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Roland Stockham

Roland Stockham
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Roland Stockham got his start sailing Olympic-class 470s and Finns in his native England. He started his journey as a voyager crewing for yacht owners sailing to Europe because he was handy at diesel repair. His first cruising boat was a 26-ft. Folkboat with no engine. He lives in British Columbia and sails a 35-ft. Colin Archer design. He is a Royal Yachting Association certified Yacht Master and is qualified to make trans-oceanic deliveries.
The batteries pictured are Rolls S6 250 flooded cells, nominally 281 a/hr. They came with the boat and are of unknown age but currently seem to work OK. They are not the cell I would pick as they are a lightweight battery. The clue is that the spec sheet gives a CCA number. True deep cycle cells don't have that. The taller L16-EX is rated at three times the cycle life, about 3,750 cycles to 50% DoD compared to these at 2,000. You really do need to look at the full spec to know what you are getting! In Canada these are currently around $320 com-pared to the L16 at $590. The black battery is the starter battery which is a simple H/D car battery that starts the engine and supplies the windlass. (Photo/ Roland Stockham)
Electrical

House Battery Bank Replacement: What to Consider

Vesper Marine WatchMate 850 is an class "B" AIS transponder system that lets boats know your location and, at the same time, lets you know which boats are around you. Photo courtesy of Vesper Marine.
Handheld Electronics

Vesper Marine WatchMate 850 and Icom M91D: Where Credit is Due

Systems & Propulsion

Impact of Modern, Triangular-Design on Boat Performance

Cow Bay Marina in Prince Rupbert, British Columbia. (Photo/ Roland Stockham)
Voyaging

Sailing the Pacific Northwest (PNW): Costs and Practicalities

Beneteau First 44. A modern wide stern boat with a deep narrow fin and bulb plus twin rudders. Note the very shallow hulls as well. This design epitomizes the modern fast "cruiser" and draws heavily from racing designs. (Photo courtesy of Boats.com)
Systems & Propulsion

Keel and Rudder Design Basics

Electrical

How to Create a Bullet-Proof VHF/SSB Backup

During an Atlantic crossing in 2015, Super Storm Sandy hit us about two days out from Tenerife and lasted almost a month with winds between 30 and 40 knots plus big seas. (Photo/ Roland Stockham)
Safety & Seamanship

Responding to Emergencies: A Skipper’s Guide for Staying Calm

A helpful view of the jackline leading around the dodger to a hard point on top of the coach roof, and from there forward to the base of the mast.
Safety & Seamanship

Another Look at Fitting Jacklines

Boat Maintenance

Hidden Maintenance Problems: Part 3 – Gremlins in the Electrics

When water seeps into a balsa wood core, it eventually rots and needs to be replaced. Photo courtesy of Epoxyworks.com
Boat Maintenance

Seepage or Flooding? How To Keep Water Out of the Boat

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