From configuring solar panels, installing watermakers to advice on the best apps for cruising, we share how-tos, tips and advice on boat maintenance and boating knowledge, covering both canal and sail boats.
As he turned the tubing on the lathe to cut the thread of the mounting base I sat and watched and was reminded of my old metal work classes at school. The difference was this guy knew what he was doing. After three hours he’d completed the job, charged me fifty yentils (£15) and we rounded off the afternoon with a çay and a three-worded conversation about boats.
The first job we had to attend to was the leaking deck fittings. This meant ripping down the headboards, unbolting the deck fittings and caking ourselves in Sikaflex (this is a marine rubber sealant that takes three weeks to remove from your fingernails). John’s tips and encouragement meant we could tick that job off the list in no time.
We had more fun and games sourcing a solution for our entertainment system than any other issue with the boat! Whilst there are expert marine electricians, carpenters, rigging experts and so on there appears to be a lack of information on marine stereo solutions.
Boat Stereo Entertainment System Read Post »
There were two major plumbing jobs that we left to Yat Lift: the replacement of the holding tank and converting the electric toilet pump back to a manual one.
With the addition of stereo, new VHF and various switches and monitors the left and lower dashs in the nav table area had to be redesigned. We decided to take out some of the old electronic equipment, either because they weren’t working or because they were dated and would one day be replaced with new kit.
Boat Electrics and Electronics Read Post »
After reading the yacht-owner’s bible (Nigel Calder’s ‘Boatowner’s Mechanical and Electrical Manual’, published by Adlard Coles Nautical) we had a serious rethink about our power sources. Eventually we will be looking to install solar panels but in the short term we had to make an educated guess at what our daily power consumption would be and put that within the context of buying new batteries and battery charger.
Boat Power Sources Read Post »
A common problem on Oyster 435s (apparently) is leaking chain plates. We left Yat Lift to look at this and upon our return they had recaulked the fittings.
Running & Standing Rigging Read Post »
The initial survey report had indicated that a few of the deck planks required replacing and recaulking, whilst we were aware that some of the stanchion bases had come loose. Indeed two of the stanchion bases were leaking slightly, so we got eleven of the twelve bases replaced, and replaced two of the planks.
One of the biggest jobs we left Yat Lift to complete was applying a new gelcoat. These additional few layers of epoxy (300 microns, to be precise) help strengthen the integrity of the hull. If you can afford it, it’s money well spent.
Hull, Epoxy, Gel Coat & Other Things Read Post »
Heart atack at Heathrow Airport! I loaded my cases onto the check-in scales and it turned out I was carrying over eighty kilos, fifty over the allotted amount! Credit card in hand I took the excess baggage hit, which came to over two hundred quid, and that was with 20kg taken off because the check-in girl fancied me or something.
Introduction to launch Read Post »
Our first 24 hours of running a dead ship took us into our third week at sea. Only one person had been to the toilet over the back of the boat, the rest of us suddenly becoming constipated. Washing up in salt water became a real pain in the arse and the boat was damp due to a very wet night watch that included some Scooby Doo style lightning storms.
Multicoloured Skyscapes Read Post »
I’m convinced I saw land today. We passed Cabo Verde and the plotter claimed that the nearest island was approx 60 miles away. If that island had 5000m worth of mountain on it then I definitely saw land. If not, as everyone else recons, then I’m just hallucinating.
Is That Cape Verde? Read Post »
7am and we’re woken up by a very loud Blackadder-like “Wake up ladies there’s work to be done”, followed by stomping on the roof. Immediately my mind was cast back to the early morning starts aboard Ramprasad and for a split second I thought that perhaps I’d made a mistake joining Voyager.
Preparing A Boat For Sail Read Post »
