About - Page 12 of 21 - Safe Skipper Boating & Safety Afloat Apps for phones & tablets

Boat decks and superstructure

by Simon Jollands | Boat Maintenance, Preparation, Yacht ownership

The whole structure of a boat at sea is rocked and twisted as it pitches, yaws and rolls through the waves. This motion exerts considerable stresses on the hull, decks and superstructure as anyone will appreciate who has experienced the continuous slamming of a boat...

Wooden Hull Repairs

by Simon Jollands | Boat Maintenance, Preparation, Yacht ownership

While wooden boat hull maintenance is mostly straightforward, it is always a good idea to take expert advice on any repair job needed doing to a wooden boat, unless you have done the job before and know what you are doing. The good news is that carrying out minor...

Wooden Hulls – Part 2

by Simon Jollands | Boat Maintenance, Preparation, Yacht ownership

Wooden hull care and maintenance It is important to ensure the essential hull maintenance of a wooden boat is done, even if you are paying others to look after your boat for you. The priority is to prevent rot from taking hold. The protective layers of paint and...

Wooden Hulls – Part 1

by Simon Jollands | Boat Maintenance, Preparation, Yacht ownership

Traditional wooden boats have a plank on frame construction, a centuries old boat building method that is still in use today. Variations of the traditional method include carvel, clinker and strip planking, which all relate to the way the planking is attached to the...

Sailboat rig checks – Part 2

by Simon Jollands | Boat Maintenance, Preparation, Yacht ownership

In part two of Sail boat rig checks we run through some useful rig maintenance tips and then finish with a brief look at what a professional rig check involves. A big part of rig maintenance is about keeping corrosion and metal fatigue at bay. This means understanding...

Sailboat rig checks – Part 1

by Simon Jollands | Boat Maintenance, Preparation, Yacht ownership

Sailing boat rigs need to be checked regularly to reduce the risk of rig failure at sea. In part one of Sail boat rig checks we run through a series of useful checks that owners and skippers can carry out. Some boat owners inspect their rigs before every cruise,...

Rudders and steering systems – Part 3

by Simon Jollands | Boat Maintenance, Preparation, Yacht ownership

In the third of our three blog articles on rudders and steering systems, we look at how to replace rudder bearings and repair a water-saturated core. How to replace rudder bearings These are the steps involved in replacing the rudder bearings of a typical spade-type...

Rudders and steering systems – Part 2

by Simon Jollands | Boat Maintenance, Preparation, Yacht ownership

Take a look around the average boatyard and you will see examples of all kinds of different rudders and steering systems. Some rudders hang off the transom, some hang beneath the stern, others are built into the back of the keel, some look fine and elegant, others are...

Rudders and steering systems – Part 1

by Simon Jollands | Boat Maintenance, Preparation, Yacht ownership

A rudder is one of the most critical parts of a boat. Rudder failure is a common occurrence on neglected or overworked boats and a very unpleasant and potentially dangerous thing to happen when you are out at sea. It is important for a boat owner to fully understand...

Keel maintenance and Repair – Part 2

by Simon Jollands | Boat Maintenance, Preparation, Yacht ownership

If you have ever witnessed a boat colliding with a rock or other submerged obstacle you will know that there is an almighty thump and the whole boat shakes and judders. While such hard groundings seldom result in catastrophic keel failure, something has to give and...