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Old 21-08-2018, 13:16   #151
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Re: Handy stuff for pocket cruisers, et al.

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Originally Posted by swordds View Post
Perhaps this should go under a different thread title, something like “Cheap Tricks” - about four years ago I made a cockpit sole grate out of 1” X 2” treated lumber and deck screws from Home Depot. The treated lumber has nicely rounded edges. Originally it had a greenish tint but that as weathered to a sun bleached grey very similar to my unfinished teak. The whole project took only about 3 hrs and probably cost less than $30. In 4 years it has never been varnished or oiled and it gets plenty of exposure to salt water, rain water, and the hot Louisiana sun and there are no signs of rot or rust. My point is - perhaps there are other uses for treated lumber and deck nails as much cheaper and more sustainable and available alternatives to teak?
There is composite deck material (or plastic wood). We bought a single board 12 foot by 5.5 inches by 1.25 inches in dark brown for $50 Canadian. It cuts, routs and drills easily. It comes with tongue and groove that you can use or cut off.
It doesn't look much like teak (cut surfaces are brown with flecks of some wood-like filler), but it look OK, it is rot and UV-resistant and very strong. We made steps for the stern swim ladder and the bottom step isn't supported except at the sides. It is heavy and doesn't float fwiw.
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Old 25-08-2018, 22:59   #152
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Re: Handy stuff for pocket cruisers, et al.

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Originally Posted by Dolphin35 View Post
I love my "Boaties" square-sided frying pan. It's a genius simple idea that works so well I cook more one-pan meals in it than anything else! Now I just need a square kettle to sit next to it on the cooker.
OK, you wanted a square kettle...???

https://www.anglingdirect.co.uk/ridg...-square-kettle
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Old 30-08-2018, 14:47   #153
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Post Re: Handy stuff for pocket cruisers, et al.

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...Difficult to explain the details but if you can find a copy of the book “Self Steering for Sailing Craft” by John S Letcher, Jr buy it immediately. It used to be available as a free PDF online but I can no longer find it and I may have purchased the last affordable used copy from Amazon. It is a great book.



I was sure I had a pdf for this, then I realized it was a link and I had not saved the pdf files on that site.


Then I used archive.org
https://web.archive.org/web/20160315...lingcraft.html


All pdf files are available to download.


It is also available here:


https://jesterchallenge.files.wordpr...r-jr-small.pdf




I believe both are available by the author. One is down but brought back by archive.org
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Old 30-08-2018, 18:04   #154
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Re: Handy stuff for pocket cruisers, et al.

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Originally Posted by SuW View Post
There is composite deck material (or plastic wood). We bought a single board 12 foot by 5.5 inches by 1.25 inches in dark brown for $50 Canadian. It cuts, routs and drills easily. It comes with tongue and groove that you can use or cut off.
It doesn't look much like teak (cut surfaces are brown with flecks of some wood-like filler), but it look OK, it is rot and UV-resistant and very strong. We made steps for the stern swim ladder and the bottom step isn't supported except at the sides. It is heavy and doesn't float fwiw.
...and is badly affected by UV over a relatively short period of time. Seen it used on verandah in place of timber flooring, and it bows between joists (not as stiff as timber) and high heels go straght through it after a few years exposed to our harsh Aussie sunlight.

Not recommended for decks or any exposed locations...and...it IS heavy compared to many timbers.

Ecapsulated and varnished/painted 20mm marine ply would be better for ladder treads, provided support was *under* the edge, not screws into the end grain. Ply end grain is renowned for its weakness.
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Old 01-09-2018, 19:51   #155
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Re: Handy stuff for pocket cruisers, et al.

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Originally Posted by Buzzman View Post
...and is badly affected by UV over a relatively short period of time. Seen it used on verandah in place of timber flooring, and it bows between joists (not as stiff as timber) and high heels go straght through it after a few years exposed to our harsh Aussie sunlight.

Not recommended for decks or any exposed locations...and...it IS heavy compared to many timbers.

Ecapsulated and varnished/painted 20mm marine ply would be better for ladder treads, provided support was *under* the edge, not screws into the end grain. Ply end grain is renowned for its weakness.
There is a newer type of composite decking introduced about 7-8 years ago that has a 25-year warranty. It is recommended for outdoors instead of wood as it lasts twice as long, at least. And we have a lot of snow load in Canada in the winter. I wouldn't use it for a house deck myself as it's too expensive.

We're probably talking about different materials. However, I promise not to wear high heels on my swim ladder
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Old 01-09-2018, 21:03   #156
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Re: Handy stuff for pocket cruisers, et al.

Yeah, the stuff I'm talking about is a consumer-grade product, designed to replace timber on decking projects, and it is crap, for sure.
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Old 21-09-2018, 09:06   #157
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Re: Handy stuff for pocket cruisers, et al.

Posted only in the spirit of “this works for me”. I have had difficulty when reefing my main with the friction of the leech reefing lines where they pass through the leech reefing cringle; both when pulling them in to reef the sail and having them run out smoothly when shaking out the reef. I do my reefing at the mast and have a separate leech reefing line for both the first and second reef. I solved this problem by attaching a small dinghy block at the reefing cringles with a dyneema soft shackle and running the reefing lines through the block instead of through the cringle. Eliminates a lot of friction. One picture is the first reefing line (port side) pulled tight (reefed) and the other picture is the second reefing line in an unreefed position. There is no indication that this will cause any chafing issues.
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Old 28-10-2018, 14:12   #158
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Re: Handy stuff for pocket cruisers, et al.

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Originally Posted by 406Columbia View Post
Ok everyone, I have a Columbia 29 and she's a beauty but not a massive interior so space comes at a premium. After looking around the wife and I had decided to build a centerline table with two leaves, thinking it would give us the best value.

After speaking to Don and discussing why he was removing his custom made centerline table I kept looking for more ideas and came across this. I think its the answer to a solid table and useable space on pocket cruisers or any confined space. I may even buy an extra mount for this table leg and mount on in the generous cockpit for when we want to do drink outside or put food for the kids out, etc.

Meet the Lagun Table Leg! The second video really gives you a good idea, the first one is if you want to see more on the leg mounting.





This is the best price anywhere on the internet I could find after much searching and shipping will impress you. Customer service was very prompt with answers also.
https://www.rv-table-mount.com/


Here is the folding teak table top I am buying, they have three different sizes and quality appears to be quite nice as well.

https://www.svb24.com/en/roca-foldab...-tabletop.html
Huh. I thought I had updated this thread but clearly I am delinquent. For my little skinny boat, this pivoting table mount has worked out really well. I can pivot the whole table out of the way when moving around the salon and don't need to fold anything up. The only down side is that you can't really lean too heavily on the edge of a fully extended table, but then you can't do that on too many other salon tables either. By mounting the pivot point off-center under the table, the number of table position permutations increases too.
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Old 08-03-2019, 18:04   #159
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Re: Handy stuff for pocket cruisers, et al.

Ok, I really have tried this and it does work for those of us on small boats who are economizing on water and fuel, and those who like poached eggs and coffee (or tea or hot cocoa) in the morning. These work well for poaching, I have not tried them for hard boiling, (not sure why you would.) So I boiled them for a few minutes, the water stays clean and I use that for the coffee. Now if I can just work out how to make toast at the same time... maybe a toasting rack on top of the sea swing and pot... I'll work on that.
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Old 08-03-2019, 21:06   #160
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Re: Handy stuff for pocket cruisers, et al.

Thanks Don, my wife is excited to use that wonder pot thing you posted also.
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Old 01-04-2019, 10:34   #161
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Re: Handy stuff for pocket cruisers, et al.

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Originally Posted by Cobbeydale View Post
Maybe you chaps across the Atlantic have a different idea of pocket cruisers. Now passed on unfortunately but Charles Stock and Shoal Waters are a bit of a legend in the UK. His boat was a 16' gaff cutter that he finished and rigged himself - no engine at all - but he clocked up some miles
Home Page - Charles Stock & Shoal Waters
His boat was taken on by an enthusiast for the same sort of cruising
Creeksailor
Well worth a look.
Going a bit smaller: I had a bit of contact with Jim who sailed a 14' Paradox. This was a flat bottomed lug rigged mini pocket cruiser in which he did lengthy coastal cruises. I met him anchored in Plymouth Sound and the boat fitted him like a glove; although I did for a minute think it looked like a coffin. Sadly Jim passed away not too long ago as well.
Compared to them my 30' old school cruiser/racer is palatial
Somehow I missed this Cobbeydale! Welcome aboard by the way very belatedley! I came across this shot of the interior of my boat sailing along one day. Hanging there is an old photo I have had for 40 years of one of my inspirations, an unknown boat in an unknown estuary.... creeksailing, gunkholing, in a small boat, seems like heaven to me too....
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Old 02-04-2019, 11:08   #162
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Re: Handy stuff for pocket cruisers, et al.

A couple things I find handy in my Jeanneau 23:

A Bluetooth "shower" speaker. The portable speaker can go with me in the cockpit, on deck, or in the cabin without having to blast the neighbors with the built-in stereo. Cheap, small, and splash proof. My phone stays inside.

Extra strong reading glasses, much more convenient than a magnifying glass for fiddly stuff.
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Old 30-04-2019, 17:38   #163
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Re: Handy stuff for pocket cruisers, et al.

Off the top of my head here is my list of handy stuff I have on my 19ft Alacrity.
1. A good quality thermos
The kind that you see in hotel lobbies for coffee.
I use mine for hot water. Tea, soups, oat meat.
It will keep the water hot for 12-24 hours and I only need to use the stove once.
2. My sea swing stove with a brass butterfly kerosene stove.
The stove is very easy on fuel and with the use of a bucket I can made muffins.
3. Small 1.5 liter Hawkins Stainless Steel Pressure cooker.
Fits my sea swing stove and can be used as a standard pot or pressure cooker.
With the lid on it will also work well in rough weather.
4. Small Tea kettle that fits the sea swing stove.
5. My Revere ware copper bottom frying pan and pot.
They both use the same lid and fit the stove.
6. A manual Food Processor for chopping stuff.
You just pull the cord.
7. Cheap plastic lunch/picnic food thermos with lid.
I use these mostly for hot drinks.
The opening is large and it will keep your hot drinks hot.
8. Clear Plastic rectangle Food storage bins with locking lids.
One for electrical spare parts.
One for mechanical spare parts.
One for cooking tools.
9. A laminated copy of my electrical wiring diagram tied to the back of my electrical panel.
10. A laminated copy of how to use the VHF radio tied next to the radio.
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Old 30-04-2019, 21:05   #164
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Re: Handy stuff for pocket cruisers, et al.

Good stuff Captain! I just found a Seaswing on eBay a couple months ago, real shame they went out of business! Got any photos of your Alacrity?
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Old 30-04-2019, 21:06   #165
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Re: Handy stuff for pocket cruisers, et al.

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A couple things I find handy in my Jeanneau 23:

A Bluetooth "shower" speaker. The portable speaker can go with me in the cockpit, on deck, or in the cabin without having to blast the neighbors with the built-in stereo. Cheap, small, and splash proof. My phone stays inside.

Extra strong reading glasses, much more convenient than a magnifying glass for fiddly stuff.
Yep!
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