Search found 50 matches

by Ian Malcolm
Tue May 13, 2014 4:42 pm
Forum: Boat maintenance, repair and restoration
Topic: 'Automatic' lifejackets
Replies: 13
Views: 10020

Re: 'Automatic' lifejackets

It really does depend on your sailing. If you do independent coastal dingy cruising without a proper lifejacket, a buoyancy aid wont do you a whole lot of good if you get separated from the boat and run out of strength to keep your airways clear. If you have a lifejacket, spray hood and PLB, that sc...
by Ian Malcolm
Tue May 13, 2014 2:07 pm
Forum: Boat maintenance, repair and restoration
Topic: 'Automatic' lifejackets
Replies: 13
Views: 10020

Re: 'Automatic' lifejackets

Nowdays I do more yachting than dinghy sailing, but for a long time I did both and an Auto lifejacket is a PITA when dinghy sailing and likely to be dangerous in an inverted capsize. However a manual lifejacket is quite practical for dinghy sailing for anyone who is an adequate swimmer, isn't sailin...
by Ian Malcolm
Tue May 13, 2014 7:30 am
Forum: Boat maintenance, repair and restoration
Topic: 'Automatic' lifejackets
Replies: 13
Views: 10020

Re: 'Automatic' lifejackets

What's wrong with: * unpack and inspect inch by inch paying particular attention to bladder seams and fold lines, strap stitching and condition, reflective tape, accessories and fittings. * remove cylinder, visually inspect for excess corrosion or any corrosion on thread or seal, weigh on an accurat...
by Ian Malcolm
Tue Mar 24, 2009 5:09 pm
Forum: Boat maintenance, repair and restoration
Topic: Low stretch rope
Replies: 9
Views: 4145

Re: Low stretch rope

3mm Marlow D12 dyneema works well for a main halyard on my Albacore. If I had gone for V12 Vectran, I'd have a lot less initial creep, but the D12 is acceptable. Its sleeved with the jacket off some ordinary braided rope for a couple of metres in the middle for ease of handling when sweating it up t...
by Ian Malcolm
Tue Mar 17, 2009 12:47 pm
Forum: Boat maintenance, repair and restoration
Topic: G4
Replies: 28
Views: 9657

Re: G4

No, nothing like G4. Wickes Water Seal claims to be a kerosene/hydrosulpherised naptha base with additives including silicones. It allegedly remains microporous. It is specifically described as unsuitable for horizontal surfaces and below ground applications and is ineffective against water pressure...
by Ian Malcolm
Thu Nov 13, 2008 12:47 am
Forum: Boat maintenance, repair and restoration
Topic: Query regarding old style jib tension
Replies: 8
Views: 3379

Re: Query regarding old style jib tension

My albacore has a hank on jib with the fall of the halyard led down parallel to the forestay and through a block on the stemhead fitting, back accross the foredeck and then through the deck to its cleat. I understand that *OLD* Farey marine boats had more or less the same setup, but those with bow b...
by Ian Malcolm
Thu Aug 07, 2008 10:59 pm
Forum: Boat maintenance, repair and restoration
Topic: Sloppy pintles and gudgeons
Replies: 11
Views: 4723

Re: Sloppy pintles and gudgeons

Babbitt is soft enough to scrape with a knife but is considerably harder than soft solder. If one wanted to get close to an accepted lead containing white metal bearing composition, speaking theoretically, 8 parts of Savbit solder (used for its high copper content - no substitute) to 1 of soft lead ...
by Ian Malcolm
Thu Aug 07, 2008 2:33 pm
Forum: Boat maintenance, repair and restoration
Topic: Sloppy pintles and gudgeons
Replies: 11
Views: 4723

Re: Sloppy pintles and gudgeons

Babbit or white metal bearings cast in place were the standard for all machinary before ball/roller bearings and shell bearings came into use. Shell bearings are still made with a babbit alloy surface. There are lots of Babbit alloys, roughly divided into two categories - Tin based or leads based. T...
by Ian Malcolm
Thu Aug 07, 2008 1:23 pm
Forum: Boat maintenance, repair and restoration
Topic: Sloppy pintles and gudgeons
Replies: 11
Views: 4723

Re: Sloppy pintles and gudgeons

T. Norris (Isleworth, London) machined a new gudgeon for us from bar stock using an old one for a pattern when I needed a replacement for a previously broken and bodged one on our Contessa 26. The price was acceptable and the quality excellent. There is no significant difference apart from size bet...
by Ian Malcolm
Tue Feb 05, 2008 12:26 am
Forum: Boat maintenance, repair and restoration
Topic: Firefly centreplate pulley arrangement
Replies: 8
Views: 6572

Re: Firefly centreplate pulley arrangement

I use a Holt Allen drum winch intended for tensioning a kicking strap to control the 1/4" galvanised centerplate on my Albacore. It is attached to the hog just in front of the case. The drum is loaded with 4mm line and the shaft is loaded with 3mm Marlow Excel D12 dyneema instead of wire. The w...
by Ian Malcolm
Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:38 pm
Forum: Announcements
Topic: Possible Forum Upgrade
Replies: 18
Views: 39946

Re: Possible Forum Upgrade

IrfanView is a free (for non commercial use) utility for resizing, cropping, and adjusting photos. It runs on all windows from 9x - Vista. If you dont have a decent photo package and you need to convert images to 800x600 @ <256Kb filesize, you *need* it. If your photo package is slow to load or awkw...
by Ian Malcolm
Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:05 am
Forum: Boat maintenance, repair and restoration
Topic: Wire crimping
Replies: 6
Views: 3710

The Ormiston tool works well. I borrow one whenever I need to do this sort of thing. If you tape the wire and tightly clamp it between two small pieces of softwood, its easy to cut it cleanly with a fine toothed hacksaw blade or if you have a Dremel or similar a cutting disk makes a realy quick and ...
by Ian Malcolm
Thu May 18, 2006 11:42 am
Forum: Boat Chat
Topic: Cruising Sails - Albacore
Replies: 2
Views: 2370

Mine has two equal depth reefs, When both are in, the head is down to the hounds. I think that puts the first reef just above the bottom batten but would have to look at the sail to be certain. With both reefs in, its advantagous to change to a smaller jib. A mirror jib set on a 6" strop from t...
by Ian Malcolm
Fri Jul 08, 2005 8:55 am
Forum: Boat maintenance, repair and restoration
Topic: What screws for stainless band on oak keel
Replies: 27
Views: 10606

My Albacore has diamond stays as well with a 1/2" original spreader right through the mast. I replaced that (It has been broken and 'fixed' with a mild steel rod liberated from a scrap farm gate!) but at the time all I could easily get was 12mm hardware store tube which I reinforced with 10mm t...
by Ian Malcolm
Thu May 26, 2005 4:06 am
Forum: Boat Chat
Topic: Stupid qn- they all are if you know the answer!
Replies: 4
Views: 5104

The problem with silicone sealant is silicone contamination of nearby painted or varnished surfaces. This will give you hell when you want to repaint/revarnish (look up 'fish-eyes') or even re-seal the joint. It is also a pretty poor sealant and tends to fail by seperating from the surfaces its betw...