Hello Patrick,

To answer your specific question on the life raft I would need to know what kind of boating you are going to do. There are different grades of life rafts depending on the application. They range from commercial to coastal. For recreational boating, life rafts are ranked: coastal to 20 miles offshore; 20 to 50 miles offshore; and greater than 50 miles offshore.

In general, you should buy the best life raft you can afford - your life depends on it. Life rafts are expensive and often people skimp on quality to save cost, but if you are 100 miles offshore and have to abandon ship in a coastal raft you will pay the price. The extra insulation, ballast, first aid, and water/food provisions in the 50+ mile raft are vastly different from the coastal raft. These "extras" will allow you to survive for many days before rescue.

Next, you said 6 to 8 persons. Unfortunately, I've actually had to "step up" into a life raft several hundred miles offshore and it is not a pleasant experience. In my experience, a 6 person raft is barely tolerable for 4 people, so if you are thinking 6 people, I strongly recommend going with an 8-person raft. Not only will there be more supplies on board, but it will keep the crew comfortable. Definitely go with a covered raft - the sun is your enemy and a cover will also trap body heat and give protection from rain making it more comfortable.

As far as life raft manufacturers there are a lot of them, just make sure the raft you buy is approved for the kind of boating you will be doing. Personally I like Switlik, Avon, Winslow and Viking and all of these make rafts in each category.

As far as EPIRB's go, again there are differences as to whether they just send the locator beacon, or the beacon plus GPS coordinates. Obviously the more expensive models have the most features. Personally, I like ARC as a manufacturer and they make a wide range of EPIRB's. If you buy used, make sure it is a Category II 406 MHz model as the USCG no longer monitors the older models.

Hope this information helps. Here's hoping you never have to use the life raft and EPIRB.

Best,

Captain Craig Bliss

PS: If you are sailing far offshore I recommend your grab bag contain a hand operated fresh water maker; they are expensive, but the water rations on a life raft a minimal and the ability to make water will reassure your crew. I also recommend a battery operated hand-held GPS and lots of extra batteries.

Hi Steve,

It sounds to me like you have put a lot of thought into this project and I completely understand your desire to keep the furler within the furler well.

In the professional marine industry we spend a huge amount of time making retro fits to boats and sometimes there is no other option than to go custom and have something fabricated to make it work the way you want it to. I do however, have some suggestions before you go custom:

First, check with Hood, they are used to retro fitting onto other boats and they may have a specific conversion kit for the Hunter 30. You are probably not the first person to retro fit and if you are lucky they might have already addressed this problem.

If Hood can't help, the next step I would consider is going semi-custom. If you can find a fitting at a local chandlery that is very close to what you need, then you can have it modified by a good metal fabricator to do the job you want it to. The semi-custom approach will definitely save you some money.

Finally, if all else fails, find a good marine fabricator and have them custom make the piece that will work as you need it to. Custom metal fabrication can sometimes be a little pricey, but ultimately you will get what you need to achieve your goal.

Best of luck Steve,

Captain Ian Fagg

Hi Donna,

This question is a bit out of my league, but I searched the Internet and found the following link for scholarships at the Maine Maritime Academy:

http://www.mainemaritime.edu/financialaid/index.php?c1=FinancialAid&c2=Scholars

I think you will probably find all the information you need here. Looks like there are a number of financial aid possibilities.

Also, Randy White, the co-founder of SailAngle.com cast your question out to a number of USPS members and Rear Commander Bob Miller found the following link that also has a lot of scholarship information specific for maritime education.

http://www.nextstudent.com/directory-of-scholarship/Major/0225/Academic-Maritime-scholarships.aspx

Together these links should give you all the information you need, but you should also consider posting your question in the SailAngle Forum to see if other members have additional suggestions.

I wish you the best of luck Donna.

Captain Ian Fagg

Hi Ron,

I can't comment on Jet-Drive boats because as yet, I have no experience with them. I have heard mixed reports both for and against, the biggest plus being safety of not having a propeller.

I have just outfitted a Swan 82 with a new 14-foot tender with a 40hp 4-stroke engine and am very pleased with the result. We went for an AB 14 fiberglass inflatable open style boat, the engin being a Yamaha F40. The open (no console) design works well for us as we often ferry a lot of guests and luggage around, and not having the cockpit space taken up with a console is definitely a benefit. On the flip side, the boat is pretty lively and needs an experienced driver, especially in choppy/windy conditions. A center console in the boat does add a little more stability and controllability, especially with a 50hp engine.

I would avoid an aluminum bottom like the plague. I have had a number of these over the years and to be frank, none of the manufacturers of these boats paint them very well. Many sail boaters like the aluminum for the small amount of weight saving, but I honestly believe it's not worth it.

Caribe and AB both make a good boat. The Caribe has larger tubes, a benefit for keeping dry, but more difficult to get in and out of from the water. The AB has more of a "turn up" in the bow and a deeper "V" so a slightly smoother ride in choppy conditions, but still a wetter ride than a Caribe in my opinion. If you want to spend a little more cash then I believe the Novurania makes a very high quality product.

Happy tender hunting,

Captain Ian Fagg

Hi Robert,

We're late shoving off for the Caribbean, but I got your question this morning and wanted to answer before we leave in the morning. New York is one of the best places on the planet to watch the fireworks on the 4th of July. A couple of years ago, we took a 94-foot yacht to North Cove Marina in Manhattan. On the evening of the 4th we motored over to the Statue of Liberty and anchored just to the east of her. We arrived about 1500 and by 1800 it began to get crowded, but not terrible. We enjoyed a nice dinner and wine and settled in for the show. The displays were amazing as we were able to see the Jersey show right behind Lady Liberty and were also able to see the display up the East River. When the shows were over, the crowds quickly dissipated and we motored back to the marina without incident. For dockage there are several marinas along the Hudson, but none more convenient than North Cove, also across the river is New Liberty Landing in New Jersey. Make advanced reservations at North Cove and without leaving the marina you will still have a good vantage point for the fireworks. Hope this helps.

Happy 4th!

Captain Craig Bliss

Hello Trevor,

On rigs your size I generally tune them by feel, but when tuned it's going to be in the range of 800 to 1,000 lbs on the stays and 500 to 700 lbs on the shrouds. You will want the cap shrouds a bit more taut than the lowers. Mind you I am not recommending you apply these loads to your rig immediately after restepping the mast.

Follow the traditional tuning steps for your type of rig which I am assuming is a masthead rig. After you have stepped the mast, to initially align it, use a no-stretch tape measure taken all the way up the main halyard and measure side-to-side on the deck at a sheet track, chain plate or spot on the sheer line - - the further outboard the better. Tighten the cap shrouds until the measurement side-to-side is equal and then take up on your lowers followed by your headstay and backstay. Keep adjusting and measuring until you can only get an inch or two of deflection while pushing on the cap shrouds and slightly more on the lowers.

As I said, this should serve as a good starting point for the tune. Next, you need to take the boat out in 8-10 knots of breeze and adjust the rig while tacking. Make very small adjustments to tighten the shrouds as needed port and starboard to keep the mast in column on each tack.

I hope this helps and give us a shout if you have any more questions.

Happy tuning,

Captain Craig Bliss

Hi Robert,

Doing a passage from the Chesapeake to the Penobscot Bay region is a great first long distance cruise to make if you are a good bay sailor and want to stretch you wings a bit to get a taste of inland and near coastal sailing. It is an excellent stepping stone to eventual blue water ocean passage making.

Regarding the best time to make the passage up and back for favorable winds? This sort of passage is one that has no basis for seasonal historic wind patterns, rather is based more on air temperatures and frequency of storms either spring or fall. My recommendation (assuming you have no fixed schedule) is to plan to arrive no sooner than July 1st and plan to depart in early September. These dates will give you the best temperature and rain comfort.

Plan on taking two weeks both ways and you should be able to pick your weather windows. Leave the Chesapeake through the C&D canal, down the Delaware, through the Cape May Canal, then for your first near coastal passage jump outside to round New Jersey and stop just outside New York City in Sandy Hook. Then on through NYC, but time the East River for the tides as Hells Gate can have significant adverse currents. From there you have simple day sails through Long Island Sound to Block Island. From there follow the islands to the entrance to the Cape Cod Canal. Again tide timing is critical to motor the length of the Cape Cod Canal as there are peak current times. Then it is a jump to Provincetown on the hook of Cape Cod.

Your second near coastal passage begins at Provincetown. You can pick your stops between there and Penobscot Bay, passing over some of the greatest whale watching grounds available or sail straight through to Rockland or Camden Maine just inside the Penobscot Bay's Western shore. There you can facilitate repairs and provisioning before cruising your way through the bay to North East Harbor. I like your choice of North East Harbor as it is one of my favorite spots too.

One last caution, June and July can be quite foggy, so skill with radar equipment is pretty important when cruising anywhere from Long Island Sound to Maine. August and September tend to have less fog, but it can always roll in unannounced.

Safe passage,

Captain Bob Wellen

Hey Mark,

I have had some recent experience in this field after we ran into a large pot just a few weeks ago about 300 miles off the coast of New England on the way to the Caribbean. To add insult to injury, it was at night making it even harder to determine exactly where the lines under the boat were running. Some time for reflection after the incident, as always, has given me some ideas about how to deal with this situation if it happens again.

Assuming you are sailing and not motoring, the likelihood is that the line is caught around the front of your keel, or between the keel and the rudder. In either case, DO NOT start your engine. If the line is just caught on the rudder, or keel you have a very good chance of freeing it, but once it gets wrapped around your propeller, there's no choice, you're going swimming.

First thing is to drop sail, you don't need the aggravation of the boat trying to sail whilst dealing with the situation. Also, if you are lucky, your boat will now drift backwards and away from the lines, freeing you from the tangle.

If this doesn't work and you are still stuck, it's time to move on to Stage-2. Find a way to cut the lines to the buoys, either by lifting them out of the water to gain access, or a sharp bread knife taped securely to a boat hook will also work. The idea here is that the lines, which typicallly sink, will sink away from your boat and you will more easily drift away from the tangle. If any fishermen want to take issue with this, you can find my location on the SailAngle.com Google map - - come see me and I will be happy to discuss!!!

Failing this, it really is time to go swimming (Stage-3). If it is night, best to wait until morning to gain some visibility, also swimming at night flashing a light around can bring some very big and unwanted predators. Take a flotation device and a line that tethers you to the boat with a quick release in case it becomes tangled. You will need to cut the line free and to do this there is nothing that works better than a sharp bread knife - - no $200 dive knife gets through line quicker than a high quality Wusthof or Global knife and I recommend everybody should carry one as a part of their safety kit.

Always give consideration to what kit you might need if you have to go swimming. Here's my list: mask, snorkel, fins (not too large), bread knife, wetsuit depending on climate, a tether with a quick release, underwater light, and a flotation device. Position crew on deck with a throwing line. Get in, go about your work quickly, and get out.

Happy sailing Mark and watch out for those pots.

Regards,

Captain Ian Fagg

Hi Robert,

The short answer is NO, you shouldn't be using the VHF for communication between crew members on the same boat, even on the low power setting. Some fixed type VHF's do have built in intercom systems with other VHF's in the same network, but they use a hard wire, not the VHF radio frequencies. Also, some of the newest and more expensive handheld VHF's do have private personal communication channels not part of the regular VHF frequencies; these are OK to use intra-vessel. But, if you do require an intercom system there are a number of relatively inexpensive radios on the market that are weather resistant and come with ear pieces for hands free operation and they are often voice activated. These come in especially handy when your crew member is at the bow ready to release the anchor and you are at the helm and it is nice to be able to communicate with your crew without having to shout and it looks all that bit more professional.

Cheers,

Captain Ian Fagg

Hi John,

Basically there are two ways to winterize the fresh water system on a boat. You can drain the system including the hot water tank (the Dry method), or you can fill the system with RV-approved non-toxic antifreeze (the Wet method).

The "Dry" method requires more than just draining the system, as small amounts of water can remain trapped in low areas, elbows, and fittings. Once these small amounts of water freeze in place they can/will damage the plumbing. But, to properly use the dry method you need to use compressed air to blow out any remaining water after draining the system. This requires an air compressor and appropriate adapters, but is otherwise straightforward. Connect the compressor and let it run until the plumbing is completely dry.

The "Wet" method is where the hot water heater bypass comes in. It is nothing more than a bypass valve installed on the water heater that allows you to bypass the heater when filling the system with antifreeze. Depending on the size of your tank this can save you 6-12 gallons of antifreeze. They sell these so-called kits, but frankly, you can simply connect the "In" and "Out" lines to the water heater and you've created your own bypass valve; no need to buy one.

An additional problem when using the "Wet" method is you have to remove water filters, make sure you flush antifreeze through the heads, shower drains, sink drains, and grey water tanks. For black water tanks make sure they are pumped out and then winterize them with a couple of gallons of antifreeze.

So the answer to your question is that you don't need the bypass at all if you are using the "Dry" method. If using the "Wet" method I would simply connect the in/out lines after draining the water heater and then pump the antifreeze through the system.

At the end of the day, I prefer the Dry method, it costs less, you don't have to flush the system when re-commissioning in the spring, and you don't need a bypass valve. Regardless of which method you use, you still need to winterize the holding tanks.

Best,

Captain Craig Bliss