The Year's Top Gear From bullet blocks to TP, these are the must-haves.
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The Year’s Top Gear
From bullet blocks to TP, these are the must-haves.
The Torqeedo Travel 1003, tested here on a Wing Systems dinghy on Chesapeake Bay,
earned the Practical Sailor Editor’s Choice award as the electric propulsion pick.
I t’s time once again for Practical
Sailor editors to announce the year’s
top picks with our Gear of the Year
In our January 2011 look at electric
outboards, we reviewed two Torqeedo
engines, the new Travel 1003 and the
(GOTY) roundup. Each year, as the fall previously PS-tested Travel 801, and the twist of the wrist. The dinghy planed
boat shows—and the deals that come Electric Paddle. We tested the trio on instantly.
with them—appear on the horizon, we various boats, including a 10-foot Avon At full throttle in flat water on a 10-
pore over the numerous products we’ve inflatable and Wing Systems rigid dink. foot inflatable, the 13-Ah battery has a
reviewed in the previous 12 months All are suitable for inflatables, dinghies, range of 2.1 nautical miles; half-throttle
to select the cream of the crop for our and small sailboats. range is 6 nautical miles; and at low
Editor’s Choice awards. We hope the Testers were impressed with the speed, it’ll run for about 11 miles.
list will help readers better navigate Torqeedo Travel 1003, which proved Testers gave the lightweight, thrust-
Photos by Ralph Naranjo
any boat-show or end-of-season shop- to be a significant upgrade to its pre- efficient T-1003—which comes with a
ping. This year, we picked from the decessor, the T-801. With 30 percent two-year warranty and a $1,899 price
Best Choice products evaluated in the more battery power, plus an increase tag—two thumbs up and named it the
September 2010 through August 2011 in thrust and efficiency, the new unit Editor’s Choice in electric propulsion.
issues, and here ... drum-roll, please ... is even more user-friendly. Rated as a (Since our test, Torqeedo has made
are the 2011 GOTY awardees: 3-horsepower outboard, the 7-pound some improvements to the T-1003, in-
motor has a beefed-up, well-engineered cluding the ability to solar charge its
Electric Outboards bracket to clamp it to the transom, and batteries.)
Over the years, we’ve seen big strides both the tilt adjustment and the battery
in the electric outboard market. While support are more ruggedly structured. Bullet Blocks
the pragmatist looking at dollars-per- Instrumentation (charge level, speed, Testers reviewed a batch of 40-
knot or range prior to refueling may and GPS position) has been added, and millimeter blocks for our
Seldén
not think it’s time to switch to electric everything from the control handle to June 2011 report, (404-101-16R)
propulsion, making the move away the cabling has been rethought. including
from oil-based power has many bene- We tested the new Torqeedo
fits: better air quality, less noise, lighter on a light, round-bilged
weight, and best of all, no more filling Wing Systems rigid
the tanks with expensive or ethanol- dinghy that literally
blended fossil fuel. leaped to life with a Seldén
(404-101-01R)
practical sailor september 2011 19
gear of the year
Marine Systems Standouts Planus Artic
P ractical Sailor spent much of the last
12 months testing marine-systems
products—flushing toilets loaded with
banana, 4 feet of West Marine
single-ply tissue paper, and 1
cup of dyed water—we tested
Standard
faux poo and cycling bilge pumps till they would pump no the amount, speed, and efficiency
more. So it was no surprise to us that the bulk of our top of rinse-water input and waste dis-
gear picks for the year were systems related. PS tapped three charge.
marine heads—Raritan’s Marine Elegance, Planus’ Artic The Raritan Marine Elegance
Standard, and Dometic/Sealand’s SailVac—and two Shurflo (220AHF01202) topped the field of
electric bilge pumps for the 2011 Gear of the Year (GOTY) list. compact, electric-flush toilets, and
the Planus Artic Standard (90450)
Electric-flush Toilets was testers’ top pick among the deluxe
Once considered a frivolous onboard luxury, electric heads electric heads.
are now more compact, more reliable, and less expensive The Raritan is a heavy-duty toilet that has a large bowl and
than their predecessors. And retrofitting a boat that has a a full-size seat, but its 12-inch footprint puts it in the compact
manual head is not beyond the capabilities of a competent category. Our 39-pound test toilet was set up for pressurized
do-it-yourselfer. freshwater supply with a solenoid valve to control flow, but it
We selected 14 test toilets that represented a good cross- can be configured to operate with a separate supply pump. All
section of what’s available from major manufacturers. Testers components are first-class and tucked nicely under the bowl.
broke the field down into two groups based on toilet size. We Testers found hookup and installation to be easy, and the
reported on seven “deluxe” electric-flush heads (comparable function was fast, efficient, and quieter than most. The $630
to those found in residential bathrooms) in the March 2011 Marine Elegance is a good compromise for someone who
issue, and seven, more compact, and less expensive toilets wants the comforts of a home toilet, but is limited by space.
were reviewed in the February 2011 issue. Boat owners looking for a deluxe throne should consider
We bench-tested electric toilets from Dometic (Sealand), the Planus Artic Standard. Manufactured in Italy and sold
Groco, Jabsco, and Raritan, comparing size, weight, price, through Scandvik Inc. in Vero Beach, Fla., the $1,200 Planus
style, warranty, features, and functions. Testers also reviewed was our price-is-no-object Best Choice. It has more oomph
instructions, documentation, con- than the small-boat owner will likely need (or want to pay
struction and rugged- for), but this quiet, powerful, clean flusher was the cream of
ness of materials, ease the crop.
of installation, and in- At 54 pounds, the Artic is quite heavy, but it has above-
stallation options. average construction and came with a pre-wired harness that
We evaluated ease of connected to a sealed electronic box with a pushbutton. It
Raritan Marine
Elegance electrical and plumbing included a heavy-duty bronze inlet pipe with a large solenoid
hookup, noted mainte- and backflow preventer. The heart of the system is its high-
nance issues, and compared speed Vortex discharge pump that Planus claims will push
functions. We tested for amp draw, liquid up to 29-feet high. All of its components are heavy
noise level, and ease of use. Using duty, and its operation was very impressive and efficient. It
equal batches of “faux poo”—one was also the quietest in the test group.
blocks from Barton, Garhauer, Harken, metal corrosion. The Seldén 40-millimeter blocks are
Karver, Holt, Ronstan, Schaefer, and Sel- The test came down to the wire with a testimony to the company’s com-
dén. All of the units tested were ball- the Harken and Seldén blocks hold- mitment to stainless ball-bearing ef-
and/or roller-bearing designs, and the ing the judges’ divided interest. Both ficiency and long-term reliability. The
trend toward more composite material scored respectably in every aspect and block frame is a glass-fiber/polyamide
and less metal was evident. proved to be non-magnetic, corrosion injection-molded composite that’s
To test the 13 blocks, we loaded the free after the soaking test, and close in more metallic than other products
line and blocks with 200 pounds of ten- the under-load pull test. tested. The roller bearings are stainless-
sion and measured how much force it It was hard to pick a winner, but in the steel as Seldén prefers metal because it
took to move the line in the closed-loop end, the decision went to the block with won’t deform under load or heat, and
arrangement. Testers also immersed the slightly less friction. The Best Choice the alloy they choose is very corrosion
blocks for a week in a heated, aerated honor and Gear of the Year award went resistant.
saline bath devised to accelerate oxida- to both the Seldén tie (404-101-16R) and Options include a block with no
tion, crevice corrosion, and dissimilar swivel (404-101-01R) blocks. shackle; a lashable, molded model; or
20 september 2011 www.practical-sailor.com
gear of the year
Vacuum-flush Toilet Products, Rule/ITT Corp., Shurflo,
Testers used the same test protocol to test vacuum-flush toi- and Johnson Pump. We broke the
lets as we did the electric toilets. We reviewed two electric test field into groups by capac-
vacuum-flush units from Dometic Corp. (Sealand) and a man- ity: Pumps rated for 1,600 gallons
ual unit from Blakes Lavac Taylors in the August 2011 issue. per hour (GPH) or more were re-
Dometic’s SailVac VHT 5200 was testers’ favorite in this group viewed in the September 2010 is-
of water misers, earning it a spot on the Gear of the Year list. sue, and those rated for 1,500 GPH
The SailVac VHT 5200 is an integral vacuum generator and or less were evaluated in the Octo-
14-gallon holding tank. It can be used with any of the com- ber 2010 issue.
pany’s VacuFlush toilets, but we tested it with the 5148 model. All faced the same bench tests:
The heavy-duty polyethylene composite tank is specifically Testers measured flow rates and
shaped to install vertically in the outboard bulkhead space power ratings at two voltages while SailVac
in a head. It is exactly the same size as Sealand tanks already pumping fresh water into a tank set 4 VHT 5200
found on some production boats. feet above the pump. We also conducted
The SailVac tank measures 36 inches high, 20 inches wide, dry-run tests to confirm compliance with American Boat and
11 inches deep at the top and 5 inches deep at the bottom. Yacht Council standards. In the final analysis, we picked the
Sealand claims it has enough holding capacity for two top-rated pump based on performance, warranty, wir-
people for four days; we found this to be an accurate— Shurflo 1500 ing, and price.
if not conservative—statement. It comes pre-wired Interestingly, bilge pumps from Shurflo topped
with a 12-volt, 3-amp motor, a vacuum pump, in- both test groups to grab spots on the GOTY line-up.
ternal vacuum switch, and a tank sensor. There are Testers liked the quality of construction and “heft” of
also relays for an alarm and auto shutdown. the $90 Shurflo 2000 (358-010-00), which was one of
The top of the tank has a discharge fitting exiting the heaviest pumps its size. We also liked the unique
the air pump to evacuate foul odors while the air 360-degree swivel mounting option, the 60-inch
pump creates a vacuum. There is no vent. The leads, and the 2,000-GPH pump’s leader-of-the-
vacuum pump is quiet and its integrated vacuum pack pumping capacity. While it drew a consider-
generator/holding tank design simplified installa- able amount of power compared to other pumps,
tion, but it takes longer for the system to reach a it also delivered in terms of water moved.
full vacuum than other products tested. Likewise, the Shurflo 1500 (358-000-
Shurflo 2000
The $1,772 SailVac will appeal to owners of boats 00) topped its group in pumping capac-
already fitted with vertically oriented holding tanks of ity, clearing 10 gallons in 26 seconds, fea-
roughly the same dimensions who are looking for a water- tured the 360-degree swivel mount, and was
saving electric head. The SailVac used only 2 pints of water the heaviest pump in its group (4 pounds,
during test flushes. 14.5 ounces). But it also required about dou-
ble the amount of power of the other tests
Electric Bilge Pumps pumps.
The bilge pump market is crowded with everything from Based on its excellent output, three-
inexpensive hand pumps to high-capacity electric pumps, year warranty, construction quality and
and we’ve tested many over the past few decades. This year, $56 price tag, the Shurflo 1,500 was testers’
we took a look at 18 electric pumps from Attwood Marine top pick in the low-capacity group.
a pinned-together conventional swivel Rapid-Dissolve Toilet Paper Kimberly-Clark (Scott), Thetford, West
design. The swivel version also has a Our in-depth coverage of marine heads Marine, Camco, and Charmin. All are
neat removable, molded insert that this year (see “Systems Standouts”) relatively well-known brands and read-
slips over the shackle clevis and locks would not have been complete without ily available from local marine and RV
the shackle in one plane, moving only rolling out a test of quick-dissolving distributors, or retail outlets. All are
when it is advantageous to do so. Scott toilet tissues for use in touted as biodegradable, quick dissolv-
The Seldén blocks, both Quick-Dissolve TP marine toilets and ing, and non-clogging.
rated for a 550-pound safe on-board sanitation The evaluation aimed to find out how
work ing load a nd rope systems. quickly the different TPs dissolved in
sizes up to 3/8 inches, were In the June 2011 water, how strong they were, and how
the smoothest, low-friction issue, we tested 10 soft they felt. We used bench tests to de-
blocks tested. The tie ver- toilet tissues from termine the first two criteria, and mul-
sion costs about $22, and the seven manufacturers: tiple testers used the products “in the
swivel runs about $28. Coleman, Dometic, field” to get a feel for how soft each was.
practical sailor september 2011 21
Ge a r o f t h e y e a r
Testers found the Norcross Hawkeye 22PX portable depth
sounder’s large digits easy to read in the sunlight.
during testing seconds. Its 3/4-inch-high digits are easy
that these prod- to read in bright sunlight, although po-
ucts ta ke t he larized sunglasses did make for difficult
leadline to the viewing from an angle. Powered by four
next level. AA batteries, the Hawkeye has a claimed
Resembling range of 199 feet.
small f lashlights, The Hawkeye’s rugged construction
the sounders are and ease of use make it an excellent
designed to be por- tool for gunkholing or for those cruis-
table, easy to use, ers who like to venture off the beaten
and reliable. Yes, path. The $90 Hawkeye costs less than
they require batter- half its competitor and outperformed
Testers also looked at paper thickness, ies, but they are only the Speedtech in testing to earn a 2011
price, and availability. on for 10 seconds at a Editor’s Choice award.
When all the scientific data was time, giving them an
crunched, Practical Sailor tapped exceptionally long working life on Handheld Performance Tool
Scott’s Rapid Dissolving Tissue one set of batteries. Practical Sailor has been following the
(made by Kimberly-Clark) as the The two units were tested over the rise of a small company that caters to
best for use in marine heads and course of three days in the Gulf of Mexi- the speed freaks among us. Since 2005,
onboard sanitation systems. Made for co and near Sarasota, Fla., in depths less Velocitek has been refining a rugged,
RVs and boats, it was the fastest-dissolv- than 50 feet and in varying water condi- battery-operated display designed to
ing product in our test. It wasn’t a very tions—from murky, shallow waters to give GPS-based speed data to sailors so
strong paper, but it got the job done. deeper, clear waters. The units’ ability to that they can get the best performance
Sheets were relatively thick, and in terms read depths through hull materials was on the boat. We reviewed Velocitek’s
of dollars per ounce, it was a pretty good tested in clear waters of 10 to 20 feet. All SpeedPuck and its SC-1 in February
value, costing $3 for four single-ply rolls readings were compared with simulta- 2010, but the company’s latest model,
(308 sheets per roll). neous leadline soundings. Testers also the ProStart, proved to be our favorite
Any of the marine and RV fast- exposed each to a series of durability so far.
dissolving tissues we evaluated would tests involving cold, heat, impact, and We pitted it against Rock City Ma-
be better for your on-board toilet than immersion. rine’s Rock Box in a head-to-head test
standard TP, but the Scott’s thorough The Hawkeye 22PX is made of black, we reported on in the May 2011 issue.
and fast dissolving earned it a spot on reinforced polyvinyl, and the sides of the The products were evaluated on ease of
our GOTY roster. transducer are protected by high-densi- installation, performance on the water,
ty synthetic rubber. Rated as waterproof and durability. Testers also rated accom-
Handheld Depth Sounder to 200 feet, the Hawkeye floats, and it panying software. Both offer Windows-
In the November 2010 issue, Practi- passed all durability tests with flying friendly software that allows racers to
cal Sailor tested two handheld depth colors. download and evaluate data, and we
sounders: the Hawkeye 22PX from On the water, it performed very well, also tested Velocitek’s Mac software,
Norcross Marine and the Depthmate but the shoot-through tests turned up Velocitool.
SM-5A. While we’re usually loathe to varying results. We did not register any To evaluate installation and perfor-
apply a $100 battery-operated solution depths through cored material, but we mance on the water, testers installed the
to a problem easily solved with a chunk did get some readings through the ther- units on a 1974 O’Day Javelin. On-the-
of lead and some 3/8-inch line, we found moplastic Walker Bay and the fiberglass water evaluations took place over the
without immersing the sensor and by course of three days that saw sailing
placing the unit firmly against the hull speeds from 1 to 9 knots.
bottom. Powered by three AAA batteries, the
To record the depth on the 22PX, the fully waterproof (IPX8) ProStart dis-
user presses a button below the small plays only essential performance data:
display once. This backlights the LCD time to start, distance to line, speed
screen and activates the sounder for 10 over ground, course over ground, and
The 16-ounce Velocitek ProStart measures 4.7 inches tall by 6.9 inches long.
22 september 2011 www.practical-sailor.com
gear of the year
Maintenance All-Stars
W ith the gazillion marine maintenance products out
there, it’s an annual challenge to narrow the field
down to just a few superior products for our Gear of the
Year (GOTY) list. This year, our top maintenance picks came
out of our endless antifouling-paint testing and our perfor-
mance evaluation of multi-purpose cleaners—products we
suspect most of you buy and use regularly.
Bottom Paint
In March 2011, we reported on our bottom-paint panels after
After 18 months, Epaint’s EP2000 (white) emerged from the
they had been submerged for 18 months in Sarasota Bay, Fla.
water with virtually no slime, earning it a spot on our 2011
Nearly half of the 65-paint test field succumbed to barnacle
Gear of the Year roster.
growth, but one paint emerged from the water nearly as clean
as the day it went in: Epaint’s EP2000. Other test paints included
products from Blue Water Paints, Flexdel, Interlux, Pettit, Sea
Hawk, Coppercoat, and BoatKoat Laminate. Multi-purpose cleaners
In June 2009, the paints were applied to sections of fiber- We set out looking for one do-it-all cleaner, because really, who
glass panels per makers’ instructions. Testers sluiced the panels wants to buy every pricey specialty cleaner on the market? As it
with salt water and rated them: Excellent (no growth), Good turns out, some well-known manufacturers of specialty marine
(light soft growth), Fair (moderate to heavy soft growth), and cleaners—including Star brite, Marykate, and Yacht Brite—also
Poor (hard growth). Any paint rated Fair or better is continuing make products for general cleaning, so we launched a test to
to meet its designed purpose. find the best multi-purpose cleaners on the market.
Epaint’s EP2000 is a unique hard paint that contains zinc In the November 2010 issue, we tested a total of 15 products,
oxide, a chemical often found in sunscreens and a cross-section of cleaners from popular marine manufactur-
diaper cremes. Although it’s “biocide free,” it acts ers. Most of the test cleaners are sold in spray Marine
much like a biocide-boosted paint: When exposed bottles and ranged in price from $6 to $12 per Spray Nine
to sunlight, water, and dissolved oxygen, it releases container. Testers put each one through a se-
an inhospitable layer of hydrogen peroxide around ries of bench tests simulating real-world use.
the coated surface. Following manufacturers’ instructions, testers
The $250-per-gallon, copper-free EP2000 won’t ap- used them to clean fiberglass, Formica, rub-
peal to everyone—it’s not compatible with other ber, and vinyl. We also compared them to the
paints, so switching to it may require some extra top picks from our degreasers (February 2010) and
prep work—but its excellent performance after mildew removers (January 2009) tests.
18 months garnered it a GOTY pick and makes it The standout performers—and our GOTY
worth considering, especially for eco-conscious picks—were Marine Spray Nine and MDR-
and racing sailors in search of a clean, smooth Amazon’s Krazy Clean. Both earned excellent
bottom. However, because it requires sunlight ratings for performance. Krazy Clean costs
to work, EP2000 may not perform as well in about 33 cents per ounce, and Marine Spray
locales that don’t see much sunshine. MDR Krazy Clean Nine runs about 17 cents per ounce.
a graphic wind shift indicator. Small cal compass, countdown timer, speed held speed tools, earning it a spot on the
icons indicate battery level and mode. over ground, course over ground, and GOTY list.
The extremely intuitive interface re- a windshift indicator.
lies on seven labeled buttons for each Testers found the $600 ProStart to Line Chafe Protection
important function. At the top of the be well-designed and easy to install and The best type of chafe gear to rely on in
unit are buttons to select “start” or use. It offers racing sailors a technical a storm is one that has high resistance
“race” mode, max speed recorded, pow- edge over other sailors and an ability to abrasion, doesn’t cause heat build
er, reset, and +1 (to add minutes to the to replay, analyze, and share race data. up in the line, can be easily installed—
countdown timer). Two other buttons Small-boat sailors looking for a fun de- even when the line has already been
define the starting line. ProStart also vice to track speed and improve their deployed—and stays in place. Practical
will display distance to line and time- skills will also appreciate its portability. Sailor evaluated five products marketed
to-start. Other features include a tacti- It was the clear winner among hand- for chafe protection on and around boats
practical sailor september 2011 23
Ge a r o f t h e y e a r
The commercial-grade Chafe-Pro easily fit standard chocks
and provides multi-layer chafe protection.
The Cha fe- The Kuhn Rikon is extremely well
Pro’s compara- made, with necessary safety and func-
tively higher tional features, an encapsulated-alumi-
price—$50 per num base, and no unnecessary flare. The
guard—is a case spring-valve system and double-red ring
of getting what visual indicator allows for greater cook-
you pay for, in ing accuracy, quieter cooking, and the
Top photo by Ralph Naranjo
in the July 2011 issue. The test included our opinion. It was the only test prod- ability to cook with less water and less
products from marine manufacturers uct to earn an Excellent rating for per- steam, which retains more of the food’s
Davis Instruments, Fiorentino, Fjord formance, earning it a berth on our nutrients and taste.
Inc., and Taylor Made. GOTY roster. Testers found the Kuhn Rikon easy
This round of testing looked at abra- to set up and use, and although the
sion, construction quality, and design. Pressure Cooker tall, 9-pound pot is larger than others
Believing that abrasion resistance is the Our Gear of the Year galley pick is the tested, its compact handles make stow-
most important characteristic in a chafe Kuhn Rikon Duromatic spring-valve ing it easier.
guard, we tested each product on a jig we pressure cooker. Pressure cookers are The efficient and user-friendly Duro-
designed to simulate accelerated wear. the cruiser’s answer to the microwave. matic, carries a hefty $200 price tag, but
We ended up using an angle belt sander The versatile galley tool saves on cook- it comes with a 10-year warranty and
and a constant load, cantilevered jig that ing fuel, water, and time—and having it’s a solid investment for cruisers and
allowed us to do one minute-long, low- a lid that’s locked on while cooking un- offshore passagemakers.
RPM runs on each product. derway is a bonus. They also preserve
All five of the products we tested pro- flavors and nutrients better than micro- Contacts
vided useful abrasion protection, but waving or regular cooking.
Dometic / Sealand
the handsdown winner was the Fjord In the December 2010 issue, we test- 800/321-9886, www.dometic.com
Chafe-Pro (08-HB-02, sized for 1- to ed four pressure cookers from Presto,
EPaint Co.
2-inch lines)—a commercial product Kuhn Rikon, and Fagor. The test pots 800/258-5998, www.epaint.com
that holds just as much validity for the were limited to stainless-steel 4- and
Fjord inc.
recreational sailor, in our opinion. 6-quart models, but most are also avail- 336/567-0336, www.chafepro.com
The Chafe-Pro uses a patented, able in other sizes. We opted against
Kimberly-Clark (Scott)
heavy-duty nylon webbing and Velcro testing electric cookers as PS’s past 888/525-8388
system. The 24-inch-long, heavy weight, cruiser surveys have shown that most www.kimberly-clark.com
quadruple-stitched webbing and dou- onboard cooks opt for non-electric gal- Kuhn Rikon, 800/924-4699
ble-locking Velcro end point make this ley appliances. www.kuhnrikon.com
product a cut above the competition, in For testing, we assembled and used MDR, 973/754-7087
our opinion. Despite its bulkier appear- the cookers according to their instruc- www.mdramazon.com
ance, the Chafe-Pro was easy to install, tion manuals, cooking potatoes in each Norcross, 888/766-7276
took an angle change in stride, and fit and then cooking a selected recipe from www.norcrossmarine.com
into chocks with ease. It also shrugged each pot’s accompanying recipe book. Planus (Scandvik)
off the belt sander’s assault and easily Testers also considered each cooker’s 800/535-6009, www.planus.biz
stayed locked tightly in place. construction, ergonomics, user-friend- Raritan, 856/825-4900
Kuhn Rikon Duromatic liness, instructions, price, warranty, and www.raritaneng.com
the accessibility of customer help and Seldén, 843/760-6278
spare parts. www.seldenmast.com
After weighing all the data—and shurflo, 800/854-3218
sampling all the food—the 6.3-quart www.shurflo.com
Kuhn Rikon got the nod as the best Spray Nine, 800/477-7299
pressure cooker. It performed flaw- www.spraynine.com
lessly and earned Excellent ratings in Torqeedo
every category but one: The 100-page www.torqeedo.com
cookbook earned only a Good as its Velocitek, 800/693-1610
recipes were somewhat labor intensive, www.velocitek.com
requiring much preparation.
24 september 2011 www.practical-sailor.com
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