Practical Boat Owner – May 2018

46 Practical Boat Owner • http://www.pbo.co.uk

New Gear

The latest new products on the market

Honda EU22i

portable generator

Honda has been pioneering portable
power since 1964, and was fi rst to use
inverter technology in a generator. The
inverter produces a clean sine wave
output for running electronic devices
and household equipment without risk
of damage. Inverter generators are
smaller, lighter, quieter and more fuel
effi cient than conventional types. The
downside is cost, so conventional
generators may make more sense for
running power tools.
The EU22i replaces the EU20i offering a
10% increase on output power at no extra
cost. The dimensions and overall weight
are also unchanged – it is a lightweight
unit: just 24kg with a full tank of fuel. A
new fuel valve arrangement prevents fuel
going stale during extended periods of
storage by allowing the fuel supply to be
switched off while the engine is running
until all fuel in the carburettor is consumed
and the engine stops. Draining the engine

in this way before storage ensures no

problems and easier starting when it’s

time for the EU22i to be fi lled with fresh

fuel and get back to work. The new EU22i

comes with a fi ve-year manufacturer’s

warranty for leisure customers (one year

for professional users).

Qwww.honda.co.uk/eu22

Zhik Aroshell

cruising jacket

This Australian brand is famous for its

wetsuits, sported by any number of

top-fl ight dinghy sailors since the

company was founded in 2003. The

Aroshell range was Zhik’s fi rst foray into

big-boat waterproofs and has now

expanded to include a new coastal

jacket and smock.

Both garments promise ‘best in class’

waterproofi ng with in stretchy,

breathable fabrics, which is indeed a

very useful combination, and both have

adjustable inner neck and cuff seals

lined with a soft synthetic material for

comfort. The jacket is fi tted with a hood,

whereas the smock is

notable for its compatibility

with Zhik’s zip-on zip-off

range of ‘adaptive’ hoods

and balaclavas – which

may look quite scary, but

won an award for

innovation at the

Marine Equipment

Trade Show (METS)

in November

last year.

Q http://www.zhik.com

For powerboat owners with marina

berths or fi nger pontoons, Clean Boat

Protector from Sweden claims to be a

way to avoid using antifouling, saving

on the regular expense of applying and

cleaning it off, as well as reducing the

amount of chemicals and toxic heavy

metals ending up in the water.

The device looks like a tarpaulin – or

buoyant swimming pool cover – that

can be fi tted with wooden spars along

the edges, and fi xed in place on the

surface of the water in your berth.

This blanket is designed to simply

wrap the bottom of the vessel when you

moor on top of it.

There is a choice of material grades

that increase longevity and offer

improved performance in high fouling

areas, but the practical application in

anything other than a still, enclosed

basin could be problematic.

Qwww.cleanboatprotector.com

Clean Boat Protector