A couple of days ago we jettisoned the hard dodger on the Islander and the boat now looks a lot better. Granted, I will have to do some sort of minimal dodger but that can wait til the Holidaze have passed. The downside of removing the dodger is that the coach roof really does need …
Being that I keep a weather eye out for used self-steering gear it’s hard to ignore that the current pricing for thirty year old wind vanes are just nuts. The other day I was quoted $2,200. for a 45-year old Aries which appeared to be in horrible shape. But, what the hell, boat folks are …
It’s funny how easy it is to fall into the spending to solve problems mode. Of course, if you’re using the internet most advice where boat stuff is concerned is buy this or buy that which I find somewhat problematic. For instance,trying to find a part for our elderly engine and trying to sort out …
I’m really not a big fan of tropical hardwoods on boats. Fact is, I actually prefer plain old pressure-treated pine which in some quarters is called Miami Teak. It is not called that as a sign of respect but a put down. Me? I’m happy to use whatever species of wood that works and I …
Of course, I knew this was going to happen but gee whiz sometimes I forget how stupid sailing gear can be. In today’s instance, I’m talking about the mainsheet traveler and the what-were-they-thinking about when they designed the main sheeting arrangement. Stupid as a bag of hammers. To add insult to injury it appears that …
So, yeah, about those lugs… Ouch! On the positive side, there was a $2-dollar overall discount but that’s still a lot of money for something that you can buy for $1.32 a piece. I just checked West Marine & Defender. West is selling lugs for $10 for while Defender has them for $8.32 per pair. …
A quote every yacht designer and student of yacht design should pay attention to… “A designer knows, he has achieved, perfection not when, not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away”― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry …and all that ever needs to be said about cruising. “He who …
Today, I’m mostly finishing the electrics aboard the Islander. Or, to be more truthful, I’ll have 12-volts but will be chasing circuits for the foreseeable future because I have a spaghetti factory of wires that I haven’t a clue where they go or what they do. Ah, the pleasures of a new old boat… Of …
