AWAB, ABA Top Long-term Test
What We TestedThe test field included clamps from Shields, ABA, Murray, AWAB, Breeze, American Valve, Ideal/Tridon, Trident, Koehler, and Norton. We tested sizes 28...
Marine Water Heater Test
Raritan 1706Raritans units are made in the U.S. (the only in our test), so finding hose barbs or other plumbing fixtures to fit the...
Mix of Water, Amps, and Heat Calls for Caution
It is surprising to see equipment with no moving parts carry such an array of safety warnings. But any time water and higher-voltage AC...
Installing Water Heaters
The physical installation of a water heater may seem pretty straightforward, but the devil is indeed in the details. It starts prior to purchase...
Construction Quality Draws Testers Attention
Holdover capacity was a measure of how well a water heater retained heat after it had been raised to 120 degrees. We simply allowed...
The Fight Against Head Odors Continues
Homemade Vent FilterDimensionally identical to the SaniGard, the vent filter we built was also based on 12 inches of 2-inch PVC pipe. We tapped...
The Results of our Mini Test Tank Autopsies
When we wrapped up the testing of the miniature holding tanks after 30 months, we were tempted to just pitch the whole lot in...
Joker Valves for Marine Heads
We like to joke about our uncooperative marine head. As it turns out, the joke is on us. A comprehensive series of tests recently...
Mailport: June 2013
How thick is too thick for the buildup of old layers of bottom paint? This question arises because I have just finished painting the...
Portable Marine Toilets for Small Boats
The low cost and utter simplicity of small portable toilets make you think twice about fully plumbed marine heads. While installed heads can get...
A Rival for Island Packet, Made in China – Outbound 46...
Like Kraken Yachts and some Passport sailboats, Outbound Yachts are made in China. It's heavy like an Island Packet, but fast like a Beneteau....
Latest Sailboat Review
Pearson 303 Used Boat Review
The Pearson 303, introduced in 1983, is a fairly typical example of the kind of work Pearson was doing in the mid-1980s, continuing until...