The Ballad Exchange

Hi Peter: Great suggestion! Of course you need to be light-handed with the drill :D . The only benefit I've found to drilling through the lower laminate is that after you remove the core, blowing through the top hole with a straw allows all the bits to fall through the lower hole. I guess if you hav...

During my mast refit, I installed an inner forestay tang plus two backing plates for running backstays. With the mast finally on the boat, it was time to turn my attention to the deck pad-eye and the support it would require below decks. I had already decided to install the pad-eye just behind the w...

Hi Mike: Kind words are highly appreciated, given that my hands are still scarred and swollen from the refit :D . The speakers were installed in this manner by the previous owner and, of course, I left them as is. There's one on each side. I've been toying with the idea of a wireless standalone spea...

As a final touch to the chainplate re-installation, I had four stainless steel backing plates fabricated for the fore and aft lower shrouds. These prevent the heads of the bolts digging into the wood (as was the case with the original design). Furthermore, the new backing plates rest on a 10mm strip...

Thanks for your kind comments guys. I used to climb the mast with a 50m length of rope running through a 4:1 block-and-tackle, plus a climber's harness and ascenders/descenders. It was safe and, once aloft, quite comfortable but took some time to set up. Now, using the same harness and the ascenders...

Hi to all: When I first bought Moments of Clarity 17 years ago, the first job I did was to replace all standing and running rigging. I'd been thinking of replacing all the wires once again for several years now and, this year, with the boat out of the water for antifouling, new cutlass bearing and V...

For the lower inner forestay fitting, I chose Selden’s “O” fitting which was marginally easier to install. The backing plates for the running backstay " T" fittings are also by Selden.

Nicholas

With the forestay fittings finished and the parcel containing the mast steps finally here, it was time to start drilling the 60 holes required for the installation. I chose to install aluminium folding steps by Mast Walker, since they combined light weight, strength and aesthetics. The top two steps...

Three days ago, with the boat in the water (but the mast still on the hard), I glassed in the new 15mm plywood bulkhead. Again, I applied two double layers of biaxial+mat fabric (425g biaxial+225g mat) for a total of 1300g. Yesterday, I cut off a small section in the middle and created a small chann...

Thanks for your kind words guys. I need the encouragement because the boat is currently a mess due to a fit-out :) (I'll post some photos soon). Mike, I have BEP panels with circuit breakers, installed under the companionway. Between the panels, I've mounted a Nasa amp/volt battery monitor--a great ...