Search found 282 matches
- Fri Jul 15, 2016 6:51 pm
- Forum: Boat maintenance, repair and restoration
- Topic: Cotton sails
- Replies: 9
- Views: 8889
Re: Cotton sails
You might find that the ones with 7.5 inches between seams have false seams i.e. the cloth is simply folded over and sewn to look like a seam. This was done in the belief that the more seams there were, the less the stretch.
- Thu May 12, 2016 12:17 pm
- Forum: Boat Chat
- Topic: Merlin, tacking the top batten
- Replies: 14
- Views: 12952
Re: Merlin, tacking the top batten
It's been many decades since I raced Merlins. Never had a problem tacking the top batten though. The "secret" is the quality of your roll tacking. It needs to be very smooth in light winds to avoid shaking the wind out of the sails. Also, after you passed through head to wind ease the main...
- Sun Apr 10, 2016 9:44 pm
- Forum: Boats and bits wanted
- Topic: vagabond sails
- Replies: 4
- Views: 6097
Re: vagabond sails
My best guess would to be to put him in touch with one of the still trading UK lofts which were making dinghy sails in the 60's. Banks and Jeckells springs to mind. I'm sure there must be others still trading. One of them may still have the measurements in some dusty old filing cabinet....
- Tue Feb 23, 2016 9:57 pm
- Forum: Boat Chat
- Topic: Which sewing machine for cover repairs and more?
- Replies: 5
- Views: 6923
Re: Which sewing machine for cover repairs and more?
The other thing I'd advise is use the best needles you can get. On my industrial (a far-east 20U copy) I switched from "normal" needles to Titanium Nitride coated ones and it made a significant difference. And that's with being powered by a 1/4 horse clutch-drive motor.
- Mon Feb 15, 2016 8:57 pm
- Forum: Boat Identification and Dinghy History
- Topic: Typhoon.
- Replies: 7
- Views: 8888
Re: Typhoon.
I remember drooling over the Typhoon when I was young, fit and agile.
- Mon Jan 11, 2016 10:07 pm
- Forum: Boat maintenance, repair and restoration
- Topic: Heron centerboard case leak
- Replies: 12
- Views: 14231
Re: Heron centerboard case leak
I have been considering fitting a bulkhead at the front with big hatches in ,so it could double as storage BUT the purist in me says its just wrong on a 1952 ! . The jury is still out on this. I've read of a number of these conversions. None were particularly satisfactory in the end. Always leaked....
- Thu Jan 07, 2016 7:41 pm
- Forum: Boat maintenance, repair and restoration
- Topic: Heron centerboard case leak
- Replies: 12
- Views: 14231
Re: Heron centerboard case leak
When it comes to buoyancy bags it's best not to scrimp. You'll need a Crewsaver standard front bag for under the foredeck. Overall you'll want a minimum of 500lbs of buoyancy. 600lbs would be better though.
- Sun Oct 04, 2015 8:09 pm
- Forum: Boat maintenance, repair and restoration
- Topic: Are buoyancy bags repairable??
- Replies: 9
- Views: 9022
Re: Are buoyancy bags repairable??
There's no benefit in it being hot and soap may create bubbles which mask the bubbles being released from the puncture.realnutter wrote:I've ordered the kit... I guess a bath of hot soapy water is the best way to find the hole(s)
- Sat Oct 03, 2015 4:51 pm
- Forum: Boat maintenance, repair and restoration
- Topic: Are buoyancy bags repairable??
- Replies: 9
- Views: 9022
Re: Are buoyancy bags repairable??
I've successfully patched the bow bag on my boat using the Holt-Allen repair kit. The challenge is in finding the leak in the first place.
- Sun Sep 06, 2015 9:16 pm
- Forum: Boat Chat
- Topic: Dinghy mast raising
- Replies: 12
- Views: 9964
Re: Dinghy mast raising
Put the boat tail to wind, attach both shrouds and it'll be a piece of cake.
- Mon Aug 31, 2015 6:26 pm
- Forum: Boat Chat
- Topic: Transom draining flaps
- Replies: 13
- Views: 13237
Re: Transom draining flaps
Some people seem to manage without transom flaps or bailers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA8bmfjGwfI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA8bmfjGwfI
- Wed Aug 26, 2015 6:40 pm
- Forum: Boat Chat
- Topic: Covers for wooden boats
- Replies: 17
- Views: 15635
Re: Covers for wooden boats
My technique for winter storage is boat cover followed by layers of shed roofing felt and finally a poly-tarp. I feel it's votal that the boat should be nice and dry before being laid up. I think it's moisture contact with the deck that causes the damage rather than the cold itself. I ought to add t...
- Tue Aug 25, 2015 8:08 pm
- Forum: Boat Identification and Dinghy History
- Topic: Osprey history
- Replies: 10
- Views: 10149
Re: Osprey history
They always had a spinnaker, but chutes would not have been used on early boats. The practice was to launch from spin bags stored between mast and bow tank bulkhead. Memory defeats me but mine might have had a hatch in the deck there... When I started racing Ospreys (1971 I think) there were one or...
Re: Wayfsrer
Secondary means of propulsion - so either a set of oars or an outboard. Anchor - something like a smallish Danforth with a couple of metres of chain then at least 30 metres of either polyester or nylon. Anchor/mooring fairleads up by the bow. Jib furler if it hasn't already got one. Slab reefing for...
- Mon Apr 20, 2015 9:41 pm
- Forum: Boats and bits wanted
- Topic: mast for a squib
- Replies: 9
- Views: 8394
Re: mast for a squib
I think using any old dinghy mast on a keelboat would be courting trouble. Have you tried contacting the Squib CA? They may know of a suitable mast going spare.