Category: Sailing in General
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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…
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Heating on a Small Boat
17th March 2025 Reading Time: Ten Minutes When my boat was based primarily on the south coast of England, and, given that my sailing was mainly over the summer, the need for heating was very low down the priority list. On the rare occasions that I was sailing in the winter, my survival method was…
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I actually prefer hanked-on headsails, am I completely bonkers?
28th March 2024 Reading time: 10 minutes No one seems to have hanked-on sails anymore. A casual glance around any marina will show a forest of furling gear. The majority must be right, mustn’t they? I’m not so sure. Credit where credit is due I do accept that when coastal sailing, the ability to roll…
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South Dock Marina Boat Yard – Problem Solved?
8th February 2024 Reading time: 10 minutes (without clicking all the links!) I seem to have been documenting the boatyard saga for quite a few years now, so I thought I had better post an update. If you are unfamiliar with the history of the yard, then here are a few of my previous posts:…
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Ten of my favourite, but slightly obscure, painting products
Here are some of the products that I use every year to help maintain my varnished Vertue yacht. By the way, I have no commercial interest in any of these products, I just thought it may be a helpful list for other fellow boat owners.. Number One – Owatrol Oil This wonder product is sold…
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It’s the end of 2023 Sailing Season
20th October 2023 – Ipswich and Titchmarsh It has been a great sailing season. I really enjoyed bringing Sumara through the Caledonian Canal, around to Edinburgh and then down the East Coast. Then I joined Will Stirling to sail through the North West Passage which was a brilliant experience. To finish off the season, just…
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Preparations for the North West Passage – One week to go!
26th July 2023 Rotherhithe Reading time: 5 Minutes The adventure seems to be attracting a fair bit of press. The Telegraph had this write up and PBO had this. Stirling and Son’s Facebook page has this amazing video of what I should expect and, although I have sailed on Integrity before, this looks like pretty…
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Sailing from Edinburgh to Walton on the Naze
Reading time: 15 minutes 30th June to 8th July 2023 Granton to Eyemouth 44 nm 30th June 2023 Granton Harbour is rather shallow, so it is wise to wait for a couple of hours of flood tide before heading off. Conveniently that meant a civilized departure at 09:00 GMT. The mixture of moderate to very…
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Inverness to Edinburgh
16th to 27th June Reading Time: Ten Minutes Inverness 15th June 2023 I met Ray at Inverness station, and we struggled to find a quiet pub because Scotland had beaten someone in football. We crossed the river and found the best of a bunch. After a few pints Ray decided fish and chips were in…
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Dunstaffnage to Inverness – via the Caledonian Canal
Departed 9th June 2023. Arrived Inverness Marina 15th June 2023 Log 1015 (fouled) to L1131 Reading Time: 15 minutes Tilman and I arrived at the boat after a week in the stunning countryside of Glen Lyon. I had a list of tasks that needed completing before we could set off for the Caledonian Canal –…