Sail Magazine

by Nigel Calder

Nigel Calder is an author and expert on boat systems and diesel engines

Ask Sail: Solenoid Surgery

by Nigel Calder, Posted April 30, 2013

when first pushing the start button, I sometimes get no response. Releasing and pushing the button a couple of times finally engages the starter.

Ask Sail: Low Revs and Soot

by Nigel Calder, Posted March 27, 2013

I own a 1987 Catalina 27 with a Universal M18 diesel engine. I’ve had the boat for just over two years, but because the hour meter is broken, I don’t know how many hours are on the engine.

Ask Sail: Smoking Like a Hippie

by Nigel Calder, Posted February 25, 2013

"Can you give me some ideas on what might cause excessive white smoke in the exhaust of a 2-year-old Yanmar diesel?" Nigel Calder replies.

Fuel Consumption: Tug Vs. Cruiser

by Nigel Calder, Posted February 15, 2013

A dinosaur of an engine that is over 70 years old can push a much larger boat than ours, weighing eight times as much, at similar speeds with more-or-less the same fuel consumption!

Ask Sail: A Faltering Start

by Nigel Calder, Posted January 25, 2013

My Yanmar 3GM30F diesel engine has about 650 hours on it, and this season, it’s been a little hard to start it. Are injectors or compression the problem?

Ask Sail: An Explosive Situation

by Nigel Calder, Posted January 2, 2013

When the engine is under load and moving the boat at a decent speed, the voltmeter is pegged past 16 volts, and after a little while the wires (which are appropriately sized) running to the battery switch from the engine get pretty hot. Am I hurting my batteries?