While Sailing: Forward or Neutral Gear?

[gary gerber]

In my 35 yrs of sailing the New England lobster pot infested coast and for the past five years the crab pot infested Chesapeake Bay coast, I sail with my prop feathered. The last thing you want to do is wrap a float line around your prop.

I never experienced this, I did witness it several times, but what did happen once while motoring out the channel a piece of industrial polyethylene floating below the surface wrapped my prop stopping the engine dead. My son had to dive over the side and cut away the plastic which he brought onboard, a piece about three feet long.

[rpowers]

Flapper Valve

Here is the newly fabricated flapper valve.

Pretty slick for almost no money!

-Rick

[hanleyclifford]

I see another hole above and amidships. That's where I'd like the exhaust. I can see why you get water on starboard tack.