Seacocks Professionals Offer Amazing Tips on Building the Perfect Boat Fender

Your Seacocks Analysts Know That Boat Fenders Do Not Have to Be a Big Problem 

Raritan Engineering Company would like to share with you this week some awesome information on seacocks.

My main problem with boat fenders is that they appear to violate the cardinal rule of cruising: any object you bring on the boat should serve at least two purposes (the way your crewmate's favorite yellow shirt makes a great “Q” flag).

Recently facing a shortage of fenders, I came upon a temporary substitute-heavy-duty dry bags. Filled with air, these simple roll-top bags work just like inflatable fenders.

Someone industrious, of course, could insert an inflatable urethane liner into a more rugged, welded PVC dry bag, and achieve the same result. The outer bag could be easily fitted with web eyes for securing drop lines. 

Durability is a question. I'm not sure how long a conventional dry bag will hold up when used as a fender. If they are constructed with a material similar to that used to make the inflatable fendersfeatured in our recent test, they should last several years.  

So here's a challenge: Is there perhaps another fender design that could help it serve two distinct purposes? Or are there more uses for a conventional fender than first meet the eye?

Your Seacocks Experts Offer You Some Great Design Options

Your seacocks specialists know that for those who'd rather just stick with the tried-and-true, here's a DIY approach to more conventional fenders.

DIY Fender Board

The simplest form of fender board is adequate for most needs. All that is needed is a 3- to 4-foot length of 2” x 4”, 2”x 6”, or 2”x8”. As a guide, I'd start a t 2”x 4” for a 20-foot boat, 2”x6” for a 30-foot boat, and 2”x 8” for a 40-foot boat.

On a larger boat, you may want to use a slightly longer board, perhaps up to 6 feet long. Anything longer than that, however, is likely to take two people to handle, and be a nuisance to store.

A hole slightly larger than the diameter of the suspension or drop lines (say 9/16-inch hole for a half-inch line), is drilled through the larger dimension at either end of the board, about 6 inches from either end.

Next, round the ends of the plank and chamfer all edges. Your lines should be long enough to suspend the plank down to the waterline from whatever stanchions or cleats you plan to use.

After threading the lines through the holes, tie a figure-eight, stopper knot at the bottom of each line, and you're finished.

You can use your fender board with conventional round fenders, or you can purchase solid rubber cushions made specifically for attaching to 2×4 or 2×6 spars. 

The one embellishment you might wish to consider, if you have sufficient time and/or inclination, is a laminated fender board. This board is composed of three layers of 1”x 3” fir, hickory, or ash. 

Visit us at http://raritaneng.com/product-category/trudesign/seacocks/and see how you will always find more information regarding seacocks at Raritan Engineering.

via Building a Better Boat Fender

Seacocks Specialists Explain How to Get Through Those Low Pressure Situations

Your Seacocks Professionals Make Those Difficult Sailing Conditions Look Much Easier With These Tips 

Raritan Engineering Company your seacocks analysts would like to share with you these topics we thought would be of interest to you this month regarding how to get through those low pressure situations.

Your seacocks experts know that in conditions which are typical of the leading edge of a fast moving South Atlantic low, it is the ability to regulate speed and the level of attack which is being tested for the skippers at the top of the Vendee Globe fleet this morning.

Winds are reported to be from just east of north at 25kts, with relatively flat water. The speedo on board Alex Thomson's race leading Hugo Boss has been hovering around 24-25kts for a 30 minute period and the British skipper is 112 miles ahead of second placed Armel Le Cléac'h on the early morning ranking.

On seas, which are still relatively calm, the monohulls have ideal conditions to threaten the 24-hour record set by François Gabart in 2012 (534.48 miles). They need to achieve an average speed of 23 knots to sail 550 miles in one day and the skipper of Hugo Boss has been at those speeds since early last night and looks set to maintain that pace for the next couple of days…

Heading towards Tristan da Cunha

This foiling folly should indeed last two or three days as they ride on the back of the low sliding down very rapidly towards the Roaring Forties. 

It is therefore practically certain that Yann Éliès (Quéguiner-Leucémie Espoir) will be left waiting almost 600 miles back at the station for the next train off Cape Frio. 

I stood there, facing the seated crowd of sailors and asked,  “How many of you have a basic minimum or less understanding of how to read a weather map?” At least 70% of the group raised their hands. 

Visit http://raritaneng.com/product-category/trudesign/seacocks/ to find more information as well as get assistance on seacocks at Raritan Engineering.

“What could it possibly have to do with me or my sailing?” they may have asked themselves at earlier points in their sailing lives. But here they were, committing a day to learn how to decipher the lines and make sense of the squiggles in order to make informed decisions going forward. 

That still doesn't explain all of those seemingly random swirling lines that surround the highs and the lows. On a surface pressure map, those lines are “isobars”-iso referring to “same” or “equal” and bar referring to barometric pressure. Those lines will tell us how quickly the pressure changes over a horizontal distance. 

Isobars not only imply wind speeds, they also imply wind direction. You may be aware that wind circulates around a Northern Hemisphere high-pressure system in a clockwise direction. 

Wind doesn't travel concentrically along the isobars, though. The wind will tend to want to get away from the high-pressure area and be drawn in toward the low-pressure area. Hence, at the surface of the planet over water, wind around a high-pressure area will toe out from the isobars at about 15 to 20 degrees and toe in towards the low-pressure system by the same amount. 

Of course there are other lines on that weather map. Some of them, indicating frontal boundaries, have little icons located along their length. The ones with triangles represent cold fronts. The ones with semicircles represent warm fronts.

Cold air is denser than warm air. When it tries to move towards a warm air mass it's like a bus trying to move a stack of pillows out of the way. It can do it pretty quickly. So, when a cold front comes through an area, the temperature in that area can change pretty quickly. 

Occluded fronts result from cold fronts overrunning warm fronts and the air masses mixing with each other. As those air masses mix, there tends to be less temperature differential and less wind along an occluded front than even along a warm front.

Learn more at Raritan Engineering regarding seacocks and other marine products.

via Vendee Globe – Riding the area of low pressure

via The Dark Art of Weather Analysis

TruDesign Experts Show How to Properly Balance Weight On Your Boat

 

Your TruDesign Specialists Say It Is Not As Easy As You Think 

Raritan Engineering Company your TruDesign analysts would like to share with you these topics we thought would be of interest to you this month regarding how to properly balance weight on your boat.

Your TruDesign experts know that when you see pictures of top pro teams hiking upwind, shoulder to shoulder, head to toes, know that they're not doing it for the photographer. It's fast. Your marine supplies New Orleans analysts know that setting up where your crew is positioned might seem straightforward, but if you look more closely at the differences in how your boat reacts by moving crew around and experimenting, you might find there's a better setup for your crew weight placement to get maximum speed upwind. 

Use the widest part of the boat. It seems pretty basic, and maximum beam won't necessarily be the exact spot to place crew, but situating the crew at the boat's widest part will get their weight outboard the farthest, providing the best hiking leverage. 

Check your flow off the transom. I picked this one up at a Greg Fisher symposium many years ago. He turned me on to watching the water flow off the back of the boat to make sure it was smooth and even. 

Watch your knuckle. Your marine supplies CT understand that on many boats, the lower part of the bow, also known as the knuckle, indicates how the crew weight should be oriented fore and aft. When sailing in waves, the knuckle should be out of the water 50 percent of the time. 

Dampen the pitch. Pitching is a big-time speed deterrent. Placing your crew weight together ensures you're doing what you can to limit pitching when going through waves. Get your team together, tell them not to be shy, and pack as closely together as possible. I'm always surprised to see how far apart many teams sit on the rail. 

Communicate with your team about how the boat is balanced. We've all sailed in inconsistent winds, where you're hiking one moment and sitting inboard the next. As the wind makes these transitions, the best teams keep their movements as smooth as possible. 

Your TruDesign Professionals Know You Need to Exercise Caution When Sailing in Inconsistent Winds

You can find more information as well as get assistance on seacocks at Raritan Engineering.

Your marine supplies Canada feel that the letters always start like this. “Dear Boating Magazine, your boat test said the Acme Superbad 26 broke 50 mph. I can't get it past 46. What gives?” My answer goes something like, “Well, did you look at the details of the review?”

Your seacocks specialists understand that we typically run our tests with two persons aboard and fuel loads ranging from a quarter tank to full, with no water in the tanks and no gear. 

Where's the CG? “On almost any planing hull you can just assume that the center of gravity and buoyancy is 60 to 65 percent aft of the bow,” explained Dave Gerr, noted naval architect and dean of the Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology. 

Your first line of defense is how you trim the engine. Trimming up redirects the thrust from the propeller and raises the bow, helping a boat locate its sweet spot. Gerr offered a simple visual. 

You can also compensate for load with trim tabs, correcting list caused by weight load by raising or lowering the boat on one side.

Some tips: If you load the stern with heavy scuba gear, stow some equipment in the bow to counteract it. Don't let all the fat guys sit to port; try to place them on opposing cushions. 

Raritan Engineering has more information on TruDesign and seacocks. 

via How to Blance Weight Placement

via Balancing Weight on Board

via Photo

TruDesign Professionals Keep You Alert Regarding Life Jacket Possible Dangers

Your TruDesign Analysts Are Always Looking Out for Your Safety 

Raritan Engineering Company would like to share with you this week information regarding life jackets.

Rule one: Wear a personal flotation device (PFD).

Rule two: Wear the right PFD for your on-the-water activity.

Rule three: Know what to do when your PFD prevents your rescue or self-rescue.

Testing any sailing equipment entails a high degree of responsibility, but this is especially true of safety equipment. A tragic accident off the coast of Costa Rica this week called to mind an important study that Practical Sailor did in March of 2013 on the trouble that life jackets can pose to sailors in the event of a capsize. 

In the tense video footage captured by an American tourist we see exactly how it can happen. The added buoyancy of the jacket inhibits the camera person's ability to dive under and get free of the hull and superstructure of the tour boat (a power catamaran, in this case). 

Your TruDesign Experts Help You Make the Right Choice About Personal Floatation Devices

Your TruDesign specialists know that the decision about what type of personal floatation device (PFD) to wear is not straightforward. It involves a careful risk assessment by you, the sailor. This is to say that the following guidance I offer should not be regarded as a one-size-fits all advice. 

1. If you are using an auto-inflating personal flotation device, think hard about the benefit versus risk of disabling the auto-inflate feature, so that it will only inflate manually (not all infalatable PFDs allow this). 


2. For coastal sailing in small boats (or even larger cruisers that operate within a few miles of shore in protected waters) consider opting for a “sport” PFD or a manual inflating PFD, instead of an auto-inflating PFD. The buoyancy in the auto-inflating PFDs is tremendous, too much to escape from under even a small boat.

Keep in mind, the risk of your PFD being a problem are extremely low and the benefits of wearing one far outweight the benefits of going without. Nevertheless, it doesn't hurt to be aware of how things can go wrong, and to understand the subtle differences in life jackets that can make a difference. 

“In other sports, participants recognize how essential gear can become a hazard, and they are trained how to respond in that event. Scuba diving courses teach beginners how to don and doff their tanks and buoyancy compensators.

“One of the most important observations made during this initial round of our testing was how important it is to practice bleeding air from the PFD bladders.

Visit us at http://raritaneng.com/category-pages/trudesign-products/ and see how Raritan Engineering always has more information regarding TruDesign fittings. 

via Hidden Risks of Life Jackets

Marine Head Units Experts Welcome You to Kiteboarding

Your Marine Head Units Specialists Say That Kiteboarding Can Be As Simple As Sailing 

Raritan Engineering Company your marine head units analysts would like to share with you these topics we thought would be of interest to you this month regarding the excitement of kiteboarding.

World Sailing, the world governing body for the sport of sailing, claims that Kiteboarding on water is a discipline of sailing, and as such falls under the jurisdiction of World Sailing.

IFKO's Paes Fernandes considers that riders must be unconditionally free to participate in any national or international competitions without fear of penalties from organizations or sponsors.

Your marine heads units experts know that the GKA will be sanctioned by World Sailing to run World Championships and World Cup events in the Kiteboarding expression performance disciplines of wave, strapless freestyle, big air and twintip-freestyle and slider/obstacle events.

Simply put, California has tons of places to go kiteboarding. Whether you're seeking some of the best waveriding in the States, smooth flatwater, top-shelf instruction, or just looking to get on the water, your riding options are endless. 

Weather

California is famous for its weather. People move here because the weather is so good-especially in Southern California. Your marine supplies Miami professionals know that having just moved to SoCal myself, this seems true; the weather is nice (at least compared to the Northwest, where I came from), with an occasional rainstorm here and there.

When people say the weather is amazing here, they generally are not thinking like a kiteboarder.

They're not talking about the huge diversity of places to ride, each of which offers unique and constantly evolving weather conditions.

Visiting

If you're planning a kiteboarding trip to California, you need to prepare for what time of year you visit, where you'll ride, and your equipment needs. Your marine supplies Tampa analysts feel that kite sizes and gear preferences are exceptions, of course.

• Wetsuits: If you're coast-bound, chances are you'll need a 4/3 wetsuit. This is true the further north you go. During winter, consider a thicker suit and layer. In the summer, wear a 3/2 shortie or ride in trunks inland and in the southern areas.

Your Marine Head Units Professionals Know That Great Weather Means Kiteboarding Weather

You can find more information on marine products as well as get assistance on marine head units at Raritan Engineering.

• Kites: If you bring a quiver stacked with every size from 7 to 20 m2, you probably won't miss a day on the water. However, most of us don't have such a luxury. Your marine head units specialists know that if you don't already know, check with one of the local shops for details on what you should bring.

• Boards: If you'll be chasing swell or playing in beach break, bring a skim or waveboard (wave-specific kiteboard). If you'll be riding inland, bring a twin-tip. California has a well-deserved reputation for its surf, so bring a surfboard. 

• Gear on demand: With the evolution of high-performance equipment, many shops and schools offer demos of the latest gear. Check out the school and shop lists for contact details. And keep your eye out for brand-specific demo tours.

Beginner Beaches

If you're looking to take a lesson in California, your options span throughout the state. Your marine supplies Seattle experts know that many of the beginner locations featured in this article are more than just beginner places. 

Local knowledge

• Launch and land kites in designated areas only (never in the bike path).

• If you happen to get coated with Third Avenue's notoriously stinky mud (especially on low tide), use the hose behind the windsurf rigging area to wash yourself and your gear off.

• The upper launch area can be slippery when wet. Consider using a launch assistant in addition to an experienced kite launcher.

• Be careful of the questionable winds at the lower launch. Consider the upwind launch for easiest access to the water.

• Don't ride or jump too close to the point (where the bike path makes a 90-degree turn); the wind direction can be unexpected and possibly put you into the rocks.

Raritan Engineering has more information on marine head units and TruDesign fittings.

via Battle is joined for control of Kiteboarding

via California Kiteboarding Guide

Atlantes Freedom Marine Toilet Benefits Shown By Your Electric Toilets Experts

Your Electric Toilets Specialists Discuss the Pros of Buying Your First Atlantes Freedom Marine Toilet

What is Vortex-Vac Technology?

There are several ways to create a vacuum in a toilet. A traditional vacuum toilet utilizes a stored vacuum created by a positive displacement pump. Such systems require vacuum tanks and external pumps and controls.

Raritan's Vortex-Vac creates its vacuum by using the vortex pump mounted inside the bowl. This creates an on-demand instantaneous vacuum eliminating the need for external vacuum pumps, tanks and other mechanical components that can fail. This makes a system that is easier to install with significant savings.

Our Vortex-Vac flushing technology is also the quietest and most efficient in its class. Its low water usage also extends the useful capacity of your holding tank.

Contact Raritan Engineering at http://www.raritaneng.com/ and get more information and assistance regarding the Atlantes Freedom Marine Toilet.

Marine Parts Source Experts Ask, “Is Sailing Really That Difficult?”

Your Marine Parts Source Specialists Know That Sailing Season Is Upon Us 

Raritan Engineering Company your marine parts source analysts would like to share with you these topics we thought would be of interest to you this month regarding the question, “is sailing really that difficult?”

Your marine products for sale specialists know that fall appears to finally be upon us. As I write, the temperature is not in the 80s, the sky is overcast and the trees are shedding their leaves, finally. I am still buzzing after sailing the foiling cats at the Red Bull Foiling Generation 'go for a sail' event last Monday. 

Halloween, cleaning up after Halloween, Veterans Day…really, go and check out Warrior Sailing. Think you're having a bad hair day? Honestly, this is a fantastic, real way to really thank these men and women for their service. 

Then there is Thanksgiving, shopping, Christmas present wrapping, New Year's Eve and related hangover recovery, skiing, and maybe Key West for some. It's going to be a pretty normal kind of life for those of us who are not Warrior Sailors or asthmatics, right?

On November 6, 2016, 29 sailors from 10 countries get underway in what really is the world's toughest sailing race. It is a race that makes all others pale in comparison, and pretty much any other 'sporting' activity too.  

Since a lot of racing experts are looking for marine supplies near me those professionals say that in the U.S., for those who recognize the name, the Vendée likely is regarded as one of those loony French, anti-social, single-handed races. Well, two out of three.  

The fact that the Vendée is hard, requires a special kind of mentality and approach, has many technical requirements and related difficulties that need to be managed, sometimes alone in very difficult circumstances, needs a team and leaders to make it all happen…well, these are the attributes companies say they want in their employees. 

Your Marine Parts Source Professionals Caution That It's Not As Easy As It Looks

You can find more information on marine products as well as get assistance on marine heads at Raritan Engineering.

Your marine heads experts know that a native of Boston, MA, Rich Wilson is unique in this edition due to his age, his physical condition, and his goal. This is his second Vendée Globe to be sure, but there are three other entrants embarking on their second and five skippers doing their fourth. 

Sailing isn't simple. Done well, it might be among the most complex pastimes we might select. True, almost anyone can learn to tail a winch, raise a mainsail, or tie a figure-8. 

I sail with teachers. My wife (who manages the pit), our headsail trimmer, and one of our bow crew are all teachers.

Teachers make great sailing mates, partly because they have summers off. More importantly, they understand how people learn. We often apply best classroom practices to sailing as a team, so that every member can learn and achieve. We have pre-sail goal-setting chats. 

The point is that it is possible to offer an ideal environment for developing confidence, building skills and then mastering sailing's complexities, but it requires more than rote steps. 

I like to describe it as mentor-led immersion; like learning a language by moving to the country of origin, but having someone who speaks your tongue available in a pinch. Your marine supplies San Diego understand that it takes work to make and keep something like this going, but it's worth it for everyone.

As a rule, sailing is dynamic; every moment potentially different from the previous or the next. It's an exercise in free-form adaptability, best guesses and finesse informed by past experience and better judgement. 

Many sailing programs have gone wildly overboard in terms of structure. Youth sailing is often about repetition and routine, since the only long range vision is an olympic berth where lottery probabilities apply. 

Think these ideas might be impossible? Can't insure them? Can't convince the board? Can't find the volunteers? Not the way you've always done it? Not sanctioned? Sure, change is hard, and that's the point. Sailing is hard too, but it's within reach and it's always worth it.

The right thing to do is often the hard thing to do.

Raritan Engineering has more information as your marine parts source regarding marine heads.

via How Tough Can Sailing Be?

via Sailing Is Hard. That's Why It's Good

Your Marine Heads Professionals Show You How to Clean Your Ropes Easily

 

Your Marine Heads Analysts Know That This Can Sometimes Seem Difficult

Raritan Engineering Company your marine heads distributor would like to share with you this week some valuable points regarding how to clean your ropes easily . 

If you didn't remove your running rigging last winter, then there is a good chance you'll be coming back to sheets and halyards coated in dirt, mold, and mildew. So with those cautions placed in mind for us, what are some pointers and reminders that we need to have before trying to clean our boat ropes? Let us continue reading on and see how we can clean our ropes just like the professionals do.

• Wash only with a very mild detergent. For relatively new ropes, this means something like Woolite or a half-dose of a modern laundry detergent. For the first few years, ropes still contain thread coatings and lubricants from the factory that provide an easy hand, as well as offer some protection from UV radiation, abrasion, and water absorption. Washing a new rope in a cleaner touted as degreaser will harm this protective coating. 

Your Marine Heads Experts Warn That You Should Never Use Bleach

• Your marine heads specialists know that you should wash on the gentlest cycle. The rope should be tightly coiled or tied in a daisy-chain, and then placed inside a pillowcase. Front-loading washing machines are recommended; an up-and-down motion is preferable to the rotary motion of most common household machines. 

• Avoid contact with acids, bases, and solvents. Both polyester and nylon (polyamide) are vulnerable to certain chemicals, so manufacturers broadly warn against using them. 

Nylon is particularly vulnerable to acid. Strong acids such as battery acid or muriatic acid can literally melt right through a nylon rope in a matter of minutes.

• Power washing is not recommended. While it can be an effective method for cleaning marine growth from mooring pendants and dock lines, a power washer in the hands of an inexperienced operator can do significant damage. 

• Bleach is not recommended by any manufacturer in any quantity. Every manufacturer has faced claims of rope failure or splice failure caused by a bleach overdose. Extended soaking in bleach solutions must be avoided.

• Hot water is not a problem. Nylon and polyester are undamaged at normal water-heater temperatures (120 to 135 degrees).

The following additional experience was volunteered by professional riggers:

• Washing won't make splicing easier. Old double-braid is difficult to splice, and washing doesn't change that. Polyester remains too stiff even if treated with fabric softener.

• Washing machines don't like nylon double-braid. Nylon double-braid is subject to herniation and destruction during the machine-washing process.

So don't forget these helpful pointers when cleaning your ropes. 1) Always wash your ropes on the gentlest cycles;  2) avoid contact with acids, bases, and solvants;  3) no amount of bleach is ever recommended in any amount;  4) hot water is not a problem when cleaning your ropes;  5) washing will not make splicing easier;  and 6) washing machines do not like nylon double-braid.

Click here and see how you can find more information from Raritan Engineering regarding the topic of marine heads. 

via Fast and Easy Rope Cleaning

via Photo

Your Marine Heads Specialists Enrich the Lives of Our Youth Through Sailing

Your Marine Heads Professionals Suggest That Sailing Can Be a Positive Influence In Your Child's Life

Raritan Engineering Company your marine heads analysts would like to share with you these topics we thought would be of interest to you this month regarding how sailing can enrich the lives of our youth.

Your marine heads experts know that Sir Russell Coutts, chief executive officer of the America's Cup, and the most successful sailor in America's Cup history, has a personal passion for the AC Endeavour Programme. Here he tells why in The Royal Gazette:

Sailing has always been a very important part of my life and my inspiration for many years. Sailing has the power to inspire, to educate and motivate kids in a very powerful way and introducing youth to sailing in a place like Bermuda is a project that I personally thought was an incredible opportunity, one we could not miss.

The core of the AC Endeavour Programme is the STEAM curriculum, using sailing as a backdrop to help bring to life core learning's in subjects such as science, technology, engineering, art and maths, providing education in a unique, engaging way.

Basically the AC Endeavour Programme teaches young people in a way that makes learning fun and exciting.

In many ways sailing is an ideal sport to explore each of these subjects and learn the basic principles of physics, geometry, and maths very naturally. 

In addition, AC Endeavour has a strong environmental element. It teaches the impact of marine debris, the problems of plastics in the ocean and how plastics get into the food chain, and it does all that with these young students looking through the lens of environmental responsibility via very cool America's Cup images and technology.

Teamwork is a core element of sailing and the AC Endeavour students learn about that and leadership, they see the value of good communication skills and perhaps most powerful of all, how they learn to integrate with each other and discover things for themselves. 

Go to http://raritaneng.com/raritan-product-line/marine-toilets/phc/ and see how you can find more information as well as get assistance on marine heads at Raritan Engineering.

Since we started we've had more than 1,200 kids between the ages of nine and 12 go through one of the AC Endeavour Programmes here in Bermuda. 

1. Self-Confidence. There is simply nothing like being able to pilot your own craft at the age of 9 years old. Riding a bike is one thing. Skillfully steering and docking a sailboat is quite another. 

2. Spatial awareness. When kids learn how to navigate a boat through narrow spaces and tight turns – how to avoid collisions, coast to a dock with finesse, or squeeze into a packed starting line at a regatta – they develop a spatial awareness that will bring them prowess all activities that involve coordination. Like driving, for instance.

3. Sense of direction. When I was 10 years old, I would sail all week with my class, and then go out on weekends by myself. I would pack a lunch and take my Optimist out for a couple of hours to explore. I believe that it was on those trips that I began to develop a good sense of direction. 

4. Weather knowledge. Do you know from which direction thunder storms normally come? Do you know what the water temperature normally is on Long Island Sound in May? 

5. Shipshape habits. Sailing students learn how to properly rig and unrig a boat. Kids learn to put things away in the right place, and keep them tidy while on the water. 

So if your kids haven't tried sailing, have them give it a try.

Click here and see how Raritan Engineering always has more information on marine heads.

via Inspiring Youth Through Sailing

via Five Reasons Your Kids Should Sail

Marine Water Heaters Analysts Help You Master Choppy Southern Seas

Your Marine Water Heaters Experts Suggest Doing Your Homework Beforehand

Raritan Engineering Company your marine water heaters specialists would like to share with you these topics we thought would be of interest to you this month regarding mastering choppy southern seas.

Your marine water heaters professionals know that once they have reached the Southern Ocean, the solo sailors have to deal with a series of low-pressure systems for a month or more. From the islands of Tristan da Cunha and Gough to Cape Horn, they have around 12,000 miles to sail along the wall of ice marking the limit of the ice drifting up from the Antarctic.

In the space of barely one month, the competitors go from the cold Vendée weather to the torrid heat of the equator, tropical downpours and then back into the icy conditions of the Antarctic. The Southern Ocean represents nearly 3/5th of the round the world voyage with a series of low-pressure systems rolling out of Brazil, Madagascar and New Zealand.

Today, icebergs are now avoided by the Race Directors, who have set up an ice exclusion zone around the Antarctic between 45°S near the Crozet islands and 68°S off Cape Horn. This zone implies a higher route flirting with the Mascarenes High (Indian Ocean) and Easter Island (Pacific Ocean).

The long way home

If rounding the Horn after more than fifty days at sea marks a huge drop in the levels of stress due to the lower risk of damage and the rise in temperature, the 7,000 miles that remain before returning to Les Sables d'Olonne are not that easy, particularly if other competitors manage to claw their way back into contention.

Go to http://raritaneng.com/raritan-product-line/water-heaters/1700-series-water-heater/and see how you can always get more information as well as assistance on marine water heaters at Raritan Engineering.

Then, they have the Brazilian coast more or less within sight before the Doldrums appear over the horizon. Here, they pass to the west of Fernando de Noronha, before picking up the easterly winds associated with the Azores High. This area of high pressure can sometimes stretch out to the Caribbean, split into two areas, which move around, or shrink back to Europe.

The voyage should chiefly be sailed downwind, but for the first time in this eighth edition, there may be a rather different situation in the Southern Ocean, if the Indian and Pacific highs decide to block the solo sailors' passage as they contend with the exclusion zone set up to avoid the ice from the Antarctic. To win, first you have to make it all the way around.

Intrepid explorers passionate about serious outdoor adventure won't find a more exhilarating way to experience Antarctica than on this one-of-a-kind polar expedition. With just seven travelers on a handful of departures each season, this is a rare opportunity! Explore the Antarctic Peninsula by ice-strengthened sailboat, surrounded by seals, whales, penguins and icebergs.

While Antarctica is an epic destination for adventure travelers, most visitors never fully experience this pristine polar realm. The majority travel via cruise ship, often with more than a hundred other passengers.

Click here and see how Raritan Engineering has more information on marine water heaters.

via Vendee Globe: Southern Ocean Sailing

via Sailing Antarctica: The Ultimate Polar Nature Expedition

Marine Parts Specialists Show You Crucial Maneuvers That Win Races

 

Your Marine Parts Professionals Say That Winning Is Within Your Reach 

Raritan Engineering Company your marine parts analysts would like to share with you these topics we thought would be of interest to you this month regarding crucial racing maneuvers that can help you to win.

They Key to Better Spinnaker Sets

In this series, we’ve already covered tacks and jibes. Now for a few words on spinnakers. Your marine parts experts know that for the most part, the key principles apply to both asymmetrical and symmetrical spinnakers.

Get Prepared Early

If you’re waiting until the weather leg to get things hooked up, you’re too late.

I’m a big fan of launching from the forward hatch, just like the big boys do (even on older designs). Everything can be hooked up before the start, except for the spinnaker halyard on boats using genoas.

If you have more than one spinnaker, get your tactician/speed doctor to choose a sail before the start. If you’re using a spinnaker pole, it can be hooked to the mast at the base or to a shroud with the afterguy. 

Take your Time, Stay on the Rail

Just as “ready about” prior to a tack is not a signal for a mass exodus from the weather rail, getting ready for a spinnaker set only needs minimal movement. Your marine parts specialists know that the last thing you want to do as you’re struggling to make the weather mark is to have crew out of position and lots of movement. 

Visit us at http://raritaneng.com/category-pages/replacement-parts/ and see how Raritan Engineering has the best information as well as assistance on marine parts.

The Magic Moment

On symmetrical boats, pull the pole back to target angle as the sail is hoisted. Don’t pull too far aft. With an asymmetrical, be ready to ease the sheet as soon as it fills. It will probably be over-trimmed initially, but don’t worry.

The Perfect Turn

The goal is to turn smoothly from close hauled to broad reach. Turn too fast and you’ll end up too deep (with the wind too far aft). The spinnaker will blanket behind the mainsail, twist, and collapse. Turn too slowly and you won’t get down far enough. 

Get the Jib Down

The spinnaker will not fill until the jib is down (or at least eased and completely luffing). The lighter the air, the more important it is to get the jib out of the way. The headsail, however, can be coming down as soon as the spinnaker is more than 75 percent of the way up.

Freeze!

Movement kills speed. As soon as the sail fills, get in appropriate spots for the conditions: forward and leeward in light air; aft and to weather in more breeze. Then freeze!

Spinnaker sets don't have to be a point of stress or downfall. Prepare, plan, stay relaxed, and let the magic happen! If you'd like to read the other articles in the series on make or break moves, check our our pieces on tacking and jibing.

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via They Key to Better Spinnaker Sets

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Marine Parts Experts Encourage You to Bring Your Pets Along For The Ride

Your Marine Parts Specialists Understand The Need For Pet Lovers to Bring Them On Board 

Raritan Engineering Company your marine parts analysts would like to share with you these topics we thought would be of interest to you this month regarding the steps needed in order to bring your pets along with you on sailing trips. 

Who wouldn’t want to take their favourite furry friend on their nautical travels? Your marine parts experts know that it can be done, just make sure you comply with the rules and regulations and are fully prepped to take pets on board before you leave

Your marine products distributors professionals agree that boating with pets on board can be a truly fantastic experience. Who wouldn’t want to take their favourite furry friend on their nautical travels? 

Documentation

Before you set sail, there are strict rules with which you must comply in order to keep your pet firmly on deck.

When travelling with animals you are obliged to meet the requirements from the country you’re going to and leaving from.

Make sure to have the following items:

• A microchip


• A rabies vaccination (you must wait 21 days from the date of the vaccination before travelling)


• A pet passport or third country official veterinary certificate


• A tapeworm treatment (only for dogs)

Your Marine Parts Professionals Remind You That Each Country Has Different Requirements for Pets

Go to http://raritaneng.com/category-pages/replacement-parts/ for all of your marine parts needs for your trip.

When entering the UK from any country not included in the list of EU and non-EU countries your pet needs:

• A microchip


• A rabies vaccination


• A blood test (the vet must take the sample at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination, and the vet must give you a copy of the test results, showing that the vaccination was successful)

Tips

• A lifejacket for dogs is very useful. Your marine products pro shop analysts know that most come with a handle to help you pull your pet out of the water if he goes in the drink

• Your marine parts specialists also recommend that you be sure to close hatches to the engine room and other small nooks you don’t want a pet to explore

• Familiarising your pet with the boat before you set sail is a good idea, so they are not scared or confused when you get going

• Be sure to make the tender floor claw-proof to avoid punctures

• For heavy dogs, harnesses or winch systems are available

What to pack

• Your marine products international experts want to make sure that you pack plenty of bedding – a soggy salty bed will smell after a few days so spares will be handy

• A doggie lifejacket

• Plenty of towels for absorbing the post-swim seawater

• Collar and lead, with waterproof ID tag

So don't forget these helpful reminders when considering if you want to bring your pets with you while sailing. Make sure your pet 1) has a microchip;  2) a rabies vaccination;  3) a pet passport or third country official veterinary certificate; and 4) a tapeworm treatment (if you're bringing a dog).

Raritan Engineering Company is your marine parts source for all your boating needs.

via Pets on board: sailing with your furry friends

Marine Parts Depot Experts Know the Secret of Dealing With Pesky Waterline Stains

 

Your Marine Parts Depot Specialists Understand That Maintenance Is Going to Need Some Elbow Grease

Raritan Engineering Company your marine parts depot analysts would like to share with you this information regarding the secrets of dealing with pesky waterline stains. 

Summer is here, and our routine maintenance chores now require some serious elbow grease. Our first impulse is to go for the super-strength acids that will take care of the hard growth as well as the stains. 

Over the years, Practical Sailor has reviewed several eco-friendly products that do a good job of descaling heat exchangers and removing barnacles. 

Other products like Star brite Zebra Mussel and Barnacle Remover or MaryKate On & Off deal with shell and scale well, but they contain stronger concentrations of hydrochloric acid that give off toxic fumes and are beastly to work with. 

Green Cleaners

The trouble with brown-yellow waterline stains is that they’re often made up of more than one problem—a combination, for instance, of algae stain, pollen, and tannic-acid stains, plus oil stain, all in a matrix of salt and strange oxides. 

Most waterline stain removers use harsh acids to banish the brown funk. If the stain isn’t too bad, try cleaning it with concentrated lemon juice first. The most eco-friendly product tested was Captain John’s Boat Brite Algae and Waterline Stain Remover, which earned a “Good” rating for appearance with just a little rubbing. 

Your Marine Parts Depot Professionals Exercise Caution When Deciding to Use Acids Cleaners

Your marine parts depot experts know that acids can eat the copper right out of the bottom paint if not used carefully. This could potentially make the one or two inches above the waterline basically useless at repelling growth if you cleaned your boat in-water then loaded it for cruising.

 

The hull of my own boat is always well waxed and I really don't get to much if any waterline staining. A good coat of wax, or a polymer sealer such as Awlcare, can go a long way to minimizing these brown stains.

For Gelcoat, Not Painted Hulls:

This task is easy and is also safe for gelcoated hulls. While I have personally used mild acid formulations on LPU paints such as Awlgrip or Alexseal and Acrylic urethane products such as Awlcraft 2000 or Imron I don't suggest it, nor do the paint manufacturers.

If you must use an acid on paint please be really, really, really, really careful and rinse it off immediately after the stain disappears DO NOT LET IT DRY. Do small 3-4′ sections before moving on and rinse, rinse rinse once the stain is gone. 

The Products:

To clean waterline stains I use MaryKate On & Off Gel pictured here. This is a huge improvement over the regular non-gel On & Off or basic Oxalic crystals from the hardware store. It's also a lot cheaper and stronger than products like Davis FSR stain remover, but works similarly.

 

Always wear rubber gloves & eye protection! Remember this stuff is acid. I use cheap chip brushesto apply it and toss them when I am done.

Learn more from Raritan Engineering about marine products from your marine parts depot.

via Conquering (or Coexisting with) Waterline Stains

via Removing Waterline Hull Staining

 

Marine Ice Makers Professionals Show How to Pack Food For Your Next Long Sailing Trip

Your Marine Ice Makers Analysts Know How Important It Is to Replenish Your Energy

Raritan Engineering Company your marine ice makers specialists would like to share with you these topics we thought would be of interest to you this month regarding how to pack food for your next long sailing trip.

You probably have never asked yourself what you are going to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner between 6th November and late January or early February 2017, but this is something the Vendée Globe skippers have to think about well in advance. They also have to take into account different considerations from us. Firstly, they need to eat more to compensate for the energy they require, which is much more than someone sitting in an office. 

Freeze-dried food and ready meals

Plan for more? It’s not as simple as that. They want to have just the right amount, as they have to pay attention to the weight taken aboard, as this can seriously affect performance. Your marine parts analysts know that the weight of the food is far from being unimportant: 120 to 180 kilos of supplies (with the cleaning and personal hygiene products). When they calculate the ideal amount, the favourites work on the basis of 80 to 85 days of food, with the others taking more with them. 

We should not forget that food has an influence too on our sleep. The nutritionist, Eve Tiollier, who works with Jean-Pierre Dick, explains, “alongside the bags of food offering the recommended daily intake, Jean-Pierre has an additional bag, in which he has sweet food or protein-rich food, which encourage him to sleep or on the contrary, stay awake.”

Packing for 90 days at sea is a balance between bringing the right food and bringing the right amount to keep the skippers in top form.

One bag a day

While some, like Arnaud Boissières only take aboard freeze-dried food, for many skippers, the supplies include 40 to 50% vacuum packed meals and 50-60% freeze-dried. Your marine water heaters professionals know that even if the latter has made considerable progress ove the past ten years in terms of variety and taste, they tend to be less appreciated by the skippers than the ready prepared meals.

Your Marine Ice Makers Experts Recommend Vacuum Packed or Freeze-Dried Meals for Simplicity

You can find more information as well as get assistance on marine ice machines at Raritan Engineering. 

Your marine parts corp experts understand that they do however offer a number of advantages: they don’t take up much space, they are very light and fulfil the nutritional requirements… particularly as the fresh water that is used to prepare them is supplied by the desalinator. They just have to heat it up on the ring (camping stove), stir in the sachet and it’s ready. 

A few necessary goodies

Then there is another important aspect to consider with the food. The question of pleasure. This is in fact vital, as it affects the mood and therefore the performance of the skipper. Alex Thomson has already calculated with his coach, Lawrence Knott, that he may lose around twelve kilos during the race and has therefore adapted his supplied accordingly. 

To conclude this subject, while what is available has come a long way – you can find practically every dish possible freeze-dried and their taste has vastly improved. Your marine product distributors say that there has also been scientific progress. Kito de Pavant will be monitored during the race to analyse his nutritional situation. 

 

So don't forget these helpful suggestions on how to pack food for your next long sailing trip. 1) Consider using freeze-dried and ready meals;  2) only eat one bag of food per day;  and 3) have the right food to make eating enjoyable to boost positive attitude.

 

Raritan Engineering has more information on marine ice makers, marine water heaters and the marine parts depot.

 

via Vendee Globe: Food for Thought

 

Boat Cleaning Products Professionals Show How to Make Your Paint Job Last

 

Your Boat Cleaning Products Analysts Know We All Like The Shiny, Wet Paint Look to Last and Last

Raritan Engineering Company would love to share with you the following information regarding boat cleaning products and how to make your new paint job last for a long time.

The results derived from a professionally applied LPU topside refinish are as dramatic as the invoice that accompanies the makeover. The shiny, wet look and the protection it affords can last for years whether its three years, five years, or nearly a decade depends upon how kindly the rejuvenated surface is treated.

Giving your topsides proper maintenance attention, like waxing regularly, will keep them looking healthy.

• During application: Most well-executed LPU paint jobs begin with epoxy primers and fairing compounds as the underpinnings of a glistening LPU topcoat.


• Cleaning: Regularly sponge washing the hull is the first step in preserving the topcoat shine. Avoid cleaning with scrub pads and gritty cleaners; this should be a completely non-abrasive effort.


• Sailing is not a full-contact sport: More often than not, the decision to have the topsides re-painted has to do with localized damage that resulted from docking maneuvers gone awry, tussles at the starting line, or storm damage when a line gives way.


• Wax On-Wax Off: After the first two or three seasons of washing and protecting the surface from winter-cover abrasion and line chafe, there's often a need to tune up the gloss a bit.

The best bet is to follow up another good washing with a conventional carnauba-based wax like Mothers California Gold or Collinites #88 ( Best Choice for paste waxes, July 2009).

Your Boat Cleaning Products Experts Have All the Secrets to Waxing Your Boat Properly

Your boat cleaning products specialists know how important it is to breathe life into dull coats: Owners of boats with five- to seven-year-old intact LPU paint jobs that look dull but remain well adhered, can try rubbing out the surface with 3M Perfect-It rubbing compound and following up with a carnauba wax.

• Repair care: Repairs to two-part LPU coatings are a true test of product awareness and applicator talent. The interesting challenge here lies in blending the old and the new, and blending the circumference known as the overspray region. Matching color change and gloss variation is even tougher than automotive work.

One of the reasons why AwlCraft and other slightly softer and more user-friendly acrylic-based LPU paints are growing in popularity is that they are much easier to repair and buff than polyester-based two-part paints. Their longevity is good, but not quite that of old standby Awlgrip.

If you are planning a new paint job and looking for a durable, long-lasting finish, the December 2012 issue of Practical Sailor compared linear polyurethane paints after three years.

Visit us at http://raritaneng.com/category-pages/cleaners/and see how Raritan Engineering always has the best information and assistance possible regarding boat cleaning products.

via Extending the Life of Your New Paint Job

 

Your Boat Toilet Professionals Discuss Information on the Power of Navigation Control

Your Boat Toilets Experts Discuss Navigation Control 

Raritan Engineering Company your boat toilets analysts would like to share with you these topics we thought would be of interest to you this month regarding how easy it is to do your own marine charting. 

Your boat toilets experts know that the latest enhancement to electronic charting technology gives boaters the ability to instantly create their own high-resolution marine charts — cartography with more detail and up-to-date depth data than anything you can buy off the shelf. This is real-time charting that you can utilize immediately and in the future.

Humminbird AutoChart Live

Activating live-charting functions is as easy as pressing a few buttons on the touchscreen menu of your compatible plotter or fish-finder system. 

Humminbird’s AutoChart Live and Garmin’s Quickdraw Contours are free. An ­annual ­subscription to the Navionics Freshest Data club is needed to use SonarChart Live with a Raymarine plotter.

Garmin Quickdraw Contours

The technology can save you money. “Since you’re adding new HD chart data all the time, you don’t have to buy updated chart cards as often,” says David Dunn, senior manager for marine sales and marketing for Garmin.

Go to http://raritaneng.com/raritan-product-line/marine-toilets/marine-elegance/ and see how you can always find more information on boat toilets at Raritan Engineering.

Real-time charting systems work with any networked fish finder, such as a conventional 50/200 kHz system, chirp fish finder, or scanning sonar. 

The Quickdraw Community builds on the success of the company’s Quickdraw Contours software feature – a free, easy-to-use tool that lets mariners instantly create personalized HD maps with 1-foot contours on any body of water – allowing users to easily and quickly share and upload the best data available.

“Garmin customers have been collecting Quickdraw Contours mapping and depth data on their devices since the free software feature became available earlier this year, and now they have a way to easily share that data with others,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of worldwide sales.

Creating Quickdraw Contours data is powerfully simple. Once it’s turned on, users will instantly see contours with labels generated right on the screen as the boat moves – unlike competitor products, there’s no waiting around or sending the files in for remote processing, nor is there a fee to keep the data private or to share it with others. 

The collected data can be stored on any off-the-shelf SD or microSDTM card, as well as existing Garmin BlueChart® g2, BlueChart g2 Vision® and LakeVü HD Ultra cards. 

Data can be uploaded through a “Marine Profile” in Garmin Connect, and once uploaded, will typically be available on the web for download within 24 hours. With the intuitive map interface, users can easily locate and see the data shared by other users within the community overlaid on the applicable body of water. 

The Garmin Quickdraw Community on Garmin Connect is available now at garminconnect.com/quickdraw. Quickdraw Contours comes standard on all echoMAP CHIRP products, and is available as a free software update for all other echoMAP and many GPSMAP series products. 

Garmin Quickdraw Sharing

Recently, Garmin was named Manufacturer of the Year and received the honor of being the most recognized company in the marine electronics field by the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA). 

For decades, Garmin has pioneered new GPS navigation and wireless devices and applications that are designed for people who live an active lifestyle. Garmin serves five primary business units, including automotive, aviation, fitness, marine, and outdoor recreation.

Click here and see how Raritan Engineering is always the leader in information regarding boat toilets and other marine products.

via Real-Time Marine Charting

via GARMIN INTRODUCES QUICKDRAW: MAKE AND SHARE YOUR OWN NAUTICAL CHARTS

Marine Parts Source Professionals Offer Free and Simple Gelcoat Repairing Techniques

 

Your Marine Parts Source Analysts Help You to Make Your Boat Look Amazing

Raritan Engineering Company would like to share with you this week some powerful tips on how to make and keep your sail boat looking amazing.

Your marine parts source specialists know that as good a job as the Badger does, however, setting up and cleaning the tool is a multi-step process. In the interest of simplicity, we have also outlined an alternative method of repairing gelcoat—applying gelcoat with a brush instead of with a spray gun.

The advantage of “painting” gelcoat on is that you save the $17 price of an airbrush and the hassle of setup and cleanup. However, you can't finish the job in one sitting; the gelcoat must be brushed on in several coats to achieve good coverage. 

Fortunately there is an even better solution, the Preval Sprayer. The Preval combines the best of the Badger and the paint brush. It's quick to set up and clean, and provides adequate coverage in a single application. 

The Preval Sprayer is not a new product. It has been used for many years by boatbuilders and boatyards to do spot repairs to gelcoat. It's not economical even for a yard to do minor cosmetic repairs with a big, compressor-driven industrial spray gun. 

Your Marine Parts Source Experts Explain Which Tools Are Needed On These Projects

Instead, use an unwaxed paper cup. Your marine parts source professionals say that you can just stick the stem of the propellant can in a corner of the cup as you spray. You must be careful to keep the stem immersed in gelcoat, or the sprayer will sputter and splatter. 

The Preval will spray 16 ounces of liquid with a full can of propellant. This means you can re-use it for several gelcoat repairs before you toss it.

However, you must carefully clean it after every use. Cleaning is a quick three-step procedure: First, stick the stem in acetone and spray for a few seconds. 

As a final precaution, stick the stem back in acetone and spray it through the system for a few more seconds. When buying gelcoat, it's best to check first with the builder of your boat, because he is most likely to have colors that match, or give you the information you need to make a match. 

As with any gelcoat job, the surface must be perfectly faired with auto body and/or lacquer putty, or fairing compound before spraying. The gelcoat must be thinned slightly with reducer to spray evenly (although acetone is often recommended from thinning, it will cause the finish to more quickly lose its brightness, color, and gloss). 

So don't forget these helpful reminders on how to keep your boat looking amazing. 1) Be open-minded about applying gelcoat with a brush and not an air gun;  2) the gelcoat must be brushed on in several coats to look its best;  and 3) remember that the surface must be perfectly faired with lacquer or auto body putty before spraying.

Learn more at Raritan Engineering about how we are always the best marine parts source. 

via Quick and Easy Gelcoat Repair

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