What have you done today thread?

[Mr. Dazzle]

When I was a teenager sailing every week with the local club I'm pretty sure we did exercises about what to do when you have no rudder.

Buggered if I can remember what you do!

You can also go faster without the rudder, so there is some merit in the exercise.

[Yambo]

I mean it looks like English but.....

The dagger board is basically a plank of wood (or whatever) placed centrally in the boat that can be lowered into the water like a fin keel. The resistance it provides prevents the boat being pushed sideways by the wind and so the boat goes forwards instead. It's also very useful in getting the boat upright after a capsize (according to a friend ) It can be raised for shallow water and getting onto the beach or when sailing downwind where sideways movement isn't an issue.

[Mr. Dazzle]

also very useful in getting the boat upright after a capsize (according to a friend )

15 year old kids love a capsize. We used to do em back to back to back

[Yambo]

15 year old kids love a capsize. We used to do em back to back to back

69 year olds don't!

My Skerry won't sink but it'll fill up with water (Harry's RS Feva is probably self bailing or won't take in anywhere as much water as my boat) which makes it difficult to keep upright while you're getting back into it (it just rolls over the other way) and is hard work trying to empty it. If there's any wave action it can keep filling up.

I have two methods of dealing with the issue. My usual technique is to try and get some water out of the boat, climb in over the stern (going in over the side will just roll it again) get central to balance it and start bailing. But I'm getting too old for that shit so the other technique is to sail in the trimaran which can't fall over in the first place.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I think our technique was just to capsize again and most of the water falls out when you do that

TBF I don't think I've ever unintentionally capsized, but obviously being kids we weren't often out in particularly tricky conditions. Most of my sailing was in a sheltered harbour, although I've been out in the Solent a fair bit too.

We also a never sailed solo, therefore you'd always have a handy "auto bailer". ISTR the crew also formed a useful bit of movable ballast when sailing without a rudder....

[Taipan]

I pulled the dagger board and let the wind push me in broadside.

I mean it looks like English but.....

Think upside down shark...

[Mr. Dazzle]

Tbh I've been sailing close to the wind (see what I did there) with my luck for a long time and I need to grow up.

99% of the time I'm out alone, I don't ever have a life jacket and I go too far out in what is essentially a close to shore little racing dinghy.
Sometimes I've even had a glass of beer in an evening before I go.

My excuse is that the water is warm, I can float indefinitely even without a flotation device, and I'm irretrievably stupid.

Last year I took my 16yr old kayaking in the UK, on a river that neither of us was qualified for and I only realised it was very dangerous when we were already in trouble. We got back ok and he gave me a dressing down whilst I sat there admitting that it was entirely irresponsible, so I consider my parenting skills a success, at least I raised him to have more sense than me.

You wanna try sailing a 12ft Dinghy in waters also shared by Navy frigates, oil tankers, cross channel ferries and every other fucker who owns a yacht and doesn't know how to sail it either

[Yambo]

Tbh I've been sailing close to the wind (see what I did there) with my luck for a long time and I need to grow up.

99% of the time I'm out alone, I don't ever have a life jacket and I go too far out in what is essentially a close to shore little racing dinghy.
Sometimes I've even had a glass of beer in an evening before I go.

My excuse is that the water is warm, I can float indefinitely even without a flotation device, and I'm irretrievably stupid.

Last year I took my 16yr old kayaking in the UK, on a river that neither of us was qualified for and I only realised it was very dangerous when we were already in trouble. We got back ok and he gave me a dressing down whilst I sat there admitting that it was entirely irresponsible, so I consider my parenting skills a success, at least I raised him to have more sense than me.

I usually sail and kayak alone but I'm irepressibly self-righteous and always wear a PFD and take all the necessary safety kit. I won't take anyone out with me without them wearing a PFD and while it's a pain storing all the kit so it can be supplied, it's way better than sorting out shit later.

My kayaking novice friend didn't want to wear a PFD because she's a good swimmer etc etc but . . .

[David]

I pulled the dagger board and let the wind push me in broadside.

I mean it looks like English but.....

Oi unnerstud an i is engrish...

[Mr. Dazzle]

Virtutis Fortuna Comes - as they say in Yorkshire.

My wife's uncle (my uncle in law?), Cptn. Jørn of the Danish merchant navy, always says he'll take a lucky man over a skilled man any day of the week

[MingtheMerciless]

Working today, but I have successfully(so far) fitted a hardened glass screen to my phone that involves cleaning the screen, fitting the phone in a plastic jig and applying glue to the screen before putting on the glass and curing it with a UV light. I have managed to avoid trapping any air or dust under it as well!

[636mick]

Tbh I've been sailing close to the wind (see what I did there) with my luck for a long time and I need to grow up.

99% of the time I'm out alone, I don't ever have a life jacket and I go too far out in what is essentially a close to shore little racing dinghy.
Sometimes I've even had a glass of beer in an evening before I go.

My excuse is that the water is warm, I can float indefinitely even without a flotation device, and I'm irretrievably stupid.

Last year I took my 16yr old kayaking in the UK, on a river that neither of us was qualified for and I only realised it was very dangerous when we were already in trouble. We got back ok and he gave me a dressing down whilst I sat there admitting that it was entirely irresponsible, so I consider my parenting skills a success, at least I raised him to have more sense than me.

I usually sail and kayak alone but I'm irepressibly self-righteous and always wear a PFD and take all the necessary safety kit. I won't take anyone out with me without them wearing a PFD and while it's a pain storing all the kit so it can be supplied, it's way better than sorting out shit later.

My kayaking novice friend didn't want to wear a PFD because she's a good swimmer etc etc but . . .

What’s your opinion of inflatable kayaks Yambo? Considering it to fit in the back of the camper, plus I live about 800 yds from the canal and the girlfriend lives 50ft from a river. Inflatable due to storage in the van, not enough roof space for a rack due to the solar panel.
Cheers
Mick

[Yambo]

What’s your opinion of inflatable kayaks Yambo? Considering it to fit in the back of the camper, plus I live about 800 yds from the canal and the girlfriend lives 50ft from a river. Inflatable due to storage in the van, not enough roof space for a rack due to the solar panel.
Cheers
Mick

I have mixed feelings Mick. I had one for a couple of years - it was a neighbour's and he asked me if I could find a buyer for it so I gave him some cash and took my time looking for some mug. It was a two seater Sevilor Canyon, the worst boat Sevilor ever made I think.

I didn't like it, I was too big for it and couldn't get comfortable. I would take the back seat to provide power (I was usually using it with a woman or kids) but I'd have to try and do something with my legs because I couldn't get them anywhere near straight or comfortable as the front paddler was in the way. It was also crap in the wind as there's so much out of the water. BUT, others loved it (although not my legs getting in their way ) and it was way more popular than my other kayaks are.

If you shop around for one that'll fit, try it out if possible, even sitting in it in a shop for 15 minutes wriggling and find a good fit they are ideal for taking with you on trips. They take up a bit of space (big sports bag size) but are easily inflated and deflated, and easy to handle. The paddles that come with them are not good but as you won't be touring round the coast for a couple of days they are acceptable. When I was touring Turkey in my friend's van we would take it along. She liked it and I didn't but it was good to have it along with us.

I can't recommend one I'm afraid (although I wouldn't recommend a Sevilor Canyon but some of their others will certainly be better) as I don't really know what's available or where but there's probably good advice on t'internet. I'd certainly go looking for one though in your situation. Oh and longer is usually better!

[Mussels]

I have a Lidl inflatable kayak and I wouldn't recommend it. As Yambo said they get blown around easily, the are fiddly to inflate and assemble on site, they don't cope well with heavier adults and you'll probably want to buy decent paddles.
It was fun for a couple of afternoons on the beach but I just don't bother with it any more.

[MrLongbeard]

Got me 3 and a bit hours of saddle time on the Harley, pootled over to Welsh Wales and had lunch.

[chutzpah]

I got a very cheap Optimate solar off of eBay the other day. Fitted it today as well as the terminal leads for mine and my wife's bike. Seems to work well even if the manual was written by someone with zero experience of explaining things simply to a customer (or maybe I'm just thick).

[Jasper]

Got me 3 and a bit hours of saddle time on the Harley, potatoed over to Welsh Wales and had lunch.

FTFY

[asmethurst99]

Walked from ours to Tower Hill to check up on my mates flat whilst he's out of the country and water his garden (v small)
Walked back and had a pint in the Hamilton Hall .
Day off tomorrow yay !

[demographic]

Been putting shower boards on the walls of my Ensuite, its been a half done room for ages now and never plumbed in but the drain has been there and the pipes first fixed.
Put the bog in place to give dimensions for the hole in the boards, then moved it over out the way (to where it is in the photo) then cut the showerboards. It's about as tight a space as it could possibly be so a nightmare to work in.

Sealed the freshly cut board edges then stuck them on the walls with Sticks like S**t and held them in place til it goes off by jamming bits of door stop across the room.
Looks like a giant game of Kerplunk and I've still got a few bits to finish off but I'm getting there.

[rodbargee]

popped over to Helmsley on the LAverda tonight saw this lovely comando 750 Laverda's Just in the background.