Recent content by LouisBrowne

Many thanks to all for the advice

Thanks very much for the helpful suggestions / advice. With regard to the engine some of you are advocating running under load every so often while others suggest leave well alone. If the engine is to be left alone does the raw water cooling system need to be flushed through with a couple of...

I'm thinking of leaving my boat afloat next winter on a swinging mooring. The issues I have thought of that would need to be addressed are: 1. Insurance 2. Remove sails etc 3. Damp: with no electricity ventilation will be important 4. Run the engine once a month to charge batteries 5. What about...

The ICC Sailing Directions are very good for pilotage but not so helpful for choosing places to visit. For deciding whether you would like to visit a place and planning the cruise there is the ICC's Cruising Ireland . For SW Ireland there is also Cruising Cork and Kerry which is good for...

If you want a dual purpose boat on a reasonable budget I think the MGC27 would be perfect. I had one for four happy years of singlehanded sailing. For her size and age she is quite fast (for passage planning I assumed 6 knots), she’s thoroughly seaworthy (I did cruises from Poole to Normandy...

I've sailed from Beaulieu to Newhaven a couple of times. If you can be at the mouth of Lymington River before 0600 and can average 6 knots through the water you'd only have foul tide for the last 10 miles or so and should arrive at Brighton in plenty of time before it gets too shallow at about...

Thanks very much; that's very helpful. Unfortunately there is no spare sheave nor space for one; a new vang is the only option. Cleats for the falls of the lazy jacks will tidy things up at the bottom of the mast so it's a worthwhile project even if I do change the vang for one that holds the...

Thanks very much for the helpful comments. I'm still unsure about the length of the rivet: I assume it needs to be the height of the cleat plus the thickness of the mast plus a bit to make the fixing on the inside of the boom: what should the 'plus a bit' element be? Is 5mm enough, 10mm? With...

I want to rivet two horn cleats to the mast of my boat for securing the falls of the stack-pack lazy jacks. I have never tried riveting before and I'd be grateful for advice on the following questions: 1. How do I decide the length of the rivet? 2. What type of rivet should I use (stainless...

You might try using a Scrubbis (a buoyant semi hard scraper on on the end of a bent pole). I use hard antifouling and have a go with the Scrubbis once a month or so and I find it quick and effective. Even though you have lost patches of antifouling it might help you to keep growth under control...

I had an X37 which is an X of the same family and vintage as the X34. She was an absolute delight to sail with very light and precise steering and effortless speed for a cruising boat. She is well built and comfortable to live on and to steer. If you are more interested in cruising the boat...

I looked into this recently because I was planning to do a cruise to Dingle in June / July. You need a negative Covid test not more than two days old when you enter the Republic and you must self isolate for 14 days. Self isolation would not be a problem for you but the Covid test would be...

Ah yes, I hadn't though of that

Thanks for the explanation Fr Hacket; so as I understand it the fore and aft axis is programmed in and the individual LED lights shine red, green or white accordingly

I notice that the inventory includes a masthead light: I wonder how that works on an aero rigged boat.