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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...