BMW56

Thanks KM. That's good advice. I chose the polypropylene on the basis if it being lightweight, and therefore not too much of a sea anchor with the longer length, and also moderately stretchy. There always seem to be pros and cons. I used to tow my old dinghy on a much shorter painter, and it danced around a lot more than the new one does. I have actually used two stainless rings together to spread the load over a greater surface area. Seems to work fine though it took some experimenting to find the right length for the bridle. I started off a bit too long and the rings didn't slide easily, b

I had the recent experience of losing my dinghy, not because the painter gave way, but because the D-ring pulled off the front of the dinghy. One new dinghy later I have been experimenting with painters and towing bridles. I was surprised how much better the dinghy tows using a bridle attached to the tow points on either side, as compared to a single point on the bow. A long tow line helps too.. The bridle clips on with snap shackles and is only put on for towing. The tow line is 10m of 12mm polypropylene braid with the bridle permanently attached via a stainless ring that can slide along,

I'm with Youi. They were happy to insure on a swing mooring so long as the required inspections are kept up to date. Survey not required even though I had one. Policy looks reasonable and not much different to others I looked at. Price was very competitive a year ago. Haven't had to make a claim, so no experience there. Only downside is the salespeople are quite pushy - will try to insure your house, car, life & wife all on the same phone call. Just say no thanks unless you are interested.

Boat ashore in Cass Bay, Lyttelton. http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/91260796/Canterbury-bears-brunt-of-bad-weather-with-heavy-rain-gales-and-snow?

Another good book is South Sea Vagabonds by J W Wray. It's something of a classic that was written 75years ago and has recently been republished. It's about a guy who built a boat, Ngataki, out of driftwood during the depression years and his subsequent adventures. Not about whaling but a great example of the true Kiwi spirit and ingenuity.

How deep is the water where you are? Perhaps one of those 3m long extendable boat hooks at low tide?

When I worked at the hospital we used to buy lead for radiation shielding from these guys: http://www.dlm.co.nz/index.html Looks like they have a good range of products including sacrificial anodes.

Having trouble with the quoting there. Seems not to work as expected on my iPad, so must be doing something wrong.

Two weekends ago I went to do some work on the boat. I tied my Force 4 inflatable up to the stern bollard as usual and went down below to get on with the jobs. The wind came up a bit but I thought nothing of it at the time, until it was time to go home. No dinghy! Just the painter and D-ring. The webbing attachment, which showed no obvious wear or tear, must have given way. Dinghy with outboard still missing somewhere in Lytteton Harbour if anyone finds it. Luckily warm enough for a swim to shore. Last weekend I went out in my other inflatable - older and a bit leaky, and with my larger ou

Try Steel & Tube Stainless. They will sell direct and are happy to sell part lengths. Not sure where in the country you are, but they have branches in the main centers. They will have various types and finishes. For marine you probably should be asking for T316 round structural tube (sometimes also called 'handrail tube'). Standard wall thicknesses are 1.2mm & 1.5mm. Ask what finishes they have - you want a polished finish rather than linished, which will stain in salt air. You can also get hygienic grade seamless tube if you want to pay a little more, but it's probably overk

Thanks for the replies. It's in at Oborns and sounds as if it should be a straightforward fix. Fingers crossed.

A seam on my mainsail has come adrift (quite badly), but the fabric looks fine so I'm hoping it will be a straightforward repair. Can anyone recommend a good sail loft, preferably in Christchurch? I'm thinking Oborns perhaps, but are there others to consider as well?

Not sure if this link will work but here goes. Sailing couple who converted their boat to electric propulsion. Interesting project. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXbWsGV_cjG3gOsSnNJPVlg

It's like buying a used car or a house. There will always be something that needs attention, or that you would prefer to be different. My advice would be to buy it as you see it, so long as the work needed is only minor, for a price you are happy to pay and the vendor is happy to accept. If the vendor is happy to fix things to secure the sale, all well and good, but there shouldn't be an obligation to make the boat perfect. Otherwise, if you choose to look after the work yourself, just like the all the ongoing repairs and maintenance you will need to do for so long as you own the boat, you can

I agree. Well worth watching if you are into boat DIY.

This might be suitable: http://nz.rs-online.com/web/p/coaxial-cable/5217900/ You would have to buy a full 100m reel though.

Pretty wild out tonight. Hope the mooring holds and nothing too badly damaged. One thing's for sure - I'm glad I'm not on board.