We are in a never to be repeated golden age of sailing.

[Chiara’s slave]

One of my mates is obsessed with the winches on our Sigma.

The lack of self tailing completely blows his mind and I’ve lost count of the amount of times he’s asked when I’m going to change them to the point he’s now programmed in my phone as ‘self tailing Steve’!

Our jib sheet winches are not self tailing. Nothing old fashioned about it, they have uses. In our case, the ability to very swiftly dump the sheet.

 

[Concerto]

One of my mates is obsessed with the winches on our Sigma.

The lack of self tailing completely blows his mind and I’ve lost count of the amount of times he’s asked when I’m going to change them to the point he’s now programmed in my phone as ‘self tailing Steve’!

Perhaps he should try my old Fulmar as I have over sized self tailing winches for sheets and halyards. Well worth the money I paid. The Lewmar 43st's for the genoa cost the astronomical sum of ............£200.......the pair secondhand. The old self tailing Antal 40's became the halyard winches.

 

[winch2]

Not sure I totally agree with the headline. First of all, the cost of keeping even a modest boat is now massive. Back in the early 80's we'd park up, drag the dinghy out of a hedge, chat to some ole longshoreman, row out and take the ole deep keeler out for a blast, cost us 10 quid a year.

Yes we took a bit of spray but had huge fun, drank coffee and ate stew on the go. Every outing was a real adventure and at days end we had Newtown/Beaulie all to ourselves and never really gave much thght regarding the boats internal dimensions, it was a boat. Funny thing is even today I like a boat where I can lean over the side and touch the water.....I like the connection.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Not sure I totally agree with the headline. First of all, the cost of keeping even a modest boat is now massive. Back in the early 80's we'd park up, drag the dinghy out of a hedge, chat to some ole longshoreman, row out and take the ole deep keeler out for a blast, cost us 10 quid a year.

Yes we took a bit of spray but had huge fun, drank coffee and ate stew on the go. Every outing was a real adventure and at days end we had Newtown/Beaulie all to ourselves and never really gave much thght regarding the boats internal dimensions, it was a boat. Funny thing is even today I like a boat where I can lean over the side and touch the water.....I like the connection.

On ours, you certainly can lean over the side and touch the water, but theres really no need. The water will come and touch you if you sit in the wrong place