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I'm still pleased with one and for the price it's great. I use it onshore in cold weather doing boat DIY and it's very toasty. Only gripe I have is that it's so warm you can't wear it past March!!

Hi there, cheers for the comment. So there are a few ways I've seen the gaff halyard attached to the gaff. 1. My preferred method is to use the Halyard hitch. th-cam.com/video/N43IDFbVitA/w-d-xo.htmlsi=SfB6mcUxUEpSyHKr See about 13.39 into the video. This way is quick, easy and you don't need NY chocs or holes for reefing. The hitch stays put very well. 2. Hole or failed with stopper knot. This is how the Mirror works but I have also seen a few Luggers on sea moorings using this way. 3. The classic choc method is where you stick the little wooden chocs on the gaff. Secure but unneeded if you use the halyard hitch. Search my channel as I have all methods on there. Regards. Dave

@SailingWithDave very much appreciated, Dave! Thank you!

He did indeed, don't think I'll be sailing one out of site of land, but she's coped well in the seas around Anglesey!!

Hi there. Cheers for the comment. No it doesn't in the sense there's half the mast up there. But it is nice to hang on to and it's easier to just raise it than remove it!! Also good for grabbing the boat when mooring up, especially if the water is low.

Cheers tommo. The sail came loose last year, I didn't even think about it so now I use 2 elastics. Proper overkill!!

@SailingWithDave best to be safe

Haha. Yes it's wet here at the best of times but recently the rain has literally drowned southern Wales. The weather is changing here for sure.

Hi Colin. So my jib does has the uv strip!!! I'm sure I haven't been furling it up all season wrong have I. I will have to check the video!!!

Cheers Phil, she's certainly had a few upgrades. Let's see if she goes any quicker!!

Haha. Same to you Fibber. Yes and the summers don't get too much better do they!

Hi Paul. Well in terms of sailing efficiency not much. However the sail can be doused easily Nd wrapped Round the mast securely. This can give a nice big deck area or in foul weather you can proceed under jib and mizzen easily. Makes for an easy way to pitch tent too as you just tie the ridge rope to each mast. I think the sail can also be flattened out better and you can also get more shape into it as it doesn't have a limit in that sense. Of course not having a boom means one less thing to worry about and stowe. I do like a boom though. It makes a huge difference to pointing and running.

Well if its cold, wet and grey then the weather is the same!! It does warm up by May/June but we never know what kind of summer we'll get!!

@@SailingWithDave When I lived in Birmingham we used to sometimes go sailing on Lake Bala in my Lark dinghy. I still remember the Bala Blow when the lake turned white with white horses (and that was in 'summer').

I agree. Everyone goes on about the boom hitti g you but when tacking I tend to hold. On to it to control the swing anyway, especially when gybing too. That block has a mind of its own!!!

It was a parliament of rooks. You may have notice though that the raucous calling made more sense (or at least no less sense) than Westminster.

Many thanks Helen and that's certainly the idea. I love having you all aboard for the ride and think it would be quite lonely without the camera now!!

Cheers for the comment Keith and hello to Canada! Yes was a cold dip that, not hoping to repeat it any time soon. It did serve as a reminder as to how cold the water still is at this time of year.

Same to you! We do get onto the sea soon, it qasnt a great season but plenty to come and we do go to a few different places!

Cheers for that mate. Yes it is nice sometimes to just get away from everyone, life is a pressure pot these days and finding space is golden. But, really I love the people I have met sailing and love to chat too!!

I have. She got damaged in the storms we had over winter but she's repaired and makes a come back later in this season!! I did intend to cruise the Mirror, but for me, she is just too small and tippy for the sea. I needed something larger and more stable. I know some people cruise Mirrors, but it's just my personal mix of needs and wants that lead me to the Lugger. I was originally looking at Wayfarers, but found I could not tow them with my van due to the long mast. I then had my eye on a couple of Drascombe Coasters. Essentially Luggers with a small cabin, however they were in bad shape and I just ended up finding Lulu. She was a good honest boat from a good honest seller so the deal was struck!! I don't think she will be th e last boat I buy!

Haha, me too! I set up that shot to fail. I genuinly thought the rudder would stick again and need a bit more but in she went!!

Yes, surprised me to be honest. I thought I would be there fettling all day but it must have been about there. Good news!!

@@SailingWithDave Some jobs just go to plan easily and others fight you all the way. It's just the nature of these things. Have a good Christmas Dave.

@anotherangleUK Cheers Phil, same to you!

I've read mixed things about galvanising paint, but I guess if you cut something then its better than nothing. I imagine not quite as good as proper galvanising? Have you used it at all?

@@SailingWithDave yes the guy that did my trolley welding recommended using it

@@Spud63 oooh, its on the Christmas list then, i'll need some for my trailer!!

Haha, she's not been out for months actually so it was good to have a fly!!

Hi Louise, cheers for the comment. That opens up a big debate, believe me!!! I made and tested a harness strap and got quite a bit of flack for that. Some liked the idea, some thought it was dangerous on a dinghy to tie yourself to it. It has left me partially confused!!! I still have one but haven't used it, I guess I sail in conditions where its not really needed.

Good advice. I hink this has tabs to connect one too and I have plenty of webbing left from my tent projects so will try and make one.

Haha! I'll have to call the next sea voyage "the voyage of Sinbad"!!

It's proven to be a great PFD. I do like pockets and this one has a lot of them!!!

Many thanks for the comment, hope it helped!

My partner has one of those as she doesn't really come sailing very often, so just wanted a cheap one. They're really good for the price and work well. My little one has one too and the straps for her are really good on them. I actually rate the Decathlon stuff. The sailing gloves have outlasted anything else and are stiull going string and the waterproof boarding top I have is very handy for a light shower and still works well too.

I wish it was, I could use it to go back in time to brilliant sailing weather days and go sailing!!!

Definitely a better fit and I love all those pockets!! I looked at the Palm kit too, but I think many of the ones I liked were simply not in stock.

Aha, yes I think it snaps in onto an adapter. I have a cheap knife that keeps going rusty and needs sharpening so I may have to look for one soon!

Cheers FIbber. I really do try and show the thought process as often in the sailing world you don't get that and its hard to understand why people do things. Glad to have helped!

Cheers for the advice David. I check the top chain part periodically, especially where the shackle is attached, but the chain was new when my mooring went in so it's still in good conditions. We have lost a few boats the past few years though, that have broken free. Fortunately they don't get very far. One got stuck on the nearby shore and the other at the top of the lake!! One of the boats has a very long strop and mooring buoy which I have to often negotiate to get out onto the lake, I know what you mean by keeping them shorter and not letting them wander off!!

Many thanks for the comment David. Oh Yes, I think there was one of those for sale about a year ago. Bacially a Lugger but with an inboard engine. Definitely would make for a great shallow waters boat. The rudder on the Lugger is a bit of a pain!!

Hi Paul. I love my little dremel and its definitely seen some decent use in the 3 or 4 years I have had it. I think the battery lasts a decent amount of time, i've never run out when needed, maybe needed the 2nd battery on high use days. However for me having a battery version is essential due to the remote locations I work in. I could run one off my camper battery but thats a bit awkward. Its a proper "Dremel" brand and you can get all kinds of accessories for it too for cutting circles and routing etc etc. I also have a little Drill press jig that I got for Christmas last year that turns it into a drill press. I use it in the van sometimes!!! I use it a lot more than I realise. When you work out what bits do what then it really is a swiss army knife!!

Definitely on a Drascombe it does!!

Yes, especvially on a lighter boat where you can pootle along quite merrily on 20-30% power.

Cheers Phil. Big job, made all the more difficult with dodgy fitting stuff! I don;t think anything fits right on a Drascombe, part of the "charm"!

I think Dave's lugger will end up like the Sailor's Knife, it will have had three new handles and four new blades, and be as just as good as the day he bought it when he comes to sell.

Hmmmm, well I have literally never had anything that fits, so this is no exception. The top bearing doesn;t fit at all, but the lower one at least just needs a bit of fettling!

I htnk thats what I did last season. Of course no tide on the lake but I attached it to the chain. I thin I like that best.

Definitely needed to get that crack done and quickly. It ended up almost double the size by the time I got home!!

Hi Christophe. If I keep the motor at 300W, about 1/3rd power, then it goes for about 5 or 6 hours. At full power it lasts about 1.5 hours. It's a little underpowered on the Lugger, noit quite getting her up to hull speed, even on a flat lake but its more than enough for a calm day out or getting on the mooring. I wouldn't use it on the sea though. I also have a home made scooter backup battery that works pretty well too, so plenty of battery for a long day out if theres no wind. If you search the channel you should find lots of videos about the ePropulsion outboard. Its particularly good on the Mirror. It'll last all day long!

@@SailingWithDave Thank you for your answer. 5 or 6 hours !!! I am surprise ! (on a good way🙂) In this case, I must think about ePropulsion on my sail and oars little boat (3.90 m, 250 kg) when I'm on the canal which goes all across Brittany.

@@christophe6065 Yes I think if you're careful then you can get that. There's a video where I use the epropulsion on the River Dee. That was about 6 miles and I was 80% the last half. I still had plenty of power left. The trick is to not get seduced into doing hull speed. Its amazing how much power you need to eek out thaose last 0.1 mph's!

Practise definitely makes perfect and the trailer is now properly tweaked so she comes back on level. The new swinging cradle just took time to get right.