New gadget to try this season

I have just come across a AIS app for both Android and iPhone. There are several similar apps around that pick up the location of shipping, which we have used before when on a charter. Fog descended on the approach to Cowes and a combination of the Navionics mapping app and an AIS app not only showed us the way in bit also emerging ferries and other shipping. ( The yachts own nav system was not so hot...).

This new app called Boat Beacon, shows the position of other vessels as you'd expect but also act as an AIS transmitter for your own position. It means you must turn it off when travelling back home up the motorway otherwise some strange positions will be reported.......

Very useful for poor condition or on a night passage.

You can also add data about your vessel such as type, Sail. Motor etc., length, MMSI details and more.

I will give it a good this season - at £6.00 it's worth a trial.

Took the opportunity yesterday, in the sunny, dry but very cold weather to get down to the boat and make sure she was OK.

The marina staff had moved her into a nice sheltered corner so apart from a few leaves in the cockpit she was fine.

I contemplated adjusting the rig to allow a tarpaulin to be draped over the boom to stop any more leaves etc. finding their way in but I hope to put her back in the water later this month so I just checked her over whilst I left the hatch and washboards open to get some air though.

The hull seems to be in quite poor condition, by that I mean scratches and scrapes. The gel coat had lost its shine where the fenders have rubbed. All in all some hard work needed - especially where there is a little knock and crazing of the gel coat from some sort of impact.

The new building at the marina workshops are starting to rise above ground level and I popped into Ocean Marine Services who are going to provide a quote to sort the hull out. Why do I have a dull feeling in the pit of my stomach and come to think of it, my wallet...... well perhaps I'll have to delay re soling the boys plimsolls this summer.

Had a nice lunch with Adrian at Dell Quay, watching the water ebb away, before setting out for home. Good day out..soon be back on the water.

Christmas toys

Continuing the theme of gadgets, I was lucky enough to get a couple of unexpected gadgets this year. During last season I was occasionally rafted up to someone who had a toaster grill fitting for their burner.

A cup of coffee and a couple of slices of toast and marmalade, whilst anchored in a harbour or bay is hard to beat. My wife must have heard me mention it because lo and behold, in my stocking (as it were...) arrived this:

A collapseable fitting for the grill which should do the job nicely - it doesn't take up much room - it obviously about the same dimensions as a small slice of bread and perhaps twice as deep.

The other piece of kit is will be handy when I catch all those Bass that I didn't catch last season.... or the one before come to that.

It's a grill fitting that has a splash area and channel to catch juices that run off whatever is being cooked. It may be cleaner to use than a frying pan - and of course ideally suited to pan cakes.... Will the weather be warm enough by Shrove Tuesday?

It's a bit larger than a big dinner plate but should stow easy enough.

And last but not least, certainly at the beginning and end of the season, a heater attachment.

I hate to think about the consumption of gas cartridges with all this lot.

As with all kit the acid test will be how much it gets used, how much space it takes up and 'is life aboard improved enough to keep it'?

We'll see.....


The boat is still out of the water. I did think about putting her back in but she does need a bit of touching up in one or two places and a good polish which is all easier when she's not drifting away from you all the time.

Both rallies, planned for the bank Holiday weekends of May are progressing well in the planning stages and the tides even look ok on the first weekend to get across to Bembridge for a night. Let's see what the weather brings us.

Top pieces of kit to have on board

I thought I'd start a small survey by looking at the top pieces of kit we carry on board small boats.
Accepting the must haves of sails, engine, fender ropes etc I was pondering the additional items that could be dispensed with but serve to make sailing that much more enjoyable, safer or generally take the strain.

My top item is the Garmin 451s

I've had mine since I got the boat - over 2 years now - bought with a collection from friends and colleagues when I left work.
I like paper charts, indeed I always have the local one to hand and prefer to look at them for planning and generally seeing the bigger picture. However, the confidence and convenience of the chart plotter is great, especially over long distances.
Several friends have got one or a similar item and some have thought about getting a larger screen version. To my mind the 4.5 inch screen is just right - it doesn't take over or dominate, it just sits there as a reassurance.

Money well spent.

What is your top piece of kit? Use the comments link to contribute to the conversation.

Season Review 2012

Well in spite of the weather I managed to get 38 nights on board Daislebee and 6 on board another yacht - total nights afloat 44 !!

I'm amazed - with all the doom and gloom the rain and the winds we've had this year it has still turned out to be a good season.

Many highs and a few lows:

High's

• Losing and finding the baseball cap
• Rescuing the canoeist
• Rescuing Nick
• Dolphins
• A seal
• overnight in Wootton - a first
• sailing into Lymington - another first
• Good company

Low's

• Too many rough passages
• Too many wet passages
• Too far from home

But a great season none the less