My favorite silly threads:
"My galvanized anchor has rust spots and looks bad." Use it more. Also anything about SS chain.
Towing. In 25 years of sailing I've had more than a few failures, but I also have an engine, numerous sails, a dingy, and anchor + rode. Better threads would concern jury-rigging. Getting towed would be just too embarrassing, since it points to a failure to think. And too much attachment to a schedule. I have towed others. I have sailed into my slip a twice. How about warping out of a slip to go sail (the water had blown out of the Bay and the mud in my berth is just soup anyway)? I've done that too. More educational than a tow.
Anything about apparent wind. We all had trig in high school; what is so complicated? If this is not obvious, the writer needs to sail more. True wind? look at the small surface waves. I once got so annoyed at the information-overload on a delivery, that I threw a towel over the gauges I didn't need.
High-tech line on modest size cruising boats. Replacing wire halyards and a few other interesting applications - very good. Travelers, purchase-type mainsheets, jib sheets: these are sized for handling, not strain.
Questions that would be in ANY sailing manual.
My current boat was named "Auspicious" when I bought it. That HAD to change. I might have a yacht, but it won't be a yacht. It is now "Shoal Survivor." I like pressing my luck in shallow water explorations.
I will admit that everything on my boat works, and that I upgrade things not because they are worn, but because I have a better, cheap idea. I am an engineer and a tinker with a huge might-need pile to work though.
Anything on rubbing compound. I figure dead gel coat is good sun screen for the remaining gel coat. I do wax windows, only because I have had to pay real money replacing cracked polycarbonate ones.
"My galvanized anchor has rust spots and looks bad." Use it more. Also anything about SS chain.
Towing. In 25 years of sailing I've had more than a few failures, but I also have an engine, numerous sails, a dingy, and anchor + rode. Better threads would concern jury-rigging. Getting towed would be just too embarrassing, since it points to a failure to think. And too much attachment to a schedule. I have towed others. I have sailed into my slip a twice. How about warping out of a slip to go sail (the water had blown out of the Bay and the mud in my berth is just soup anyway)? I've done that too. More educational than a tow.
Anything about apparent wind. We all had trig in high school; what is so complicated? If this is not obvious, the writer needs to sail more. True wind? look at the small surface waves. I once got so annoyed at the information-overload on a delivery, that I threw a towel over the gauges I didn't need.
High-tech line on modest size cruising boats. Replacing wire halyards and a few other interesting applications - very good. Travelers, purchase-type mainsheets, jib sheets: these are sized for handling, not strain.
Questions that would be in ANY sailing manual.
My current boat was named "Auspicious" when I bought it. That HAD to change. I might have a yacht, but it won't be a yacht. It is now "Shoal Survivor." I like pressing my luck in shallow water explorations.
I will admit that everything on my boat works, and that I upgrade things not because they are worn, but because I have a better, cheap idea. I am an engineer and a tinker with a huge might-need pile to work though.
) I installed it that particular day.