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Marine Heads Blog: Salvaging Your Boat After a Hurricane Hits Hard

A Hurricane Doesn't Mean You Can't Salvage Your Boat

Raritan Engineering Company your marine heads experts would like to share with you these topics we thought would be of interest to you this month regarding how to salvage your boat after a hurricane hits hard.

With the remnants of Hurricane Florence now on the way out to sea and high waters still posing a threat in some regions, boat owners are starting recovery efforts. The BoatUS Marine Insurance Catastrophe Team began field operations on Sunday, Sept. 16, in the Carolinas. 

1. Get permission first. Your marine toilet specialists talk about how you never try to enter a storm-affected marina or boat storage facility without permission. Spilled fuel combined with the potential of downed electrical wires and a host of other hazards make them extremely dangerous places. Smoking is a big no-no. 

2. Remove valuables. If your boat has washed ashore, remove as much equipment as possible and move it to a safe place to protect it from looters and vandals.

3. Minimize further damage. Protect your boat from further water damage resulting from exposure to the weather. This could include covering it with a tarp or boarding up broken windows or hatches. As soon as possible, start drying out the boat, either by taking advantage of sunny weather or using electric air handlers. 

4. “Pickle” wet machinery. Engines and other machinery that were submerged or have gotten wet should be “pickled” by flushing with freshwater and then filled with diesel fuel or kerosene. 

5. Consult your insurance provider. If your boat is sunk or must be moved by a salvage company, BoatUS recommends that boat owners should not sign any salvage or wreck-removal contract without first getting approval from their insurance company. 

Your electric marine toilets distributors ask the question, “what kind of madman would intentionally pitch a perfectly good outboard engine over the side of his boat?” Yep, that would be me. But I haven't lost my mind, mechanical frustration hasn't made me go insane, and crazy thoughts haven't caused me to strand myself at sea. 

If your outboard gets submerged in salt water-whether it's because it jumped off the transom, your boat sank, or you got a bad case of butter-fingers while walking down the dock-you'll need to know how to get it up and running again, while also protecting it from an explosion of corrosion. The process is called “pickling.” 

Browse our selection of marine heads here at Raritan Engineering, where we only offer the best in marine sanitation supplies.

Motor M*A*S*H

Before giving my hapless horses the heave-ho, I've set up an emergency outboard operating center back at the house. No, most of us won't have the clairvoyance to do this before our engines get dunked, but we'll still need to start this process properly prepared-even if it means letting the engine soak longer than otherwise necessary. 

What should you do if you need to drive for an hour or more, to get your engine home? If at all possible, keep the motor submerged as you transport it. Depending on its size and weight you may be able to keep it in a large cooler filled with water, or some other form of make-shift tank. 

Start the process by showering the engine with fresh water. Don't worry about getting the components saturated-it's too late for that-just remember that a whole lot of freshwater in and on the engine is far better than a little bit of saltwater. 

Now, you need to get the water out of the rest of the engine. Remove the breather and the spark plug(s), and tilt the motor every which way you can to allow as much water as possible to escape. If your outboard is a four-stroke, this is also the time to drain off the oil and remove the oil filter.

The Big Flush

Now that you've washed away all the salt water and drained the engine of all fluids possible, you need to flush it out with diesel fuel. The diesel will displace any remaining water, and (hopefully) carry it all away. 

Once the engine is uber-filled, manually crank it over several times to distribute the diesel evenly throughout the cylinders. Then pull the plugs again, and let the diesel drain down. Replace the oil plug, put on a new filter, and then re-fill the engine oil.

Fine Brine

At this point, you can take a breath and slow down. You've done what's necessary to halt the corrosion, and the rest of the pickling process is a bit less time-sensitive. Your portable marine toilet suppliers talk about how you're not quite out of the woods yet.

Next, you're going to have to flush out all of the internal fuel lines. They may be just fine, but if a single drop of water got into them it'll lead to trouble. So disconnect them at both ends, flush them out into one of your buckets, and replace any in-line filters. If your engine has an internal fuel tank, drain and refill that, as well.

With the process completed on my Mariner, I waited a week to see if any internal corrosion would take hold, then cranked it over. Thankfully, it started and is still running strong today.

So don't forget these helpful tips when trying to salvage your boat after a hurricane hits. 1) Never try to enter a storm-affected marina or boat storage facility without permission;  2) if your boat has washed ashore, remove as much equipment as possible and move it to a safe place to protect it from looters and vandals;  and 3) engines and other machinery that were submerged or have gotten wet should be “pickled” by flushing with freshwater and then filled with diesel fuel or kerosene.

Amazing Moment Giant Grey Whale Plays With Boat And Its Passengers

Whales are pretty spectacular creatures, but usually best kept at something of a length.

After all, they're the largest animals on Earth and generally unconcerned about humans, so they can unwittingly throw their weight around. For this grey whale, however, there are no such problems with people – this one just wants to snug up and make friends. Watch the amazing video here.

It swims up right to the side of their vessel and allows the people to stroke it on its side, with one even leaning over and seeming to give the mega-mammal a little kiss.

They can grow to lengths just shy of 15 metres in length and weighs somewhere in the region of 36 tonnes, which is massive by anyone's standards.

Grey whales live predominantly in the northern Pacific Ocean, along the western coast of North America, though they also possess one of the widest migratory ranges of any animal on Earth and thus can be found across a huge swath of the Pacific Ocean.

Grey whales have been hunted by whalers – they only predators are humans and killer whales – although killing them is now broadly illegal.

Humans have also nearly eradicated the species from the eastern Pacific, where Japanese and Korean whalers have reduced their numbers to less than 200.

Whaling for grey whales is only allowed in very controlled circumstances and by aboriginal inhabitants of the North American Pacific Coast.

Alaska natives recently caused controversy by killing a grey whale under the impression that it was a Beluga whale, which they are allowed to kill

Buy a marine head here at Raritan Engineering, where we always take care of your marine sanitation needs.

via BoatUS: How to Recover Your Boat After a Hurricane

  via Outboard Overboard: Quick, Pickle It

via Amazing Moment Giant Grey Whale Plays With Boat And Its Passengers

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How to Keep Your Passengers Dry and Happy

Ways To Make Your Boat Experience Drier

Finding the groove of the moment.

As I swung the steering wheel in order to changed course, my buddy John changed positions. He had actually been standing on the port side of the console, his right hand on the T-top's pipework and a Snapple in his left. Now, wordlessly, and without any prompting from me, he 'd moved to the starboard-side, precisely where he now held on with his left hand and sipped iced tea from his right. A genuine switch-hitter.

He 'd barely finished the relocation just before a shot of spray came aboard, dappling the port edge of the console. John recognized that as the vessel swung beam-to the wind, the boat would ship spray every few waves, given the boisterous chop where we were actually running.

“John” is Capt. John Raguso, who has more sea miles under his boats compared to most, including yours truly. Keeping your team safe is the first measure of good seamanship, but keeping your crew comfortable is important as well. Although I am a firm believer in the concept which states those who do not want to get soaked occasionally ought to select a different sport than boating, running your watercraft so as to supply as dry a ride as possible is actually just one mark of excellent seamanship.

To start with, be aware of where people choose to be onboard your boat, and if the portable toilet is being used. Keeping them dry may be as simple as asking these people to move. The majority of people aboard for the day really don't come with Capt. John's level of self-sufficiency.

Of course, often you need to act to remain drier. Slowing down can help keep you dry in a head wind, provided the waves and current are such that you can operate slow enough in order to sustain headway and control. However, going slow means “breaking” water farther forward on the hull, and can escalate the possibilities of water that's being getting blown aboard. Thus, other times it pays to go faster or trim out the drives a bit to raise the bow higher. Accomplishing either causes water to break farther aft throughout hull, decreasing the chances of water blowing aboard.

In short, it could prove most beneficial to run so you have achieved, if not a truly dry ride, at the very least a drier ride, and one which does not come at the cost of too much slapping or too much Sea World behavior from your boat.

Trying to keep the vessel level across the beam, and keeping the portable boat toilet empty, guarantees it will throw equal amounts of water to every side. The converse of this is that a vessel will throw a lot more spray on the side that is most immersed. Use this to your advantage by trimming the boat– either with trim tabs, engine/drive trim or even by shifting weight and crew– so it is actually higher on the windward side.

All of this advice is to be taken in measure against the myriad variables you, as skipper, face on any given day on the water. Implement them incrementally until you discover the groove of the moment.

via Photo

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Raritan Marine Products Dept Blog: Getting to Know Your Fellow Boater

Knowing Boating Etiquette Makes for Great Friends

Raritan Engineering Company your Raritan marine products specialists would like to share with you these topics we thought would be of interest to you this month regarding getting to know your fellow boater.

Your Raritan marine products suppliers talk about how in the beginning, boating and boats were much more homogenous than they are today. Boats came in small sizes and had outboards, and they came in larger sizes and had inboards.  

Boats tended to all look the same in the past. At the least, they looked related. The teak step pad on the gunwale of the runabout mirrored the teak cockpit sole of the cruiser. The vent hole cut into the ski boat's glove compartment door was the same anchor-shape cutout one would find in the hanging locker door in the master stateroom of the whole sale marine sport-fishing boat. 

Boaters too were almost all cut from the same cloth, tending to be versed in various watery activities. The avid tuna angler with the convertible learned to tie knots and sharpen hooks while chasing flounder from a skiff. 

Today, it's different. A 40-footer is as likely to sport outboards as diesel power – and the term “twin screw” no longer carries as much panache. Boats sport refined details, and even the smallest models are so much more capable, versatile and easier to maintain than their predecessors. 

For many, the time to come up as a boater versed in a variety of watery activities just isn't there, even if the desire is. So, we have better boats but a worse understanding of each other. And there are more of us. 

There are certain customs and traditions that help us, as boaters, get along independently while respecting that right for others. Just as there are social norms you're expected to know on land, you've got to know certain basic rules of boating etiquette if you're going to be spending any time at all on the water. 

  These basic rules of the road that show you how to operate your boat and you shouldn't leave the dock until you've spent some time getting to know what you're doing. Your boat parts experts talks about how it's the same method you would follow with a car (on an actual road) except you don't have brakes. 

  • You are responsible for your own wake and any damage done by it. You're cruising across a channel and you avoid striking a cruiser by swinging into a shallow anchorage while traveling at a pretty good speed. 

  Browse Raritan marine products here at Raritan Engineering, where we always take care of your marine sanitation supply needs.

  • Slow down if another boat is trying to overtake you. This is boating, not The Fast & The Furious. Tight channels, marina entrances, etc. should be single file. But if there's room to pass and another vessel is coming alongside you, ease off the throttle and avoid a drag race.

  • The first one in blazes the path. If you're entering an anchorage, mimic the other boats in how you tie off, how you anchor, how much line to use and how much distance you allow between the other boats.

  • Respect your neighbors. If you have a loud boat (kids, music, barking dogs, smoky grills), make sure you leave plenty of space. Sound carries much farther on the water, and you can be heard clearly from a good distance away. 

  • Know your ramp manners. If you're launching or retrieving your boat at a ramp, do it efficiently. Load your boat in the parking lot. Pull your boat over to a temporary dock to bring passengers aboard. 

  • Move along already! As long as we're on this subject, the same rules go for fuel docks. Get your fuel, pay your bill and move out of the way. If you need to buy groceries or a lake chart or bait, relocate your boat to the temporary docks.

  • Lend a hand. This is one of the unwritten laws that can say more about you as a boater than almost anything else. You should be willing to assist other vessels as they arrive and depart. While this courtesy shouldn't necessarily extend to the entire marina, you should be alert to help out you folks in the adjoining slips. 

  • Keep your area tidy. Marinas have enough hazards as it is without having to step over draining coolers, half-deflated tubes and sloppy dock lines. Your marine parts distributors talks about how buckets, shoes, carts and other items need to be stowed properly.

  So don't forget these helpful reminders in maintaining good manners while on the water. 1) You are responsible for your own wake and any damage done by it;  2) slow down if another boat is trying to overtake you;  and 3) know your ramp manners.

  A Family Sailing Trip Becomes A Whale Rescue Operation

Planet Earth is a wonderful place. Not only is it beautiful but it is also where we can witness the co-existence of so many different forms of life.

Every once in a while, we come across a few examples where men and women put themselves in danger just to help the animals we share this planet with. This is one of those stories.

All Aboard

Michael Fishbach, who is the co-founder of The Great Whale conservatory, was out for a sail with his team and family on a perfectly sunny afternoon. 

A Sad Sight

Michael and his team came across a giant humpback whale. But instead of being excited to see this great animal, they were all saddened. The whale had managed to get entangled in the nets of the local fishermen and was hardly moving. 

Hope lives on

However, to their great surprise and joy, the whale rolled slightly and let out a huge breath from its blowhole. Michael and his team were overjoyed at this but they knew that the danger was far from over. 

Miracle Workers

As any animal rescuer will tell you, there is always a danger in approaching a cornered animal who is in pain. They might perceive you as a further threat and given the fact that the whale was trapped in human made nets, it was a very real possibility for Michael. 

Rescue Operation

The task at hand was twofold. The team had to work quickly using the only knife they had to cut through the nets. The other task was to keep the whale calm so that it would allow them to approach it. 

Naming Ceremony

By the time the entire rescue operation was over, Michael and his team had developed a special bond with the whale. They even named it Valentina and she knew that they did not mean her any harm and wanted to help. 

A Special Thanks

Before she swam away for good, Valentina performed as series of maneuvers to show her appreciation and she spent almost an hour playing with Michael and his team.

  Choose your Raritan marine products here and see how Raritan Engineering is the #1 expert in marine sanitation supplies.

via Time for Boating

via Boating Etiquette: Reading between “The Rules”

via A Family Sailing Trip Becomes A Whale Rescue Operation

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Make Sure to Find the Right Sized Solar Panels For Your Boat

Solar Panels Can Lower Your Expenses While Boating

The starting point for a successful solar panel installment is evaluating your requirements. We present right here a simple evaluation based on the test boat used for our recent report on choosing and installing a solar panel. A few values are from experience, and others are accepted rules of thumb. For additional details regarding selecting and setting up a solar panel, view the March 2018 issue of Practical Sailor online.

Energy Balance

Find the present draw of each and every piece of equipment (verify with panel ammeter if available) and approximate the number of hours operated. Record the number and capacity of your batteries, acknowledging that you can not draw below 50% charge without reducing their lifespan, and that you will seldom charge past 85% while away from the dock– as a result, only 35% of nameplate capacity is actually useable. Lastly, total your charging resources, including motor, wind, and solar. When it comes to solar, take the rated wattage x 5 hours/12 = amp-hours while on passage and wattage x 7 hours/12 = amp-hours while at anchor (sails do not shade and the boom can be rigged out sideways). This is far below the rated capability– sailors in the tropics will do better, and sailors farther north or sailing in the winter more poorly– however this is actually an accepted starting point.

Determining Panel Output

How many days can you manage with poor generation? Are you willing to economize during the course of a long cloudy stretch? Will you recharge at a marina or simply by running the engine every now and then? Long-term cruisers appriciate a wealth of power, while the infrequent cruisers may be satisfied with a lot less.

Conserving Energy

Every AH (amp-hour) consumed has a real cost in weight, panels, and dollars. If you can decrease usage by 50 AH/day you will save a battery (the useable capability), a 120 watt panel, and possibly a mounting arch. The expense savings might be $500 and 150 pounds for merely a few bulbs.

Lighting. Change from incandescent to LED and fluorescent lights, starting with the lights you make use of most. We use LEDs and fluorescent for the anchor, salon, and cockpit lights, but since we rarely run at night, we left the running and steaming lights alone. Likewise, the deck light and many task lights remain halogen or incandescent; they are not used enough to make a difference.

Go to bed at night and get up with the sun. Big savings in juice and more time to play. The gasoline solenoid is a big user for us; it runs the propane fridge and cabin heater, so it is on for long hours, but we can easily switch it off at night or go without refrigeration now and then.

Fans

Operate these on reduced speed and watch the hours. A wind scoop does not use power.

Instruments

Do you actually need GPS and other instruments full-time on passage? Twenty years ago they didn't even exist. Balance the sails in order to reduce the load on the autopilot.

Visit us here at http://raritaneng.com/raritan-product-line/ice-makers/icerette-automatic-icecube-maker/ and see how Raritan Engineering always takes care of your marine sanitation supply needs.

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Marine Sanitation Blog: Is Sailing for Free Possible?

Sailing Doesn't Have to Hurt Your Wallet

Raritan Engineering Company your marine sanitation experts would like to share with you these topics we thought would be of interest to you this month regarding how to sail around the world for free.

Your marine sanitation suppliers talk about how the sun beaming down on the deck of your yacht. Beer in hand and the toughest decision of the day: trying out the pink sand or snorkeling with manta rays? Maybe it's the romance of it… Looking at Tahiti, as in, the island in the middle of nowhere, and suddenly realizing, “holy #%*&@, I sailed here from Mexico!”

We are a married couple and have spent the past year sailing on 35 – 50 foot luxury yachts. In that year, we have sailed from San Diego, CA to Tahiti as well as visited twenty other South Pacific islands in the process.

Volunteer crewing is something that has been going on for years and why more people haven't heard of it, we still don't understand. Many of these boats are not the mega-yachts you're probably thinking of that are owned by billionaires. 

Because marine sanitation is critical on your vessel, make sure to only buy from us here at Raritan Engineering.

You see, ships have to be driven 24 hours a day; it's not like they have overnight parking out there in the middle of the ocean and it's hard to anchor when the bottom is over a mile straight down. 

Do you think you could handle steering for a few hours a day in exchange for exploring tropical islands that about 100 people per year even lay eyes on? Do you think doing the dishes might be a fair trade to learn the ukulele from the people who invented the instrument?

Now what did we say about qualifications for a career? Well, if you're of the mindset that the sea may be your profession, you will quickly find out that to get any level of professional qualification, you need to have “sea time:” days spent working at sea.

There are tons of ways to get started looking for a boat, many of them online. We keep a list on our blog along with how we did what we did to get started, so feel free to come by and check it out. As they say out here, fair winds and following seas!

Don't forget these helpful reminders when deciding to start sailing for free. 1) It all starts with a volunteer spirit;  2) don't set your sights too high on the type of boat you will be on;  and 3) be willing to clean dishes or steer the ship.

5 Socio-Emotional Benefits of Sailing that Will Make You Sign Your Kids Up Today

There's something about sailing that makes it quite unlike other sports. More than just skill and strategy, it teaches certain values that shape sailors into the unique athletes that they are.

Yet, we're often so focussed on the physical aspects of sailing that we forget how much we stand to gain from the sport – both socially and emotionally.

Here's a list of the top 10 socio-emotional benefits of sailing.

1. Grit

You could say that just about any sport offers a lesson on resilience, but sailing is a sport that demands an inner strength far greater than most.

In this sport, it's sailor versus the elements. Whether you're a novice experiencing strong winds for the first time or a national sailor met with three-metre high waves in foreign waters, you learn to keep fighting – no matter how uncomfortable it is.

2. Confidence

Most sailors' foray into the sport begins with the Optimist. It's a single-handed boat, which means it's controlled by a sole sailor. Alone on the boat, sailors – as young as six or seven – are constantly required to make their own decisions. They don't always make the right ones, but the opportunity to think for themselves helps them grow in self-confidence.

3. Teamwork

Though they sail individually, sailors are forced to work together from day one. After all, no one sailor can flip his or her Optimist boat alone. Over time, sailors gradually realise that working together not only helps speed things up, but also allows them to learn more from one another.

4.Friendship

Perhaps one of the most valuable takeaways from sailing is the friendships forged. It's inevitable that sailors bond with one another during windless days and scary storms.

You also get to make new friends with international sailors as well, especially during those international regattas.

5. Sportsmanship

Touched a mark without anyone catching you in the act? Complete your penalty anyway.

Sailing is a self-governing sport, which means it's completely up to sailors to abide by the rules and uphold the fairness of racing. It's a matter of integrity and sailors learn the importance of playing fair and respecting the rules of the game.

Summary

And with that, we realise how sailing is not just a sport that keeps you fit, but also one that develops you into a well-rounded individual – something far more important than winning medals.

Visit us here at http://www.raritaneng.com/ and see how Raritan Engineering always takes care of your marine sanitation supply needs.

via How to Sail and Volunteer Around the World for Free

via Photo

via 10 Socio-Emotional Benefits of Sailing that Will Make You Sign Your Kids Up Today

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Are Fuel Additives Really Necessary?

Gas Additives: Truth or Myth?

Being one who has indeed spent many hours in exotic locations, cycling bad diesel gas through a make-shift filtration system, I am as susceptible as any person to the promises of a fast and simple remedy to fuel issues, which in turn is just one reason that Practical Sailor has delved so heavily into this subject.

In 2007, Practical Sailor cautioned of the issues associated with ethanol-laced fuel (E10), and in 2008, we tested different products claiming to prevent issues related to ethanol and discovered varying levels of success. In 2009, we looked at dieselfueladditives developed to tackle biological bugs which thrive in diesel. In the summer of 2012, we took a look at gasoline additives, taking a closer look at the standards the market is using to separate the snake oil from the elixirs.

While the ethanol issue has actually delivered a mountain of headaches to boaters, it has fired up a flourishing trade in fuel add-ons. Way back in 2012, at the Miami boat show, I heard Gerald Nessenson, then president of ValvTect Petroleum Products (currently retired), discuss the state of the finished fuel-additive market and exactly what recognized companies like his are actually trying to do to fend off what he really felt were actually unsupportable claims by small upstart companies.

Nessenson was fast to point out that the finished gas at our pumps currently includes a range of additives that handle problems such as corrosion, fuel oxidation, and deposit accumulation. He added that the severe marine environment provides special challenges and cited the well-documented ethanol-related problems in outboards as evidence that seafarers need to be much more cognizant of their choices when choosing, storing, and– if required– treating their fuel.

One of the biggest culprits, Nessenson said, were ethanol treatments which consist of alcohol, glycol, or new “space-age” technology “claiming exceptional efficiency to items that the world's largest petro-chemical companies create for the world's refineries and engine manufacturers; but with no industry acceptable documentation.”

The most outright culprits, said Nessenson, are those companies that claim to be able to restore phase-separate ethanol blends. Phase separation occurs when water in the fuel tank is drawn into the gas until a saturation point is reached, at which opportunity the ethanol and the water can drop out of suspension into the bottom of the tank. Ethanol-laced gasoline is actually much more vulnerable to this particular process than non-ethanol blends.

As we continue on with our different studies into fuel add-ons, PS is interested in hearing about your experiences. We would be particularly interested in hearing about anyone having motor damage attributed to utilizing a gas additive or a warranty claim declined on the basis of their using a gas additive.

We advise anyone presently utilizing or considering using a fuel additive to first seek the advice of their engine manufacturer. It will certainly be helpful to have some type of NMMA certification requirements which make the procedure of comparing additives simpler, but given the nature of this particular science, I expect we'll be trying to sniff out snake oil for some time.

Visit us here at http://raritaneng.com/category-pages/holding-tanks-accessories/ and see how Raritan Engineering always takes care of your marine sanitation supply needs.

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Marine Hot Water Heaters Blog Dept: Catch More Fish By Making Less Noise

Being Noisy Spooks the Fish

Raritan Engineering Company your marine hot water heaters distributors would like to share with you these topics we thought would be of interest to you this month regarding how ot catch more fish by making less noise.

Your marine hot water heaters experts talk about how stealthy fishing is successful fishing. Here are 10 tips for better results.

Sound kills the bite, that is. Most anglers know that loud noises and vibrations can scare the fish and turn off the action as quickly as flipping a light switch. .

1. TALK IT UP

Before you leave the dock, have a short conversation with your crew about watching the volume level. While you, the captain of the boat, may be aware of how slamming a hatch will scare the snook, the people you invited aboard may be a lot less familiar with the finer points of fishing. 

2. STOP SHIFTING

While a modern four-stroke outboard makes virtually no noise at idle, shifting it (or any engine) into gear creates a metal-on-metal “thunk” that can be heard above and below he water. And that abrupt noise is more than enough to spook fish. 

3. SLOW DOWN

All forms of propeller-driven propulsion create prop noise underwater, including electric motors. The level of that noise is directly related to the speed of the propeller.

Check our our marine water heaters selection here at Raritan Engineering and see how we always take care of your marine sanitation supply needs.

So a potent electric trolling motor running at full throttle may actually be creating more noise than some gas-powered outboards running at idle.

4. GET ELECTRIC

Many boats leak stray electrical current into the water, and some species are sensitive to electrical charges. Whether a charge emitted by a boat attracts or repels fish is anyone's guess, so making sure the boat doesn't leak electricity is a good idea. Attach a voltmeter to the negative terminal of the battery, with the other lead attached to a bare wire that's five or six feet down into the water, to give it a test. 

5. FAB ABOUT FOAM

Another sort of foam that can deliver a boost of stealth is a foam pool noodle. This fix is specific to boats with hard chines, which may create a lot of chine slap as they drift. You can eliminate it by taking a foam pool noodle up to the bow and sliding it under the chine. 

6. FAB FOAM, TAKE II

One way to lower the volume level of a boat is by adding a layer of cushioning foam to the deck. SeaDek, Marine Mat, Ocean Grip and other companies make closed-cell EVA foam sheets and strips that can be used to cover that fiberglass or aluminum, shushing all kinds of noise-making accidents, such as dropped weights, stomped feet and dragged coolers.

7. ALLURING, OR ALERTING?

Some lures that are otherwise attractive can actually spook fish, particularly in very still, calm water. Lures with loud rattles, for example, can do more harm than good when the water's surface is mirror-still. Same goes for poppers and chuggers.

So don't forget these great tips on how to catch more fish by making less noise. 1) Before you leave the dock, have a short conversation with your crew about watching the volume level;  2) one way to lower the volume level of a boat is by adding a layer of cushioning foam to the deck;  and 3) avoid using loud lures.

First woman wins Clipper round-the-world yacht race

Australian Wendy Tuck has become the first female skipper to win the Clipper round-the-world yacht race.

British skipper Nikki Henderson, 25, came second with her team in the 40,000-mile race.

Professional sailors captain teams of amateurs. Nearly half of the crews, who come from 41 countries, had no previous sailing experience before signing up.

Race co-founder Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, who was the first person to sail solo nonstop around the world, said: “If you realise that more people have climbed Mount Everest than have sailed around the world, you realise just what these people have done.

“There has never been a round-the-world sailing race where the leading skippers are women,” he added.

“To have men and women competing together in sport on a level playing field is very special.”

He said the success of Tuck and Henderson “cannot be overestimated”.

Henderson said: “We didn't get the win but I am so proud of how my team dug deep and kept fighting right until the end.”

Nottinghamshire firefighter Rebecca Sims, who sailed in Henderson's team during one leg of the race, said: “To have a female one-two is probably the best outcome, really, so it's fantastic for women in sport.

Sports Minister Tracey Crouch said she had been “watching it quite obsessively”, especially as Henderson is the daughter of her Conservative colleague, Guildford MP Anne Milton.

“It is really nice to be here at the end and to celebrate some remarkable achievements for two amazing female skippers.”

Order your marine water heater here at Raritan Engineering, your #1 expert in marine sanitation supplies.

via Don't Spook the Fish

via First woman wins Clipper round-the-world yacht race

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Keep Your Alternator Going Stronger Longer

Easy Ways to Keep Your Boat In Great Running Condition

So I was thinking about Bitcoin today, the electronic crypto-currency that seems no less cryptic compared to exactly what's in my pocketbook these days, and this got me considering huge stone money on the isle of Yap, and since I spent the majority of my time on Yap reconstructing an alternator, this got me thinking of alternator belts. Before you fire up ye ol' iron genny for the season's very first smoke-belching run out to the mooring, to the dock, or to the fuel station (I sure hope it's certainly not to the pumpout station), you, too, might want to think of your alternator belt.

A number of the following tips are actually culled from editor-at-large Nick Nicholson's Offshore Log report on alternator care, written throughout his circumnavigation. For a much more extensive discussion of alternators, refer to Nigel Calder's Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual, which deals with the topic in great detail.

Check belt for extreme wear. Compare the belt width and depth with your extra belt (you have one of these, right?). When the area around the belt is actually covered with black dust, the belt is most likely slipping or misaligned. Small-case, high-output alternators get very, very hot.

Certainly, you must get the correct measurements and kind of V-belt. Search for A-series industrial belts, available from many autoparts stores. A quirk of these kinds of belts is that the belt number is not actually identical to the belt length: an A41 belt, for example, is 43 inches long.

Inspect belt alignment. The belt must be properly lined up with the motor and alternator pulleys. Do not assume that the pulleys are lined up, even if you possess a factory-installed alternator. A misaligned belt will often chirp– as opposed to a squeal or screech for a sliding belt. You could perform a standard alignment check using a straight edge placed across the pulley faces. If the belt walks up one side of the pulley while the motor is actually operating, misalignment is often the cause.

Inspect pulleys for corrosion as well as proper operation. The pulley must not wobble on its axis. If the pulley-end bearings have actually stopped working (listen closely for distinct rumbling or roughness as you rotate the unloaded alternator), check alignment carefully right after replacing the bearings, as this may have contributed to the failure.

Proper belt tension is an equally important issue. The correct belt tension depends on the pulley arrangement on the specific motor, in addition to the type of accessories driven by the belt.

A Gates Krikit V-Tension Gauge is actually an useful tool to carry board when it comes to checking belt tension. It is simple to use, and the guideline sheet provides belt tension guidelines for a range of pulley and accessory combos.

The motor compartment should be kept tidy. A great deal of air gets sucked through an alternator. If your motor runs dirty, that dirt will certainly find its way into the alternator, covering the windings and other elements.

Bottom line: By paying a little bit of attention to your alternator belt before the season gets going, you could save yourself some huge Bitcoin down the road.

Visit us here at http://raritaneng.com/category-pages/holding-tanks-accessories/ and see how Raritan Engineering always takes care of your marine sanitation supply needs.

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Electric Toilets Blog Dept: Awesome Summer Boating Destinations You Need to Know About

Summer Boating Can Help You Say Goodbye to Summer Stress

Raritan Engineering Company your electric toilets specialists would like to share with you these topics we thought would be of interest to you this month regarding awesome summer boating destinations you need to know about.

Your electric toilets experts talk about how boating is known to reduce stress and improve quality of life. Luckily, you don't have to sail the deep blue sea for some great voyages. Ninety percent of Americans live less than an hour from a navigable body of water, whether a sprawling lake or the beautiful ocean. 

1. Marina del Rey, California

Just a 45-minute drive from downtown Los Angeles and a stone's throw from Santa Monica, Marina del Rey is the largest manmade small-craft harbor in the United States. Experiencing a major renaissance, the area is known to woo the rich and famous with its highbrow amenities, including the luxurious Ritz Carlton Marina del Rey, which is situated on the marina itself.

2. Newport, Rhode Island

Newport Harbor served as the port of call for the famed America's Cup - an international yachting race - for years. Boaters still come from around the world to check out the yachting facilities and to experience the quaint New England charm at sea. 

3. Key West, Florida

The southernmost island is renowned for having the best sunset on the continent, so sunset cruising is a popular activity. Thanks to the laidback lifestyle, boaters here are casual with a “don't worry, be happy” attitude. 

4. Lake Havasu, Arizona

Quickly emerging as a hot spot for boaters, Lake Havasu is a large reservoir in the middle of the Arizona desert in Mojave County with 60 miles of waterways to explore. 

See your choice of electric toilets here at Raritan Engineering, and see how we always take care of your marine sanitation supply needs. 

Boaters can find hidden coves, sandbars, beaches and the iconic London Bridge. In the past decade, Lake Havasu has cultivated a religious following among spring breakers - 24-hour partying is not unusual - but the college-aged crowd can be found here throughout the year, thanks to the lake's warm temperature, 16 boat launches and plenty of party-boat rentals.

5. Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Life seems to revolve around the water in this city known for its 23 miles of beaches. Thanks to more than 300 miles of inland waterways, Fort Lauderdale is referred to as the “Venice of America.” More than 40,000 yachts are based in the sunny city, giving Fort Lauderdale bragging rights as the yachting capital of the world, and not surprisingly, the annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show is one of the largest in the world.

You've already had a big hit by buying the yacht and making yourself happy but now the real long term benefit switches in. The number one key to making your own seratonin is to be outside. Most people spend less than twenty minutes a day in the sun. It's pretty hard to avoid the outdoors when on a yacht. 

• take your sunglasses off early morning… the dawn light will get the seratonin going early and glass will block your receptors in the eyes

• have breakfast on deck

• swim to a beach and do some yoga or just go for a walk (exercise will get seratonin going too)

• remove sunglasses again around midday for twenty minutes

• avoid sunburn during hottest parts of day

• Cocktails or drinks on sunset on deck… compulsory (signals body to switch to melatonin production as sun goes down)

Linked to Seratonin production is Vitamin D. Believe it or not three quarters of Australians are now considered deficient in this essential vitamin. Darker skinned people may need six times as much as lighter skinned people. A blood test is the only way to know if you are deficient but if you are it's not just ricketts that you should worry about. .

• expose arms to sun mid morning for twenty minutes

• do not use sunscreen in winter and only after 9 am in summer

• eat more fish (caught from the stern of course) or take fish oil tablets

• more nuts especially almonds at cocktail hour

By now you are determined to take a week off work just to make sure your seratonin and vitamin d levels are fine. Well it gets better. Insomnia is a huge problem with millions suffering from it leading to again a scary number of illnesses.

So to cure insomnia follow these rules

• take the yacht away for 5 days

• try not to use mobile phones or iPads at night

• sail till tired

• cook a healthy meal

• try to limit drinks to sunset cocktail hour

• go to bed early

So don't forget these great locations for getting rid of that summer stress. 1) Marina del Rey, California;  2) Newport, Rhode Island;  3) Key West, Florida;  4) Lake Havasu, Arizona;  and 5) Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Couple on Sailboat Hears Dog Crying in Distance, Finds Puppy Alone on Deserted Island

Meet Captain Joel and Dr. Sheddy, a couple on a mission to help animals and communities worldwide. They sail around the world together in their sailboat, providing free veterinary care to vulnerable populations.

In 2006, Sheddy met her soulmate, Captain Joel, at school. Joel had a passion of his own, sailing, and had been saving for his own boat since he was 16 years old.

They decided to pursue their dreams together, combining three of their biggest passions: traveling, sailing, and animal care.

The couple documents their adventures and shares them online, giving people a window into their unique life.

One day, while relaxing in their boat, the couple heard the faint cries of what sounded like a puppy. They rowed to the nearby deserted island to investigate.

His paws were raw, she said, from running on the hot sand. Sheddy gave the pup a quick snack and a drink, while Joel rowed to the closest inhabited island.

Sheddy explained the likely circumstances surrounding the puppy's predicament. During extremely low tide, the two islands are connected, and the puppy likely ran across and found himself unable to return as the tide began to rise.

They eventually did find them and learned the pup had been missing for four days.

Sheddy was thrilled to be able to reunite the puppy with his family. “You're home!” she squealed, scratching his head with affection.

Order your marine toilet parts here and see how we provide you the best products in the electric toilets industry today.

via Best Boating Destinations for Summer

via Sailing Is Good For You

via Couple on Sailboat Hears Dog Crying in Distance, Finds Puppy Alone on Deserted Island

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Macerating Pump Dept Blog : Properly Picking Up Your Downed Waterskier

How To Pick Up Downed Riders While Minimizing Injuries 

Raritan Engineering Company your macerating pump specialists would like to share with you these topics we thought would be of interest to you this month regarding properly picking up your downed water skier.

Your macerating pump experts talk about water sports offer boaters a unique experience not available to non boaters. That privilege comes with the responsibility to ensure safety for your crew and to extend courtesy to fellow boaters.

In this month's Seamanship, we examine how these principles apply to the task of retrieving a skier, tuber or rider who has fallen.

The first thing to do is to remind the spotter to keep their eyes fixed on the person in the water. Positive reinforcement goes a long way in helping people stay focused. The spotter's job is important. It can seem nonessential – until that one time a downed rider is hurt and goes under for some reason. Make your approach from downwind; this will help you control the boat at the slow speed you should be moving at as you get close. 

Turn the engine off once you reach the person in the water. Shifting into neutral and leaving the engine running is not safe. Shut it down.

Finally, be aware of how your wake is affecting others. In addition to other boaters, docks and shoreside properties, this applies to other water sports enthusiasts too. 

Instead, come down to dead slow, turn the boat 180 degrees, and proceed back down the path of your wake. Once the rider is safely aboard, resume surfing in the established direction for the body of water you are on.

via How To Pick Up A Downed Waterskier, Wakesurfer, Wakeboard Rider or Tuber

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Raritan Marine Toilets Help You Avoid Cross-Contamination

Raritan Marine Toilets Help You Avoid Cross-Contamination

  Tired of Cross-Contamination With Your Marine Toilet? Time to Buy Raritan

Keeping fresh and waste water separate is of the utmost importance on a boat. With Raritan's SeaEra Electric Macerating Toilet, there is never the possibility of waste water contaminating the contents of the bowl thanks to its superior and innovative design. It uses as little as one quart per flush, has powerful cleansing action, and provides Raritan's high level of durability and reliability.

A state-of-the-art design sets the SeaEra marine toilet apart from its competition. The intake pump is separated from the discharge section by the motor. This ensures that waste water can't get back into the bowl, as can occur on competitors' toilets when the seal fails.

Two models are available. The Remote Intake Pump version has reduced noise levels and easier access to the intake pump. It offers more flexibility in installation and includes an in-line strainer.

The Freshwater Solenoid model features low power consumption, employs a Whisper Flush design for quiet operation and requires less maintenance. It connects to the boat's existing pressurized water system and includes a vacuum breaker.

Options are available to accommodate both fresh and saltwater environments with remote intake models. The SeaFresh system enables boaters to use both outside raw water and onboard fresh water depending on the needs of the trip. Available with Freshwater or remote models, Raritan's Smart Toilet Control option affords the user control over the intake and discharge, with either a timed flush when using water saver, or a normal flush cycle. The Multifunction Momentary option provides for independent operation of intake or discharge, with no timed flush. An economical push button control is also available; with the integral intake pump model, it is the only option.

Both models are available for 12, 24V DC or 120/240V AC and come with a two-year warranty. Market pricing starts around $600.

Check us out at Raritan Engineering and see some great deals on marine toilets at http://raritaneng.com/category-pages/choosing-your-marine-toilet/

via Photo

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Small Electrical Repairs on Your Boat Made Easy

Do-It-Yourself Boat Repairs Don't Have to Be Challenging Anymore

Hopefully, you will never find any of these cringe-worthy mistakes on your boat.

There's absolutely no shortage of people that can do a good job slapping on a coating of paint or even tuning up an engine. But based upon marine surveyor Frank Lanier's expertise examining boats, the pool of qualified folks with the skill level to make electrical related repairs and installations gets a lot smaller.

Jethro's Foolproof Trademarked Electrical Connection

Boaters are actually a creative lot when it comes to solving issues afloat. Not only is the homegrown junction splice utilized in the positive battery conductor at left nonstandard, it likewise leaves an energized bolt to arc and spark while bouncing about the engine compartment– a genuine fire hazard.

Bonding System

Here we have a hose clamp being utilized to secure a bonding wire to a seacock, an installation that is as inadequate as it is unorthodox. Even though the pros and cons of having a bonding system set up are often debated, one thing is certain: if one is installed, all connections must be tight and corrosion-free for the system to function properly. One that's incorrectly installed or maintained will provide the worst of both “to bond,” and “not to bond” worlds, and your thru hulls will not be protected.

Wiring Gone Awry

The only thing even worse than dealing with an electric issue is needing to wade through a mishmash of loose, messy electrical wiring prior to even beginning the troubleshooting procedure. Unsupported wires and cables can easily bounce about while underway, creating lots of electrical problems, varying from broken connectors or wires to gremlin-like intermittent issues which seem to magically appear and disappear with absolutely no rhyme or reason. Worse, they can chafe and trigger a fire.

Battery Basics

Industry requirements call for batteries to be set up in liquid tight, acid-proof boxes or trays, be properly secured (movement absolutely no greater than one inch within any direction), and have all exposed positive terminals covered to prevent accidental shorting. All great suggestions, however sadly none of them are met in this specific installation. One more recommendation is that no battery cables and conductors 6 AWG and larger be connected to the battery with wing nuts. They're difficult to correctly torque and may loosen due to ship movement. Use marine-grade nyloc nuts instead. Keep in mind that a battery is a really just box of electricity, and in the event that it gets loosened, sparks could fly and ignite something flammable nearby.

AC Plug Installation

Many DIYers have no idea that domestic style solid copper wiring (aka ROMEX) is not suggested for use on boats. Solid wire is actually prone to damage because of vibration– the reason marine-grade wire is actually created of multi-stranded copper wire.

Fuse Protection

DC-powered equipment installations always need fuse or breaker protection. In some cases it's appropriate to power devices via a connection directly to the battery, but always ensure a correctly sized inline fuse is part of the installation. Without a fuse, the wire carrying current to the device can ignite if there is a short in the device.

Check us out at Raritan Engineering and see some great deals on marine toilets at http://raritaneng.com/category-pages/choosing-your-marine-toilet/

via Photo

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Marine Heads Blog: Easy Ways to Make Your Boat Cooler Cooler

Maximize the Cooling Ability of Your Cooler

Raritan Engineering Company your marine heads specialists would like to share with you these topics we thought would be of interest to you this month regarding easy ways to make your boat cooler cooler.

Your marine heads experts talk about how you want your drinks and snacks to stay cold longer without forking over hundreds for a high-end cooler? Here's how to hack a cheap model.

Until I got my latest boat, I'd never owned a boat with a fridge. I'd always used a cooler. It was OK and it fit nicely on the boat, but the performance was far from stellar. The ice melted within a day, and I thought that this was just the way it had to be. 

On further investigation, it turned out that many cheap coolers are just an inner and outer skin of plastic with an air space between them. If this space can be filled with some sort of insulation, rather than just relying on dead air, the contents of the cooler will stay cold far longer. 

Before undertaking this project, be sure to read and follow the spray-foam manufacturer's directions, taking note of recommended temperature and humidity ranges. Always wear protective equipment, including gloves, face mask/respirator, and eyewear.

Here's how to upgrade yours

1. With the lid removed, drill a series of half-inch holes around the top rim of the cooler, placing them them about 4 or 5 inches apart. The spacing isn't critical, but aim for neatness. 

2. Insert the dispensing tube from the foam can into each hole in turn and fill until the space is about 50 percent full. The foam will expand in every direction. If you overfill, the pressure of the expanding foam will distort the cooler and may burst the sides apart. 

3. After leaving the foam to fully cure overnight (sometimes up to 24 hours), use a sharp knife to trim flush any excess that has squeezed out of the holes.

4. Screw the lid back on the cooler. Add ice and drinks and enjoy!

Standing The Test Of Time

Although far from scientific, I measured how long it took a 5-pound bag of ice to melt, both pre- and post insulation. With no extra insulation, the ice melted to almost nothing within four hours when the cooler with the ice inside was placed outdoors in the shade on an 80-degree day. 

Browse our selection of marine heads here at Raritan Engineering. We are your #1 expert in marine sanitation supplies.

Size

Bigger isn't necessarily better. The more volume your cooler or insulated box has, the more ice you'll need to chill down all the stuff in it, and all the air in any empty space. This is why a full cooler holds ice better than one that's mostly empty – you're not wasting thermal energy cooling down all that air, some of which, by the way, gets exchanged every time you open the lid. 

Insulation

Don't waste ice chilling warm drinks. Cool them off in the fridge at home, and then transport them to the boat either in a cooler or in a deep box or plastic tub – anything that will trap some cold air around them.

Gasketing

Just like the weather stripping around the doors of your house, a good thick gasket prevents air from leaking in or out of your cooler, in this case, stealing your precious cold air and melting your frozen H2O. If the lid of your box or cooler doesn't have a gasket, consider using a $4 roll of foam tape or door kerf to seal the gap. 

If you're considering adding insulation to a box on board, make sure it drains overboard, but also figure out how you're going to plug that drain while the box is in use. And while you're at it, figure out a way to stow the plug so you always know where it is when you need it on Saturday morning. 

Don't forget these great pointers for boosting the cooling power of your boat's cooler. 1) With the lid removed, drill a series of half-inch holes around the top rim of the cooler, placing them them about 4 or 5 inches apart;  2)  insert the dispensing tube from the foam can into each hole in turn and fill until the space is about 50 percent full;  and 3) after leaving the foam to fully cure overnight (sometimes up to 24 hours), use a sharp knife to trim flush any excess that has squeezed out of the holes.

Solar-powered Boat is the Perfect Tiny Home for a Life of Sailing

Quebec boat building company Daigno has conceived of an original flagship houseboat called Le Koroc. Constructed as a “single-structure laminated timber,” the floating tiny home is, as its website says, “a unique and refined craft for Nature lovers and fishing aficionados.”

A floating testimony to the environment

Daigno says their solar-powered sailing abode is “a testimony to our constant concern for the environment “whose concept came about by “challenging habits and exploring innovative ideas.” Just one look at the elegant yet compact residence and it is safe to say that the designers are not exaggerating. 

Best of all, all the luxuries of a real house are conveniently packed into the boat's 24 feet long and 8 feet wide frame. In this case, small size has not been an excuse for sacrificing function.

The bathroom albeit small is complete with a stand-up shower in addition to the usual necessary accessories. But where does one sleep you might ask?

The back of the boat features a dinette table that folds out into a bed frame that sees the area now used as a bedroom with a view of that can not be beaten. For additional guests, two benches on either side can also fold out to offer another mattress.

Dedicated to sustainability

True to their dedication to sustainability, the boat's metal roof features a 265-watt solar panel that powers the boat's energy-efficient LED lighting and other electrical equipment. For the extreme eco-friendly, composting toilets are also available. 

Daigno's website further states that “each product we build is unique, and is crafted to meet specific customer expectations.” The builders also offer additional upgrades for boat owners even after purchase.

Buy a marine head here at Raritan Engineering and see how we provide you the best products in the marine sanitation industry today.

Be sure to watch our latest video on marine heads below.  

via How to Make a Cooler Colder

via Boat Cooler Basics

via Solar-powered Boat is the Perfect Tiny Home for a Life of Sailing

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Remove the Stress of Sanitizing Your Water Storage Tank

Need a Solution to Your Tainted Water Tank Problems? Look No Further

Those of you who missed out on our report about how an unreliable winterizing solution can produce a Sandals Beach Resort for waterborne bacteria may be noticing a penetrating odor originating from your galley tap. Regardless of the cause of your water woes, our preferred chemist-sailor Drew Frye has spent the majority of the winter developing some simple steps to ensuring you get fresh-tasting water as good as any bottled variety on board this spring. Here he provides a detailed guide to sanitizing that foul-smelling tank.

With cautious monitoring and pre-filtering of dockside water and upkeep of tank water, this specific procedure should only be required when contamination is suspected, or to start off fresh with a clean tank. Regular evaluations, filtration at the dock, and routine maintenance doses of chlorine or treatment tablets (which we will compare in Part II of this series) whenever needed will definitely protect against future problems. Utilizing a proper blend of glycol if you winterize will prevent one of the common causes of contamination.

Initially the storage tank needs to be clean. Look inside with a flashlight; is there any type of sediment on the bottom or perhaps residue on the walls? Feel the walls; are they slick, evidence of healthy bacterial growth? Everything needs to go. Hopefully there is practical access, for there is no substitute for a good hand scrubbing and rinse-down along with a high powered hose. There is a basic sterilizing procedure for recreational vehicles (ANSI A119.2 section 10.8) that works just as effectively for boats. We've included a few details, but the bones of it come straight from the code and have actually been reviewed and approved by the U.S. Public Health Service.

Turn off the hot water heater until finished.

Get rid of any type of carbon canisters or micron rated filters. Remove any faucet aerator screens. Wire mesh pump protection strainers ought to stay in place. The plumbing will most likely slough off a layer of bacteria throughout later flushing steps.

Clean and eliminate the vent screen and flush the vent hose.

Make use of either following methods in order to identify the volume of common household bleach needed to sanitize the tank.

Multiply gallons of tank capacity by 0.13; the result is the ounces of bleach needed to sanitize the tank. This is 1/8 cup of plain bleach (absolutely no fragrance) per 10 gallons.

Multiply liters of tank capacity by 1.0; the outcome is the milliliters of bleach needed to sanitize the tank.

Mix the proper amount of bleach inside a 1-gallon canister of water. This will certainly offer better mixing and reduce spot corrosion of aluminum tanks.

Dump the solution (water/bleach) into the storage tank and fill up the tank with drinkable water.

Preferably, allow some solution to escape though the air vent. (If the vent is exterior, prevent any type of spillage into local waters.) This will certainly disinfect the vent line.

Open all faucets (hot and cold) allowing the water to run until all of the air is removed and the distinct odor of chlorine is detected. Leave the pressure pump on.

The basic solution must have four hours of contact time in order to sanitize completely. Doubling the solution concentration reduces the contact time to one hour.

Visit us here at http://raritaneng.com/category-pages/holding-tanks-accessories/ and see how Raritan Engineering always takes care of your marine sanitation supply needs.

via Photo

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Boat Head Dept. Blog: How You Can Get Addicted to Sailing

  Sailing Could Be Your Next New Love 

Raritan Engineering Company your boat head suppliers would like to share with you these topics we thought would be of interest to you this month regarding how you can get addicted to sailing.

Your boat head experts talk about how there is a cliche about men and sailboats that, like most cliches, contains more than a little truth. The adage is that the two happiest days in a boat owner's life are the day he gets his boat and the day he gets rid of her. 

Even for the weekend sailor, the relationship between men and boats is a bit like a love affair. There's the same initial infatuation, the same preoccupying passion, the same pain of separation. For a married man, there's even the same kind of tension he has with his spouse. 

I had sailed since I was 12, but it was not until I was 40 that I finally bought a boat of my own. She was a Pearson 26 One Design, a sleek, fiberglass-hulled, 26-foot sloop that I sailed on the Chesapeake Bay. I can still remember the excitement of the day I took commission of her at a yacht yard in Annapolis and the thrill when we got the sails up for the first time. 

But by the second season, and certainly the third, conflicts had begun to develop. Weekends that I wanted to spend on the bay had to be devoted to long-overdue chores.

When I didn't use the boat, the costs of maintaining her suddenly seemed like an extravagance. A 26-foot boat is hardly a yacht of the proportions J. P. Morgan had in mind, but the routine expenses were considerable, nonetheless. 

Experience the Joy of Sailing Now

You can find marine toilets here at Raritan Engineering. Visit us and see how we always take care of your marine sanitation supply needs.

I used the boat less and less in the fourth and fifth seasons, and finally even I had to admit that the rewards no longer justified the expenses. (You can ruin a boat owner's day by forcing him to calculate his per-sail costs.) Finally, reluctantly, I put her on the block. I was depressed for weeks. When the yacht broker would call with an offer, I would make it my business to be out. 

I frankly expected to be devastated. Instead, I felt strangely exhilarated. No more did I fret when a storm blew through, no longer did I have to worry about whether her lines were secure, no longer did I feel guilty about the fading teak and fraying jib sheets. That was someone else's worry now. I rediscovered tennis and became reacquainted with my children. They're really quite nice, and my son's tennis game had improved sharply while I was away.

Old sailing magazines are especially dangerous for me. I leaf through the four-color ads that read: ”Imagine yourself the proud owner of this beauty,” and there is a deliriously happy carefree skipper heading his gleaming white yacht into the sunset. I know it isn't really like that, of course, and yet, when the breeze stiffens the flag atop the office building across the street.

As club programs so often are the gateway to youth competition, this leads their programming to focus on racing. While this approach keeps the youth circuit hopping and supports the school sailing environment in USA, it arguably contradicts the premise of the program. 

That answer will likely shift a bit over the next twenty years as the number of Optimist-equipped junior programs has proliferated over the past 20 years but I think there continues to be lots of doubt about whether these racing-focused junior programs are really creating lifelong sailors and growth in sailing.  

Summer camps, Sea Scouts and community sailing programs introduce thousands more – again the numbers dwarf junior programs. And thousands more get introduced to sailing at resorts with Sunfish or Hobie Waves or similar boats on the beach.

There's healthy debate and adjustments being made to junior programs to create more well-rounded offerings but the total numbers remain small compared to the way 'most sailors' become hooked on sailing. 

So don't forget these great reasons why you cold get addicted to sailing. People get hooked because of 1) tall ship training courses;  2) summer camps;  and 3) junior programs.

California Police Officer Saves Dog From Burning Sailboat

Upon reaching the burning boat, he realized that in order to save the dog he would have to earn the scared animal's trust first. As a horse trainer and all-around animal lover, Ruggles knew he was the right man for the job, and did what he could to calm the dog as the crowd watched tensely from the harbor.

“When I first got there, I reached out for the dog and he started barking and growling. So I tried to talk to him in a soft voice, and see if that would help,” Ruggles said. “He was very wide-eyed and his ears were up, so you could see how scared he was. I reached up and started petting the backside near the tail. I could just see the eyes start to droop down, and the ears start to fall, so I took that opportunity to pull him into the boat.”

Click here to get your boat head at Raritan Engineering and see how we provide you the best products in the marine sanitation industry today.

via About Men; The Sailboat Addiction

via How Most People Get Hooked on Sailing

via California Police Officer Saves Dog From Burning Sailboat

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Finding the Right Solar Panel Size For Your Boat

Choosing The Perfect Solar Panel For Your Boat

The launching point with regard to a successful solar panel installation is simply assessing your requirements. We present right here a basic evaluation based on the test boat utilized for our recent report on choosing and installing a solar panel. A few values are actually from experience, and various other are accepted rules of thumb. 

Energy Balance

Search for the present draw of each and every piece of equipment (confirm with panel ammeter if available) and approximate the number of hours operated. Record the number and capacity of your batteries, recognizing that you can not draw below 50% charge without having reducing their life, and that you will rarely charge past 85% while away from the dock– consequently, just 35% of nameplate capability is actually usable. Finally, total your charging sources, featuring motor, wind, and solar. For solar, take the rated wattage x 5 hours/12 = amp-hours while on passage and wattage x 7 hours/12 = amp-hours while at anchor (sails do not shade and the boom can be rigged out to the side). This is far below the ranked capacity– sailors in the tropics will certainly do better, and sailors further north or cruising in the winter season more poorly– but this is an accepted starting point.

How many days can you manage with poor generation? Are you willing to cut back during the course of a lengthy cloudy stretch? Will you recharge at a marina or by running the motor every now and then? Long-term cruisers appreciate a wealth of power, while the occasional cruisers may be satisfied with less.

Saving Power

Every single AH (amp-hour) used possesses an actual cost in weight, panels, and dollars. In the event that you could minimize consumption by 50 AH/day you will definitely save a battery (the usable capability), a 120 watt panel, and possibly a mounting arch. The cost savings might be $500 and 150 pounds for just a couple of bulbs.

Lighting. Switch from incandescent to LED as well as fluorescent lighting, starting with the lights you utilize most. We utilize LEDs and fluorescent for the anchor, salon, and cockpit lights, but since we rarely run at night time, we left the running and steaming lights alone. Likewise, the deck light and many task lights remain halogen or incandescent; they are certainly not used enough to matter.

Go to sleep at night and get up along with the sun. Large savings in juice and even more time to play.

The gas solenoid is actually a huge user for us; it runs the propane fridge and cabin heater, thus it is on for long hours, but we can turn it off at night or do without refrigeration from time to time.

Fans. Run them on low speed and also watch the hours. A wind scoop doesn't make use of power.

Instruments. Do you really need GPS as well as other instruments full-time on passage? Twenty years ago they didn't even exist. Stabilize the sails to reduce the load on the autopilot.

Visit us here at http://raritaneng.com/category-pages/holding-tanks-accessories/ and see how Raritan Engineering always takes care of your marine sanitation supply needs.

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Raritan Marine Products Blog: How You Can Avoid Costly Boater Mistakes

Don't Get Caught Making These Pricey Blunders

Raritan Engineering Company your Raritan marine products specialists would like to share with you these topics we thought would be of interest to you this month regarding how you can avoid costly boater mistakes.

1.  Your Raritan marine products experts says that not using a purchase contract is one of the most costly blunder to make. When a  member found out that a battery and other equipment had been removed from the sailboat he had purchased, he called BoatUS Consumer Protection. 

2.  Not sea-trialing the boat after repairs are made. A member purchased a used powerboat that was found to have a cracked engine head. The sales contract said the engine had to be working, so repairs were made and the dealer verified with a compression test to ensure everything was fine. 

3.  Not allowing a shop to attempt to honor its warranty. After an inboard engine quit on a Memorial Day trip, he decided to seek out a repair shop on Craigslist in order to get back on the water as quickly as possible. After he got the boat back from a shop he'd found, the engine was still not working, so the member lost confidence and took it to another shop to fix it, which it did satisfactorily. 

4.  Not verifying the paperwork was sent. An individual bought a ski boat with several years remaining on a 5-year manufacturer warranty that the seller said transferred with the boat. Shortly thereafter, the boat had a catastrophic engine failure due to a failed pump. 

5.  Not letting the shop be involved in the diagnosis. When a small diesel engine was having starting issues, a repair shop told us that water was found in the cylinders. Instead of allowing the shop to investigate further and fix the engine, the member bought a new engine to have the shop install. 

Saving Costs Means Making Less Mistakes While Boating

Browse Raritan marine products here at Raritan Engineering, your number one expert in marine sanitation supplies.

“I'd just installed a new electronic chart, totally up to date; the chart plotter said we were far off and in deep water.” Here are some other problems you might encounter and how to avoid them…..

Problem: Cold, rainy and almost no visibility. Just another night passage for Mark in his 42-foot motor yacht through waters littered with islands swept by strong currents. It's too nasty to stand watch outside, plus he's alone and can't leave the helm, so Mark puts his faith in the chart plotter – which in turn puts him on the rocks. 

Prevention: Navigating with GPS is not always as accurate as it seems. Set one down so it is not moving and just watch the readings keep changing. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, which maintains the system, the GPS signals we get should be accurate to within 50 feet 95 percent of the time, while the other 5 percent can be out as much as 300 feet.

All very good, but what about the chart the GPS is putting you on? Until the mid 1990s, in pre-satellite times, NOAA's general requirement was for position accuracy on a typical coastal chart to be around 30 yards. 

In Mark's case the position of the tiny island he hit was from an old survey, accurate to only 160 feet. Plus, three of the four visible satellites (ones above the horizon that the receiver can use) were almost in a straight line, giving a poor fix.

Problem: Pete's in the ocean aboard his go-fast center console searching for fish. As the sea breeze builds during the day, so do the waves, but coming back along with them he doesn't sense their full power – that is, until just inside the inlet when the boat's long, skinny bow buries itself into the back of a wave all the way to the console. The boat comes back up and Pete makes it in, but he's wet and obviously shaken.

Prevention: Waves always look smaller when seen from behind, and that was Pete's first problem – perception. His next issue was speed.

In a following sea, adjust the drives and tabs to keep the bow up, then work with the throttles. You can safely run at almost any speed as long as your boat's bottom is long enough to span three wave crests, keeping the ends supported so as not to let the bow drop into a trough. 

So don't forget these 5 costly mistakes you need to avoid to protect your wallet while boating. 1) Not using a contract;  2) not sea-trialing the boat after repairs are made;  3) not allowing a shop to attempt to honor its warranty;  4) not verifying the paperwork was sent;  and 5) not letting the shop be involved in the diagnosis.

A Guide to Sailing with Your Cat

When your cat loves being by your side, you want to take your beloved pet with you everywhere you go. Taking your cat out on the open water might seem risky, but with careful preparation, your kitty can even accompany you on your summertime adventures. 

Don't Leave Home Without Your Cat's Essentials

Whenever you travel or move with cats, you should never leave home without your cat's essentials. As you pack for your afternoon on the boat, bring along a litter box, fresh litter, a water dish, and plenty of food. 

Test Your Cat's Tolerance for the Water

While many cats have a natural aversion to water, other cat breeds love water and won't hesitate to jump in and go for a swim.

Get a Cat-Sized Life Vest

Don't go out on the water without suiting your cat up in a life vest, as this is an essential safety device for your kitty. You might not find many options designed specifically for cats, but vests made for small dog breeds will fit most cats. 

Keep Your Cat Nearby

No matter what type of boat you have, you might be surprised to find out just how many hiding places your cat discovers. If your sailboat has more than one deck or a couple of enclosed areas, your cat could easily slip out of sight. 

Choose your Raritan marine products here at Raritan Engineering and see how we provide you the best products in the marine sanitation industry today.

Be sure to watch our latest video on Raritan marine products below.

via 5 Mistakes That Can Cost Boaters

via Avoiding Costly Boating Mistakes

via A Guide to Sailing with Your Cat

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