Stainless-steel Hose Clamps
If youre a boat owner, chances are youve used-and cursed-more hose clamps than you care to count. Their use is ubiquitous for onboard systems:...
Y-valve Installation Advice and Troubleshooting
All waste plumbing hoses should be kept as short and straight as possible with no dips where waste could collect. The diverter valve should...
Y-valves Under Pressure
Continuing with our recent evaluations of marine sanitation systems, Practical Sailor tested eight marine-grade diverter valves, or Y-valves. Y-valves are a means of controlling...
Marine Sanitation Hose Test
There simply is nothing like the smell of the sea. Unfortunately, the smell of a boat with defective sanitation hose is nothing at all...
Installing Hoses Highlights Their Differences
While model holding-tank testing allows side-by-side comparisons, there’s nothing like on-the-boat testing to sort out practical differences. Our test boat, a PDQ 32, had...
Holding Tank Test Followup
We recently tested an updated version of the SeaLand 20 HTS-VRT holding tank reviewed in our November 2011 test, which also featured the Trionic...
Finding Good Hose Clamps
In the December 2011 article, “Maintaining Stainless Steel,” you mention that there are hose-clamp makers that get the stainless-steel combination right, but never shared...
Test Setup Simulates Onboard Sewage System
To create a real-world test, we assembled a series of miniature holding tanks containing sanitary waste generously supplied by a 20-pound, 5-foot pet iguana...
Avoid Plugging with Proper Vent Installation
DIY Pressure ControlWere testing a more robust installation, including a bypass through a water-filled trap. Excess sewage can go through this low-mounted bypass, while...
On a Side Note: Holding Tanks
Although none of the test tanks or the test boat’s holding tank accumulated solids sufficient to restrict pump-out, we observed significant differences. While vent...
The Performance Sailboat from Island Packet: Blue Jacket 40 Boat Review
Did you know that Island Packet got together with Tim Jackett from Tartan Yachts and C&C to build a performance oriented cruising sailboat called...
Latest Sailboat Review
Dufour 44 Used Boat Review
Aimed at avid racers or speed junkies making the transition to cruising, the Dufour 44 slides neatly into the niche between affordable boats with...