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OK, that makes sense. I'm not too enamored with the idea that as he lets out scope, supposedly for deeper water or heavier weather, his ground tackle get less strong. I have done everything in my power to ensure that there is no weak link anywhere in my ground tackle. Then I add a nylon snub of...

How do you get three different chain sizes to go through your windlass?

Are you implying that a 144# any type of anchor would be advisable on a 77,000# boat, just because it is a heavier anchor? Safe anchoring is not a freestyle mish-mash of throwing a whole bunch of heavy metal into the water. It is a science of matching anchor, chain, and windlass to the size and...

Actually, much to my surprise, our Rocna is excellent at short scope anchoring as well. It is the most difficult anchor I've ever had to get up after only a night at anchor in sand. We will often bring the boat to straight above the Rocna and either have to forcibly power it out, or wait several...

I know this is not your question, but I believe it is to the point; anchoring. In this age of "next gen" anchors, I think any discussion of any other sort of anchor for a vessel that relies on her ground tackle more than a few times a year, is rather pointless. I poo-pooed the whole idea of a...

That's just not true. The surge was forecast days in advance at 13 to 14 feet and the marina pilings were only 10 feet tall above high water. It's just pure laziness and irresponsible boat ownership that allows these sorts of catastrophes to go on, not to mention the pollution from all the sunk...

If your boat was manufactured in France for the European market, the wiring will be for 208-240 vac, not 110-117 vac. The difference is about half the size and you will be passing twice the amperage through wires designed for half as much amperage. Double the voltage, halve the amperage or vice...

From the weather conditions evident in the pictures, I''m not at all sure the sailboat could have done anything to avoid this collision. The fishing boat had to be moving at a pretty good clip to have mounted that far aboard the sailboat, while the sailboat without wind, was a sitting duck! In...

We are full-time liveaboards who spend upwards of 320 days a year on our anchor, so I think this suggestion is rather impractical for many. Electricity on a boat not connected to shore power is just a matter of mathematics. You need to calculate how many amps you want to use over a 24 hour...

Quite simply, only tow your small boat if you are prepared to lose it, for you surely will, one day.

To me it makes no sense to have a piece of equipment aboard that could cause your boat to sink, that requires a haul out if it fails. I wouldn't hesitate to go back to the stuffing box with flax or Teflon packing.

We're going through a period of very dense Sahara dust (no kidding!) in the Caribbean right now. It is very fine and coats the boat in a Martian-like powder, at times limiting visibility and bothering those allergic to it. On the positive side, it makes for some incredible sunsets!

My wife and I operate a charter business in the Caribbean and I've been a professional captain/Yachtmaster for most of my adult life. Most personal "charter" boats can carry 6 passengers w/o going through USCG 'certification' a very expensive and time-consuming operation. You aren't even going...

We started with the Bad Boy receiver and the Unleashed hot spot aboard our boat. It had reception of over a mile, though the more distance, the slower it was. When that receiver died we replaced it with a Bullet receiver and it works with the Bad Boy Unleashed w/o a problem. Good quality...

Electric DC motors, from windlass motors to autopilot and water pump motors, have brushes and commutators that require periodic maintenance. They also have bearings that may need changing. They require a good electric supply. A lower voltage to the motor will increase the amperage being drawn by...

There is nothing wrong with double braid polyester or nylon line for your tender. You just need to learn a knot or two or tie it to a cleat. A bowline in polyester or nylon will not come undone accidentally EVER if properly tied, yet can easily be undone, in most cases, when wanted. A clove...

I must admit, like the pilots of commercial aircraft I used to travel on, to having a limited take on the word 'pilot'. I opened the thread thinking it was about harbor pilots, this being a boating forum and all. When I was traveling a lot as a delivery captain, I always flew using my title...

For me, two factors come into play. First, did his help actually make any difference, or would we have been just fine without it? If conditions are such that he aided us enough to warrant a tip, he/she gets one. The other, and probably most important, is whether you intend to use that marina...

Yep, that I understand. A gypsy for our windlass is over a grand! As for the locker size, we were also about ½ full w/ 3/8, and I never gave it a thought. Turned out the ½" was almost 3 times larger. Just saying.

I've had inflatable dinghies since the early 70's and have never had that problem with any of them unless they are underinflated. I keep mine nearly as hard as a basketball, which prevents any movement at the seams and actually makes it much more resistant to punctures, both of which add to...

You might want to check that your chain locker will actually take that much chain. When we switched from 300' of 3/8" to 200' of ½" chain we had just enough room in the locker if we kept the chain from piling up. I don't see why you want to spend the extra money on HT chain, it still isn't...

I'm also of the school that I'd never leave the boat with a seawater pump running while I'm away. No, not ever, for any reason, no matter how hot it was. But hey, it's your boat.

We had the same problem with our MDKD and replacing the three motor mounts (not at all expensive) stopped it completely. It's an easy job if you rent a PortaPower (we now carry one onboard) for a day and lift the motor from underneath (about 1.5") with the duck bill attachment, once you've...

I would suggest you think very carefully before anchoring in very deep (200') water. Most of our windlasses do not have the power to bring that much chain and a decent anchor (never mind the 100+# or so of mud or muck on the anchor) straight up from 200'. Should it get fouled at 125 feet plus...

1. Stretch, yes. Not necessary if you have a combination rode; please see the pic below. This was somewhere in the middle of our chain when we brought it up. How long do you think your combination rode would have lasted, had it been fouled on the line part of your rode? 2. One should never...