a sensible approach...

Of course, I'm sure if he'd been non-white, not-wealthy, with bad parents the sentence would be the same, in the doable but not going to happen department, and an interesting breakthrough in battery tech...

Far too often I read about people who buy boats, fix them up, and lose touch with common sense so the project becomes a quest for yacht perfection or, as we call it here on "So It Goes", building a shrine.

Fact is, seagoing shrines are somewhat problematic as well as expensive. We're more about good enough and functional because it's always worked for us.

I mention this because I have to buy some stainless steel for a new windvane. I was recently cautioned that neither 316 or 304 schedule 40 stainless pipe would be up to the task and I should invest in a much more exotic stainless alloy, carbon fiber, or even titanium.

Now, as it happens, the main rudder on our CAL 34 has a 304 stainless steel pipe rudder shaft which is quite long in the tooth (the boat was built/launched in 1969). It has held up quite well and, while I think it is prudent to build a new main rudder sooner rather than later, the fact that the 304 rudder post has done a pretty awesome job for over forty years tells me that 304 is certainly up to the job. The downside being 304 is somewhat pedestrian, unimpressive, and not exactly shrine material.

So, as far as I'm concerned, 304 or 316 is also a great choice for the rudder shaft on the new self-steering and, compared to more exotic alloys and composites, it's also a LOT cheaper.

What works well makes sense...

By the way, you might want to check out Page Two which is an excellent blog currently concerned with a sensible and workmanlike refit of the non-shrine variety and well worth a read.

Listening to Jerry Riopelle

So it goes...