Who'd have thought books might be the answer...

Something even scarier than the current pandemic, a good read, and in the "Just in case you haven't been paying attention" department...

I've been watching a YouTube channel featuring a likable couple with a little boat, a large dash of enthusiasm, and an inclination to, when needful, to sort out issues in a DIY manner.

So far so good right?

Well, you might say there's a "petit problème" as their DIY skills are sorely lacking to the point that I seldom can get through one of their videos without visibly cringing at just how clueless they are in terms of tools, methods, and materials of doing the DIY boat work thing. A problem that the couple in question are well aware of as they often point out that they are indeed clueless and if anyone knows how to do stuff that they'd really appreciate some advice in the comments.

Sadly, as often as not, the advice-givers are just as clueless as the couple asking for advice. So we wind up with a somewhat problematic cycle of the Möbius strip sort.

I mention this because the couple in question are not alone and, just maybe, what is really needed is not advice but a few books for reference purposes.

Take the question of how to use epoxy asked recently...

So, if you happen to be looking for information on using epoxy I'd suggest "The Epoxy Book" from System Three (a free download), "The Gougeon Brothers on Boat Construction" (also a free download), and if you really want to up your skillset buy/download a copy of Russel Brown's excellent "Epoxy Basics: Working with Epoxy Cleanly & Efficiently". I've been using epoxy on boats for three decades and these are the books I still use on a regular basis.

There's an incredible amount of real (as opposed to conjecture/opinion) knowledge available in books that far surpasses what's available in forums, comments, and the odd passersby. It just makes a lot of sense to avail yourself of existing information instead of getting on the trial and error bandwagon which seems to be the norm these days.

Now, if you'll forgive me, I have a Luddite meeting to attend...

Listening to an album's worth of Fleetwood Mac covers

So it goes...

An interesting design but will she schoon?

EBM reflects on a Covidiot, what madness is this, and in the "Lest we forget that medicine is more about profit than cure" department...

OK, I'll admit I'm a sucker for a schooner-rigged design. Especially a NEW schooner-rigged design. Throw in the fact that said boat also has shoal draft with bilge keels and you have a boat I'll be studying for a while. So, what does Francis Lebailly have for us in his Rasta 40?

I'm pretty sure she'll schoon just fine!

Lots to like about this boat and more than a few very interesting ideas to keep me busy for a while. More information about the design over at Voile & Moteur.

Listening to Desi Valentine

So it goes...

Something to reflect on over the weekend...

On the subject of a failing state,  a bit more along the same lines, and some scary reading...

Since the world's going to shit, just maybe, it's time to reflect on something that actually makes sense?

Bill Lapworth's CAL40 pretty much fills the need.

Listening to Nada Surf

So it goes...

and today in the "this really belongs in Fishing Under Sail but what the hell" department...

On the subject of a morality scale for meat, some impressive stupidity, and a bit of situational awareness in cartoon form...

Fairly recently, a reader wrote and asked what sort of fishing "kit" he should buy to fish from his newly acquired sailboat. As I've not done such an article in a while, I proceeded to search out what was currently available.

While searching out available fishing kits that would make sense for frugal cruisers who actually want to eat seafood on a regular basis, it did not take a lot of time to realize, in point of fact, that the options were somewhat bleak.

For starters, most of the kits on offer seemed to fall into the incomplete, not very good, and overpriced or incomplete, not very good and cheap zone. Which, I suspect, explains why a lot of boat folk have fishing gear which never gets used because it's crap. That said, there were a few good kits out there but at prices that were just silly expensive.

So, I found myself asking...

"Why doesn't someone have something both good and affordable?"

I mean, seriously, how hard would it be to put together some line a few lures and a means of deploying said lures to the fish? Hardly rocket science.

Obviously, if you were to look at any of these so-called kits anyone with half a brain would be able to reverse engineer it, buy the component parts, and put it together yourself. Still, it would seem, that a lot of folks might just want to skip the research and buy a kit that works and it's been pointed out to me that such a thing would make a nice gift of the boat-warming sort.

Which is, I suppose, why I've been spending a lot of time lately coming up with a couple of fishing kits that fit the requirements of being simple, effective, affordable, and better than what's currently out there on the market.

I'm pretty sure I've sorted it out and I'll be talking about it here and over at Fishing Under Sail in the near future.

Listening to Grant Lee Phillips

So it goes...

Speaking of DIY self-steering gears...

Some hurricane science that won't make your day, a point well made, and in the "Someone's setting themselves up for some Karmic justice" department...

Mr. Vee's been busy.



What's really exciting is that, for the cruiser on a budget, there's now a lot of options for excellent and affordable self-steering gears available.

Listening to Nikki Lane

So it goes...

A couple of possible projects...

On cultivating stupidity, a prestigious medical journal speaks out, and something on what Krugman is saying...

I've been spending a lot of time thinking about the new B&B Yacht Designs kick up auxiliary rudder self-steering gear. The whole kick-up feature makes all kinds of sense.

So much so that I just may splurge on a set of plans and build one.

That said, there's also a very neat servo pendulum gear of the DIY sort over on the JRA forum that's also quite interesting.

Maybe I should just do one of each and see how they compare?

Listening to Thea Gilmore

So it goes...

A power boat I like...

A bit of situational awareness, George Takei making a point, and another big reason to vote for that Biden guy...

I'm not a big fan of powerboats. The fact is I can only think of a couple that I'd consider building or owning and, as it happens, one of those designs, a Bolger Samuel Clyde design is currently for sale at what appears to be a very good price. Certainly worth taking a look at.

Listening to some covers from a list by John Scalzi

So it goes...

a frugal project you might want to look at...

Not exactly surprising but it does rankle, a REMF's blather, and a blog well worth reading...

Well, now this is kinda cool as well as a good example that no matter what you need for your boat there's almost always a reasonable and affordable DIY solution.

Listening to John Sebastian

So it goes...

Where's Yann?

A concert I'll be sure to watch, the downside of being from a pariah nation, and today in the "WTF, seriously WTF?!" files...

So, just where is Yann and Baluchon?

Halfway around the world in Atuona, French Polynesia.

Listening to Mikey Erg

So it goes...

Something that you'll want to peruse...

John Oliver getting it right, a good example of $15K well invested, and an important question...

So, B&B Yacht Designs is going to be building kits for the ClassGlobe 5.80, and, I expect, they'll have full details on their website sooner rather than later.

In the meantime, they have just posted an excellent walk-through of the plans and assembly method which impressive and well worth watching.



Listening to Millie Small

So it goes...