Essential Knots: Bowline
Use: Making a secure eye or loop in the end of a rope. Bowlines have many uses on a boat, for example to make a loop in a mooring line to go over a bollard, or to secure a jib sheet to a head sail. This is one of those very useful knots to go on practising until you can do it with your eyes closed!
Step 1. Make a small loop near the end of a line.
Step 2. Pass the working end up through the small loop.
Step 3. Then pass the working end around the standing part.
Step 4. Pass the working end down through the small loop and pull tight – checking there is plenty of tail.
Tip: Imagine the loop is a rabbit’s hole and the standing end is a tree. Now imagine the working end is the rabbit. The rabbit comes up the hole, runs around the tree and goes back down the hole.
A one stop guide to tying and understanding all of the 50 most useful nautical knots!
Fractures, sprains and dislocations at sea
Moving about a boat at sea often results in a few knocks and bruises, but if a crew member has a fall or major bump and is in serious pain, they should be examined and treated accordingly.
Dripless shaft seals
Dripless shaft seals are designed to completely stop water from entering a boat’s hull via the stern tube. There are two main types of dripless seals known as face seals and lip seals which many boat manufacturers now fit to production boats.
Pleasure craft safety equipment recommendations
Essential boat engine checklist
Jester Challenge 2022 – Sailing single handed from Plymouth UK to the Azores: Getting to the Start
Jester Challenge – A modern experiment in old-fashioned self-reliance, self sufficiency, and personal responsibility. This is the start of a 10-part post where solo sailor, Bernie Branfield, shares his first hand account of his single-handed, 2022 Jester Challenge, from Plymouth, UK to the Azores, in his 26′ Invicta Mk2, Louisa.
Wooden Hull Repairs
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.
Always have an emergency grab bag to hand when at sea…
Essential yacht tender safety for skippers and crew
Boat Improvements
ColRegs Nav Lights & Shapes, Rules Of The Road and IALA Buoys Apps
Repairing chips and dings in gelcoat
The gelcoat topsides of a GRP boat can be pampered and restored to their former glory relatively easily when it is ashore. Gelcoat is only a very thin outer layer of the hull, often less than 1mm thick, so you should avoid cleaning it with highly abrasive cleaners, or an-ything that could potentially damage its surface.
How to tackle osmosis
Boat engine basics
Wooden Hulls – Part 2
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 varnish over wood are far more critical than on GRP boats, where the topsides are painted more for cosmetic reasons.
Boat Handling – anchoring
ColRegs when sailing single handed
Anchoring – getting it right is not always straightforward
Avoiding collisions at sea – how to stay safe on the water
Hull inspection – the annual checks
Stress cracks on GRP boats
It is quite common to find cracks in the gelcoat when inspecting the deck and superstructure of a GRP boat. It is important to differentiate between a gelcoat crack and a scratch.
Boat electrics inspection checklist
With the boat ashore, here are some recommendations for carrying out a boat owner electrics inspection. Safety is always paramount so remember to do the checks with the batteries off. Wearing a head torch helps, make notes as you go and only tackle a repair if you are 100% sure you know what you are doing:
Preparing for sailboat cruising
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.
First aid at sea basics
At least one person on board should be trained in first aid and know how to administer the contents of the first aid kit, ensuring there are adequate supplies for the planned duration of the trip.
