How-to

Today I received a press release from Cobra Marine Electronics with a useful list of reasons for why you need a VHF radio. Written by Bill Boudreau, Cobra's director of product and new business development, you might say there is some bias in the release, and yes it does focus on features that Cobra has integrated into their own product line, but none-the-less, its a great list and offers up some really good reasoning for why you may want to upgrade. VHF radio technology has not been static and the advantages to owning a new unit incorporating some or all of the features Bill outlines make a lot of sense, regardless of who makes it. So, I'm going to share Bill's list with you, but give full credit to him for coming up with it. One of Cobra's hand-held units is shown here:   So what follows is Bill's punch list, useful regardless of who's radio you favor. But based on the development work Cobra has done, I'd sure recommend taking a look at one of their units. TOP REASONS TO OWN A VHF RADIO By:  Bill Boudreau             In times of emergency, a VHF radio can be one of the most important pieces of gear aboard.  This means of communication can be a boater's only line from sea to shore or nearby vessels, so it's important users select a radio that has the most advanced, as well as most helpful features.  Here are the top reasons to own or simply upgrade a VHF radio. 1. DSC Calling – A unique feature of VHF radios is Digital Selective Calling (DSC).  This enables even novice boaters to, when the VHF is connected to a working GPS, send a digital distress message that contains the vessel's GPS position to the United States Coast Guard (USCG) or other DSC-equipped craft. 2.) NOAA Weather Alert Monitoring – Some VHF radios offer NOAA Weather Alert Monitoring, which provides instant access to national All Hazards and weather information, 24 hours a day.  This helps determine when to head back to shore before getting caught in a storm.  No cell phone can do that. 3.) JIS7 Waterproof Rating – Meeting JIS7 standards means a VHF radio can be fully submersed for 30 minutes in three feet of water and still function properly after it's taken out.  Unlike cell phones or other communication devices, there's no need to worry about heavy seas or rain when a unit has this type of rating.  The radio can remain out in the open, right where a boater may need it. 4.) Floating Handhelds – The ability to float is a relatively new feature for handheld VHF radios.  Now, owners don't have to worry about getting their radio wet or accidentally dropping it overboard.  It can be easily retrieved.  No more lost radios. 5.) Unique Features – Technology is consistently advancing by leaps and bounds, and likewise so are the features VHF radios offer.  Some of Cobra Marine's models offer Rewind-Say-Again™.  It's a digital voice recorder which enables the radio to record up to 20 seconds of any incoming call.  Standard Horizon provides AIS integration with certain radios, so users can safely avoid collisions on the water.  Combining these sophisticated functions with a VHF radio makes the units even more valuable to a boater. 6.) Bluetooth® Wireless Technology-enabled Mobile Phone Calling/Integration – Enjoying a day on the water doesn't always mean a boater wants to lose contact with friends, family or business associates.  That's why certain VHF radios now incorporate Bluetooth wireless technology.  Users can pair their cell phone to the unit and make and receive phone calls, all while the cell phone is safely stored where it won't get wet or damaged. 7.) Better Battery Technology – A handheld VHF won't do users any good if its battery is dead.  New radio models feature lithium ion batteries or an option for AA batteries, reducing the chance of it being out of power when it's needed most.  Some new handheld radios will transmit at a higher 6 watts of power.  The better the battery, the more reliable and stable power output will be. 8.) Rescue 21 System – The Coast Guard's investment in its new VHF-receiving Rescue 21 system reaffirms that the marine VHF radio is the preferred method of electronically contacting the USCG when in distress.  Cellular devices are unreliable in the harsh maritime environment, while a VHF radio is the best way to alert search and rescue crews to a boater's condition and location. 9.) Bigger and Better Displays – When something goes wrong aboard, clear communication is important.  With brighter and bigger displays than ever before, boaters can quickly identify who's calling.  They're also easier to use with descriptive menus, resulting in less wasted time.      )Whether used for communicating with marinas and locks or when making a mayday call, VHF radios are a necessary piece of boating gear.  Manufacturers now offer a wide range of unique, innovative and, sometimes, lifesaving features on their units.  No matter what type of VHF radio boaters own, they'll gain peace of mind and security when they are properly equipped and prepared with the latest in marine communication.   One of the points Bill makes I want to reiterate, because in my view it has become a major safety concern. Remember, your cell phone is not the best choice for initiating a distress call when you're out on the water! Use a VHF!   …Read More

Sea Sense, the St. Petersburg, Florida-based sailing and powerboating school for women, is offering a new international class on Ireland’s Shannon River and canals. Every year, the company offers a different international course, with previous locations including various Caribbean locales, as well as Italy, Greece, France and Tahiti.  The 2010 course will be aboard a [...] …Read More

Part II of II - The Ecstasy of Application Application of Medium & PaintWe used AWLGRIP two part polyurethane paint mixed with AWLGRIP top coat converter (H3002).  There is a third ingredient - the Pro-Cure X-138 accelerator, or “hot sauce” as the boatyard folk call it, and it was the catalyst which determined the drying time.  The more hot sauce, the faster we needed to work.  We found about a capful to a quart worked well.  Our primer coat was AWLGRIP Matterhorn White that we applied directly to the gelcoat.  We investigated doing an epoxy coat but since that is what seemed to fail on the last repair, we skipped it.  The white paint contrasted with the gelcoat to show coverage. Sand applied on first coat of Awlgrip This part most definitely required two people as one painted and one liberally sifted the sand onto the wet paint spreading it as if tossing feed to chickens to an even depth of about 1/8”.  It’s key to keep about a foot of clean wet edge between the painter and the sifter and to work with the wind or early in the morning.  Within 45 minutes, we used a leaf blower to remove all the excess sand and were left with a very even and consistent surface.  We then pulled the top layer of tape to minimize the mess on the sandy edges.  Sand is unforgiving Our next two coats were done in cream that matched the sections we were not re-doing.  We did not use a flattening agent so the decks have a bit of a sheen but are quite “grippy” nonetheless.  We found that rolling along or with the edge (rather than toward or away from it) minimized the tiny splatters.  We used ordinary short nap 6”, small diameter rollers from a hardware store. AWLGRIP needs to applied in coats when it is still tacky so we had no more than 45 minutes between the two topcoats which was just enough to start mixing a new batch.  We found that two coats gave us the texture we were looking for but a third coat can be applied for a smoother surface. First coat after sand takes a lot of paint We used about a gallon of paint in total for the three coats.  The first coat on top of the silica needed more paint to be mixed as the sand provided more surface area.  However, we did have left over paint after each coat which we used for engine room floor boards and even to paint the dock box so it’s difficult to estimate exactly how much we used for our 50 square feet of deck. Finishing TouchesWe began pulling tape 30 minutes after the last coat of paint.  Waiting longer, resulted in the slippery vinyl tape separating from the paint unevenly.  Where we didn’t get a clean edge, we trimmed the non-skid with a razor and then pressed it down with our fingertips.  It was all dry to the touch after about 90 minutes and fully cured after 24 hours.  Now, that's a clean edge Four of the sections were done one weekend when there was a cool breeze.  The other two sections were done the following weekend when local conditions known as the Santa Anas sent blasts of hot, dry wind across the deck.  Those last two sections were problematic in that they dried quickly and kept us hustling between coats.  The high temperature also caused the tape to leave adhesive behind.  We found the best clean up for this was to wait a week as the adhesive dried and yellowed so it was visible and then scrape it off with a plastic scraper to avoid gouging the gelcoat. Liberal sand and paint application make for an even finish Tips & ThoughtsA quick word about sand.  There is no nook, cranny, channel nor pocket that it won’t find and settle into.  It makes for an extremely messy job that will revisit you weeks and months later when you shake out an outboard cover or pull a winch handle out of a locker.  Sand or silica medium is also abrasive and can scratch Lexan, gelcoat and varnished surfaces and therefore it is best to clean thoroughly, then repeat. Wanting to avoid splatters on our new hatch lenses, we left the Sunbrella covers on.  However, the silica found its way underneath the covers and had to be blown, then rinsed and finally wiped off the lenses to prevent scratching. After a repair like this, check every surface before walking or sliding on it to make sure it is clean. The lighter color the silica, the better.  No matter how good the paint, a non-skid surface has many points and ridges from which the paint will eventually wear off and a light colored medium will look better under a light colored topcoat. It is best to leave any small bugs or other aerial presents that land on the last coat until the coat is completely dry.  Most will brush or wash off later and you don’t want to make indentations as you pick anything out. If prep was 40% of the job, then clean up in this case was another 40% which left a very quick and easy repair job in the middle.  We expect our new non-skid will last at least 5 years, hopefully longer, so we can avoid slip sliding away as we move around on a wet deck in the future.  …Read More

Ranger Tugs recently introduced a variation of the popular Ranger Tugs 25 — a Sport Cockpit version with an extra 16 inches of cockpit room. In the video below, you’ll see that they stole the 16 inches from the galley counter inside the house, but that it doesn’t seem to have taken away any capability. Check [...] …Read More

href="http://www.imtra.com">www.imtra.com …Read More

Part I of II  The Agony of Removal (tune in again tomorrow for Part II ) About the only thing more frightening and annoying than a slippery deck surface when you’re out trying to reef is discovering that the aging non-skid is cracking and peeling right under your feet.  That was the case on our 1985 Celestial 48 center cockpit ketch that started peeling as if after a bad sunburn and therefore launched us into full non-skid repair mode. Celestial 48 - Project Location Diagnosis & RemovalThe first signs of non-skid trouble showed up after a boat bath.  Areas of non-skid bubbled up and trapped the wash water underneath which oozed out for hours as the boat dried.  Soon, long, spidery cracks in the non-skid appeared and the gelcoat surface started to show through.  Spider Cracks I had no idea how old the non-skid was having had the 22 year old boat only 5 years.  During removal, I noticed that the starboard side, where the non-skid came up easily in dinner plate sized chunks, was yellow underneath as if it had been epoxied.  The port side, where the non-skid came up only under extreme protest, had a white undercoating.  I deduced that one side (probably starboard) had been repaired already by the previous owner.  Big chunks with epoxy finish underneath I wanted an aggressive surface but one  that wouldn’t remove skin if sat or knelt on and once I realized how difficult it was to remove the old non-skid in the areas where it wasn’t already sloughing off, I decided that I would do only the affected areas. Therefore I needed to match not only the color but the texture of the previous non-skid. The question of which medium to use was quickly answered – no ground cork nor walnuts, no plastic pellets nor premixed non-skid paint, no Treadmaster nor Flex-Mold.  Sand was the answer (or rather 20 grit silica from a hardware store) and AWLGRIP two part polyurethane paint.  A metal scraper and gloved hand did most of the removal on one side but the other required a heat gun and much elbow grease.  Working from the edges, the metal scraper was inserted under the non-skid and then firmly pushed as the heat gun warmed up the surface ahead.  The key here was to avoid singeing the gelcoat and nearby varnished surfaces.  Slow and tedious removal The Celestial has molded-in, raised gelocated areas (intended for non-skid)) separated by water channels on the cabin top.  The rest of the deck is teak.  I cleared 6 sections out of the total 10 for approximately just over 50 square feet.  Molded and raised sections Surface PrepThe raised surfaces actually helped in surface prep.  First, it was easy to follow the curves of the areas when taping and second, it was easier to keep the power sander only on the areas that stood proud rather than scratching the rest of the gelcoat.  I roughed up the surface with an angle grinder and a 6” pad (with a soft backing for give) and 80 grit sandpaper.  I then dusted and wiped before taping.  I used 3M Fine Line ¼” polypropylene film tape first because it hugs curves easily.  Rubbing the tape with a Scotch-Brite pad made sure it adhered evenly.  Regular 1” tape was then used to widen the protected edge.  A third layer of 1” tape was applied for removal between coats of paint.  I had only a few minor gelcoat dings to repair which were faired to provide an even surface before application of the first layer of paint.  Color matching wasn’t an issue since the patches would never be seen. At this point, we’re about at the halfway point so come back tomorrow and we’ll go into how to apply the paint and sand and then get to the worst job:  cleaning up.    …Read More

href="http://www.electricyacht.ca">www.electricyacht.ca …Read More

Two prominent Ranger Tugs dealers in the Northeastern U.S. have 2010 models of Ranger Tugs available for sea trials this weekend. Wilde Yachts in Essex, CT, is having an open house this weekend (March 13 and 14) and has the R-21 and R-29 available, as well as the Nordic Tugs 32 and NT-37. Essex is [...] …Read More

By Jeffrey Siegel (ActiveCaptain); Videography by Karen Siegel Here’s a great technique for anchoring the dinghy off the beach. Our dinghy weighs about 800 pounds. She’s a rigid inflatable with a 40 HP engine. It’s our family car when we’re cruising and we put a lot of demands on her. So I was telling Larry how much [...] …Read More

We were never out of sight of land on this day-trip, but we still packed the gear we'd need if something went wrong. …Read More