Recent content by petercrook

The Pardeies have a completely flush hatch on Taliesin. It's featured in their videos and possibly in their books. They claim the secret is to use refridgerator gasket as the seal, compressed by 'dogs' holding down the hatch. <hr width=100% size=1>

Mast wedges: Should they be of softwood so they don't damage the mast, or hardwood so that they don't shrink and swell too much (and so damage the mast?)? The hole in the deck is a parallel sided octogon. Should the wedges be of constant thickness (to match the hole into which they have to...

Where abouts in the South West? I reckon you would be well looked after by Traditional Sail, Lyncombe Boatyard, Salcombe, Devon TQ8 8NQ, 01548 844284, http://www.traditional-sail.co.uk/. I assume you are a member of the Owners' Association? <hr width=100% size=1>

Sounds to me that you need a Tideway - a 12' sailing dinghy that can be rowed, sailed and used with an outboard. You can buy a new or used one in either wood or fibreglass (if you must). Get in touch with the Tideway Owners' Association; the secretary is Rev. Mary Davies, 70 Holland Street...

Re: Not beeswax The Pardeys seem to swear by beeswax for all their friction-reducing needs, but perhaps they can't get tallow. They don't have any mast hoops of course! <hr width=100% size=1>

I'll get the ruler out when I'm down at the boat this coming week. <hr width=100% size=1>

Thanks - so as most of them were 9 - 9 1/2" maybe we'll stick with that. We'd already cottoned on to the idea of the line on the foreside of the hoops - the top one in particular used to bind on the mast so tightly that Elspeth couldn't hoist the sail on her own! Although since laying up we...

We thought replacing Cautious Clara's damaged mast hoops would be just a case of buying new ones the same diameter as the old. But the old ones are different diameters, from 8 1/2" to 10"! What diameter should we use for a 7 1/4" mast? <hr width=100% size=1>

Colin Frake, Stnadard Quay, Faversham, Kent ME13 7BS 01795 531493 makes blocks (and other useful things) in various materials and styles with "oilite" bushes. He will also sell you the sheaves and bushes separately. I haven't bought any yet but they look attractive in his brochure. And of...

Have you tried eBay? <hr width=100% size=1>

You can buy ready-mixed red lead putty from Traditional Boat Supplies. It's cheaper than white lead and you can now use it above the waterline as well: modern paints don't let the red colour bleed through which was why white lead used to be used for the topsides. <hr width=100% size=1>

Re: Coal stove or .... Just to be sure... Do you mean: it's worth it to have a heater, or it's worth it to have a coal stove rather than a Taylor's paraffin heater? <hr width=100% size=1>

Coal stove or .... We have always wanted to have a boat with a coal stove such as the Faversham. But now that we've got a boat that would suit one we're having cold feet. What about the mess, the space required for coal storage, the need to dispose of ashes ... Would we be better off with a...

"Would eventual replacement with bronze be beneficial (expense aside)?" Depends on what other metals are used under the water-line - see the thread on bronze castings. Cautious Clara's floors were (wrought?) iron, most of which had been replaced with mild steel straps covered in some black...

"You need to be careful about changing metals under the water in a wooden boat, due to the effects of electrolysis." That's why I want to replace the steel floors with bronze. The keel is lead, the keelbolts are bronze, the fastenings (including those for the floors) are copper/bronze. The...