Terry B

Hi SanFran, yep - westie born & bred. Will b in touch when I get back from the islands. Stunning over here - blue skies, blue water, no crowds, no traffic, 25 - 29 degrees - so it's not too hot. It'd be perfect but there's no yachts...........

Brilliant, thanks AS. And a great tip. Hull is put together and epoxied. Buggering off to a warm island for 10 days - work on it will continue when I get back. Must say - I'm enjoying this project - so far.

Hi Fish, BBS in Henderson. Abel - did you use a gasket of any sort to stop water ingress at the nut end on the below waterline bolt? Or tightening the nut by hand as you describe was sufficient?

The BP on Jervois used to do it but not now I don't think - might pay to ring them to check?. If you're near Onehunga, MATAGAS at 31 Victoria St, Onehunga Auckland do testing and filling.

Very lucky - especially with a name like 'Twisty'...........

Thanks AB. I've bought the ply so I'm committed! I'll report back when finished. Which could be next month or next year.................

Hi Abel, you've inspired me! Off to get ply in the next day or so. Two questions: 1. You used 3mm for sides and bottom. Plans say 9 or 10mm for frames and transom - did you use this thickness? 2. Towing - is your tow line on an eye on the for'ard seat and then just passed thru the 'handhold' in the bow transom? Looks like that from the photos - there's no shots bow on, so I can't see an eye or other attachment. The plans don't show a towing attachment, or height it should be at. I promise I won't keep coming back with more questions!

Thanks BP. Thanks to all for the advice.

Thanks TL. I'll try that. Might even just play with that in lighter conditions to see what the effects are. So you agree that slowing down is the correct way to go? I'd try to go faster than the seas but I've yet to add the foils

Control Device KM. To set the scene, last year came back from Gt Barrier with a steep sea and 25 knots - both up the stern, crewing on my mates Beneteau 35 footer. The seas picked her up and tried to either throw her sideways or run her down the front of the bigger waves into the trough nose first. Never felt in control, felt to me that we were going to fast..........but I could be wrong.........I've not a lot of experience in the bigger seas.I tend to cruise innner gulf and only venture further in good conditions. Which can turn to custard as we all know. I know it's completely differ

Hi team, I have a Whiting 29 - any recommendations for a drogue for this size/type of yacht? One of those things I'II probably never use - but will need if I don't have one I'm not going off shore, just tootling around the gulf, up to BOI maybe and hopefully the mercs. But it can get nasty in the gulf - it's those short steep seas you get that throw mine sideways or down the hole...........

Vic - because I can't 'see' the tank level, I'm going to work out how many pumps to a full tank Will do this in spring when I next have at least a 3-4 day trip. That way I can get a rough idea of toilet visits per tank - at least on average anyway. Everyone on board has to write down number of pumps each time it's used - hopefully I can work out roughly when it's getting close to full that way. Careful eye on the vent overflowing........... Cabin boys task, that.......... Might also be a sh:)storm.............. I normally sail solo or 2 up. Rarely more than that, so with 'ju

KM, I just used epoxy coats, nothing else. I saw some things John Wellsford had written about making these and he reckoned just epoxy was fine. I was going to put a removable lid on it but in the end I sealed it all up. Couldn't stand the thought of leaks - waste or smell! Can't see inside at all!! I have relatively straight inlet & outlet hoses to the tank so should be (yeah right) simple to clear any blockages without disassembling everything. I slanted the bottom of the tank toward the outlet pipe so (hopefully) it empties completely when flushed with fresh water. Which I do every ti

Soooo, phosphoric acid is the consensus then? Or not? Do you dilute? If so to what percentage? And do you just flush it through the entire toilet system or do you unhook hoses and only do them (hope not, PITA)? And how often do you use it? Do you flush through or let it stand in the pipes for xxx time? Sorry, might be dumb questions I built a plywood holding tank with about a million coats of epoxy on it last year. Might be exagerating on the number of coats . Works great, I'd never thought much about the calcium build up though. I have the standard jabsco toilet.

Any theme yet?

Thanks guys, I knew all that, just needed reminding

Concrete yachts - if well constructed, have been around for a long while and pass the survey test - then what's wrong with buying one? Is it just a (natural) prejudice? Concrete shouldn't float? I get that probably none were built for speed, but for cruising the east coast NI and Hauraki Gulf they'd be fine? I ask as they always seem to be cheep-ish on trade me.............compared to same era and length timber or plastic yachts Thoughts?

Thanks guys. Splat - it was dived on regularly and water-blasted late last year on floating dock (Westhaven). But, due to life getting in the way, hasn't been cleaned for 10 months. No excuses. But I was staggered at the growth on the prop. Owned her for 6 years and not seen anything like it on prop - and she's been in the same marina all that time. I'll try the flappy discs and those wheels today. If the feckin rain stops. Summers a comin'

Hi all, just hauled yacht today and prop is a hell of a mess - more barnacles than prop!!!!! - folding 2 blade, a cuppla years old. Was prop sped 2 years ago at the same time as anti foul - anti foul will go another season. Any easy ways to get the barnacles off? I'm allergic to hard work. I've read about Hydrochloric acid??

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12131615 Cool stuff - and great to see a NZ company in Raglan succeeding. Was racing a few weeks ago on the Waitemata and sat on the rail watching a foiling windsurfer go past us like we were standing still. And watched a foiling surfer in Bali catching good size waves and being able to easily race out of the wave before it closed out. Wish I was young again!!!

Would never happen to me. I never make mistakes.................. I mounted a jam cleat the other day with a riser?? (adjusts the angle of the cleat to the deck where it's mounted) - did a magnificent job. Left the jammer sealant to dry, went back to boat and tried it out with the appropriate line - and I had the angle back to front...............sigh. Still, no-one was watching and you guys are good at keeping secrets. By the way - that sealant really works, was a bi&%c to get off. Oh, and I've also never dragged anchor, hit a dock, dropped an outboard in the water, lost an oar