Boat U.S. - March 2008 - (Page 47)

of barnacles is a major problem (especially now that I can’t hold my breath as long as I used to). My familiarity with the problem of stainless oxygen deprivation in the presence of an electrolyte leads me to believe that painting stainless under water would not be a good idea. Any suggestions? Bob Cardwell Bel Air, MD running at 2,000 rpm. Therefore you can expect a fuel consumption of about 2.4 pounds of diesel per hour. Assuming a fuel density of about 6.8 pounds per gallon, you will be using 0.35 to perhaps 0.38 gallons per hour. This rough calculation is based on typical small, conventional engines and a standard prop law curve. outdated flares becomes too large, they can be donated to the U.S. Power Squadrons for use in demonstrations or taken to the local hazardous waste disposal facility. I believe that any “Clean Marina” will also accept the outdated flares for safe disposal. Although your concern for oxidation of stainless steel in an oxygen-deficient environment is well taken, it is common practice to protect stainless steel prop shafts and the like with special anti-fouling paints that are applied in a two-step process, primer and then the anti-fouling finish coat. However, while prop shafts are one-piece, it is possible that your stainless rudder may include a weld, which, due to the effects of the heat used in the welding process, will already be more susceptible to corrosion than the remainder of the surface. Since the rudder is surviving without a protective coating on the welded area, it appears reasonable that the entire structure will do at least as well after being coated with the anti-fouling. In my experience, in warm tropical water, which really promotes growth of barnacles, this protection is adequate for about 10 months, after which I enjoy using my hooka and a quiet hour under the boat to scrape off all kinds of what the local fish consider to be highly desirable food. A: We live on our PDQ 34-foot MV six months of the year. I use a laptop and a Linksys wireless G 2.4 GHz card to get Internet. It would be helpful to have an antenna that would reach further than what the card can. Any ideas what might work? Sharon Duhaime Harrison Twp, MI Q: Q: Is there a painless, effective and relatively simple way to change my raw-water MSDs on my Gulfstar 44 to use fresh water while at dockside and underway? The stench can be overwhelming! Gene Conley Pittsburgh, PA A: There are many Wi-Fi antennas available that will provide better communication quality than the card you are using. I recently purchased the Wi-Fire unit from hField Technologies, Inc. It is a combination “H” field antenna and transceiver that connects to the computer’s USB port. I have been able to connect to hot spots at distances in excess of 1,500 feet. The price was $79 at hfield.com. Q: Q: The new fuel tank in my sailboat has no gauge. My question is, about how many gallons per hour does a Westerbeke 4-cylinder, 25-hp engine burn at 2,000 rpms? Nobody I talked to at Westerbeke had an answer. Colin Ferenbach Royal Oak, MD Although I can’t give you a precise answer, you can make a reasonable estimate of the fuel consumption for a normally aspirated diesel engine of the type you have on the basis that the engine will consume about 0.4 pounds of fuel per horsepower, per hour. I believe your engine’s maximum speed is 3,600 rpm. A fixed pitch propeller will absorb about 6-hp when the engine is A: I just re-read the BoatU.S. Magazine article “Fired Up Over Old Flares,” which cites a few pilot programs going on in Florida and California to dispose of old flares. It also noted that 38% of flares are thrown into household trash, Florida alone generates over 400,000 outdated flares per year, and that costly false distress calls dropped by 50% after one pilot program. I’m all for saving some of my outdated flares, but as the owner of a 36-year-old sailboat, I need to solve this problem. Over the last few years, I have called the Coast Guard, spoken to three local fire departments, asked at West Marine stores, and talked to numerous fellow boaters. Has there been any progress? What should we all do? The Carrs Hingham, MA Outdated flares that are in good physical condition may be kept onboard for use in an emergency. When the quantity of A: The most painless and effective way I know of to use fresh water to flush the head on your Gulfstar 44 would be to install a three-way valve in the water intake line and, at dockside, set the valve so that the seawater flow is blocked and the intake to the toilet is open to the atmosphere. You could then use a bucket to fill the toilet with fresh water while pumping, the contents into the holding tank or flow-through treatment device. Connecting the toilet intake to the boat’s fresh water supply or to a separate dockside water source will require the installation of a backflow preventer that will positively isolate the toilet’s plumbing from the fresh water supply. However, before you undertake this change, you might want to determine if the malodor might be the result of the normal decay of marine plant and animal organisms in the seawater supply lines that occurs when the toilet is not used for a while (usually a few days). You might try flushing the toilet a number of times and then an hour later flush again to determine if the odor still exists. If it does, it is likely that your odor problem is originating from the hose that connects the toilet to the holding tank or treatment device or from the tank or its air vent. On occasion, the toilet itself can create odor problems if the internal seals are defective. You can check the hose by wiping it clean with a wet rag, waiting a few minutes, wiping it with a damp paper towel and then sniffing the towel. Any hose permeability will be immediately evident. For more of Chuck Husick’s insights, go to My.BoatUS.com/askexperts/askchuck. BoatU.S. Magazine March 2008 A: 47 http://hfield.com http://My.BoatUS.com/askexperts/askchuck

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Boat U.S. - March 2008

Boat U.S. - March 2008 Contents Behind the Buoy BoatU.S. Reports Member Forum Cap'n Drew Sailing the Sidewalk Aviators Ahoy Docking and Duffing Waterfront Living: Charleston Waterfront Marketplace Grady Right 2nd Time Around DIY: Keeping the Water Out Hot Tips Boat Smart Ask Chuck Foundation Findings Tangled Line At Your Service Good Foundations BoatU.S. Exchange Behind the Boat Where Our Flags Fly

Boat U.S. - March 2008

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