<![CDATA[Cruisers & Sailing Forums - General Sailing Forum]]> https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/ General discussions on sailing not covered elsewhere on the board en Wed, 06 May 2026 03:56:19 GMT vBulletin 60 https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/images/misc/rss.jpg <![CDATA[Cruisers & Sailing Forums - General Sailing Forum]]> https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/ Bad/Sad News from the Ballina Bar, Oz https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/bad-sad-news-from-the-ballina-bar-oz-300068.html Mon, 04 May 2026 21:20:46 GMT This morning's news has this story of a yacht in distress and the rescue boat rolled. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-05-...dent/106641384

There is little real news at this time.

I will say that this is one of the few bar entrances with depth enough for us, that we haven't entered, because of the loss of a boat there, witnessed by close friends. At that time, they lost at least one fishing boat there a year, we were told. Didn't check it out, just kept sailing past it. It does have a bad reputation. Does anyone have any verifiable statistics for boats lost there?

Ann ]]> General Sailing Forum JPA Cate https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/bad-sad-news-from-the-ballina-bar-oz-300068.html Main sheet set up on dinghy https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/main-sheet-set-up-on-dinghy-300066.html Mon, 04 May 2026 19:59:45 GMT This is a dinghy sailing question, but surely some dinghy sailors amungst the cruisers! I am a new owner of a Chesapeake Light Craft Passagemaker, A... This is a dinghy sailing question, but surely some dinghy sailors amungst the cruisers! I am a new owner of a Chesapeake Light Craft Passagemaker, A 12' dinghy sailboat with a balanced lug rig sailplan. I am not confident the main sheet is set up as efficiently as it could be. Currently, the lower yard (boom) has two blocks which the main sheet is run through and then tied off to a rope “traveler” astern (much like a Sunfish has). The working end of the main sheet comes down to the center board trunk where there is a rope bridle i attached a third block to. I ended up shortening this bridle as much as I could, as the angle was off. there is basically no mechanical advantage in this system as is.

I saw a picture of another lug rig passagemaker not employing a stern traveler, just a simple 2/3:1 system between the daggerboard trunk and yard.

My question is; should I abandon the traveler, and thus the sheeting angle stemming from the stern end of the yard, by rigging a 2/3:1 system between trunk and yard OR should I keep the traveler and just add a 2/3:1 tackle system between daggerboard and yard?

Can anyone comment on advantage of sheeting from the back of a yard (boom) vs. mid boom (like most sailboats do?)

Thanks!



Coastal sailing. 15 knots is not uncommon. No reefing points yet, but will see about adding. ]]> General Sailing Forum Wannabes00n https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/main-sheet-set-up-on-dinghy-300066.html West Marine possibly filling for bankruptcy https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/west-marine-possibly-filling-for-bankruptcy-300065.html Mon, 04 May 2026 19:56:25 GMT West Marine is preparing for a potential Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing to restructure its debt and lease obligations, according to reports from early... West Marine is preparing for a potential Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing to restructure its debt and lease obligations, according to reports from early May 2026. The company, owned by private equity firms, is planning to close some stores as part of this restructuring, although no final terms have been decided. ]]> General Sailing Forum AA3JY https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/west-marine-possibly-filling-for-bankruptcy-300065.html The ongoing en****tification of noonsite.com https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/the-ongoing-en-tification-of-noonsite-com-300010.html Fri, 01 May 2026 12:38:36 GMT Today's noonsite newsletter pushed me over the edge and I have to ramble here. Sorry!


They write:
... a brand-new product ... our new formalities wallet
Previously available only to our members, we’re now opening this up to everyone.


To celebrate, we’re offering this high-quality wallet free to cruisers who sign up for our Premium annual membership
Is this AI generated junk? Becauses it sure makes no sense. What are they even celebrating?
If it's new, how was it available to their members previously?
It's not "opening for everyone" and it's not "free" if it requires paying.


But that's not all. It continues:
Users now need to create a free login to view Noonsite Formalities.
Why don't they go ahead and lock out free users completely? Because that is clearly where they are headed with the site.
I'm sorry to say, Noonsite has been on a trajectory of en****tification.
I expect it to become irrelevant eventually and hopefully the community will create a wiki to replace it. ]]> General Sailing Forum Poa https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/the-ongoing-en-tification-of-noonsite-com-300010.html Spring Cleat Position https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/spring-cleat-position-299987.html Wed, 29 Apr 2026 07:38:39 GMT Hi Currently our yacht has no spring cleats. I have searched the internet to help us establish the position of these cleats. I could not find a lot... Hi
Currently our yacht has no spring cleats. I have searched the internet to help us establish the position of these cleats. I could not find a lot of information but found this,
"To find the perfect spot, rig a line tightly between the shroud base and an aft cleat, then attach a spring line to it with a rolling hitch. Position your boat alongside a pontoon, run the engine in gear slowly and adjust the spot where the line is attached until the boat sits perfectly parallel to the pontoon."
Easy enough I thought, so I tried all positions from the aft to forward of the widest part of the yacht. The results were the same in all positions with the stern of the yacht kicking out away from the dock. The rudder was in a neutral position.
Am I missing something here, your advice would be appeached.

Thanks Paul ]]> General Sailing Forum PaulZeeders https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/spring-cleat-position-299987.html A net took out both my engines and limited my rudder controls https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/a-net-took-out-both-my-engines-and-limited-my-rudder-controls-299986.html Wed, 29 Apr 2026 01:52:32 GMT Well, I thought I would tell you about a recent sailing adventure and perhaps some lessons learned. My wife took off from Ocean World Marina, DR to... Well, I thought I would tell you about a recent sailing adventure and perhaps some lessons learned. My wife took off from Ocean World Marina, DR to Puerto Rico. The winds were about 30 degrees off the nose with 6 to 8 foot seas at about 8 second interval. Not too bad and considering what the winds had been, it was a decent enough window. Now we have sailed across the Mona Passage before and knew we could run into some rougher waves, we had an exit strategy should the waves get too big.
Anyway, we were off to a good start and no real surprises.

That night it got dark... pitch dark, full cloud coverage and a moonless night so of course we ran into a fishing net. By the way, there was a significant increase in fishnets in the area. So if you are taking the northern route, be mindful of that. The net took out both engines, and seriously limited rudder control. On top of that the wind angle changed and of course was right on our nose... naturally. We hadn't even begun the mona passenger.

I dropped the ladder to see how dangerous it would be to try and clear the props. The sea state was just too rough for me to safely get under the boat. So I figured I would wait until the seas got calmer. In the meantime, we needed to sail.

So, we knew it was a bad idea to continue to try and sail the boat to the DR. Now I love my Bali, but sailing in those wave conditions with the wind on our nose was going to take a very long time and with limited rudder controls, it would make it even more challenging. And I knew the mona passage was probably going to be a rougher.


Sailing with limited rudder controls was tough. I needed to keep the sails as balanced as possible or she would round up. I had to reef the main and keep the jib fully deployed.* It was much easier to adjust the jibs effectiveness than to adjust the main. In addition, when sailing down wind, I had to fly wing on wing otherwise, I was rounding up. When I say I had to keep a balance, I mean absolute balance. If I needed to turn my wheel by more than an 8th of a turn, I was rounding up.

This became a test of patience, fatigue, and sensory to stay ahead of the wind.* Now I know I could drag a knotted rope off the back to help steer... but this is a Bali with a flybridge. Running back and forth in those sea conditions was not an ideal solution. Pulling in or releasing the jib was much easier to do and just as effective. Adjusting the main on a track bar is not quick and speed/reaction time was important.

It took us another 2 days to get back to ocean world where a power boat met us at the mouth of the entrance and brought into the marina. It was 2am when we pulled in. The Navy folks there were great and helped get us tied up. I can't say enough about them.

The next day I dove under the boat and there was this huge fishing net that was wrapped around everything. My props and rudders had green netting and black rope rapped*around it. Took me about an hour to get it all removed. ]]> General Sailing Forum HuffinPuff https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/a-net-took-out-both-my-engines-and-limited-my-rudder-controls-299986.html Schengen time between Azores and main Portugal? https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/schengen-time-between-azores-and-main-portugal-299965.html Mon, 27 Apr 2026 18:32:58 GMT Schengen visa time between Azores and main Portugal? Between Azores and main Portugal - How are the days of sailing counted towards the 90/180... Schengen visa time between Azores and main Portugal?

Between Azores and main Portugal - How are the days of sailing counted towards the 90/180 days?

As a USA citizen, what can I put in place if my Schengen time might be over 90 days? I didn't understand the ETIAS process or how I might get a long-term stay visa.

My travel plan starts with reaching the Azores approx as early as June 1 by sailboat, for sure reaching Portugal main end of June then road traveling EU until late September finishing up flying to Iceland Sept 20 staying to Oct 4..

...if all those days count towards Schengen I'm around 120 days. Though I will likely visit some non-schengen countries during the land travel which might reduce the total, it's still likely be close so would love to know what options exist to stay compliant to the requirements.

Thanks, ]]> General Sailing Forum Andrew Vanis https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/schengen-time-between-azores-and-main-portugal-299965.html Boat abandoned due to Schengen https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/boat-abandoned-due-to-schengen-299964.html Mon, 27 Apr 2026 17:01:43 GMT Long story short i overstayed my schengen visa and want allowed back into france after a 3 day trip to Turkey. My boat now in La Rochelle, I am in... Long story short i overstayed my schengen visa and want allowed back into france after a 3 day trip to Turkey.
My boat now in La Rochelle, I am in Turkey (brit passport).


Any suggestions on what my options are to get the boat out of La Rochelle and out of schenegen area so that I can get to her and get her out of the water before my work season starts in the next month or so?


ive thought about a delivery crew but the cost is far more than i would like to pay.


Thank you. T ]]> General Sailing Forum Gentlefarmer79 https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/boat-abandoned-due-to-schengen-299964.html Jet Washing Algae Ridden Coiled Ropes https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/jet-washing-algae-ridden-coiled-ropes-299945.html Sun, 26 Apr 2026 06:43:33 GMT Tiss the season for jet washing the winter algae and mould off the topside of the boat, I have just finished this job so then got on with the... Tiss the season for jet washing the winter algae and mould off the topside of the boat, I have just finished this job so then got on with the barnacles and weed below the water line, not too much as I used Shogun anti foul last year.
My question is it takes me just as long to jet wash my various rigging ropes as it does to do the whole boat. especially coiled up ropes which need to be continuously turned over and over and over to get the jet wash to do its job. There must be a simpler way ????:confused: ]]> General Sailing Forum harry1999 https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/jet-washing-algae-ridden-coiled-ropes-299945.html Treadmaster Glue. https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/treadmaster-glue-299889.html Thu, 23 Apr 2026 07:16:37 GMT I am replacing, worn out small sections of diamond treadmaster. Are any of the more modern "no more nails" type glues any good cos they are easy to apply and not too expensive.:confused: ]]> General Sailing Forum harry1999 https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/treadmaster-glue-299889.html Moorage and boat survey requirements https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/moorage-and-boat-survey-requirements-299881.html Wed, 22 Apr 2026 18:50:00 GMT I am planning a longer sail later this year to CA, Mexico and possibly Hawaii. I may need to moore my boat for a few months in the various marinas. I... I am planning a longer sail later this year to CA, Mexico and possibly Hawaii. I may need to moore my boat for a few months in the various marinas. I noticed that many marinas require a boat survey for boats over 20 years old (except for short term mooring). How do people handle that? Should I get one before I set off or is it easily done at the first marina that would require it? ]]> General Sailing Forum suiramor https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/moorage-and-boat-survey-requirements-299881.html Lewmar Flush Mitre portlight re-coating and preferred latch style https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/lewmar-flush-mitre-portlight-re-coating-and-preferred-latch-style-299863.html Tue, 21 Apr 2026 17:03:15 GMT I’m replacing the portlights set into the acrylic windows on my boat. The originals were Bomar and are no longer available, so I’m looking at Lewmar... I’m replacing the portlights set into the acrylic windows on my boat. The originals were Bomar and are no longer available, so I’m looking at Lewmar “Flush Mitre” replacements.


The main issue is the coating—these are known for the black powdercoat failing after just a few years (peeling off in large sections). I’m considering stripping and re-coating them, possibly anodizing. Has anyone anodized stuff like this with good results?


Also, these come in two latch styles: the older cam-style and the newer twist-style. Confusingly, this seems opposite of the “Old Standard” vs “New Standard” designs.


Has anyone used both and have a preference? Do the cam locks seal as well as the twist locks?


Thanks!

Best,
Daniel


PS - I've attached a pic of a boat with these Lewmar Flush Mitre portlights that's only 2-3 yrs old... The coating is coming off in large pieces. From what I find on the interwebs, this seems pretty typical.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version Name: Leopard 42 failing Lewmar portlight.png Views: N/A Size: 65.0 KB ID: 309902   Click image for larger version Name: Lewmar Twist lock vs Cam lock.png Views: N/A Size: 57.2 KB ID: 309903  

]]> General Sailing Forum Wanderwind https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/lewmar-flush-mitre-portlight-re-coating-and-preferred-latch-style-299863.html DC powered Starlink https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/dc-powered-starlink-299846.html Tue, 21 Apr 2026 00:25:59 GMT Hi Friends,
What have folks been doing to power Starlink Gen3 & Mini
systems from their 12 volt house bank?
Want to eliminate the waste of keeping an inverter
on all the time.
I've read that the inexpensive devices as seen on Amazon
are not reliable and just plain POS'S.
Design criteria is bulletproof reliability.
Boat has huge lithium bank and close to 3,000 watts of solar.
Gen 3 is primary system with the Mini being a back up
Cheers
Neil ]]> General Sailing Forum Time2Go https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/dc-powered-starlink-299846.html My boat is leaking electricity…. https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/my-boat-is-leaking-electricity-299844.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 20:40:44 GMT My new-to-me sailboat seems to be leaking electricity….

Story:

Dove on the boat last fall (hold breath) to install new shaft zinc. No problems. I am pretty sure the boat was not hooked to shore power then, but can’t remember.

Boat sat in the water in New England all winter.

Dove on the boat last week to check running gear before leaving marina. Zinc COMPLETELY gone. Have no idea when or where it went….

Bought new zinc.

Dove on boat today. Immediately noticed a flickering in my vision. Like what you might see out of the corner of your eye when driving past a bridge with vertical supports on a sunny day. Super weird.
Also felt tingling in my hands.

Surfaced, came up on the dock and unplugged the boat from shore power. Dove back in and installed new zinc. Did NOT notice the vision thing or any weird feelings that time down.

So. I am guessing my boat is somehow leaking some type of electricity into the chuck.

Clues:

There is a flat metal strip near the steering quadrant. I noticed this as I had to work on frayed steering cables on the strangely-designed Edson quadrant. The strip is caulked into the hull near the stern, and then runs forward and disappears into the bilge. I have not noticed where it comes out.

The boat had an encapsulated keel, so no keel bolts, and it seems all the thru hulls are plastic. There are no bonding wires on any thru-hull.

Questions:

Am I somehow leaking electricity? If so, how to track it/stop it. Or is it necessary to do so?

Did I damage my prop? It looked OK underwater, but it is also covered with growth and I just dive with a breath, so the inspection was “short n sweet”.

Thanks for any advice…. ]]> General Sailing Forum Phish https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/my-boat-is-leaking-electricity-299844.html Propane tank recertification NYC https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/propane-tank-recertification-nyc-299838.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 12:50:03 GMT Anyone know where to get my excellent condition aluminum propane tanks recertified in the NYC/Long Island area? Yes, I’ve googled and made some... Anyone know where to get my excellent condition aluminum propane tanks recertified in the NYC/Long Island area?

Yes, I’ve googled and made some calls. Nobody knows or can help. ]]> General Sailing Forum Phish https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/propane-tank-recertification-nyc-299838.html