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Apparently a scheme to build a tidal electricity-generating barrage across the River Mersey upstream (south) of Tranmere Oil Terminal is progressing, with approval of various local authorities and the region Mayor. This will involve completely blocking the River with a pedestrian causeway and...

It's not a sentence anyone wants to utter - but I think we need a new boom! The boat is a 1989 Jeanneau Voyage 12.50 with a Francespar furling mast. We've recently redone all standing rigging and completed a 'nut, bolt and rivet' restoration of the mast, so I've become familiar with availability...

I knew Armaflex wasn't 'cheap', but have been perfectly happy with the total cost to insulate both our hot water pex pipe and heater ducting with their pipe insulation (between £3 and £15 ish per metre). However, now I'm looking to source sheet insulation material (for under new cabin linings)...

We'll soon be re-stepping our mast with new standing rigging and new chainplates. In drawing up the final shopping list of last 'bits and pieces', I was shocked to find that replacement toggles / forks / eye for our 10mm forestay and backstay come to over £300 with VAT and delivery! So the...

I think I know the answer to this already - but is it possible to assemble a (3.0 - 3.3m) aluminium floor SIB aboard a typical 41' AWB?! We have some stainless work forward of the mast (bars over a dorade vent) so the dinghy could not sit the right way up there... The background to this is that...

Hi - anyone got any C-Map charts for Furuno plotters (see image below) that cover the Irish Sea (Liverpool based)? Ideally, the wide area chart named ‘Bristol Channel and Irish Sea’. We’re looking to keep our Furuno going for the radar only, but overlay charts would be a nice bonus. Last time...

We’ve got the mast down and are redoing all the standing rigging. I’ve disassembled our late-80s Pro Furl 420 roller furler and a mechanical, winch handle operated, backstay tensioner (of unknown make). I now need a suitable grease to reassemble the sealed roller bearings inside the furler (top...

We launch on Tues after a 2 year refit and, while trying to re-install the shaft coupling this afternoon, I somehow lost the keyway… (one minute there - next it was gone and nowhere to be found!) It’s an R&D style split clamp shaft coupling. I notice they’re now sold without any keyway. Do I...

Christina had sat 'passively' drying for 5 years on the hard in N Wales before we acquired her. Following advice (from my first ever post!) on here, the decision was made to have her professionally (wet/slurry) blasted and deal with whatever we found underneath, before applying some sort of...

Just received four smart new engine mounts from the helpful folks at AV Industrial (who I think manufacture themselves and advised on the right model for our Beta 50): Question is, what do I stud them with (M16)? Is regular (mild) threaded rod okay? Do I need HT/8.8? And I'm assuming (hoping?!)...

Here’s one for the collective… We’re reverting to our boat’s original name. She was US-delivered and still displays a nice brass hull ID/registration plate (to a port in Massachusetts, which I can’t recall) and that bears her original name: ‘The Christina I’ Should I re-register the SSR and...

Hi all - the title says all you need to know about the current state of our refit and planned re-launch, especially when I'm posting this on a sunny (up here) late-summer afternoon! - but would anyone care to share any recommendations, recent(ish) experiences, or (dare I even ask?!) prices for a...

As per title, basically… Has anyone got any practical experience (and/or warnings or reassurances!) of using an off-site ‘unit’ of some sort for boat your work and storage? Has anyone done anything like this themselves (other than using a home or, say, existing business workshop)? I’ve just...

Thankfully an awkward visit to the doctor isn't required for this particular plumbing issue...! Having been collecting nice DZR fittings ready to replace our big ol' 1inch anti-siphon loop, which terminates at the forward/top of our engine compartment where it tees to connect to an 8mm ID...

I'm not sure I dare ask this...! But I'm weighing up whether it is worth the £60 for the online course component of the RYA VHF SRC. I would be eligible to take the exam without completing the course (CAA FRTOL holder). I know how to 'use' a DSC VHF! So I could just read a book. Or even try to...

I'm grateful for the input on my previous thread on epoxy coating our hull, the gelcoat and outer-laminate of which is has a large number of small blisters: Gelcoat pox (after blasting) - how to fill and fair before Penguard? From this I learned the different characteristics of solvent and...

After a long list of issues with our new-ish (to us) Beta 50 that was badly installed by a Beta dealer in the Med - it's become apparent that we need to move the engine around 50mm forward to allow enough clearance aft to accommodate a high rise ('crossover') exhaust elbow (which Beta have...

As the title suggest - I genuinely cannot work out why our existing kicking strap comprises a length of SS wire above a 3:1 cascade (if that's the right term?). Boat is a 42' AWB sloop. We don't have a rigid vang, although that's on the cards in the future. A bit of Googling turns up some...

Suggesting on other threads that people slop Penguard HB anywhere/everywhere on their boats(!) has got me thinking about my own impending showdown with this... the gelcoat as it looks after blasting back in Oct: The plan is for Jotun's Penguard HB (already purchased) up to 5 coats and then...

As the title suggests, I can’t identify my main furler - 1989 Jeanneau Voyage 12.5. Anyone recognise it? I need to change the line and service it, but it differs a lot from the Z-Spars variety that seems more common to Euro boats of this era. There’s no access panel whatsoever and no sign of...