Recent content by Krusty

Best is in Gunna Sound; the southern part of the bay, S of the above-water rock dividing it; sand. On the north coast, the western side of Balephetrish Bay; sand. The bays further east, Vaul and Salum, are (or were) more weedy; tricky approach through rocks too. From memory, the greatest...

Racing, like acne, is something you grow out of.

I wonder if I am alone in being intensley irritated by the use of "floor" to refer to the ground, pavement or field?; even on the BBC! Surely a floor is a horizontal construction within a building? Or have I become ignorant in senility? Perhaps the reason, or excuse, is that it requires...

Thank you, Fisherman, but 10mm simply will not do. The nees is for at least 14mm; twice as strong and easier to handle. Perhaps even 16mm.

Thank you, fisherman! It is not quite the same, (hemp, not nylon) but it sounds like it does the same job. I shall search for some, and if unsuccessful, come back to you. Regards, K

It is OK for a chuckle; But I wonder how many fairly experienced sailors (say more than 10KnM on their log?) have NOT run aground at some time, somewhere? (I reckon I touched something or other roughly once per 10KnM) I recall easing sheets and going between the piers of a small Norwegian...

Almost thirty years ago I bought a composite 3-strand rope, then marketed as 'Sea Queen', which was 80% white nylon with 20% polypropylene in green strands. It was strong, fairly elastic, supple and easy to grip: and it floated, so ideal for harbour mooring lines; better by far than...

The typical modern 2-reef mainsail seems to be intended for the typical "Cruiser-racer" with the cloth supple enough for good light- and strong-wind performance, but not really hard weather. For the serious offshore/ocean sailor with operational simplicity in mind a two-reef mainsail with its...

If you intend to leave coastal waters and safe refuges behind, I am sure you should. A Vancouver will almost certainly survive without it, but a third reef and small staysail is far more seaworthy, less stressful and faster. I had a Pionier 10, modified to carry a small staysail made tough...

Marina, mooring and harbour (that old-fashioned stone-built thing with a hole on the seaward side).

Skimming through old log-books, as old sailors do from time to time, I wondered how many present-day sailors of boats of 30ft or more berth under sail? Or have never berthed under sail? If the topic has been discussed in recent times, I would be grateful for a pointer.

All contributions so far are valued; becoming a basket of informed opinion and experience well worth mulling over. I'm sure there is more out there to come! The problem is going to be finding the boat that has all the most important features designed in or feasible as additions/modifications.

Thanks Fascadale: it is already on the short-list. But it is not for me: I am researching on behalf of a friend. A trainee of mine a long time ago!

Thank you; your point is recognised: but the 20-year-old may well have been refitted to meet a previous owner's requirements, while the tired 15-year-old can be refitted to meet the new owner's requirements for single-handing.

15 year age limit: for reasonable prospects of good service for another twenty.