I’m currently in the midst of getting the boat ready to get out of dodge for the “H” season. The biggest hassle being getting rid of all the stuff I no longer need (including a Cal 34) and getting the Islander in cruising trim. The current possible destinations are Grenada, Trinidad, Curacao, Columbia or Panama. …
Today the plan is to glue up the self-steering rudder, continue thinking about a hard top Bimini and dodger. The current Bimini is fugly and not strong enough to carry solar panels. I have a few ideas but it remains to be seen whether they are cunning or “cunning” if you know what I mean. …
Over the last few months I’ve been thinking a lot about how to fit too many musical instruments into a 36-foot boat. You might say I really need a cunning plan to make sense of three electrics, two acoustics, a bass, a uke, a mandolin, and a piano/organ. Which, I’ll point out, not really a …
dealing with what some might think are too many guitars… Read More »
One of my least favorite parts of a new boat is dealing with the sail end of the task list. Whether fixing old sails, buying new ones, or searching out good used ones it’s just a big pain in the ass from where I’m sitting. Of course, dealing with what passes for competence in the …
Every once in a while I find myself somewhat dumbfounded on just how bad some of the Islander 36 build and design happen to be. Far too often I find myself doing the “What the hell were they thinking of?” two-step mantra and it’s just sorta/kinda crazy making. Of course, the truth is that the …
One of the issues that the Islander presented was that the opening ports were well past their sell by date. All six ports either needed parts or required replacement and, as the cost of Beckson parts were astronomic, new ports were a given. My first impulse was to build Wiley ports as they are dead …
next job on the list, installing new portlights… Read More »
It was seventy-two frelling degrees this morning! Since I have the Simpson Lawrence Anchorman aboard (SHINY!), it’s now time to remove the Vetus manual windlass and put it up for sale to get it (and its weight) off the boat. I had planned to take it down to bare metal then give it a new …
Have you noticed that it’s almost impossible to find a new manual anchor windlass? Or, if you do it’s more expensive than a powered one? When you do find a good manual windlass the cost is often right at the cost of a brand spanking new electric windlass. Is that nuts or what? The Islander …
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’m sitting here looking at a couple of hundred feet or so of Dyneema that should/could be the new rig for the Islander and it’s just a little frustrating as I’m not going to use it and will consign it to the “when the rig needs replacing” locker. Now, as someone who is well aware …
