Yesterday, while making a list of stuff I need to procure, the thought crossed my mind that boat stuff, more than likely with the incoming regime, is going to become a whole lot more expensive in a hurry. For that matter, everything is going to cost more than we’d like with maybe the exception of …
I keep noticing that the cost of used self-steering gears continue to rise. For example, the Navik windvane which used to sell somewhere between $150- $500 dollars is now selling for somewhere between $400-$1000 dollars (check here for a price spread on used Naviks). While it still might be the best deal going for a …
You might want to check out. Sensible, simple, and cheap. Better yet, it should cost you less than $60 or so in materials and a couple of days of work. Considering that the cost of used vane gears (Aries, Navik, Windpilot, Atoms, Hasler, etc) are getting more expensive and hard to find, this gear makes …
Ian asked what affordable means and I realized I was less than clear about my wants where propulsion is concerned. So, let’s dig in… Affordable is a scary word these days and pretty much useless without context. In my case, back when I first put together an electric drive for “So It Goes” I spent …
The other day, I was informed that the hip dinghy that will be the new standard is the OC 330. Of course, being enamored of cool dinghies, I searched out Offshore Cruising Tenders and found a sorta/kinda dinghy that really did not impress me. My first impression was that it’s a RIB meets plywood stitch …
So, it’s time to build a new dinghy for some serious cruising and, over the last few days, I’ve been looking for a design that makes sense. Lately, I’ve been using a six-foot dinghy but being over built is way too heavy to be used for serious cruising. Hence the need to build something new. …
Just a quick note to point you towards a great post over at Sailing With Josh that deals with DIY and the marine trades that everyone should read and take to heart.. You’re still here?
I spent a good portion of yesterday making copious amounts of sawdust as I whittled the laminated wood into something that looks like a self-steering gear. There’s a lot to be said for an angle grinder and a flapper sanding disc. Talk about a mess. Honestly, the best part of the day was jumping overboard …
OK, I’ll admit that I have more power tools aboard than the average cruiser. That said, I can build a new mast, a dinghy, or a self-steering gear, and that can both make and save money. My $100 drill press alone has already saved me a few hundred dollars just in doing new chainplates for …
