Special Features

While words on a screen might seem like something from the dark ages, Colin Jones reckonsgood old-fashioned Navtex remains one of the cruise boater’s best friends . . .

The word ‘Navtex’ explains exactly what the system does - it provides navigation information in text format. When it first appeared in a form suitable for recreational craft, it was hailed as a minor miracle and was the only source of weather data, other than voice broadcasting by coast radio stations (which is now defunct). Over the years, much of this Navtex function has been surpassed by better technology, but this has not greatly reduced its popular usefulness.

Read more ...

With another sunny season of boating ahead, it pays to have a good grasp of the technological advances. Here, Colin Jones examines the ‘need-to-know’ facts behind solar power on board your boat

I have had solar panels on my boat for the last 15 years and yet it still seems like a form of alchemy to me. After all, turning beams of light, which have no mass, into enough power to drive a boat is an astonishing feat. And yet the technology is not new. It consists of creating solar electricity from solar light, thanks to a photovoltaic (PV) cell - and the name hints at the nature of its trick: turning light (‘photo’) into volts.

A PV cell is made up of two layers of silicon, which have been chemically ‘doped’ to control the behaviour of the current (free electrons) in them. The lower layer is rigged to hold too few electrons and the top layer too many. No electrons can cross the barrier between these two layers.  
If we connect the device to a bulb, it will not light up, as no current flows. However, if you shine a light onto the ‘sandwich’, something really special happens. Light is really a stream of energetic particles called photons and as they touch our sandwich, they give up their energy to the atoms in the silicon, causing the lower layer of electrons to ‘jump’ the barrier to the top and to flow around a circuit. More light means more flow - and more PV cells joined together means more direct current electrical power flowing in to charge your battery.

For the full story pick up the April issue of Boat Mart

At this time of year, our coastal marinas are crammed to the gills with impressive yachts and cruisers, while adjacent dry-stacks are piled high with sports boats and RIBs. Most of these craft will remain dormant over the winter months while their owners seek warmer pastimes, but many of our canals and rivers will remain busy - despite the winter weather.

For many of us, the main reason for boating on inland waters is to relax and escape the rush and noise of everyday life. Even if it’s pouring with rain or snowing, inland marinas are always great places to while away the weekend. Many inland boating fans, especially narrow boaters, are true four-season boaters. As long as the engine starts, the kettle doesn’t freeze solid, and there’s fuel in the stove, they will be afloat. So here’s a quick taste of what’s been going on this month . . .

The drought is over
Believe it or not, the North West suffered the worst drought conditions for over 100 years at the start of the summer. This caused the Leeds and Liverpool canal to be closed at the beginning of August, simply because the reservoirs could not supply sufficient water.  But in September, the phased re-opening of the canal commenced, initially allowing boats to travel between Barrowford and Liverpool and then, a couple of weeks later, the remaining 20-mile section between lock 51 and lock 31 was also re-opened.

Vince Morgan, Operations Director for BW, personally thanked all boaters for their patience during the closure, and also added some good news. He explains: “While the canal has been closed, we have been able to bring forward a number of projects which would otherwise have been carried out during the Winter, including lock gate replacements and repairs and leak prevention works. By completing the stoppages within the water restriction, we will now hope to facilitate a much reduced maintenance program throughout the stoppage season.”

For the full story pick up a copy of the January issue of Boat Mart or subscribe today

In our modern, cut-throat world it is inevitable that the smaller players or ‘new boys on the block’ have to fight harder to stay in contention. When confronted with the might of huge multi-national companies with vast financial backing, or competitors with seemingly endless sponsorship, smaller teams have to resort to advanced technology, their skill and their enthusiasm to survive, yet alone expand. And it is precisely the same in the world of marine engines.

A brief history of outboard growth
It is nearly four decades since the status quo of the companies that historically dominated the outboard industry was upset by the arrival of the ‘usurpers’ from Japan. With the exception of Honda, who had never marketed two-strokes, their engines were very similar to those on the existing market. But very quickly, the steep learning curve of the new players began to bring dividends and, in the decades that followed, the Japanese totally revolutionised outboard design. Technology that had remained pretty stagnant for 75 years or more was radically changed by these new manufacturers, who were also fighting for laurels on the world’s motorbike race circuits. This elite club of engine builders included giants of the industry - Honda, Yamaha, Tohatsu (Nissan) and the new kid, Suzuki. Outboard engines would never be the same again . . .

Recent developments
Until a decade or so ago, outboards were pretty simplistic. But then, new emissions standards, issued both in the USA and Europe, really threw a spanner in the works.

With people seeking ever more powerful engines for their boats (which had to comply with the new emissions standards), every outboard manufacturer started to introduce new technologies to increase engine power, while reducing both size and weight - and so our engines developed rapidly.

Inevitably, most of the big players opted for complex four-stroke technology. We saw the introduction of ideas from the automotive world, like twin overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, electronic fuel injection and computerised engine management - and while the target of all this technology was the lucrative American market, we in the UK also benefited.

The long-standing battle between the outboard makers continued apace, with each builder announcing new engines and new innovations at virtually every major international boat show. But as Honda limited its outboards to 225hp, so the battle became a two-horse race between Yamaha and Suzuki for the valuable 250hp plus sector. Inevitably, both hit it hard with new technologies and materials.

For the full story pick up a copy of the January issue of Boat Mart or subscribe today