Gibb Winch repairs
We’re going to tear down an old yacht winch, identified only by the words “Gibb England” stamped on the top. The Gibb company that made them has long since vanished, possibly acquired by Lewmar at some point. But the winches […]
Mud pattens: walking on mud
Here in Scotland, many of the smaller harbours dry out at low tide, and the boats settle down onto the mud. This means that bilge keeled boats are common, since their two fins means that the boat can sit upright. Usually, you would hope to be safely back onto terra firma by the time this happens since the mud at the bottom of a harbour can be, well, ‘exciting’….
What is a Trot Mooring?
“On the trot” is an English phrase that means roughly “one after the other” – e.g. “We went to three pubs on the trot”. By analogy, trot moorings have several boats sitting in a line, each having their bow and stern connected…
Wood screws and their screwy sizes
Anywhere you see wood inside a yacht, you’ll find screws holding it together. These screws don’t have an easy life – the moist, salty conditions would quickly turn a plain steel screw into a pile of rust. But getting the right screws….