Having experienced a dismasting due to a chainplate failure on “So It Goes”, and mixed with the fact that the Islander is fifty years old, chainplate replacement was high on the list of the needful things to do list. Of course, being that the Islander’s chainplate design is a bit different from what passes for …
I recently needed to get a VHF antenna for the Islander and, as I had to buy a VHF antenna a few years ago for So It Goes, I expected to find one for between $40 to $50 dollars. The fact that most of the antennas I considered this time around were more like $90 …
Most everything, interior wise, in the Islander 36 is overbuilt. So, I’m going to really enjoy replacing a lot of heavy interior with lighter weight monocoque replacement units. Why anyone would use 3/4″ plywood when 1/4″ is available is a mystery to me? Meanwhile, this in the green-washing department makes me wonder how some folks …
As I said before, there’s nothing wrong with the basic sloop rig on the CAL 34 and, if your rig is in good shape by all means go with it. The problem arises when you’re confronted with a rig that is well past its sell-by date. New chainplates, tangs, toggles, turnbuckles, pins, and wire quickly …
Part of the problem of navigating life in a consumerist society is that, pretty much, everyone selling you something is only in it for the profit. That said, there’s nothing wrong with making a profit because, by and large, profit within reason is a good thing. Where it gets nuts is when profits exceed fair …
The other day I found myself listening to someone going on about their stainless steel bespoke water bottle as a must have for the cruising sailor. I was not impressed. The argument that an expensive water bottle is good for the environment is somewhat dubious in that its fabrication requires energy which is, more often …
I’ve been following the build of a Bolger design of late and it’s akin to fingernails being dragged across a chalkboard to me. Admittedly, it’s a very common mistake that’s being made but I find that the misuse of epoxy just drives me batshit crazy. Epoxy is great stuff but it is expensive and it …
The real trick, where refitting an old boat is concerned, is simply to not spend a lot of money on it. Or just spend less. While spending less is a very workable tactic, it butts up against the consumerist mainstream and viewed by a substantial proportion of people as being akin to heresy. I’ll point …
I spend a lot of tie trying to come up with cunning plans where one can build a boat that works for less money which, I’ll admit if something of a frustrating addiction. Made worse as budget building stalwarts like plywood, lumber, and industrial epoxies keep going up in price. This last week I’ve been …
Folks around boats tend to become obsessed with costly materials which they give near-magical properties to whether or not they deserve it. So yeah, let’s talk teak… Or to be more precise, why you don’t want to use teak. Truth be told, teak in my opinion, is a far cry from what I’d consider a …
