Simon Jollands

Keel maintenance

by Simon Jollands | Boat Maintenance, Preparation, Yacht ownership

The job of a sailing boat’s keel is to control sideways movement through the water and to provide a counterweight to the sideways force of the wind on the sails, which causes a boat to heel over. Keels are designed to act as underwater foils that generate lift...

Antifouling for leisure boats – Part 4

by Simon Jollands | Boat Maintenance, Preparation, Yacht ownership

Antifouling is best applied on a dry, calm day. It is best to apply the antifouling in the middle of the day to ensure the hull is dry and as warm as possible. If you have removed all the old antifouling layers back to the gelcoat, then it will be necessary to apply a...

Antifouling for leisure boats – Part 3

by Simon Jollands | Boat Maintenance, Preparation, Yacht ownership

Antifouling is one of the least pleasant boat maintenance jobs to do, but it has to be done. The very worst job of all is removing the old antifouling as this can get seriously messy and is very hard work. The easiest way to reduce the build up of antifouling is by...

Antifouling for leisure boats – Part 2

by Simon Jollands | Boat Maintenance, Preparation, Yacht ownership

It is a good idea to carry out an inspection of your boat’s hull condition as soon as possible after it has been lifted out and pressure washed. Check all the surfaces of the hull below the waterline and remove any signs of remaining barnacles using a scraper. A...

Antifouling for leisure boats – Part 1

by Simon Jollands | Boat Maintenance, Preparation, Yacht ownership

Boats that are kept afloat can very quickly become a home for small marine organisms such as barnacles, weed and slime. Applying an antifouling paint to your hull is necessary to protect it from these micro-organisms, as a fouled hull can cause problems and will slow...