Practical boating tips

Preparing for sailboat cruising

by Simon Jollands | Boat Handling, Boat Maintenance, Communications, Crewing skills, Emergencies, Navigation, Preparation, Yacht ownership

Preparing for a sailing trip entails a lot of planning. In this blog, we take a look at some of the many safety aspects that a skipper needs to consider before heading off on a cruise. The degree of preparation, knowledge and equipment needed for cruising will vary...

Five dangers a vessel may encounter at sea

by Simon Jollands | Boat Handling, Boat Maintenance, Communications, Crewing skills, Emergencies, Navigation, Preparation, Yacht ownership

What are the main dangers a vessel may face at sea and what should skippers do to reduce the risk of these happening? Collisions with other vessels The Collision Regulations apply to “all vessels upon the high seas and in all waters connected therewith navigable...

Boat interior varnishing

by Simon Jollands | Boat Maintenance, Preparation, Yacht ownership

Boat interiors on the whole are pretty resilient but over time bulkheads, doors, the cabin sole and surfaces become scuffed, stained and suffer general wear and tear due to the marine environment. In an ideal world, the best location to undertake such a project is...

Boat gas system maintenance

by Simon Jollands | Boat Maintenance, Preparation, Yacht ownership

There are correct types of hose for marine plumbing, sewerage, exhaust, cooling and gas and all hoses should be checked regularly for wear and deterioration. Hose clips should also be checked for corrosion. Nowhere is this more important than with the gas system, so...

Marine toilets – care and maintenance

by Simon Jollands | Boat Maintenance, Preparation, Yacht ownership

There are a number of different types of marine toilet, or heads. They fall into one of three categories – manual, electric and vacuum, the most common being the manual, hand pumped type. These have double acting piston-pumps which both discharge the waste and flush...

Seacock maintenance

by Simon Jollands | Boat Maintenance, Preparation, Yacht ownership

Seacocks are often awkward to get at, awkward to open and close, and often ignored. Should they fail, the results can prove disastrous. Most seacocks are sited well below the waterline, so they cannot be ignored if your vessel is to remain safe. If seacocks are always...