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Well, you're right about no 100% discharge but LiFePo4 batteries are very happy to go down to 20% or even 10%, and if properly regulated (an external BMS may be required), outlast a "leisure battery" at least 10x, and proper deep cycle lead batteries probably 4x or 5x. So it's not bull**** that...

"Leisure batteries" and deep cycle batteries are mutually exclusive terms. Avoid leisure batteries on boats. The best cheap lead-acid solution is 6v golf cart batteries like Trojan T105 -- wire them in series to get 12v. That is a true deep cycle battery which works well on a boat...

Yes, why not just get the ICC. I wouldn't mind, but the problem is I don't have a free weekend before our summer cruise starts.

In my experience they always answer on 67. Try that first for routine traffic in any case. Or how about this -- test your DSC (and your knowledge of how to use it) by making a routine DSC call to the nearest CG station? That's what I generally do.

I've broken up with Navionics after a decades long relationship. I tried to update one of the several Navionics cards which I, expensively, need for my cruising area (Baltic and North Sea), and the system told me that the card was too small and I would have to buy a new one. Which costs half...

RYA also says this: "On boats which are not registered in Norway, the skipper must comply with the rules of the flag state. If the flag state does not require evidence of competence for operating a recreational boat then this is acceptable in Norwegian waters." Norway | boating abroad | RYA...

Unfortunately boat is 54' on deck. Waterline, however, is less than 50'. Most regulations are based on load line length, which is more or less waterline length. Hmm.

A cruising guide to Norway (this one: Norwegian Cruising Guide) says that the Norwegians require the ICC, even if the flag state does not. Anyone know if this has been a problem for British-flagged boats?

The usual issue with pontoon mooring on the Hamble (especially there) is the tide. It is basically impossible to get into a downtide berth under control when the tide is near peak flow, especially at springs. Some people don't ever seem to learn this. I moved from Swanwick Marina to a...

Indeed -- 90/180 OUTSIDE of the Schengen country of your residence, but I don't plan to violate that (heading across the Atlantic already in early January), and anyway with a European residence card, they absolutely don't care and don't check, as long as you're not getting close to tax residency...

Indeed, but what about customs? I have a European residence card, so 90/180 is not an issue for me.

Does anyone know what is the procedure now for clearing in and out of Gib from Spain? Do you even do it any more after the recent changes?

And I use svb24; it's a good firm. But it would be quite an advantage to be able to ship from the UK VAT-free and receive duty-free, as a vessel-in-transit, as we were doing in the Faroe Islands a few years ago.

Now that the UK is no longer in the EU, what is the procedure for shipping parts to European ports? When we shipped parts from the UK to the Faro Islands a couple of years ago, we were able to purchase them VAT-free and receive them as a U.K. vessel-in-transit with no duty imposed by the...

Indeed. I've seen a lot of ball valves, and never seen stainless balls except in stainless valves. In bronze valves, they are normally chrome-plated brass, better ones chrome plated bronze, or in the cases of the newer, more expensive Maestrini ones, bare plastic. The run in PTFE seals, so...

Yes. Passive radiators are much nicer, but you need surface area -- where will you put them? When choosing fan coils ("blown-air matrix heaters") pay attention to sound levels. Some of them are annoyingly noisy. Like mine for example. :( Nevertheless, hydronic is the way to go on a boat...

That's likely to be a bit small. I need luff length of 22-23 meters; at least 20. Do you know the luff length?

Want to buy an assymetrical spinnaker -- something like an A2 -- with luff length of approximately 20-21 metres, in good condition.

I sold mine on here less than 2 years ago, and now I need one again. I shouldn't have been in such a hurry. Anyone have one for sale?

Keel cooling has a number of advantages, and I've looked into it for the design of a purpose-designed yacht for high latitudes which should be capable of dealing with some ice. Ice can clog a conventional cooling system so you see a certain number of high latitude boats with keel cooling and...