Provisioning for passages over 1000nm Every passage provisioning list I've seen in the last five years lists 'two weeks of food' as if that means the same thing in 40°N as it does in 15°S, as if your crew eats the same on day three as they do on
Webasto versus Cheap Chinese Diesel Heaters A properly sized diesel heater delivers the specific heat output a 40-foot bluewater cruiser needs to stay livable in cold anchorages without draining the house bank or filling the cabin with fumes. TLDR * Chinese diesel heaters cost a fraction of Webasto's price but fail catastrophically on boats
PLB Selection & Real-world SAR Realities A PLB will get you found if you go overboard, but only if you understand what happens after you press the button, and what routinely goes wrong before anyone shows up. TLDR * Most 406 MHz beacon activations are false alarms, typically triggered by crew unfamiliarity or careless handling during tests.
Watermaker Maintenance & Membrane Fouling Watermaker downtime isn't a maintenance problem, it's a decision you made when you skipped the flush cycle. TLDR * Membrane fouling begins the moment you walk away from a half-assed freshwater flush, not when TDS climbs months later. * Most cruisers troubleshoot symptoms (low flow, high pressure)
Installing a remote oil filter on a Nissan Chrysler SD22 marine diesel engine Installing a remote oil filter on an SD22 transforms a maintenance nightmare into a routine task, but only if you avoid the three installation errors that can cost you an engine. TLDR * Upside-down filter mounting blocks oil flow and activates bypass mode, a common SD22 installer mistake that leaves