January 13, 2021
Ask Andrew: Propeller selection
Styles, shapes, pitch and diameter of props are widely discussed on online boating forums, YouTube videos and in boatyard scrimmages. The pros and cons aren’t always debated well – so lets take a look at some of the terms, options and choices to allow you to make some educated decisions.
December 15, 2020
Ask Andrew – December 17, 2020
‘‘Twas the night before Christmas and all ‘cross the land, boats were left to slumber, exactly as planned. Engines were winterized and tarps were tied tight, but batteries – and what to do – give many a fright.
December 2, 2020
Safety: Marine Surveys
Recently, with all the new enthusiasm for boating, I was approached by a person who was thinking about buying their first boat. They wanted to know if they needed to get a marine survey.My answer was yes.
November 17, 2020
Ask Andrew: Boat ventilation
I passed by a person doing some shrink-wrap work recently, and as he installed a vent in the shrink-wrap he was completing, he muttered satisfactorily to himself ‘Air flow isn’t just for sail boats.
November 4, 2020
Boating Safety: The Canadian Safe Boating Council
It looks like Covid 19 has not stopped many people from boating. In fact, 2020 seems to have been a banner year and it looks like 2021 will be the same if not better. So, let me start by looking ahead and wishing everyone a safe and happy boating season for 2021.
November 4, 2020
Ask Andrew: Will we make it? Fuel gauge troubleshooting
There’s nothing worse than wondering how much fuel you have on board. You’re left wondering how long you can motor for. As well, you have no idea how much more fuel you can take on at the marina pump. You’re forced to resort to using a combination of dipsticks and jerry cans to compensate for not knowing the tank level.
October 21, 2020
Ask Andrew: Protecting your boat for the winter
As the cold approaches, shrink-wrapping is a hot topic, and I’ve heard more than a few debates at marinas and yacht clubs about the merits and disadvantages of winter covers, tarps and wraps.
October 13, 2020
Winterization Isn’t Like Your Dad Did It: Modern Methods For Modern Boats
“They don’t make ‘em like they used to”, is a phrase that many of us are familiar with. Most of the time it is in reference to a bygone era of better, and it’s used to lament the sorry state of what we have today. It is a phrase that can be applied to many areas of our lives: architecture, art, furniture, tools.
October 7, 2020
Ask Andrew: Boat electricity – a look inside
I’m on many different types of boats, with many configurations. Some have a single ‘automotive-type’ battery on board. Others have shore power, coupled with multiple battery banks, generators and inverters. Often the complexity of the systems, dictates the type of power needed to support them.
September 22, 2020
Ask Andrew – Yikes! Autumn means haulout
Labour Day weekend tends to be the ‘last hurrah’ on many fronts: the last long weekend of the summer, and (for many of us) the last time to enjoy the family boat for the season before other work/school/tasks/life take precedence.
September 9, 2020
What to do with an Old Boat in BC?
For decades, abandoned boats have littered our coastal shorelines and waterways, posing an environmental and safety risk and negatively impacting local economies.
September 9, 2020
TS Playfair Coming to Hamilton Harbour
One of the Great Lakes’ best known tall ships, sail training vessel TS Playfair, will soon be making her home berth at the Hamilton harbour thanks to the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority (HOPA Ports) and a hard working group of volunteers.
September 9, 2020
Ask Andrew: Blowing Smoke
My Dad is not a mechanical guy. He is educated and well-read, and handy around the house – but not mechanical. When I was 12, I joined a trip to the local mechanic to get our family car fixed.
August 25, 2020
Ask Andrew – The Bucket
I was cleaning up my workbench the other day. My eyes then scanned across my workbench and fell on ‘the bucket’. Everyone has a one. On a boat, it’s usually in a cockpit lazarette. It’s full of old paint cans and half-used tubes of caulking. There might be some white grease, painters tape or epoxy in there, too.
August 11, 2020
Sailing Plan app for power or sail
The Sailing Plan is a Canadian small vessel safety app that is a fast and easy-to-use tool for creating, filing and sharing sailing plans before heading out on the water.
August 10, 2020
Ask Andrew: High temperatures – and not just because it’s August
July and August in Canada are the months of boating. People are on the water – exploring, cruising, fishing, voyaging and racing. Maintenance and repairs aren’t the priority – the fun is.
August 10, 2020
Children and Boating
Boating together with the kids as a family can be a most enjoyable activity. Because people, especially kids, have unique personalities it is important to take the suggestions that I am going to make…
July 21, 2020
Safety on the Water: Marine Rules of the Road
The marine rules of the road are set out in Canada’s Collision Regulations, Schedule 1, Section I – Conduct of vessels in any condition of visibility and Section II – Conduct of vessels in sight of one another.
July 21, 2020
Ask Andrew: Making proper connections
I get a lot of calls for electrical repairs. Not upgrades or installations – the requests are to repair what’s already there. Sometimes its because something has stopped working, and the mess of wiring, repairs and additions over time; the mysterious nature of electrical problems prevent the boat owner from tackling this on their own.
July 7, 2020
Ask Andrew: Tune-ups
Many boats are now on the water after a COVID-imposed hiatus – and with a shortened ‘prep’ period, usually filled with antifouling, polishing, cleaning, engine check-overs and the installation of a new Christmas/boat-show electronic doo-dad.
June 30, 2020
Canadian Yachting – Modern Teak Decks
Wooden boat production in the 1940’s and 50’s was epitomized by expert craftsmanship, beautifully faired curves, bright varnish, and high-grade materials. Teak in particular is highly rot resistant, prized for its ability to produce its own oil, and recognized by its tight, straight grain.
June 10, 2020
Ask Andrew – Pump it up
Boats contain several pumps, each serving a unique purpose and positioned in a way that allows it to do its job effectively. Understanding the why and the how can be important in troubleshooting when an issue crops up.
June 10, 2020
The Rules Guy: An overview of the right-of-way rules III
In the past two issues we have been doing an overview of the right-of-way rules. In the first, we did a review of Section A of Part 2, in the second we did a review of the definitions. This issue, we will look at Section B of Part 2, General Limitations, which is essentially limitations applying to boats that have right of way according to Section A.
May 29, 2020
Beware of What You Cannot See
When every January ebbs and February approaches, Canadians look forward to more hours of sunshine AND actual sunshine. Seeing that sun poke through the clouds on a winter’s day is the most delightful sight in the world and brings with it the hope of spring and the long days on the water to come.
May 26, 2020
Ask Andrew – Interlux webinar
There’s no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed our world. Some of the changes are huge: social distancing, sanitizing and face-masks have become our new norm. Adapting to working from home, and meetings via platforms like Zoom are challenges we’ve accepted and conquered.
May 26, 2020
Boating During COVID-19: Tips for Safe Social Distancing
Boating safety is always—always—a critical consideration whenever you push off the dock, but with all the recent issues regarding COVID-19, many people are wondering if boating is considered a safe social distancing practice.
May 13, 2020
Beware of What you Cannot See
Most people think that proper eye care consists of visiting an eye doctor. Taking good care of your eyes is up you.
May 13, 2020
Ask Andrew: Late spring start-ups
These days, the internet is full of memes with the message of ‘we’re all in this together’. As a marine mechanic, I’ve been partial to the phrases that reference boating. My favourite so far has been ‘We’re not all is the same boat, but we are all in the same storm’.
May 5, 2020
Safety at Sea: Creating a Culture of Safety
In my 45 years of teaching sailing and boating there has never been a subject more aligned with my love of boating and cruising than this one. Each person I talked with about Safety at Sea spoke with commitment and passion about the importance of creating a Safety Ethos (Culture of Safety) aboard each boat, fleet, club and association.
April 21, 2020
Ask Andrew – Delayed Launch
2020 is a year of change – self-isolation, social distancing, quarantine, and working remotely have become the norm. For many, this has been a bitter pill to swallow. Another bitter pill for boaters is the delay of the season. Provincial laws differ – so terms like ‘essential’ aren’t translating widely across the marine world.
April 21, 2020
Cruising Sails Tech
Is one better than the other? What are the different advantages and disadvantages of the two sail styles? And what should you get on your boat? Precision Sails’ Senior Sail Designer, Jeremy Roszmann discusses the details and features of the two sail types.
April 7, 2020
The Rules Guy: An overview of the right-of-way rules II
Last column we started an overview of the right-of-way rules. That issue focused on Section A of Part 2. At the end of that article, I said would next focus on the definitions. Early in the Rules book, there is a separate section helpfully titled “Definitions”.
April 7, 2020
Ask Andrew: Part 3 of Fibreglass repair – Epoxy
In Parts 1 and 2 we discussed fiberglass and gelcoat. This time, we’ll explore the ways that epoxy can be used aboard.
March 25, 2020
Ask Andrew: Understanding Gelcoat
Building on our last two editions (Sealants, and Fibreglass, respectively), Gelcoat is the next logical progression – that is, the outer part of the hull and decks. Gelcoat serves two main purposes: To protect the fiberglass beneath it, and to give a cosmetic finish as the outer layer of construction.
March 10, 2020
The Rules Guy: An Overview Of The Right-Of-Way Rules – instalment 1
As we start a new sailing season, I am going to start a new view of the right-of-way rules. I hope that by giving an overview, I can help my readers understand the rules for themselves.
March 10, 2020
Downwind Starts for the Long Distance Fleet
Many articles speak to the challenges and strategies involved in achieving a good upwind start, however, they often begin with sheets eased or with spinnakers ready to hoist, so let’s dig into some of the considerations that come into play with these types of starts.
March 10, 2020
Ask Andrew: Understanding Fibreglass
Last edition we talked about sealants to perform tasks like bedding and sealing. Other tasks like bonding, gluing, encapsulating and strengthening can be done using fiberglass, and the various resins available to saturate it.
February 26, 2020
Improve your docking skills
Improve your docking skills whether you are single-handing or have help, on a sailboat or a powerboat. Learn the theory and interaction of propellers, keels, and rudders and how to manage docking in wind and current.
February 26, 2020
Ask Andrew: Understanding Sealants
Over the winter, a many-thousand pound fiberglass, wood or metal shell is held in position by only a few plywood pads, or perhaps by two trailer bunks. In the spring, many of our boats are lifted by two slings into the water, putting enormous pressure on the sides of the hull, causing it to flex and shift.