Category: Gear and Provisions
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Scoresby Sund Expedition – A Difficult First Week
Reading Time: 6 Minutes Nerdiness Quotient: Variable Monday 13th April until Sunday 19th April Day One I dropped off Tilman, our dog, with the dog sitter and I think the dog suspected something. Mind you, he always looks a bit miserable. I was not going to see him again until June. We will miss each…
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Seven Common Things Not to Buy to Stay Healthy
22nd March 2026 Reading Time: Three Minutes Nerdiness Quotient: 3/10 I think the human body behaves a bit like boats do, they like being used. Leave a boat laid up in a boat yard and decks soon go green, the diesel gets the dreaded bug, the winches seize up and lights don’t come on when…
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Sailing to Greenland: Essential First Aid Kit?
12:30 8th March 2026 Reading Time: 5 minutes Nerdiness Quotient: 6/10 Later this year, I will be sailing towards Greenland. It is always my aim to be as self-sufficient as possible and not to rely on any outside help. During the trip I will be out of reach of a large hospital for about four…
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New Sail Bags or Covers?
12:30 8th February 2026 Reading Time: 8 Minutes Nerdiness Quotient: 7/10 I nonchalantly said to Peter Sanders “Don’t bother with any bags” when I placed my order for my new sails. I was thinking it would be a doddle to knock up a few bags on my Sailrite Sewing Machine. And indeed, it would be…
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I’ve had a very nasty thought
Sunday 11th January 2026 Reading Time: 5 Minutes I’m not liking this thought that is rising inside my head. I need someone to bash some sense into me. This is what is happening. I have been thinking about setting up my satellite phone ready for my expedition to Greenland. To make it work as a…
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My Boating Philosophy Summed up in a Little Toothbrush Story
21st December 2025 Reading Time: 3 Minutes Nerdiness Quotient: 2/10 My new toothbrush has arrived. I think it is a Suri 2, well that’s what I ordered. I try to look after my teeth having neglected them for too long. I even get them professionally cleaned twice a year at great expense. My dentist recommended…
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My Keyway Conundrum: 316 SS, Brass, or Bronze for Propeller Shafts?
10th December 2025 Reading time: 4 minutes Nerdiness Quotient – 8.5/10 With Christmas fast approaching, one might assume my thoughts would be dominated by mince pies, port and stilton but instead, I’m deep into a rather puzzling piece of marine engineering: the humble propeller keyway. I’ve just bought a shiny new 316 Stainless Steel (SS)…
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…and may I have a look in your bag Sir?
17th November 2025 Reading time: 10 Minutes I like making lists. If I can’t be bothered to do something at least I can make a list of all the things that I can’t be bothered to do. And there’s nothing more annoying than doing a job and discovering that it never even hit the job…
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Gearbox Problem – Twin Disc TMC40P
23rd August 2025 Reading Time: Five Minutes The first thing I would like to say is that this engine has been wonderful since its installation about five years ago. The extra 4 hp above my previous 12hp Kubota has made a great difference to the ability of the yacht to punch into sea when needed.…
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Bigger is not always better – tools not boats
2nd April 2025 ..and I am not talking about boats this time, but just tools. Extractors. I made the mistake of buying a large Festool extractor. I forget the exact model but let’s call it the Maxi. It was a long time ago, but I remember my reasoning. There was a smaller “Midi” version, but…