We all make mistakes and cunning plans are not always as cunning as we’d like them to be. For instance, the other day I had an idea that seemed at the outset to be a possible solution to a couple of problems. Solutions made even more attractive by the fact that if it worked it …
As someone who spent several years being an on and off resident of Camp 4 in Yosemite, I have a very different view of what the word “Dirtbag” actually means… dirtbag /dûrt′băg″/ noun Which has a lot to do with my approach to the whole VolksCruiser thing and why I admire folks cruising with less, …
Practical Boat Owner, otherwise known as PBO, has a small article talking about the Westerly Cirrus and Tiger that is well worth reading. That said, I have not a frelling clue as to what a decent sofa actually costs so, if anyone out there does maybe you could let the rest of us know in …
While I make no secret about what I think about consumerism-led boat projects, I will admit to having a wish list of things that I want to have on the Islander. For starters, there’s AIS. We already have an AIS receiver as it’s part of our Standard Horizon radio but it would be nice to …
Yachting Monthly has a really good article on how to use sun shots to find out where you are and it’s all you really need along with a plastic sextant and an almanac. Oh yeah, here’s a quote that makes a whole lot of sense.
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 »
Not a milk-run voyage at all for a 50-year old Dufour 35. The voyage track is also well worth checking out…
“Dry rot is a wood disease, a kind of freshwater induced leprosy, that does not affect fiberglass. Fiberglass boats have their own problems” — Hal Painter Truth be told it’s a foregone conclusion that all boat building materials have inbuilt problematic issues. The trick is to gravitate to the one that best suits your disposition. …
Lots of rain the last couple of days which has stalled my rigging jobs on the Islander but has added to the job list as I need to rebed some leaky deck hardware and sort out a couple of mystery sources of water ingress. Apparently water is a lot smarter than I am. Since I’m …
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 …
