Recent content by alkira

Hello I would like to get some solar panels for power whilst cruising and at anchor for a week at a time. I need to power two small fridges (well insulated) , a few Led lights in evening 4 hrs approx and stereo /phone chargers . Can anyone please give me a ball park of a sensible wattage of...

visitor moorings at plockton are a good bet......train to inverness regularly .......solid and well maintained and good shelter. You can leave your dinghy overturned and locked to the signpost just above the pontoon or ask one of the friendly locals and they can store it in their garden

Has anyone stopped at this eastern group of islands without checking into Suva first? Was thinking about it just for a few days rest.....

I have a ST4000 installed already and it won't calibrate and steers ok for a while in flat seas but yu have to watch it. I can't face replacing the ST4000 running all the wires etc so just ordered a TP 32 simrad so i'll give that a test ....i use the windvane when the wind arrives so hopefully...

Anyone got any experience with the Raymarine ST2000?? Just i was going to get one for motoring in calm seas and wondering if this would be up to the job....boat is 11.5m and 10 tons which is a bit big for this tp but it's only for motoring through calms . Any advice gratefully received>

fireball - your profile has no mention of you having sailed at all ...........to be of any relevance on a forum we need to know your sailing experience so we know what your frame of reference is .......you could be a window cleaner from High Wycombe with a ship in a bottle on your mantle piece...

fireball- get back to me with your opinions once you've sailed some ocean passages .....you might have some idea of the point i am trying to make racing or cruising the skipper has a basic responsibility to his crew to be fed/watered and to navigate around shipping and stationary hazards...

Has anyone sailed this passage in January offshore and NOT been pulverised by the katabatic Andean winds. Any advice ? Was thinking of staying in deep water in mid Carib sea and headin straight for panama?

sorry i've just read your previous threads andymcp and i realise you are a pottering punter.......get back to me with your opinions when you've sailed some oceans

It doesn't matter whether you're cruising or racing the skipper has a responsibility to ensure the crew are fed /watered and navigated clear of other vessels and stationary hazards.......andymcp there's no sign of your sailing cv on your profile i assume you've made a few ocean passages short...

In 20 years of sailing coastal and offshore i've never felt the need to pay someone to tell me how to use a VHF or pay for a licence.......mind you i haven't set up the DSC function ...would be of little use in most places i've sailed anyway . It always astounds me how many sailors are willing...

I couldn't agree less with you Fireball...... ......i haven't raced yachts but i have sailed my small boat around UK and cross Atlantic with my wife and kids 4 and 6 yrs ......believe me i know about tiredness and having to navigate under pressure .......8 grown men on a boat should not be...

"What we do want to get out of this is the excitement and challenge of practising, preparing, planning and executing this big adventure and of course the act of sailing a significant global distance under the guidance of our own initiative. The camaraderie and companionship of the ARC is a big...

If crew are unable to function properly due to fatigue with a complement of 8 ...there's a lot wrong with the watch system. They should all be getting plenty kip !!

I looked at google earth which the navigator also said he did and that beautiful reef sticks out like sore thumb .....its the only thing for a long way you can't hit . it wasn't like they were trying to scrape past it ....they had no idea it was there at all .....total muppetry