I bought this do-da with the idea that I would flush my heat exchangers more often. It is called a Trac Ecological Flushing Cap and can be bought on Amazon and at iBoats.com for $50-60.
It has turned out to be really useful and makes flushing the raw water system a simple one-person job.
   They come in various sizes for Groco strainers.I bought one for my engine and another for the generator. The second photo shows it screwed into the Groco and connected to a short section of hose that has a Salt-Away bottle attached.

Bill Epler
Mora

    An old product re-tried: Lanocote. Made from lanolin, which gives a sheep’s coat its waterproofing. It comes in both spray  and a thick grease-like consistency.
    Coat any threaded nut, bolt, or piece of gear, and it will remain rust-free and removable years later. 
   It is like spreading a very thick Vaseline. Or, for an easier, thinner application, use the spray version. It was developed in New Zealand and is now sold by Forespar in the U.S.
 
Bill Healy and Gary Walls
Amadon Light

   Recommending Charles Industries ISO G-2 3.8KVA ISOLATION TRANSFORMER
The last time I pulled the boat for bottom paint, I noticed two deep pits in my shaft zincs. The research I did informed me that I most likely had galvanic corrosion due to ground loops between shore and the boat I used a clamp meter in DC mode to check current flow through the shore cable at multiple locations. At the home slip I got .3 amps, at Deer Harbor it was .8 amps and at Rosario, read 1.5 amps. I also read that marinas were modernizing with arc fault breakers that will trip on boats with ground issues. I already had a ground isolator installed, but I decided to fully isolate the boat from shore power to break the all physical connection from shore to the boat. I had the isolation transformer shown below installed. I am very happy with the transformer.  My zincs would last about 4-6 months prior to installation of the transformer. it’s been over 10 months and zincs still look viable and we’ve never tripped any of the new breakers.
   Also recommending:

   Recommending Fireboy-Xintex Automatic Discharge Fire Extinguisher with Engine Shutdown/Override System
   Part of the survey I had done on the boat prior to purchase mentioned a lack of fire suppression in the engine room. One of the ways I could achieve this was to drill a port from the bridge and the engine room for a Hand held extinguisher, but their range is limited and it would not cover the entire engine room. I didn’t want a dry chemical system due to the mess it creates, and I knew Halon systems were very effective in filling for spaces with fire suppressant.   
   The Fireboy system I installed took up minimal space in the engine room, uses a non-toxic form of Halon and is fully automatic giving us a good sense of security against fire on the boat. The system also has a manual trigger near the wheel on the bridge as backup.

George Hamlin
Sea Trekker

I'm using Bounce dryer sheets for more than just laundry while boating.  We use them also for the following:
  - rub a sheet on your legs, feet, arms and neck before sleeping to keep mosquitoes from biting, much nicer than using bug repellent before bedtime

• keep a sheet in a pocket while hiking to keep yellow-jackets away (I wonder if this would also work for the big black biting flies?)
• put a sheet in the bottom of a waste basket or garbage container to minimize odors
• put a sheet or two in boarding areas to repel mice, especially important since our boat is winterized on land for five months every year

 
   I know that there are many more uses for these Bounce sheets, but this is how they were used on our boat during 2019 season.  I'm going to try them on our Venetian boat blinds next season because I understand that they prevent dust settling due to static electricity.  We shall see!
 
Mary Robbins
Prime Time

   Over the years I have become a consistent user of Loctite in the area of adhesives, glue and lubricant. Recently I received a sailing publication that tests products and much to my surprise, Loctite outperformed some of the regular marine supply store core products in this category. The reason I'm sharing is you may be able find them is a hardware store of which there are many more of than marine supply stores.
   The products I have been using for years areLoctite PL Marine. An above the waterline adhesive that outperformed 3M 4200. Loctite Marine Grade Anti-Seize for applying to bolts and screws you don't want to seize up outperformed all the competition. .
And just as an incidental tip; I use Loctite construction adhesive around the house as it will even hold anything to drywall!
 
Lee Patza
Rosy Red

As a member of the Just-Add-Water Society of Boat Chefs, I’m constantly in search of compact products that can endure a months-long cruise. Three of my recent favorites are dehydrated wine, crystallized citrus and dehydrated coconut milk.  

   Obviously, I don’t buy these to drink. But I do buy them for cooking so I don’t have to raid my cherished wine locker to create a yummy reduction sauce or French onion soup. I just pour a glass, or rather a tablespoon, of dehydrated wine in whatever dish I’m trying to perk up. Is it as good as adding the real thing? Maybe not. Is it better than not having any at all? You bet!

    On a months-long cruise, I don’t want to squeeze the juice from precious oranges, lemons, and limes only to toss the pulp. For me, a much better solution is to have crystallized citrus juice in my larder. No sugar has been added, so it works great for savory dishes. Instead of slicing up a couple of lemons for baked cod, I just sprinkle True Citrus Lemon crystals on the fish. What does it taste like? Cod baked with lemons!   

   Making curry requires coconut milk. But lugging cans of coconut milk is not my idea of using boat space well. My solution: Natural Foods Coconut Milk Powder. It works and tastes great, and it saves space.
   Caveat: I’m not a connoisseur of fine curries, so take my opinion with a grain of rice.   

Joanne Wilshin
L'Esprit

Anytime you have people and AC (alternating current) electricity near water, there is a risk of electrocution. That is why today’s standards for marina shore power receptacles and AC power on board your boat require ground-fault protection devices. 

ELCI is the ground fault protection device on your boat and a similar ground fault device or Residual-Current Device (RCD) is the shore-side protection on the marina’s shore power stanchion.

ELCI and RCD devices provide protection from electrical leakage by detecting small amperage differences between the “hot” black wire and “neutral” white wire in your boat’s AC service.  Amperage difference occurs when power leaks from the boat's AC wiring into surrounding water causing a dangerous situation that results in Electrical Shock Syndrome drownings when people enter water near leakage and become better electrical conductors than the surrounding water. Electrical Shock Drownings Syndrome is a larger threat in fresh water, but it can also occur in brackish or salt water.

Most boats built within the past five years have an ELCI breaker as part of the boat’s AC panel. Older boats should add ELCI protection. Marinas in Washington and Alaska with new or rebuilt docks are required by building code to add ground fault devices or RCD as part of their shore power service. At this time, only a few marinas in Washington and Alaska have protected shore power. British Columbia, Canada marinas are just now addressing the shore power ground fault issue with the first marina in BC (Saltspring Marina) adding ground fault protection to its new shore power this 2019 season.

In addition to making your boat ABYC compliant, adding ELCI protection to your boat will ensure that you and your boat won’t discover compatibility problems the first time you plug into the growing list of marinas with shore-side RCD ground fault protection. Some boats require a special sequence of switching to marina shore power that is RCD protected. By adding an ELCI to your boat, you can test and discover the needed sequence that won’t trip the ELCI and RCD breaker. For more on this topic, see our article titled What You Need To Know About ELCI-Protected Shore Power on WaggonerGuide.com.

There are several options for adding ELCI protection to your boat:
ELCI Breaker in the AC Panel – Adding an ELCI breaker to the existing AC panel is the most elegant option if this location is within 10 feet of the boat’s shore power connection point. ELCI breakers are larger than standard over-amperage breakers and will require more panel space. The ELCI breaker should be installed and wired by a professional.
www.bluesea.com/products/
Cost:     30 amp $160;    50 amp $400 plus installation
Surface Mount Box/Panel – A utility box sized to the ELCI breaker can be surface mounted in a locker or lazarette near the boat’s shore power connection. The box and ELCI breaker location should be accessible, not only for the rare reset, but also for recommended regular testing with the breaker’s built-in “Test” button. It needs to be within 10 feet of the boat’s shore power connection.
www.bluesea.com/products/
Cost:     30 amp $300 - $500; 50 amp $500 - $580  plus installation
Power Plug Replacement – Smartplug has a combination plug and ELCI breaker unit that replaces existing shore power boat-side power receptacles. The combination unit provides a simple solution for upgrading shore power plug and adding ELCI. Status lights and reset controls are located in a separate box next to the plug receptacle.
smartplug.com/marine
Cost:     30 amp $500 - $650; 50 amp $550 - $750 plus installation
In-line Power Cord GFI/Surge Protector – Southwire Company makes a portable SurgeGuard GFI/Surge Protector adapter with marine connectors that plugs in-line with your 30 amp shore power cable and provides GFI protection. The unit is inexpensive and portable but may not satisfy all the requirements for ABYC compliance.
marinepower.southwire.com
Cost:     30 amp $160;    50 amp $430

With the help of the professionals at K&R Marine Services, we chose the option to add an ELCI to a locker in the Pilothouse.

The AC Panel on our 2003 DeFever didn’t have any room to add a panel mount ELCI breaker. However, the locker immediately adjacent to the electrical panel had room for a surface mount breaker. Our 50 amp service required a larger 50 amp ELCI Breaker.

We called upon the professional ABYC Certified Technicians at K&R Marine Services in Anacortes to configure and install a Blue Seas ELCI Breaker. The project required most of an afternoon to install and test the new equipment. With the project complete, our shore power system is now ABYC compliant, and we are prepared for upgraded ground fault protected power located at a number of marinas.

Among the creations were Instant Pot Jambalaya by Neena. Recipe here.

A key ingredient for Neena's Jambalaya was the Cajun Seasoning by Penzeys Spices. It was delicious right out of the pot.

Dale used the Seal-A-Meal to save dinner size portions for the freezer for those long run days through B.C. and Alaska.

This No-Knead Bread recipe is in our club cookbook (page 179), but requires 12 hour rise time. By increasing the amount of instant yeast, we had this bread baked in two hours, start to finish.
(Jenny's 2-Hour No-Knead Bread.)

Another great discovery was using our Costco deep saucepan to bake the bread as our baker was on the boat. The bread came out perfect, light, crusty and delicious, though a little unshapely. The lighter pot was so much easier to haul in and out of the oven.

We’ve added chili, twice baked potatoes, spaghetti and Gumbo.

We found we could partially freeze dishes like chili and twice baked potatoes then seal a meal them to avoid having to use hard containers.

See you on the water!
Linda Miller, Silly Goose

Bonni Nutter (TheGalleyGal.com), New Adventure

I make and freeze soup ahead of our trips.  That makes a quick meal after a day of fishing. Also any casseroles that we like, I will make ahead and freeze. 
 
Fish is always on the menu. We grill it, bake it, sauté it.  I make fish tacos and serve it with rice or with a salad. 
 
We love to have avocados. I buy several and keep them refrigerated until the day before I want to use them.  If they get ripe too soon you can freeze them. Just scoop the meat into freezer safe container it makes great guacamole. 

Want to know how Bonni provisions? Read herTheGalleyGal blog.

Stephanie and Fred Kaufhold, Dreamweaver

1)  Bungie dinghy anchor line.  When beaching the dinghy for shore excursions, it is nice to be able to hold the dinghy off the beach or rocks while exploring without worrying about the tidal fluctuations and finding the dinghy high and dry upon returning.  Of course, a long bow line with small mushroom or grapnel anchor helps with retrieval when the tide comes in!

2)  Rubber matting on my crawl-around engine-room diamond tread deck plates.  No knee pads required which are sometimes difficult to put on.  No delays in getting to the desired engine-room location and no time limit on engine-room jobs.

3)  Enclosed cockpit with full sliding panels.  Especially pleasant when cruising in inclement weather.  It provides a protected “mud room” while transitioning from dinghy or dock to interior spaces.  Sliding panels facilitate open access for all docking, fendering, kayak and dinghy operations as well as enjoying the outdoors while protected from the sun or light rain while at anchor or dock.

4)  Electric outboard motor for the dinghy.  This is a compromise and not a good choice for everyone.  For me, the light weight makes mounting and removing it from the dinghy a safety imperative at my age.  Not having to store or transfer gasoline, clean carburetors, change spark plugs, gear oil, etc. makes dinghy operation much tidier and hassle free.  I can’t race around the anchorage and upset other boaters anymore or take long dinghy trips to secluded destinations or go offshore fishing, but for the most part, we use the dinghy for visiting other boats in the anchorage, taking the dog ashore or exploring the near shore delights.  It is perfect for our lifestyle at this stage in our cruising lives.

5)  AIS.  Having the ability to know that a vessel is just around a headland or approaching in the fog, including their name, course, speed and CPA, makes me very comfortable on the water.  I can immediately contact the vessel by name and make an informed suggestion for dealing with a meeting or passing situation with a brief VHF transmission for the benefit of all parties.
Stephanie.
1)      Fred.
2)      Fred.
3)      Fred.
4)      Fred.

Dave Wilshin, L’Esprit, Ocean Alexander 44
 
We have Iridium and Global Star satellite phones. Usually one of them works. It’s rare that they both don’t work. We also have a cell phone booster.

When in Alaska, we have a AT&T GoPhone because they’re not our normal carrier. We also have a Verizon MiFi and a Skyroam puck; both need to be in a place where there’s phone coverage in the first place.

Our InReach lets our family know where we are, and it gives them a way to contact us if there’s an emergency (with four kids, there’s bound to be one!).

Also, we rarely use headsets to talk with each other, because neither of us want to hear the other’s chattering (or breathing) when we’re concentrating. For more than two decades we’ve used hand signals for anchor drills. Works for us. We use short verbal cues when docking and leaving port. We’ve been known to yell; it has nothing to do with our marriage.   

Mary Robbins, Prime Time, Bayliner 47
 
When unable to see or hear each other on the boat when docking or anchoring, handless headsets with Bluetooth technology for communication are must haves between the Captain and First Mate.  We prefer the style with the band behind the head with rechargeable battery self-contained and no belt clip.
 
Communication between the Captain and First Mate must clarify clearly the distance of the boat from the side of a slip and distance to the back of the slip either bow or stern in.  While ten to fifteen feet may be helpful at first, the First Mate must judge distances accurately within a slip, and also indicate if speed is a factor, if there’s a need to pull out and try again, or if we’re going to bounce off a dock, so the Captain can adjust the course appropriately.  Also important is the conversation while docking so the Captain knows when the stern is secure, and if the First Mate has stepped off the boat, is standing on the swim step, and has mid-line secure, etc.
 
When assigned an inappropriate slip due to weather, maneuverability or size/angle of a slip, the Captain should request a different slip or choose another marina.  The Captain decides, not the Harbormaster, what is an appropriate slip for the boat.

Fred Kaufhold, Dreamweaver, Mariner 35

We use a 45# CQR on our 35’ trawler for our general-purpose bow anchor.  I don’t know that it is any better or worse than any other anchor choice.  It is what we have used on all our sail and power boats while cruising in Europe, the Med, and both coasts of the US for the last forty-five years.  It seems to hold reasonably well on all bottoms, although it takes a little patience in eel grass or kelp.  So far, it has kept us off the lee shore and clear of the rocks.

Bonni and Norm Nutter, New Adventure, Pacific Mariner 65

We have an Ultra (plow) anchor.  We love it because it holds extremely well.  We prefer to anchor out most of the time.  We have been in 40 knot winds at anchor and have never pulled free.
Bonni is The Galley Gal

Dave Wilshin, L’Esprit, Ocean Alexander 44

We have a Manson Supreme. It always digs in if I give it a little time to settle before backing down. It would rather dig in than drag. I’ve always been able to pull it straight up, even when there were times it seemed to have been quite fouled (Squirrel Cove, BC; Tolstoi Bay, Alaska). It has served us well in muddy, weedy, and rocky anchorages.  We safely weathered a gale on Dundas Island (and no Brundidge is not bomb proof).

I also use a Wasi Powerball Swivel, which needs oiling from time to time.  I connect the anchor to three extra-large chain links, which I connect to the Wasi Powerball, which I then connect to my standard chain.

Dennis Thornton, Tonic, Riviera 40

Love my Rocna 25 kg anchor because it has never let me down.  I’ve used a CQR, then a Delta and last, the current Rocna.  Each has been good, but the Rocna sets the fastest and seems to grab harder than the others.   Of course, 350’ of 5/16 chain when attached to each help.  No rope ever, if I can’t get stuck down with 350’ of chain I’ll just have to drive in circles.

Why Alaska you might ask.  Well we find it to be one of the most beautiful spots in the PNW.  The scenery is breathtaking, whether a sunrise or sunset, or just a beautiful waterfall. 

We often found ourselves the only boat anchored in a beautiful anchorage.  Waking in the morning and seeing a whale feeding alongside your boat as you drink your morning coffee or watching eagles fish right outside your window is amazing.

The photo opportunities with wild life, ice bergs, glaciers, waterfalls are beyond comparison.  My cameras were set up and ready to use at all times.  Our day trip to Anan Wildlife Observatory was a big highlight of the trip for us.

Also, our day in Tracy Arm, exploring the icebergs and glaciers in Miss Adventure, our fishing boat was memorable. It was pure joy to watch the seals frolic among the ice bergs.

Fishing is usually good in Alaska, although this year might have been an exception.  The salmon run this year was small and late, but despite that we caught salmon, halibut, rock fish and ling cod.