maintenance/share-economy-goes-boating">Share Economy Goes Boating</a>,” PS July 2015). You get time on a boat while spreading out the costs and headaches associated with ownership.</p>
  521. <p><strong>Choose the right partner.</strong> Look for people who have owned boats before and have some do-it-yourself skills, otherwise be prepared for some hefty yard bills. A shared boat should not be the first boat for either partner.</p>
  522. <p><strong>Formalize an agreement.</strong> Even low-priced boats shared among friends will benefit from clear terms of ownership. If you have boat loan, or a higher-priced boat, explore the possibility of creating a limited liability corporation (LLC) (see Tech Tips on p. 22).</p>
  523. <p><strong>Share the work.</strong> It’s very likely that one or more partners simply won’t be available to work on the boat. Perhaps you use the boat more. We have a partner that uses the boat very little and does not participate in the work; that feels fair. If you are hung up on having a perfectly “fair” division of work, you might not be a good candidate for a partnership.</p>
  524. <p><strong>Agree on the right boat.</strong> A classic partnership agreement is one to that defrays the higher fixed costs (marina fees and maintenance) on a low-cost boat. With little capital risk, the partnership can dissolve without overburdening the remaining owner. Ideally, the boat should be one that is easy to use, fun to sail, and aesthetically attractive to all owners. Day sailors, modest cruising boats, and racing boats are good contenders for partnerships. Avoid fixer-uppers.</p>
  525. <p><strong>New boats vs. used boats.</strong> New boats depreciate fast, violating the “keep-it-affordable” rule. New boats have less maintenance, but concern over minor dings and resale value can cause major friction.</p>
  526. <p><strong>Smart scheduling.</strong> Scheduling is tough for working folks, especially those with school children. If that’s your situation, look for a retired or semi-retired partner who might prefer sailing in the spring and fall. Perhaps you have flexible work-from-home employment.</p>
  527. <p><strong>Use vacation time.</strong> In places with short sailing seasons, your allotted boat time can evaporate quickly. Try to schedule vacation during times when good winds and fair temperatures are most likely.</p>
  528. <p><strong>Crew or partner?</strong> Some folks assume a partnership means that the owners will sail together and that each partner has a commitment to be available as crew. That’s a great situation, but you should be prepared to sail with crew of your own.</p>
  529. <p><strong>Scheduling and tracking use.</strong> A shared calendar or document on the cloud can help manage projects, expenses, and scheduling (see “<a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/marine-electronics/crew-management-software-compared">Online Crew Management</a>,” PS April 2021). In addition to an onboard log on, my partner and I also have an Excel spreadsheet with separate tabs to track routine tasks.</p>
  530. <p><strong>Kids and boats.</strong> For a family that likes to sail together, ownership is often the better choice. Kids can get their own cabin and decorate as they please. On the other hand, if family activities keep you away from the boat, a partnership might be a sensible way to defray costs. In either case, your co-owner should be okay with any kid-friendly modifications (side-nets, extra handholds, stuffed animals in the v-berth, etc.)</p>
  531. <h3>CONCLUSIONS</h3>
  532. <p>Only enter a partnership if you can easily afford to buy and maintain the boat on your own. If you buy a boat that neither partner can afford individually, it increases pressure on the relationship. Instead of partnering with friends, consider partnering with a like-minded sailor. They are more likely to understand the commitment and vagaries of boating and might well become friends.</p>
  533. <p>Expect there to be more work and expense than you’d anticipated. If you are obsessed with doing things your way, don’t get into a partnership. Consider partnering with people that have owned a similar-sized boat before; they will understand what they are getting into.</p>
  534. <p>Successful partners that we’ve studied view the arrangement either as a business, with strict adherence to the written agreement and legal conduct, or as a marriage, with the understanding it will require flexibility and compromise. In both cases, success was measured by whether it was better than the alternatives, not against a fantasy. If you like company, sharing ideas, and teamwork, a partnership can reduce the cost of boating while making it into more of a shared activity.</p>
  535. <div class="brief"><div class="brief_title">Boat Partnership Agreement Tips</div><div class="brief_content"><p class="p1"><span class="s1">P</span>artnership agreements can be as simple or as complicated as you like. For higher-priced boat, you might want to involve a lawyer. Setting up an LLC can make sense. Even the most amicable agreement benefits from a clear statement of understanding. Situations can and will likely change during the term of the agreement; during change it can be all about the money, so address all aspects. Some basic issues that should be addressed are:</p>
  536. <p class="p2"><b>Ownership. </b>List the partners and agree on share of ownership.</p>
  537. <p class="p2"><b>Managing Partner. </b>One member will logically take responsibility for paperwork, payment of recurring bills, etc. Discuss how this person is chosen and how the responsibility may be transferred or shared.</p>
  538. <p class="p2"><b>Decisions. </b>Describe the decision-making process. Items may be by majority, supermajority, or unanimous consent, depending on the importance and implications of the change.</p>
  539. <p class="p2"><b>Title and Insurance. </b>You’ll want full liability and hull insurance. All partners should be named on the title and insurance documents.</p>
  540. <p class="p2"><b>Capital Buy-in. </b>This can be as simple as a one-time payment, if the boat was bought with cash. It could involve time payments. If a loan is involved, security must be defined; what happens if the boat is totaled and the settlement plus paid in capital is less than the note?</p>
  541. <p class="p2"><b>Division of Expenses. </b>These will be divided according to ownership share, but sometimes division according to usage makes sense. Some costs are fixed; insurance, slip rental, registration, and utilities. Some are predictable; engine maintenance, hauling and bottom paint. Add an allowance for sail replacement, unplanned repairs, and reasonable upgrades. This goes in a kitty, regardless of usage.</p>
  542. <p class="p2"><b>Expenses. </b>A boat operational fund may be established to pay for dockage, insurance, maintenance, registration, and all other boat expenses.</p>
  543. <p class="p1"><b>True-Up. </b>A partner may get behind on expense or capital payments. How will this be resolved? A true-up upon termination is one possibility.</p>
  544. <p class="p1"><b>Level of Maintenance. </b>Agree on the level of maintenance level and how it will be carried out.</p>
  545. <p class="p1">If DIY, division of labor should be described. If yard services will be used, it should be clear how expenditures are approved.</p>
  546. <p class="p1"><b>Returning the Boat. </b>Set standards for refilling fuel and water and for pumping waste. Be sure to address for cleaning and stowing gear.</p>
  547. <p class="p1"><b>Procedures and Checklists. </b>Have a checklist for before departure and after use.</p>
  548. <p class="p1"><b>Scheduling. </b>Describe how usage is divided and conflicts will be resolved. This can be a real challenge in-season if the partners work full time.</p>
  549. <p class="p1"><b>Storage. </b>Describe where the boat will be stored, whether in a marina or on land. If the boat may be relocated, describe how that is decided.</p>
  550. <p class="p1"><b>Dissolution. </b>In the event a partner wants to leave the partnership, describe the options, including selling the boat or a buyout by the remaining partner or partners Typically, the remaining partners have first right of refusal; we set a pre-agreed par value, which could, of course, be negotiated.</p>
  551. <p class="p1"><b>Death, divorce, and right of survivorship. </b>What happens if a partner passes away or gets a divorce?</p>
  552. <p class="p1"><b>Valuation. </b>Clauses that discus transfer of shares are better defined if a maximum or par valuation for the boat is established.</p>
  553. <p class="p1"><b>Sunset Date. </b>An expiration date to the agreement lets things end amicably if something goes wrong. A three to five-year span is typical with a chance at extension.</p>
  554. <p class="p1"><b>Dispute Resolution. </b>Describe how disputes might be resolved. The best answer may be to dissolve the partnership.</p>
  555. </div></div>
  556. <p>The post <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/uncategorized/sharing-the-cost-of-boat-ownership">Sharing the Cost of Boat Ownership</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com">Practical Sailor</a>.</p>
  557. ]]></content:encoded>
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  560. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  563. </item>
  564. <item>
  565. <title>Shoe Goo II Excels for Quick Sail Repairs</title>
  566. <link>https://www.practical-sailor.com/sails-rigging-deckgear/shoe-goo-ii-excels-for-quick-sail-repairs</link>
  567. <comments>https://www.practical-sailor.com/sails-rigging-deckgear/shoe-goo-ii-excels-for-quick-sail-repairs#respond</comments>
  569. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Darrell Nicholson]]></dc:creator>
  570. <pubDate>Mon, 22 Apr 2024 14:08:34 +0000</pubDate>
  571. <category><![CDATA[Sails, Rigging & Deck Gear]]></category>
  572. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.practical-sailor.com/?p=842909</guid>
  573.  
  574. <description><![CDATA[<img width="653" height="674" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2._applying_Dr._Sails_to_patch._You_need_to_press_hard.jpg.optimal.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2._applying_Dr._Sails_to_patch._You_need_to_press_hard.jpg.optimal.jpg 653w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2._applying_Dr._Sails_to_patch._You_need_to_press_hard-291x300.jpg.optimal.jpg 291w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2._applying_Dr._Sails_to_patch._You_need_to_press_hard-300x310.jpg.optimal.jpg 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2._applying_Dr._Sails_to_patch._You_need_to_press_hard-400x413.jpg.optimal.jpg 400w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2._applying_Dr._Sails_to_patch._You_need_to_press_hard-24x24.jpg.optimal.jpg 24w" sizes="(max-width: 653px) 100vw, 653px" /><p>After various test during the last few years, we’ve found that sail repair tapes have proven durable for minor reinforcements and repairing worn spots in sails, but for areas that are subject to higher strain—long tears that are perpendicular to the leach, for example—glues are a better choice (see “Sail Repair Part II, PS November [&#8230;]</p>
  575. <p>The post <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/sails-rigging-deckgear/shoe-goo-ii-excels-for-quick-sail-repairs">Shoe Goo II Excels for Quick Sail Repairs</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com">Practical Sailor</a>.</p>
  576. ]]></description>
  577. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="653" height="674" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2._applying_Dr._Sails_to_patch._You_need_to_press_hard.jpg.optimal.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2._applying_Dr._Sails_to_patch._You_need_to_press_hard.jpg.optimal.jpg 653w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2._applying_Dr._Sails_to_patch._You_need_to_press_hard-291x300.jpg.optimal.jpg 291w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2._applying_Dr._Sails_to_patch._You_need_to_press_hard-300x310.jpg.optimal.jpg 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2._applying_Dr._Sails_to_patch._You_need_to_press_hard-400x413.jpg.optimal.jpg 400w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2._applying_Dr._Sails_to_patch._You_need_to_press_hard-24x24.jpg.optimal.jpg 24w" sizes="(max-width: 653px) 100vw, 653px" /><p>After various test during the last few years, we’ve found that sail repair tapes have proven durable for minor reinforcements and repairing worn spots in sails, but for areas that are subject to higher strain—long tears that are perpendicular to the leach, for example—glues are a better choice (see “<a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/sails-rigging-deckgear/making-sail-repairs-last">Sail Repair Part II</a>, PS November 2018).</p>
  578. <p>After adding a few new adhesives to the test, and leaving them exposed for two years, we’ve found a new winner. The repairs were never covered, so our two-year test equals about four years of exposure on the average boat.</p>
  579. <h3>POLYURETHANE SEALANTS (3M 5200, SIKA 291, LOCTITE PL S40)</h3>
  580. <p>Polyurethane adhesive sealants are proven in sail repair, but cure time is long, they’re messy, and the repairs are stiff. UV can degrade the bond, so repairs to dark colored Sunbrella and other dark fabrics last longer.</p>
  581. <p><strong>Bottom line:</strong> Two years later our polyurethane repairs are stiff, but still holding. Recommended for thick fabrics and dark colors (~$2 per ounce).</p>
  582. <h3>G-FLEX</h3>
  583. <p>This all-purpose epoxy is strong and slightly flexible, but messy to work with and slow to cure. We used it for a large repair on a laminated jib, which lasted through one season and partially through the next when the G-flex patch began to peel off.</p>
  584. <p><strong>Bottom line:</strong> Two years later we’re not so impressed with G-flex as a sail repair adhesive ($13 per ounce).</p>
  585. <h3>DR. SAILS</h3>
  586. <p>A sail-specific flexible epoxy that cures quickly and does not overly stiffen the sail, Dr. Sails is the easiest adhesive to use in the field, and the results are strong and flexible. Within six months the Dr. Sails sample on our rack test had failed, presumably due to UV.</p>
  587. <p><strong>Bottom line:</strong> Dr. Sails is useful for mounting tell-tales and making small repairs that won’t see much sun. Recommended (~$30 per ounce).</p>
  588. <h3>METHYL METHACRYLATES (MMA)</h3>
  589. <p>Devcon Plastic Welder, also known as Plexus MA-300, is a versatile adhesive. Its biggest advantage is the fast cure. After 20 minutes we could handle the sail, with a full cure within a few hours. Unfortunately, it did not create a permanent bond in our sail repairs, peeling apart within four months.</p>
  590. <p><strong>Bottom line:</strong> Devcon can outperform G-Flex and conventional epoxies in fiberglass projects, but not as well with conventional Dacron sails (~$8 per ounce).</p>
  591. <h3>SHOE GOO II</h3>
  592. <p>A tough, flexible carboxylated styrene butadiene copolymer adhesive (SBR), Shoe-Goo II’s UV resistance is much better than epoxies and MMA, but not quite as good as polyurethane. Sandwiched between layers of sailcloth, it exceeded expectations, and at the end of the second year the seam is stronger than the sail cloth with reasonable flexibility. It is best applied by smearing a thin layer on both surfaces, press them together, pull them apart, and then pressing them back together.</p>
  593. <p>Bottom line: This flexible adhesive cures overnight and creates a lasting repair. Best Choice (~$7 per ounce).</p>
  594. <h3>APPLICATION TIPS</h3>
  595. <p>Scrub the sail with soap and water and rinse well. Wipe with acetone if available (wear a respirator). If you’re repairing luff tape where you’ve used a lubricant, you’ll have to clean aggressively. You’ll only have to patch one side of the sail.</p>
  596. <p>Tape the tear area together with sail tape to match edges and get the wrinkles out.</p>
  597. <p>Cut a patch that overlaps about one inch beyond the tear on all sides. Lightly outline the bonding area on the sail with a pencil, and mask the surrounding area.</p>
  598. <p>Lay the sail on a non-stick work surface and spread the adhesive very thinly on both surfaces. Rub down firmly with a credit card or hard plastic spreader.</p>
  599. <p>Clamping is not generally required, but you will need to leave the sail alone until the patch is partially cured. Polyurethane adhesives (3M 5200, etc.) might need days to cure. Repairs with Dr. Sails are ready for service in 3–4 hours in warm weather. Shoe Goo II cures overnight.</p>
  600. <p>These glues will usually last more than two years in opened and used condition, but we’ve carefully re-sealed each of them. If you keep opened polyurethanes in a refrigerator in a sealed bag, they can last as much as five years.</p>
  601. <h3>CONCLUSIONS</h3>
  602. <p>While none of these sail repair glues are perfect, we found a few common adhesives that will give multiple years of service. Sewing is normally the best practice, but laminate sails are often best repaired using glues, and old sails in general don’t like needle holes. Once you start patching sails, it’s time to start planning for replacement.</p>
  603. <p>The post <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/sails-rigging-deckgear/shoe-goo-ii-excels-for-quick-sail-repairs">Shoe Goo II Excels for Quick Sail Repairs</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com">Practical Sailor</a>.</p>
  604. ]]></content:encoded>
  606. <wfw:commentRss>https://www.practical-sailor.com/sails-rigging-deckgear/shoe-goo-ii-excels-for-quick-sail-repairs/feed</wfw:commentRss>
  607. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  610. </item>
  611. <item>
  612. <title>Mailport: Mainsail; Furl Fan; Keel Boats</title>
  613. <link>https://www.practical-sailor.com/uncategorized/mailport-mainsail-furl-fan-keel-boats</link>
  614. <comments>https://www.practical-sailor.com/uncategorized/mailport-mainsail-furl-fan-keel-boats#respond</comments>
  616. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Darrell Nicholson]]></dc:creator>
  617. <pubDate>Mon, 22 Apr 2024 14:08:32 +0000</pubDate>
  618. <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
  619. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.practical-sailor.com/?p=842861</guid>
  620.  
  621. <description><![CDATA[<img width="866" height="662" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_russ_lazyjacks.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_russ_lazyjacks.png 866w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_russ_lazyjacks-300x229.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_russ_lazyjacks-768x587.png 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_russ_lazyjacks-696x532.png 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_russ_lazyjacks-80x60.png 80w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_russ_lazyjacks-400x306.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 866px) 100vw, 866px" /><p>TAMING THE MAIN Your recently updated report on mainsail handling raised some questions (see “Taming the Main: Mainsail Handling for Bigger Boats,” tinyurl.com/bv5f4jfe). My 1985 Brewer 12.8 has a conventional “stackpack.” The problem I have that is the aft portion of the lazy jacks catch my second or third full batten when I hoist the [&#8230;]</p>
  622. <p>The post <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/uncategorized/mailport-mainsail-furl-fan-keel-boats">Mailport: Mainsail; Furl Fan; Keel Boats</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com">Practical Sailor</a>.</p>
  623. ]]></description>
  624. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="866" height="662" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_russ_lazyjacks.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_russ_lazyjacks.png 866w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_russ_lazyjacks-300x229.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_russ_lazyjacks-768x587.png 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_russ_lazyjacks-696x532.png 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_russ_lazyjacks-80x60.png 80w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_russ_lazyjacks-400x306.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 866px) 100vw, 866px" /><h3>TAMING THE MAIN</h3>
  625. <p>Your recently updated report on mainsail handling raised some questions (see “<a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/sails-rigging-deckgear/mailport-winches-painted-jib-mainsails">Taming the Main: Mainsail Handling for Bigger Boats</a>,” tinyurl.com/bv5f4jfe). My 1985 Brewer 12.8 has a conventional “stackpack.” The problem I have that is the aft portion of the lazy jacks catch my second or third full batten when I hoist the sail.</p>
  626. <p>Could you better explain what you mean by the following: “Many sailors prefer to ease the lines and gather the tackle together just behind the spar, keeping it there until it’s time to douse or reef the sail. Care must be taken to ensure that the lazy jacks are stowed tightly.”</p>
  627. <p>Also unclear was the following: “The most user-friendly systems took into consideration the stack height of the cars used on the mainsail track, and incorporated a block, pendant, and jam cleat tack rather than a tack hook to engage the reef point.”</p>
  628. <p>Will Gerstmyer<br />
  629. <em>Brewer</em> 12.8<br />
  630. South Portland, ME</p>
  631. <p><em>Sorry about the confusion. To avoid the chance of your lazy jacks snagging battens as the mainsail is set, you can slacken the lazy jacks and draw them forward toward the mast so that they are well clear of the battens when the sail is raised. A cleat or hook on either side of the mast or boom can be used to secure the lazy jacks while you are under way. Regarding the tack hook. Older boats sometimes have a tack hook at the boom gooseneck. Bigger boats with full-batten mainsails will need a tack hook on a pendant or strop that can reach the tack for the reef points. A short webbing strops with a ring eye at the reef point tack instead of a pressed eye at the tack also makes it easier to work around the luff cars of a full-batten main.</em></p>
  632. <h3>LEISURE FURL FAN</h3>
  633. <p>Regarding your report on mainsail handling, my wife and I, now in our mid-to-late 50s have sailed our 42-foot sloop for more than 20 years. In the beginning it had a Dutchman system that significantly simplified mainsail handling. About five years ago we installed a Leisure Furl in-boom furling system. We love it. It’s dramatically safer and will undoubtably extend our ability to manage the 370 square-foot main. We reef sooner and more often and neither of us have be on the high part of the deck to secure it. It was well worth the cost that came with replacing the mainsail.</p>
  634. <figure id="attachment_842862" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-842862" style="width: 654px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-842862" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_lazy_jacks_Gerstermeyer.png" alt="" width="654" height="463" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_lazy_jacks_Gerstermeyer.png 654w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_lazy_jacks_Gerstermeyer-300x212.png 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_lazy_jacks_Gerstermeyer-100x70.png 100w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2405_lazy_jacks_Gerstermeyer-400x283.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 654px) 100vw, 654px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-842862" class="wp-caption-text">The lazy jacks on Will Gerstmyer’s Brewer 12.8 have a penchant for<br />snagging battens.</figcaption></figure>
  635. <p>Sean Davern<br />
  636. <em>New Horizons</em>, Hunter Passage 42<br />
  637. Seattle, WA</p>
  638. <h3>TAMING THE MAIN II</h3>
  639. <p>Thanks for your detailed report on mainsail handling. I’ve had the Dutchman, lazy jacks, and old-fashioned furling boom. I liked the Dutchman best, for all the reasons you covered. When asked by friends, I recommend it first, even though I now have a Seldén in mast furling system, which I’ve shifted to—mostly because of age.</p>
  640. <p>Russ Hoadly<br />
  641. <em>Blue Heron</em>, Catalina 42<br />
  642. Tampa, FL</p>
  643. <h3>QUESTIONABLE KEEL BOLTS</h3>
  644. <p>I read your article from several years ago about keel bolts (see Inside PS “<a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/blog/keel-bolt-inspection-and-repair">Keel Bolt Inspection and Repair</a>,” <a href="http://www.practical-sailor.com/blog/keel-bolt-inspection-and-repair">www.practical-sailor.com/blog/keel-bolt-inspection-and-repair</a>) and found it very helpful and informative. I hope you don’t mind helping me out with a question specifically related to this topic. I recently came into possession of a well-loved 1984 Kirie Elite 29. The boat is in pretty good shape overall, but I was worried about the state of the very aft keel stud and nut. It appears the top nut was replaced and looks okay, the lower nut looks very corroded as does the very tip of the stud. The ballast is 2,310 pounds. It has 1-inch keel studs with nuts. I haven’t had any obvious leaking and the keel/hull joint looks fine. When I went to try to loosen the top nut, the whole stud turns and starts loosening. I’m still a relative novice with this sort of thing and didn’t want to get into more than I can handle, so I didn’t mess with it any further. The boat has an iron, fin keel and my assumption is that the keel stud is threaded into the keel itself, though I’ve had a hard time getting information on this boat as it’s a French manufacture no longer in service. Also, the plate under the nut is a little corroded and should probably be replaced, too. What is your thought on my next steps? I currently have the boat dry docked for a repaint, but the boat yard does not want to take on any liabilities related to keel bolts and just doesn’t work with them, so they haven’t really been helpful.</p>
  645. <p>Sean Kitch<br />
  646. <em>Kirie</em> Elite 29<br />
  647. Charleston, SC</p>
  648. <p><em>Discerning the condition of keel bolts on a 40-year-old French-built boat can be tricky; we’d recommend getting some professional help before you get in too deep. Your yard should allow outside contractors to assist. Judging from the photos you sent us for review, you don’t have any urgent concerns—but it can’t hurt to have a professional opinion of someone who can visit the boat. With regards to the seized nut, there are several ways to remove the nut without damaging the threads or causing the bolt to loosen (see the Inside PS blog post, “<a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/blog/more-boat-tips-unsticking-stuck-nuts-and-bolts">More Bolt Tips: Unsticking Stuck Nuts</a>”); you might have to CAREFULLY use a nut splitter or Dremel to get this one off without unthreading the bolt or damaging threads. Once you’ve got the offending nut off, clean the threads on the bolt with a wire brush and thread chaser, apply some waterproof grease, and snug down a new nut to the specified torque. Fastenal (<a href="http://www.fastenal.com">www.fastenal.com</a>) and other hardware suppliers provide torque values based on bolt diameter; Jboat.org also has a table (<a href="http://tinyurl.com/3sfc9mh6">tinyurl.com/3sfc9mh6</a>). Note that the nut should be either high quality 316-stainless steel, or Duplex stainless and have clean threads and be well lubricated. If you are intent on a more detailed keel bolt inspection, the customary way is to pull one or two suspicious looking bolts. If one looks bad, you’ll want to pull them all. If you go that route, you’ll definitely want to bring a trusted and experienced advisor into the project.</em></p>
  649. <p>The post <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/uncategorized/mailport-mainsail-furl-fan-keel-boats">Mailport: Mainsail; Furl Fan; Keel Boats</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com">Practical Sailor</a>.</p>
  650. ]]></content:encoded>
  652. <wfw:commentRss>https://www.practical-sailor.com/uncategorized/mailport-mainsail-furl-fan-keel-boats/feed</wfw:commentRss>
  653. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  656. </item>
  657. <item>
  658. <title>Beneteau 423: What You Should Know &#124; Boat Review</title>
  659. <link>https://www.practical-sailor.com/video/beneteau-423-what-you-should-know-boat-review</link>
  660. <comments>https://www.practical-sailor.com/video/beneteau-423-what-you-should-know-boat-review#respond</comments>
  662. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Tim Labute]]></dc:creator>
  663. <pubDate>Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:00:18 +0000</pubDate>
  664. <category><![CDATA[Video]]></category>
  665. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.practical-sailor.com/?p=842928</guid>
  666.  
  667. <description><![CDATA[<img width="1280" height="720" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/beneteau423.webp" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/beneteau423.webp 1280w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/beneteau423-300x169.webp 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/beneteau423-1024x576.webp 1024w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/beneteau423-768x432.webp 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/beneteau423-696x392.webp 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/beneteau423-1068x601.webp 1068w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/beneteau423-400x225.webp 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" /><p>Looking to buy a 40-45 foot sailboat? Considering a Beneteau 423? See a Beneteau 423 for sale? What are the pros and cons of this cruising sailboat? How does it compare to the Jeanneau 42DS, or the Catalina 42 MKII? Watch this video to learn more about the specs of the Beneteau 423. See what [&#8230;]</p>
  668. <p>The post <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/video/beneteau-423-what-you-should-know-boat-review">Beneteau 423: What You Should Know | Boat Review</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com">Practical Sailor</a>.</p>
  669. ]]></description>
  670. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="1280" height="720" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/beneteau423.webp" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/beneteau423.webp 1280w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/beneteau423-300x169.webp 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/beneteau423-1024x576.webp 1024w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/beneteau423-768x432.webp 768w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/beneteau423-696x392.webp 696w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/beneteau423-1068x601.webp 1068w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/beneteau423-400x225.webp 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" /><p>Looking to buy a 40-45 foot sailboat? Considering a Beneteau 423? See a Beneteau 423 for sale? What are the pros and cons of this cruising sailboat? How does it compare to the Jeanneau 42DS, or the Catalina 42 MKII? Watch this video to learn more about the specs of the Beneteau 423. See what owners have to say about this liveaboard sailboat.</p>
  671. <p>The post <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/video/beneteau-423-what-you-should-know-boat-review">Beneteau 423: What You Should Know | Boat Review</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com">Practical Sailor</a>.</p>
  672. ]]></content:encoded>
  674. <wfw:commentRss>https://www.practical-sailor.com/video/beneteau-423-what-you-should-know-boat-review/feed</wfw:commentRss>
  675. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  678. </item>
  679. <item>
  680. <title>Bottom Paint Care</title>
  681. <link>https://www.practical-sailor.com/boat-maintenance/bottom-paint-care</link>
  682. <comments>https://www.practical-sailor.com/boat-maintenance/bottom-paint-care#comments</comments>
  684. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Drew Frye]]></dc:creator>
  685. <pubDate>Mon, 22 Apr 2024 08:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  686. <category><![CDATA[Boat Maintenance]]></category>
  687. <category><![CDATA[Paints]]></category>
  688. <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.practical-sailor.com/uncategorized/bottom-paint-care</guid>
  689.  
  690. <description><![CDATA[<img width="600" height="435" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/p1c8l4coqhv7q13i2kv81ec41a7e9-e1712852785588.jpg.optimal.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" /><p>Modern anti-fouling paints promise a hull free of marine growth for one to several seasons. But in nutrient-rich water and as the paint becomes expended, barnacles and green stuff take hold, slowing us down, increasing fuel consumption under power, and degrading handling.</p>
  691. <p>The post <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/boat-maintenance/bottom-paint-care">Bottom Paint Care</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com">Practical Sailor</a>.</p>
  692. ]]></description>
  693. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="600" height="435" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/p1c8l4coqhv7q13i2kv81ec41a7e9-e1712852785588.jpg.optimal.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" /><p>Modern anti-fouling paints promise a hull free of marine growth for one to several seasons. But in nutrient-rich water and as the paint becomes expended, barnacles and green stuff take hold, slowing us down, increasing fuel consumption under power, and degrading handling.</p>
  694. <figure class="null figure-width-643"></figure>
  695. <p>For all of the money spent on special props and new sails, and attention paid to perfect sail trim, no single factor is more important than a clean bottom. To combat this, racers use hard, scrubbable paints and scrub the bottom every two weeks.</p>
  696. <p>If a cruiser with soft paint followed that rhythm, his paint would be dispersed far and wide within a few months (see adjacent article on Cleaning Soft Paints). For these and other reasons, different methods are required.</p>
  697. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-842345 aligncenter" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/bottom-paint-care-image-300x159.jpg.optimal.jpg" alt="" width="539" height="286" srcset="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/bottom-paint-care-image-300x159.jpg.optimal.jpg 300w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/bottom-paint-care-image-400x212.jpg.optimal.jpg 400w, https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/bottom-paint-care-image.jpg.optimal.jpg 675w" sizes="(max-width: 539px) 100vw, 539px" /></p>
  698. <p>Finally, even going slow and wasting fuel means nothing to you, clogged through hulls can cripple vital systems and vibration from a fouled prop can damage the powertrain. Sooner or later, the bottom will need to be cleaned, either by haul-out, or by in-water scrubbing.</p>
  699. <h3>CLEANING SOFT PAINT</h3>
  700. <p>Soft (aka ablative or self-polishing) paints hold the promise of self cleaning, but this is primarily true only for boats that are vigorously sailed (routinely over 7 knots), the minimum required to cause a little surface wastage. Even then, in high fouling waters and towards the end of the useful life of the paint, growth begins to appear. But we don&#8217;t want to scrub the paint off, wasting money and releasing excess copper into the environment.</p>
  701. <p>Additionally, our experience with multi-season soft paints is that if they are extended to maximum life with occasional scrubbing toward the end, followed by moderate sanding between applications, build-up and adhesion problems are minimized, and stripping can be delayed for 30 years or more. But this requires really using up the paint. Yes, cleaning may release some copper, but by stretching painting from 2 years to 3 years, have we not reduced the amount of copper released by 1/3? This is one time when the motivations of the EPA and the parsimonious boat owner should be aligned.</p>
  702. <h3>WHAT WE TESTED</h3>
  703. <p>We painted panels with West Marine PCA Gold, a copper-based multi-season paint containing 40 percent copper. Private labeled by Petite, it is representative of the market and a perennial top performer in PS testing. We cleaned these panels following the schedule described above, noting how the paint held up over time. The panels were deployed in a marina in the mid-Chesapeake Bay, right next to our test boat, which was not cleaned, but unlike the panels, was sailed every two weeks. Sailing speeds range from at least some time over 7 knots on every trip, to 10-14 knots on windy days.</p>
  704. <h3>HOW WE TESTED</h3>
  705. <p>We cleaned fiberglass test panels according to the following schedule:</p>
  706. <p><strong>Panel 1.</strong> Lightly cleaned with a glove whenever heavy slime appeared.</p>
  707. <p><strong>Panel 2.</strong> Light cleaning with Berber carpet square when measurable plant growth appeared.</p>
  708. <p><strong>Panel 3.</strong> Cleaning with scraper and carpet when barnacles or heavy growth appeared.</p>
  709. <p><strong>Panel 4.</strong> No cleaning.</p>
  710. <figure class="right figure-width-300"><img decoding="async" class="figure-max-height" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/p1c8l4coqc1prg19oiu4f8v7b2c7.jpg.optimal.jpg" alt="high pressure clean" /></figure>
  711. <h3>OBSERVATIONS</h3>
  712. <p>The panels went in the water in September. No cleaning was performed on any panel for the first 10 months. There was zero fouling or slime. The first two panels were cleaned of light fouling several times near the one-year mark, but this was hardly needed, because approaching near-freezing winter water temperatures knocks off all soft growth. No growth was observed until April. Cleaning resumed in late May.</p>
  713. <p>As the second year progressed, paints wore thin and began to chip off during cleaning, and sometimes spontaneously. Bottom paint adhesion was not the problem, the paint was simply wearing through.</p>
  714. <p>In late summer the second year we then stopped cleaning the panels, to observe how much fouling resistance remained. The panels that had been cleaned rapidly fouled with plant growth and barnacles. The panel we had never cleaned had slime and a few scattered barnacles, but much fewer than panels that had been cleaned just two months before.</p>
  715. <figure class="right figure-width-300"><img decoding="async" class="figure-max-height" src="https://www.practical-sailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/p1c8l4coqectvo7e1mtbgs81qtn8.jpg.optimal.jpg" alt="Rid-Lyme " /></figure>
  716. <h3>RESULTS</h3>
  717. <p><strong>Panel 1. Cleaned with rubber glove.</strong> Even a rubber glove work glove removes paint, although it was clearly the gentlest method. No paint plume was visible. That said, by month 20 the paint was worn thin. We had cleaned far more often than most sailors would. For the racer we recommend hard paint, but if you must clean, this is the method of choice. The occasional barnacle should be popped off using your thumb, not a scraper. For the cruiser, an occasional hand wipe of only the fouled spots may be acceptable.</p>
  718. <p><strong>Bottom Line:</strong> Start with this, and only where needed.</p>
  719. <p><strong>Panel 2. Cleaned with Berber carpet</strong>. Anything more than the lightest touch resulted in a black plume of removed paint. The only reason this method outperformed the glove is that we only cleaned a few times.</p>
  720. <p><strong>Bottom line:</strong> Not for soft paints.</p>
  721. <p><strong>Panel 3. Cleaned with scraper and pad.</strong> Although we only cleaned once, we couldnt help but remove paint and degrade the antifouling properties.</p>
  722. <p><strong>Bottom line:</strong> If you need to use a scraper its time for hauling and fresh paint.</p>
  723. <p><strong>Panel 4. No cleaning.</strong> It was no surprise that the boat stayed a little cleaner than this panel, since regular sailing removes loose growth off with little wear. The boat did get more growth in high-wear areas (leading edge of keel, rudder, and bow), presumably because paint wore away, even though those areas received three coats (the balance of the boat had two coats). This demonstrates just how delicate soft paints are.</p>
  724. <p><strong>Bottom line:</strong> Clean your bottom by sailing more.</p>
  725. <h3>IN-WATER, WITHOUT DIVING</h3>
  726. <p>If only it were as simple as scrubbing a pot in the sink. Methods vary with the type of paint and nature of fouling (see Cleaning Soft Paint sidebar). There are safety concerns that go beyond whether you can swim, practical matters that help speed and simplify the job, and inspection points you ought to consider while you&#8217;re down there. Every year it gets easier, even as we age, because we&#8217;ve learned efficient ways.</p>
  727. <p><strong>On-Land Cleaning.</strong> Most marinas offer powerwash and scrape as a mandatory part of haul out services. Their EPA stormwater permit requires them to control pollutants from bottom cleaning, and that means a pad with a treatment system. Normally it&#8217;s a good value, adding only slightly to the haulout fee. However, if for some reason you have to do some of this on your own . . .</p>
  728. <p><strong>Protect the ground.</strong> You must recover the paint chips and any chemicals used.</p>
  729. <p><strong>Clean while the boat is still wet.</strong> This makes the work ten times easier. Re-wetting is not the same for some reason.</p>
  730. <p><strong>Strong acids loosen barnacles.</strong> However, if the concern is only the circles they leave, sanding will remove them faster and more easily. Be aware that acids can deactivate the bottom paint, so after cleaning you will need to rinse, sand, and re-paint. Acid is the only practical way to remove barnacles from an inflatable. Rough scraping and power washing are definitely out.</p>
  731. <h3>SCRUBBING FROM DECK OR DOCK</h3>
  732. <p>Scrubbing from above calls for special brushes. Here are a few options:</p>
  733. <p>The Goby. A bent handle system with an articulated head and scrubbing pads. $199.00-$229.00. <a href="http://www.chptmfg.com">www.chptmfg.com</a></p>
  734. <p>The Scrubbis uses a unique float/squeegee combination to remove slime. $109.00 <a href="http://www.scrubbis.se/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.scrubbis.se/</a></p>
  735. <p>Shurhold deck brushes are common enough. Add a bent handle extension and an articulating head for scrub pads, and you have a simple touch-up tool. There are also extensions, though they are not bent far enough to get under the hull. About $60- $90 for all components. <a href="http://www.shurhold.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.shurhold.com</a>.</p>
  736. <p>Bent handle scrubbers provide some level of scrubbing capability without entering the water. If you use hard paint and only need to remove light slime before a race, and you have finger docks on both sides of the boat, these will help.</p>
  737. <p>However, you won&#8217;t be able to clean the prop—perhaps the most important square foot on the boat—or poke-out the through hulls. Brushes don&#8217;t remove significant soft growth, they can quickly scrub away too much soft paint, and they are useless against barnacles. Cleaning the critical keel and rudder areas is difficult to impossible from the deck. Without a walkway on both sides of the boat, the results are poor. Finally, you can&#8217;t reach most of a multihull, since access is blocked by the bridge deck and trampolines.</p>
  738. <h3>CONCLUSION</h3>
  739. <p>The best way to clean soft paint is aggressive sailing. Not just a Saturday drifter. Go out and really hammer the boat once in a while, even if it&#8217;s just motoring fast. You will still need to go in the water once in a while to check on your through-hulls and clean the prop. While you are at it, there is no harm in wiping a few bad spots and popping off a few barnacles. But if stretching the life of the paint and protecting the environment matter to you, leave the scraper and pads in the tool box until the very end, and even then use these with discretion. This a case in which less is definitely more.</p>
  740. <p>The post <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com/boat-maintenance/bottom-paint-care">Bottom Paint Care</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.practical-sailor.com">Practical Sailor</a>.</p>
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