help me spend £500

ChattingLil

ChattingLil

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Friends - I have an unexpected rebate of £500 so I am going to spend it on Black Magic. I can't decide between a 'new' secondhand headsail, an outboard or an autotiller.

Pros and Cons:

current headsail very rubbish, like an old hankie, no shape, not efficient. However is does work to some extent and it's not like I'm ever in a hurry, or even go anywhere.:rolleyes: I have been offered a secondhand genoa by Wilkinsons, which I think is a very good deal and it won't be around for long.

Autotiller, I want one and it may well encourage me to be adventurous with single-handing or when short-crewed, but I have managed without for the past 4 years.

Outboard. I don't have one at the moment and haven't needed one since I've been in a marina - however, I am now on a swinging mooring and either dependent on the water taxi (restricted hours) or facing the prospect of having to row against tide at times. I feel like its a lot of money for something that I'd hardly use, but its one of those things that could prove to be invaluable at the time you need it. Also, if I got an outboard, then next year I could stay on the mooring and with the savings made, buy the tiller pilot anyway.

There are plenty of other things on my wishlist, but these are the pricey things that £500 would cover.

Anything else to consider? What do you think?
 
A bottle of Krug, a 12v champagne ice busket, a little jar of Beluga Caviar and a silver spoon from Mappin & Webb.
An excellent trade.


Alternatively, I would go for the tillerpilot which will reduce your reliance on crew..... and another 110amp battery in that locker.
 
Go for the genoa... All the rest is just extras, a sail that sets properly is essential if you want to enoy the sailing, which is why you bought a sail
Boat... Plus it's a good deal which may be difficult to find again... Tillerpilots and outboards are a dime a dozen.
 
Investment in your primary motive power is the best. A Stretched out baggy old sail with the draft in the wrong place will not just make you go slower, it will respond badly to gusts, possibly increase weather helm and makle sailing less pleasant. Sail everytime.
 
Autopilot, definitely. Handy on any yacht, but a real boon if you are single/short handed. (Apart from anything else allows more tea brewing/drinking, which is vital for happy sailing, is it not?)

Unless the second hand headsail is both in good condition and (much less likely) the right dimensions for your boat. Unless the proportions are right for the relationship of your rig and genoa track, you won't be much better off (if at all) than a knackered sail. (Could you top up your rebate and get a new one the size/shape you actually want?)

Outboard. Can be nice, but is rowing really that much more effort than lugging the outboard about, especally if in and out of the car, off the dinghy on to the boat, etc. etc. is involved? If you do get one, get the smallest, lightest one you can, I'd suggest.
 
thanks for all replies so far. Despite the mixed responses it it helping!

LittleSister said:
and (much less likely) the right dimensions for your boat. Unless the proportions are right for the relationship of your rig and genoa track, you won't be much better off (if at all) than a knackered sail. (Could you top up your rebate and get a new one the size/shape you actually want?)
Click to expand...
If Wilkinsons can be trusted (and the word is that they most certainly can) then it is as they made the current one (in the last century!), so they know.
And, sadly, no re budget.


LittleSister said:
but is rowing really that much more effort than .....
Click to expand...
Appreciate that but, especially if I am on my own, rowing against even 1 knot of tide is pretty perilous and there is often more than that.



I think I am coming down on the side of the sail though...
 
Are all the things on your list £500?
You should be able to get an small outboard for the tender for a lot less than that - no more than £200. We got one for Father-in-law off forumite "Joe" who deals in outboards. You could spend less if you can cope with a Seagull....
The sail sounds best to me if it is cut properly to fit Black Magic as it is likely to be a bargain as it's new and should last many years and should work properly on your boat.
The pilot is probably the next most expensive item - which type or model are you looking at?
D
 
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Maybe you only like new stuff. But a working seagull can be bought for less than £50 and will likely last forever - I started mine this year after it had sat unloved in my shed for a 2 years, a bit stiff at first to turn over, but three more pulls with fresh petrol and oil of course and it hasn't let me down this year. For a 29' boat an Autohelm 1000 or Simrad TP10 should be sufficient to steer and new are less than £300 and can be bought on Ebay for less than £100 if you are patient. That only leaves the sail - maybe Wilkinson's will negotiate.
 
Glayva said:
Maybe you only like new stuff. But a working seagull can be bought for less than £50 and will likely last forever - I started mine this year after it had sat unloved in my shed for a 2 years, a bit stiff at first to turn over, but three more pulls with fresh petrol and oil of course and it hasn't let me down this year. For a 29' boat an Autohelm 1000 or Simrad TP10 should be sufficient to steer and new are less than £300 and can be bought on Ebay for less than £100 if you are patient. That only leaves the sail - maybe Wilkinson's will negotiate.
Click to expand...


thanks again.

Not bothered by new and do have a contact re secondhand outboards. Will investigate. Happy to have old as long as reliable as I am an infamous techno/mechnobimbo. I just can't bear things going wrong on me that I don't have the knowledge or capability to fix.

1000 on just the wrong side of being big enough. I did see a good offer at last years boat show for one, but on further analysis realised that Black Magic is a little bit too big - may be talking from my backside, but I think I remember that the 1000 is suitable up to 3ton displacement and I'm about 3.5 + baggage.

Maybe Wilkos will, but they are already holding it for me to save up! (and it's not the whole £500!)

I suspect I will stretch to the sail and a secondhand outboard and save up for the autohelm next summer.
 
Well , you have a lot of gear already which is useful ie plotter , spray hood etc which I don't have (spray hood on order) , but the bit of kit I used the most this last week was my tiller pilot , I wouldn't be without one , it went on at Pye end yest and didn't come off till Burnham moorings .

So for me a decent autopilot is a must .

I got a small outboard of eBay for less than £300

I doubt wether you will actually see the benefit of a better sail but guarantee you will from a autopilot :rolleyes:
 
Another vote for the tiller pilot.

Given that most of my sailing is me & 1 or more passengers, I wouldn't be able to go any distance without some form of self steering. Don't have to organise crew, go when it suits you :)

Cheap outboard would be next, coz you need to get to your boat to take her sailing!

Ian
 
You're a sailor so you feel you ought to buy the sail

But frankly I'd go for the tiller pilot

We've used it a lot this last fortnight and concluded that we wouldn't have wanted to be without it
 
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