FREE tips from the Safe Skipper App for iPhone/iPad/Android:
Getting a tow for your sail or power boat
- Plan how to secure a tow rope to your boat. The tow rope must be attached to strong deck fittings
- As a rescue boat approaches, warn them of any debris or loose lines in the water
- If you are being rescued by a lifeboat, follow their instructions – they are experienced in rescue techniques
- If necessary back the tow rope with other ropes to lead to other cleats and strong points on deck
- Avoid using knots or loops that cannot be released under load
- Protect the rope from chafing using plastic tube, rags or fenders
- When being towed in a small boat, you will need to keep the weight well aft to keep the bow up
- If the boat is down by the bows you may need to be towed from astern
- The towed boat should always steer to follow the towing boat unless the steering has been disabled
- The use of a drogue to aid towing can be used
Dag Pike’s Boat Survey
Narrowboating on the Kennet and Avon Canal
A recently cancelled sailing event I was due to take part in left us with a free weekend in the diary. Given that my wife and I were celebrating a bumper wedding anniversary and the weather forecast was for fine weather, we decided to hunt around for a last minute canal holiday.
First Aid Afloat – jellyfish stings
The Boatyard Book – a boat owner’s guide to yacht maintenance, repair and refitting
The Boatyard Book is a fully illustrated 224 page practical reference manual that provides advice for boat owners on planning and carrying out annual maintenance, repairs, upgrades and refits of sailing yachts and motorboats, up to 20 metres in length.
Essential Boat Safety Briefing
Keeping boat records and doing checks
A boat’s records should provide information about maintenance schedules, when major work was done and when equipment was replaced or added to the boat. Without this information you are left guessing when things are likely to need replacing in the future and also what the costs are likely to be.
Sailing at the touch of a button
Easier and more controlled sail handling can also be achieved by powering up a furling mast. I came across some interesting solutions at the Southampton Boat Show this week on the Selden Mast stand, where they were running demos of their E40i electric winch and SMF furling system.
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 ownership – some fundamentals
Owning a boat is a big commitment that should bring no end of satisfaction, but the costs of maintaining and keeping a boat are significant and should never be underestimated.
Peer to Peer yacht charter – How can you monetize your boat?
Boat surveys
Tools and spares for your boat
Essential Knots: Reef knot
Always have an emergency grab bag to hand when at sea…
Essential boat engine checklist
Top five windvane self steering installation questions
Top five windvane self steering installation questions answered by Sarah Curry of Hydrovane International Marine, courtesy of Viki Moore from Island Cruising NZ
Sterndrive maintenance
Sterndrives are a popular form of propulsion in the powerboat market, but require a fair amount of care and maintenance. The main factors to be aware of are salt water corrosion, lubrication and regular inspection of the bellows, the condition of which is vital to prevent water from entering into the hull.
Avoiding personal dangers at sea
In order to stay safe at sea, we need to know the risks we are facing and to be aware of any personal dangers we could possibly encounter. Here are six of the most common potential dangers individual crew members should be aware of.
Understanding boat engines
Irrespective of what kind of engine a boat is equipped with and who does the work, the regular care and maintenance of a marine engine is essential. The most common cause of marine engine failure is widely known to be lack of maintenance.
An explanation of the IALA maritime buoyage systems – IALA A and IALA B
Boat Engine Safety Checks
Boatyard Health and Safety
Essential Boat Buying Tips for First-Time Boat Owners
The first question that comes to mind when thinking about buying a boat is: what type of boat? There are more than 20 different kinds, of different sizes, for different purposes, and different pockets. So, your first step is to decide your boat type.
Boat Engine Failure – what to check
How to improve a yacht’s upwind performance
There are several ways to improve the upwind performance of a sailing yacht. Read on for some useful tips including headsail reefing, heavy weather jibs and motor sailing.