systems

Due to their ability to run dry and resist clogging, diaphragm pumps are commonly used in gray-water installations.

A Marine Pump Primer

Understanding these crucial pieces of equipment on your boat will help you keep water and other liquids where you want them, whether that’s in the engine, in the galley sink or overboard.

Propeller shaft struts like this one make removing cutless bearings easier. However, the distance between the aft end of the bearing and the forward face of the prop shouldn’t exceed the diameter of the shaft. In this example, the gap between the strut and key is too great, thus there’s too much load on the shaft.

Shaft Bearings

Bearing Down on Shaft Bearings: Removing and replacing this key component in your boat’s drivetrain assembly takes care and persistence.

If you’re feeling artistic, you can color the gauge with permanent marker. The filter is fine when it’s reading in the green area, but should be changed when in the black area (between 7 inHg and 10 inHg).

Fuel Filter Gauge

Pressure’s On: A simple gauge can tell you loads about the health of your fuel filter and help prevent unexpected engine woes that come at precisely the wrong moment.

Computers Aboard

Computers Aboard

Four cruisers discuss the systems that keep them connected, entertained and on course.

The Arcona 400 trucks to weather under state-of-the-art load-path sails from UK Sailmakers. The durable crosscut laminate sails use a scrim of Spectra fibers with carbon tapes and panels that are glued together.

Sail Materials 101

When upgrading your sail inventory, understanding the basics of sailcloth, laminates and construction keeps the wool from being pulled over your eyes.

Here's my wife, the magician, at her nav station. "How have you gotten weather info previously?" some might ask. The answer is that since we started, we've nearly always had internet access available, at least prior to beginning a passage, and we've simply come this far by the grace of www.passageweather.com, and the buoy data at http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/ --we've infrequently relied exclusively on VHF-broadcast weather, even when available.

My Techie

Now even though this is like black magic to the crew of Del Viento, I totally acknowledge that receiving weather faxes via short-wave radio is absolutely nothing to most other cruisers–basic, basic stuff.

Due to their ability to run dry and resist clogging, diaphragm pumps are commonly used in gray-water installations.

A Marine Pump Primer

Understanding these crucial pieces of equipment on your boat will help you keep water and other liquids where you want them, whether that’s in the engine, in the galley sink or overboard.

Propeller shaft struts like this one make removing cutless bearings easier. However, the distance between the aft end of the bearing and the forward face of the prop shouldn’t exceed the diameter of the shaft. In this example, the gap between the strut and key is too great, thus there’s too much load on the shaft.

Shaft Bearings

Bearing Down on Shaft Bearings: Removing and replacing this key component in your boat’s drivetrain assembly takes care and persistence.

If you’re feeling artistic, you can color the gauge with permanent marker. The filter is fine when it’s reading in the green area, but should be changed when in the black area (between 7 inHg and 10 inHg).

Fuel Filter Gauge

Pressure’s On: A simple gauge can tell you loads about the health of your fuel filter and help prevent unexpected engine woes that come at precisely the wrong moment.

Computers Aboard

Computers Aboard

Four cruisers discuss the systems that keep them connected, entertained and on course.

The Arcona 400 trucks to weather under state-of-the-art load-path sails from UK Sailmakers. The durable crosscut laminate sails use a scrim of Spectra fibers with carbon tapes and panels that are glued together.

Sail Materials 101

When upgrading your sail inventory, understanding the basics of sailcloth, laminates and construction keeps the wool from being pulled over your eyes.

Here's my wife, the magician, at her nav station. "How have you gotten weather info previously?" some might ask. The answer is that since we started, we've nearly always had internet access available, at least prior to beginning a passage, and we've simply come this far by the grace of www.passageweather.com, and the buoy data at http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/ --we've infrequently relied exclusively on VHF-broadcast weather, even when available.

My Techie

Now even though this is like black magic to the crew of Del Viento, I totally acknowledge that receiving weather faxes via short-wave radio is absolutely nothing to most other cruisers–basic, basic stuff.

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