The needs are drawing in

[Nick]

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I need the following before May next year:

4-man canister liferaft
Windvane self steering
40m 8mm chain spliced to 25m 14mm octoplait (windlass would be nice as well)
Decent plotter with all-Europe charts

- and that is just what I can think of at the moment. Other small items I can find, but these are expensive and any ideas are welcome.Keep yer ears open.

[mm5aho]

I heard of someone with a liferaft, but its 6 man, valise and out of inspection!! (but you knew that already)

If you get desperate enough to buy a new windvane, I can recommend Seafeather as excellent value.

[Nick]

I heard of someone with a liferaft, but its 6 man, valise and out of inspection!! (but you knew that already)

If you get desperate enough to buy a new windvane, I can recommend Seafeather as excellent value.

I already approached Sea Feather, as they are badly in need of a new website, but they weren't interested and quoted me just under £2k for a unit for the MG30 . . . doesn't seem particularly cheap, MrVee is a lot cheaper.

There was a guy selling a 2nd hand Pacific Light on Yachts and Yachty Bits, but he wanted £1700, which is more than they cost new . . . I missed a Navik for £600 on there, which I should have gone for, just didn't have the money.

[Pete Cooper]

I see Nancy Blackets are closing - any closing down bargains there?

[Nick]

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Black Nancys has been stripped bare and the doors locked. Apparently everything went away on a lorry yesterday.

[Nick]

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Serendipitously, 40m of chain has appeared, so that is one item off the list.

[spuddy]

There's the Hebridean of course. Depending on skills it doesn't take too long to fabricate. Works very well! Did a trip to Madeira and Azores a couple of years ago with one and he was excellent. Chum finished an Atlantic circuit this summer with one and awarded his a gold medal - worked faultlessly the whole way and now breakages or breakdowns

[BlowingOldBoots]

There's the Hebridean of course. Depending on skills it doesn't take too long to fabricate. Works very well! Did a trip to Madeira and Azores a couple of years ago with one and he was excellent. Chum finished an Atlantic circuit this summer with one and awarded his a gold medal - worked faultlessly the whole way and now breakages or breakdowns

I agree that building a vane might be the most cost effective method, leaving funds for other things.

On the plotter front, for low cost option, I would go down the laptop road.

Windlass wise, if costs don't stretch to new, consider buying a knackered one. They can all be rebuilt and motors rewound.it can be a remarkably low cost way of getting an expensive item. Just rebuilt mine, bearings £3, new tub of grease, helicoil, new bolts, paint job at a car sprayers, £150 all up, like new.

I'll keep my eye open for stuff. I have large cleats, maybe a large manual bilge pump and some circuit breakers, all in good condition if you needs stuff for other projects i.e. strong points for a bridle. Also 2 x CQRs if you wanted additional anchors (60lb and 40lb).

[BlowingOldBoots]

Tried to send you a PM but the software would not allow it. Anyway, over on YBW there is a wind vane for sale: -

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.ph ... f-Steering

[Nick]

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Thanks, I had a look. Not sure if it would be suitable - in theory it is for up to an 8m boat. I've only sailed the MG once, but it had a bit of weather helm and I would prefer something a bit tougher if possible, but have asked the guy if it has a mounting bracket and will look at some photos.

Just missed a Navik on Ebay for £445 because I was away at the weekend . . .

[marisca]

Missing a Navik may not have been a bad thing. Another Contessa 32 had one and the water vane attachment was not up to the job.

[mm5aho]

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.ph ... f-Steering

just seen this...

[Nick]

Missing a Navik may not have been a bad thing. Another Contessa 32 had one and the water vane attachment was not up to the job.

The Navik on Fairwids steered her several thousand miles back in 2006/2007 , though it has only done a N Sea crossing and a couple of Minch crossings since then.

[Ocklepoint]

I have a plotter (or two) on "Hirta" and an iPad running iSailor, Navionics, Admiralty and Antares.

The iPad is the more useful.

It probably uses a few more amps but I've never been short of them (200 watts of solar into a 200Amphr battery bank)

The readable in the sun issue has never been a problem: it lives under the hood

If I didn't have an iPad i would just get a cheap tablet.

And when you are not sailing you can watch movies on it.

[Nick]

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Is there any way of getting AIS data on an ipad?