3 R's

[jimboaw]

3 R\'s

Reliability, Repairability and Redundancy.
Just had a reply from Ronstan customer service re. spare sheaves for my main sheet traveller car. Apart from not being able to supply them they also said that replacing the sheaves should be done by a rigger or machine shop! Now where are we when things break? at the dock??
Seems to me we should take a long hard look at the gear we buy and if it does not meet the redundancy condition it has to meet the other 2.

 

[ccscott49]

Re: 3 R\'s

Yes! You are completely right! Thats why I don't have that new fangled stuff and rely on wooden blocks and sheets, no traveller. You might laugh at the wooden blocks, but these have bronze frames, bronze sheaves, with oilite bushes, I can strip and rel-lubricate them each year and they haven't given me a minutes trouble, as opposed to a harken block, that came apart and almost dropped the dinghy on my head! The explanation from Harken, none! I'm still waiting. (six months)

 

[bedouin]

Re: 3 R\'s

No, I don't laugh at your wooden blocks, but I do at your wooden sheets!

 

[ccscott49]

Re: 3 R\'s

Ah! well if you haven't tried them etc.

 

[jimi]

Re: 3 R\'s

You should see his anchor & anchor chain though ..

 

[jimboaw]

So little response

So I guess the sailing hardware industry has done their market research and come to the correct conclusion. "Boat owners must have more money than brains." There must be hundreds of examples of 'rip off" prices for boat gear that can be obtained from non marine outlets for a fraction of the price you will pay in a marine store.
I start the ball rolling with "Copper Foil" for ground planes. Go to your local roofing supplies and ask for copper flashing.

 

[ccscott49]

Re: So little response

I'll remember that one, I need some. Thanks for that.

 

[snowleopard]

do you remember...

the labour govt. of the early 70's? they introduced a 'luxury' VAT rate of 25% (compared to the standard rate of 8%) which applied to anything to do with yachts. it meant that a shackle in a chandlers had vat at 25% while the same item in an ironmongers was 8%. that really gave an incentive to use alternative suppliers, especially as i was building a boat at the time.

these days there are still quite a few alternatives:

for domestic fittings and all drinking water equipment (pumps, valves etc.) try a caravan shop.

mastics etc.: builder's merchants

wiring: motor factors

fastenings: screwfix

still lots of opportunities for us mean b****s