Index

An index of tips, posts and articles on this site, some of which were written with the novices on the Achilles Owners site or the Achilles Flickr site in mind. 

The Cruise Index is on a dedicated page.

Sailing round GB:

• General tips, planning and more detailed index including:
• Charts & Guides for a Round GB trip.
• US MSI Sailing Directions, list of lights etc (includes UK) free to view or download (External link),
• Passage making:
• South Coast.
• West coast.
• Navigating the Pentland Firth.
• East coast.
• Anchorages, marinas and harbours:
• Notes on marinas and moorings opens in new window for reference.
• The Solent.
• The Needles to Rame Hd (Plymouth).
• Rame Head to Lands End.
• Lands End north to Anglesey
• The Isles of Scilly and SE Ireland from Baltimore to Carnsore Point 
• The East Coast of Ireland from Carnsore Pt to Red Bay.
• Mull of Galloway to Ardnamurchan Point.
• Ardnamurchan Point to Rubha Reidh.
• The Western Isles.
• Loch Ewe to Orkney.
• Duncansby Head to The Solent.

Safety

• Pyrotechnics or Electronics for Emergency / Distress Signalling?
• First Aid Kits, the Grab Bag and Life Jackets.
• Low level riding (anchor) lights.
• Washboards.
• Pre-Cruise check list
• Radar Reflector guidance from the RYA (External link)
• Royal Institute of Navigation - Guidance on the use of Electronic Navigation Systems. (External link).
• RYA Safetrx: register your boat details and optionally trips for the CG, also check lists (External link)

Articles:

• St Kilda.
• The Crinan Canal & the Clyde Puffer.

Deck Gear and Rigging

• Installing an anchor windlass on an Achilles 9 metre.
• Anchors, Drogues and Emergency steering.
• Mainsail Reefing.
• Rigging lazy jacks.
• Main Boom Preventers.
• Storm & heavy weather Jibs, including rigging.
• Self Steering Systems.
• Rigging Spinnaker Sheets.
• Halyards and Halyard Diverters.
• Splicing & the rope - chain -rope bridle.

Below Deck & Maintenance

Dried out for a scrub.

• Installing a holding tank (Thread).
• Replacing the fuel & water tanks (Thread).
• Some thoughts on (diesel) fuel management.
• Fitting a diesel fuelled, warm air heater (Thread).
• Converting the forepeak to a wet storage area (post). 
• The engine water pump (2 posts).
• Rain and Spray protection (post).
• Propeller removal (post).
• Changing the starter motor on a Yanmar 2GM20 (Post).
• Exhaust elbows on Yanmar engines (post).
• Painting Sancerre (Thread).
• A failed Seacock (Thread).
• Drying out for a scrub (Post).
• Refurbishing / cleaning vintage ships clocks (post).

Communications, Electrics & Electronics:

• Iridium Communications with Sancerre (when active).
• Rebuilding the navigators area, electrics & electronics (2 posts)
• Shore Power and Galvanic Isolators / Zinc savers.
• Boat electrics (wip).
• See also under Boat documentation below.

At Sea and Seamanship

• Stores and tools for extended cruising.
• Notes on Marinas and Moorings.
• How to secure to a visitor Buoy (Post).
• Anchoring in storm conditions.
• Sleeping & avoiding exhaustion.
• Eating at Sea. and  "My most frequent scratch made meals".

Miscellaneous

• An overview of Yacht Stability Metrics.
• A9m Buyers Guide.
• Anchorages and Passages of Note.
• Picture Gallery.
• Boat pics 2022 (Link to Flikr). Opens in a new window
• Boat pics 2023 (Link to Flikr). Opens in a new window

Boat Documentation

• The electrical system
• Wi-Fi networking and application integration on Sancerre.
• Also an update Installing a powered Hub and why.
• Sails and running rigging.
• Engine and stern gear notes.
• Safety Equipment incl ground tackle etc.

Links

• My Flickr Site.
• Achilles Web  Site.
• Achilles Flickr Site.
• Achilles Facebook page.
• RAFYC.
• RNLI.
• Jester Challenge
• Weather.
• Harbours and Marinas.