This page will be added to as we learn more but some very basic things we know are:

 

• Frequent provision of food and drinks on passage is essential for maintaining a high level of morale;
• Some people get sea-sick and it’s far worse for them than it is for you;
• Sea-sick people need support and assistance – and a big bucket, as well as being persuaded that the French approach to administering medicine is a very good idea;
• Reefing early is better than reefing late – it’s so much more comfortable, it’s faster and the boat likes it;
• It’s better to have electrical power at the anchor windlass rather than hauling up 30 metres (or more) of 10mm chain by hand;
• Always properly refit the cover on the water strainer for the engine cooling, otherwise you get a continuous beep and an orange light on the engine switch panel … oh, and then you need to replace the impeller … and then take the heat exchanger apart to retrieve all the broken bits;
• Pella oil extractors work – small, brass Jabsco pumps are … well, not sure what they are really;
• You can change anodes underwater … with diving gear and a lot of care not to drop the bolts;
• You can get Sikaflex 291 to adhere to anode bolt heads and for it to set underwater … try not to get it all over your diving gear though;
• Always obey the rules of the road, especially passing oncoming vessels port-to-port … except when the other vessel is out of control and/or there is no-one on the helm;
• It doesn’t always take longer than you think it will, but you never know when this will occur;
• Always plan ahead … but there’s bound to be fog at some point and do you know what to do?
• We always enjoy the entertainment provided by other people having berthing difficulties, but also know that it may be our turn soon to provide the entertainment;
• The weather forecast is often right … but we are prepared for when it’s not;
• If it can, it will … especially rope getting in a tangle and tools dropping over the side.

 

 

 

 

Weather

 

We use these sites:

 

• www.passageweather.com  - excellent for world-wide coverage
• www.metvuw.com/forecast - very reliable in our experience
• www.metcheck.com – even predicts weather a year ahead … but don’t head for the bookies
• www.xcweather.co.uk  - one of our favourites for UK and Ireland, and well-presented
• www.windguru.cz  - great for local weather, but you need to know your beaches
• www.metoffice.gov.uk – the shipping forecast and inshore forecast
• http://magicseaweed.com – great animation
• www.grib.us – for free downloads giving five days of forecasts, and you can select the area you wish to cover anywhere in the world.
• http://www.meteogalicia.es - this is excellent as it divides Galicia into useful areas where the weather can be quite different and gives a wide range of information at a very local level.