Blue View – Do Cetane Boosters Really Work?

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Blue View – Do Cetane Boosters Really Work?

There are a number of companies that sell “Cetane Boosters” - additives that are poured into the tank of a diesel powered vehicle and which supposedly not only improve the MPG and power, but also clean and lubricate the injectors, remove water from the tank, make the exhaust sweet smelling, make your teeth whiter and your hemorrhoids shrink. Okay – I made up the last three, but you get the point. So, are these really worthwhile or just snake oil?

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Blue View - Our Camping Pet Peeves

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Blue View - Our Camping Pet Peeves

Traveling around in a van has a lot of similarities with sailing. One of them is settling into an anchorage/campground for the evening - or a few days. Often, we end up parking in somewhat close proximity to other sailboats/campers/RVs, and it's nice when everyone is at least a little considerate of the others parked nearby. We've found, however, that whether it be an anchorage or a campground, there are at least a few who have no clue about about proper etiquette. I think it’s only right that I devote a little space to the annoyances of camping. So here are our ten top pet peeves of camping.

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Blue View – Comparing the Cost of Owning a Van vs Owning a Boat, Part 2

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Blue View – Comparing the Cost of Owning a Van vs Owning a Boat, Part 2

Now that Blue has been part of the family for a year now, I thought it would be a good time to take a reckoning of what he's cost us, and compare that to the cost of owning Nine of Cups. Last week in Part 1, I tallied all the fixed costs – those dollars that don't change much whether Blue is sitting in the driveway or carrying us across the country. This week, I'll total up the operating expenses. These are the costs like fuel and maintenance that do vary more or less directly with the amount of driving we do.

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