ASK THE EXPERTS

You have the opportunity to email us at coaching@storforce.biz with "Ask the Experts" in the subject line.

Send us your small craft queries, powerboat puzzles and boating brain teasers. Our panel of Instructors will endeavour to answer your questions. Your problems and our solutions appear below.

 

VARIATION

How do you remember whether to add or subtract your magnetic variation? JIMBO, Gravesend

Our Answer

When you take a true bearing from the chart you walk up the companionway to steer it. As you go up, add your westerly variation. Alternatively if you want to plot a magnetic bearing onto the chart, as you go down the companionway subtract your westerly variation. This works in the UK or every where you have a westerly magnetic variation. ADAM O'NEILL (Yachtmaster Instructor)

EXTERNAL VARNISHING QUESTION

Every year I end up rubbing down and re varnishing my washboards. Is it normal for the varnish to peel of so quickly and for water stains to start appearing? ANDREW, Reading

Our Answer

It sounds like you may need more coats of varnish or better materials. There are several techniques for a good waterproof, UV-proof long lasting finish. Like most jobs preparation is key. Option 1 is to go for a good quality marine varnish. Rub the boards down to bare wood, clean with acetone to remove any oils from the surface of the teak and paint 6 coats of varnish on. Give each coat at least 12 hours to go off and a light wet and dry between each coat.

Option 2 is to rub down to bare wood, clean with acetone again and paint with a good quality epoxy system. You will need 3 or 4 coats of epoxy and this can be done in a day. Then 3 coats of varnish to protect from UV. After that you should only need to lightly sand the varnish every couple of years and apply a new top coat. Both options really need to be in a heated workshop or garage.

The third option is to again rub down and clean with acetone before applying a generous coat of universal primer. Follow it up with 5 coats of varnish, again in a warm garage with 12 hours and a quick wet and dry between coats. DOUG INNES (Yacht Owner)

 

ROLLER FURLING

Dear Team Stormforce. I have a problem with my roller furling genoa. I struggle to furl the sail after sailing. I’ve checked the furling gear with no sail up and its fine. How can I solve this? ALISON, Chichester

Our Answer

Well, without knowing a bit more its hard to say but we we think it could be one of several problems.

1. The halyard may be to tight, thus stopping the sail furling round the head of the foil. This is because of the extra pressure put on the furling drum and swivel.
2. The halyard may be too loose so that it doesn't stop the top swivel from turning.
3. The angle between the halyard exit and the top swivel may be too close to parallel. You could try fitting a halyard deflector.

ADAM SMITH (Yachtmaster Instructor)

OUTBOARD FUEL CAN PROBLEM

I recently bough a new fuel can for my RIB, it's a red plastic 20l can and has the name of a well known company on the top. Shortly after fitting the new can my engine stopped working. After realising it was suffering from fuel starvation I opened up the fuel filter to find several lumps of small plastic the same shade of red as the can. A friend has suggested that the can is really for diesel and the petrol has broken down the plastic. Is this possible or is the can just faulty? TONY, Isle of Wight

Our Answer

A far more likely cause is that the manufacturers of the can left some swarf in it during the moulding/machining process. It is these small bits of red plastic that have made it down the fuel hose to the filter and quickly blocked it. When you buy a new can you need to clean it out first. I use a small amount of petrol to do this. This clears swarf, dust and any other debris that should not be there. I very much doubt the can is breaking down due to the petrol. DOUG INNES (Powerboat Trainer)

CEVNI REGULATIONS

I recently passed my CEVNI Test with you. Can you tell me if the CEVNI regulations apply on the UK inland waterways. JAMES, Surrey

Our Answer

As you are probably aware from your studying you do not need any form of ICC to operate a pleasure craft in the UK. The actual CEVNI regulations themselves do not apply in the UK (although a few individual rules are present). CEVNI regulations are used throughout the interconnected inland waterways on the continent. It is worth bearing in mind that some of mainland Europe's inland waterways are massive canals transited by supertankers and huge freight ships, compared to our much smaller canals that are mostly populated with slow leisure barges. The need for a set of navigation regulations for the continental waterways is far greater than here. DOUG INNES (Yachtmaster Examiner)

RULES OF THE ROAD QUESTION

If I am hove-to on Starboard tack what are my rights and responsibilities? PETER, Surrey

Our Answer

As a sailing boat you are still underway, normal sailing and steering rules therefore apply between yourself and another sailing boat or a power vessel. If another yacht was on port tack then you would stand on (however be ready to give way if he does not). If another yacht was on starboard tack then the windward rule would apply. Being hove to does not effect the way we apply the rules. It is for this reason it is preferable to hove-to on starboard tack instead of port. DOUG INNES (Yachtmaster Examiner)

CHANNEL CROSSING QUESTION

I have been told by an RYA Instructor that when I cross the English Channel from the Solent to France that I should calculate one massive course to steer allowing for 10 hours of tide. Surely it would be more efficient to use the chart plotter to follow the rum line route? Would this not mean I sail a much shorter distance? TRICIA, Southampton

Our Answer

Tricia, this is a good question. We will for the minute ignore the fact that you may not be able to sail on all headings and we will assume that you are reaching the whole way. If we look at distance travelled over the ground then, yes the rum line is in fact the shortest route and would therefore appear to be quicker. However what we are more interested in, is the distance we actually sail or motor through the water as this will effectively be our total distance travelled. To make things easy lest assume the rum line route runs due South and that the Channel tides run East/West.

Lets also assume that the boat travels at 5 knots. Picture now a boat that adjusts its heading every hours to allow for the changing tide and to ensure he stays on the rum line. During the strongest hours of tide he will be pointing almost straight into the tide, expending a considerable amount of power to stay on the rum line without actually making much headway towards his destination.

Another boat however that has calculated a ten hour course to steer will always be making headway South and not wasting power to fight into the east or Westerly tide he will of course sail a shorter distance through the water although his track over the ground will have been all over the place as he was pushed down tide one way and then back the other.

In summary I would calculate a Course to Steer for the whole passage based on your assumed speed. About three quarters of the way across I would calculate a new course to steer, as it would be likely that I would have travelled slightly faster or slower than originally predicted. I may also re calculate a final course to steer when I am about an hour away from destination to tidy up any other errors that have occurred and based on a new eyeball fix. DOUG INNES (Yachtmaster Examiner)

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