Recent content by AndrewB

I kept my 26' yacht moored at Whitstable between 1975 and 1981. At that time there were 20 or so yachts moored there, off Whitstable Yacht Club which had a significant cruising membership, a number of us living in the town. I only visit occasionally now, but my impression is that WYC has become...

Teak doesn't take kindly to varnish. It will soon look tatty again, so be prepared to have to scrape it down and revarnish every year. Good quality teak oil is a simpler option (low quality tends to blacken), not quite as pretty though. You might be tempted to leave teak bare, as it still looks...

Stopped ocean cruising at 69. I kept tabs on many dedicated ocean cruisers during my time and found the typical age for giving up was mid to late 60's, so I was pretty average. This is a cautionary note to those who think they can leave it till the regular retirement age before setting out...

Reception staff in Levkas Marina assured me that dry-docking of the swing bridge is a normal, annual event (usually in winter, when a ferry is substituted), so it should reopen "before long". However, it seems odd that it is closed to yachts but is allowed to open a couple of times daily for...

Maybe someone should tell the bridge operators. We went through on the regular 1100 swing on 28th June.

My experience exactly. Not that I ever suffered much, but last time was 30 years ago, sailing round the north of Scotland!

Hove to or making sail changes to slow down? That looks like he is approaching the Tuamotu Islands. If so timing is everything to get into some of the lagoons, you need to arrive in daylight at just the right stage of the tide, specially if the wind is strong.

Definitely! Specially if you are on limited battery power.

When I lived on a mooring in Kent, I spent most of every evening in a nearby pub for the warmth and companionship. Probably cost me more than a marina!

He must have been in his 90's. I found his Caribbean Guides indispensible when I first sailed there. I still have his "Cruising Guide to the Eastern Caribbean" first published in 1964. We met him when we were moored together in Limehouse Dock during 2004. (The bows in the foreground are my...

Hmm, yes, but it isn't security's job (in the country of origin) to be concerned about tax. I'm surprised you got away with the gear-puller as there is a blanket ban on taking tools in carry-on luggage. Last year I had confiscated a tiny watchmaker's screwdriver all of 5cm long. Not an easy...

I've had Medway Galvanising Company Ltd do mine a few times, hot-dip regalvanising with shaking. Very satisfied with results. The cost was between one-quarter and one-third of new chain. Regalvanising doesn't seem to last quite as long as the original, maybe 5 years compared with 7 or 8 for new...

In my day keeping the freezer going was impractical when blue-water cruising. So it was canned meat. In many countries what is available in supermarkets is rubbish though there is some half-way decent stuff in Britain and France. However the very best was survival supplies, mail order only, in...

This thread had me digging out my old Davis Mk 15 sextant. It got me across the Atlantic 30 years ago. Though I did buy an early Magellan GPS in the USA to get back. It's sat unloved in the back of a cupboard for 20 years. Nevertheless on checking today: parallax error - nil; side error - nil...

You need a decent windvane and preferably a woman. Otherwise, nothing wrong with your plan! :)