Recent content by srm

Old ss rigging wire was used by a friend in the railings/fence? around his raised deck at home.

We had to visit Lisbon last year for health reasons. The nearest Airbnb to the clinic was a 34ft sailing yacht (also used for day trips) in a marina on the river. Suited us with a pleasant, if slow, riverside walk to and from my scan.

Unfortunately, my boat did not have such a considerate first owner.

Nice looking motor/sailer for northern waters all be it let down by the various comments above. However, while it's relatively easy to keep a steel boat looking presentable on the outside I would have serious reservations. I was lucky to sell my steel boat for scrap value due to it quietly...

Normal practice in Scandinavia, hence the loops rather than cleats on marinas that were fabricated over there.

I did my YM exam around 1980 in the Solent. One of the candidates for Coastal Skipper failed. In part because he did not go and check the name of a buoy that he was told could just be seen during a blind pilotage exercise.

I would usually offer to help boats berthing in our marina, asking first, then asking where they wanted me to secure the line I was handed. At times I acted on my own initiative to avoid things going wrong, usually just holding the bow in the right position. Very occasionally I have effectively...

Decca made navigation so much easier, even with its errors and areas of uncertainty. Speeded up plotting by entering the middle of a compass rose as a way point. Then plotted reciprocal bearing and range to waypoint. Before that electronics for most of us amounted to hand held radio direction...

Sounds like the US Navy's system. Calculated a running fix from the pass of one satellite in polar orbit. Sensitive to the altitude of the satellite, too high or too low and it could not resolve the position. In theory there should have been one usable satellite pass per hour. Very good for...

I usually got the engine to start, but it took extended cranking and sometimes quick start spray. Extended cranking is bad for the starter motor and quick start does not do the engine any good. Once started it would run smoothly and no problems so all other systems OK. Initially fitted new...

I think the marina mentioned in my previous post paid £75 to file the small claim. This was recovered along with the debt. However, that was quite a few years ago so is out of date.

Might not be relevant but I had a lot of trouble starting a Yanmar 2GM as the starter motor was sluggish even with fully charged batteries. After trying many things the answer was a starter motor from eBay.

I would go for a sail as its a beautiful day and think about the engine afterwards.

Long time ago in the UK. I laid and maintained a mooring within a harbour area. Early spring someone I know put a boat they were looking after on my mooring. I asked him to move it. When my boat was launched I put it on the mooring alongside the smaller boat that was still there, and again asked...

Looks as if there are a few players in the field, but still very early days yet: Eagle Class 53: The foiling cruiser inspired by the America’s Cup - Yachting World Foiling technology for cruisers; isn't it magic?