Recent content by aknight

It's Sea Badger II rather than Sea Bader Eleven. I'll correct my original posting on yourboatpix.

People who try to stop me having a crafty ciggie to leeward.

Yeah but, no but, actually what I said was I'd choose my cat based on its initial stability - not that I'd choose any cat because it must de facto have initial stability. There's a difference. You'd assess a cat differently to a keelboat, obviously, and that's the test I'd use in deciding...

I blame the water ballast, they should all be banned.

Mothership Thanks - I thought we were in real trouble there

Sorry for p*** poor photo, no time to set up a tripod. Odd cloud pattern - a bit like the Statue of Liberty's crown - seen to the SW from near Tower Bridge. Wind at 30m height was SW 10 knot. The wide angle exaggerates slightly but each plume is heading in a different direction to its...

According to your profile, you have a Westerly Jouster, so I'm guessing stub keel, drop fin, about 1000 lbs ballast maybe. No I think we'll let you keep that, provided you don't find the quick release button for the ballast.

You haven't answered my point, but no, thanks, I won't be following your advice. I won't be sailing in a MacGregor at all, and I'll choose my cats based on initial stability.

Dinghies may be blown over, yachts shouldn't. Last time I went out on my own it was a F5. There was me and there were three dinghies, and no-one else. All three dinghies were blown over, and I'd be surprised if any one was surprised by that. My boat didn't, and I'd be surprised if anyone...

Orbister, if my boat carries too much sail for the conditions, it heels until it spills the wind. I don't expect it, when operated within a pretty wide range of conditions, to fall right over and then stay over. In most recreational sailing scenarios, carrying too much sail will give you a...

"The MacGregor isn't a yacht. It's a boat, with various characteristics, designed to be powered by a large outboard engine and by sails when conditions are right." I know that, and you know that. But it is marketed as "the world's best selling cruising sailboat" - see...

Not wanting to decry the engineers and others making more informed postings on this topic, but.... For me it's simple. I don't like the MacGregor anyway, for aesthetic reasons, but even if I felt otherwise, I'd pass up the opportunity to use one because...it falls over. And yachts aren't...

I use Will French at Blue Yacht Management: http://www.blueyachtmanagement.com/ - very reliable. Don't have prices to hand, though.

A couple of observations from someone who is only just beginning to singlehand (so the experience is still fresh): - It's less about sailing skills, assuming you have the basic minumum, as about your state of mind. You have to get past that nervous moment when you first cast off from your...

They appear to be lottery-funded, so both you and the Harbourmaster should be able to get your cash out them!