Engines and Systems

There are solar panels, and then there are solar panels specifically designed and manufactured for use in a marine environment. Among the latter are the new SunPower flexible solar panels from SunPower Corp., featuring the company’s proprietary Maxeon technology, a cell ...read more

Zen Watermaker Created with an eye toward providing a kind freshwater nirvana offshore, Zen watermakers from Italy’s Schenker strive to take the complexity of installing these otherwise somewhat intimidating systems. Available with capacities of either 8 gph (gallons per hour) ...read more

Gale-force Electricity Watt&Sea’s award-winning hydro-generators have long been popular with both racers (for whom its products were first created) and cruisers. But what to do if you are, say, François Gabart aboard the maxi-tri Macif, a boat in which the main hull spends much ...read more

Two of the most indispensable items on board a cruising yacht are a dinghy and an outboard motor. At anchor or on a buoy, of course, they are your only means of getting ashore. They also have a thousand other uses. For example, they can allow you to motor across to friends’ ...read more

Carbon Windvane The Blacksmith Sport Boat windvane from Davis Instruments weighs a mere 0.7 oz., and is configured in carbon and duraluminum for use aboard boats from 16 to 28ft. It also includes a convertible “J-base” to facilitate side, top or front mounting on a spar. It is ...read more

Lightweight Track Ronstan’s Series 19 C-Track, long a standby on high-performance dinghies—including foilers—and small catamarans, has been further upgraded to make it lighter and faster than ever. Specific changes include the use of lighter materials throughout, such as alloy ...read more

Electric Outboard According to Torqeedo, its recently introduced Travel 1103 C emissions-free, direct-drive 1,100W outboard is the quietest in its class, operating at just 33 decibels, the equivalent of a human whisper. The motor comes with a 915Wh (watt-hour) rechargeable ...read more

Stay Hooked Chain hooks on anchor snubber lines tend to fall off when you least want them to. Not so this latest example from Mantus. The M2 Chain Hook is secured to the chain by a simple elastic strap, so it won’t come off when the snubber loosens. Made from corrosion-resistant ...read more

Head Start Is there room for a new marine toilet? Albin Pump Marine thinks so, having just introduced its line of Swedish-built heads—ranging from compact to full-size models—to the American market. The toilets feature vitreous porcelain bowls and either wooden or thermoplastic ...read more

Sense the Wind B&G has launched a new line of wind sensors, including the WS320, a wireless system that is suitable for masts up to 80ft. Wireless wind sensor technology has been hit-and-miss, with some users reporting intermittent signal failure on tall rigs, but B&G, citing ...read more

For a long time, I really liked my old Tohatsu 3.5 outboard, smelly little two-stroke that it was, for its willing power and easy starting. Then it started to not want to start. Then, once started, it would run fine just long enough to get me a decent distance from the boat, ...read more

Dock like a Pro If you’ve used electric bow thrusters, you’ll know you have to be careful not to overheat the motors. Not so with Vetus’s new Bow Pro thrusters. The innovative brushless motors generate much less heat, and combined with a new controller means almost unlimited ...read more

IN HOT WATER Sweden’s Albin Pump Marine has introduced its line of marine water heaters to the United States. Complete with 130V or 230V AC electric elements, the heaters can be plumbed into the engine cooling system. They feature ceramic-lined cylindrical tanks in 5, 8, 12 and ...read more

SHARK BITE If there’s one thing that ruins a great day on the water, it’s a fouled propeller. At best it’ll hold you up while you take an icy swim to free your prop; at worst, your running gear could be badly damaged. Wise cruisers guard against such scenarios by installing a ...read more

SILENT RUNNERS Alternative-fuel outboards are gaining ground, thanks to the problems with ethanol-spiked gasoline. An innovative new range of lithium ion battery-powered electric motors from Hong Kong-based Epropulsion has just arrived in the United States. The Lagoon is a ...read more

Silent Runner Torqeedo may be the first word that enters your mind when someone says “electric outboard,” but that may change if the EP Carry meets with similar success. This compact unit weighs just 20lb yet can push a 9ft inflatable at close to 4 knots. Power—said to be equal ...read more

Gassing it Up Tired of ethanol-induced fuel issues? Say goodbye to gasoline. Japanese outboard maker Tohatsu has introduced an LPG-powered 5hp kicker that hooks up to a propane tank for hours of stress-free running. Available in short-, long- or ultra-long-shaft versions, the ...read more

Power Pod Hydrogenerators are an increasingly common addition to bluewater cruising boats, but for all their benefits many sailors don’t like to mount them on the transom, where they may interfere with self-steering gear or drop-down transom platforms. Instead, Watt & Sea’s new ...read more

If you’ve never heard of Ubi Maior, check out the equipment list of Emirates Team New Zealand’s Cup-winning catamaran and you’ll see the name there. The highly regarded Italian sailing hardware company is new to the U.S. market and one of its signature products is the Jiber, a ...read more

I hadn’t long been sailing before I realized that being a slave to wheel or tiller wasn’t for me. Much as I enjoy steering a boat, doing so for hours on end becomes tedious and tiring. I’ve done many hard coastal and bluewater miles hand-steering when an autopilot or windvane ...read more

By installing a Nautic Alert Decision Platform onboard you will, in essence, have a tireless mate who constantly minds the bilge, manages the pumps intelligently, and lets you know what’s happening, whether you’re in the cockpit or ashore. The Nevada ultrasonic sensor/controller ...read more

Flexofold’s newest two-blade saildrive propeller includes a number of technically interesting features that serve to set it apart from the competition. First and foremost, its patented hub is fabricated using a thermo-hardened polyurethane that electrically isolates the ...read more

While there are a number of potable water filtration systems available, Forespar’s PureWater+ will be particularly useful in the compact galleys found on many modern boats where the countertop is almost completely taken up by a stove, reefer access and a sink. The reason for ...read more

A recognized leader in the area of electric yacht propulsion, Torqeedo has captured the market’s attention with the new pod motors used in its Cruise 2.0/4.0/10.0 saildrives, and especially with the modified Cruise 4.0 used in Hanse’s innovative E-Motion Rudder Drive. The three ...read more

No one worries more about what’s really inside their water and fuel tanks than a dedicated cruiser on the go. On many boats tank inspection ports are an afterthought, but thanks to Dutch marine-systems specialist Vetus, that should soon be changing. Vetus’s new universal ...read more

The Weego 44 portable jump-starter is easy-to-use, safe and reliable, and packs enough power to start 3.2 liter diesel engine. The Weego 44’s new, patent-pending “Smarty Clamps” have a rear hinge point and open much wider than traditional clamps, making it easier to connect the ...read more