It is not meant to be an advert for any particular product, however when a product has proved to be particularly effective or is good value for money or where a good service (or bad service) has been given by a company or organisation we want to hear about it.

You can tell us if you want to add any company's name by e-mailing us at

 enquiries@eventides.org.uk

Discounted 

EU45 antifouling for Sale.

 Antifouling , now called EU45, (as it was years back)  identical to the old Marclear, made by the same man... Bill Robinson.  For high strength  navy blue, mid blue, red, black, grey and white  Antifouling.  (Workboat red has become just red!)

Iit is sold to you  in 2.5 litres, at a  discount on the normal price.      Ring the free phone number above and quote EOG.  Bill will make a donation to the EOG as a result of owners buying...

Now on the paint is being supplied as 2.5 litres in 3 litre size cans, so it is easier to stir.

Ring Bill for latest price...

Thinners available for wiping down, cleaning up or thinning 10% if it is really cold.

Members if you would like it delivered all you have to do is ring the free-phone number to speak to Bill and quote 'Eventide Owners Group' If you are not enrolled join first or we will know and you will not get the discount.

You  pay him direct by card, or bank transfer it will come direct to you within 48 hours!  

For more information about my experience with this  contact me on 01621 778859.

Contact me via this site  enquiries@eventides.org.uk and I will send details.

 John

This is an excerpt from an article written by me, John Williams about Marclear antifouling. To read the whole article click here.

For 1997 we tried an experiment.  We used the remaining Micron C.S.C. on the starboard side and a much cheaper, but still self-eroding, product on the port side.  There was a slight difference in colour, but not a lot.  ‘Fiddler’s Green’ stayed afloat from April 1997 to May 1998, when we beached her to check out the difference, scrub off and repaint.  Even before we had beached, a few weeks before, it was obvious which antifouling to go out and buy!!  The International side had a growth of weed, the port side none. 

Post script, 2004.  Have just hauled out, no barnacles, other than some pin head sized ones by one of the hull outlets!, Just a slippery coating of slime, that very easily washed off.  The Marina commenting again on how clean she is compared to others...  Marclear again next year please!

November 2005, I have just hauled out.  Apart from the trip to London in May/June, I was laid up till the end of September, so the boat went no where, just gathered growth!  Or I thought it would have done, but instead, when we went out for a sail, we washed off 90% of the 'growth' it was just soft slime.  When lifted out there were only a half dozen dizzy barnacles on the prop hub, none elsewhere and no weed.  The slime wiped off with a finger, no match for the pressure washer!  Same again next year!

Every year since has been much the same, even the bad fouling year of 2007 produced not a single barnacle and only a little growth.  We got off very lightly compared to others in Bradwell.

Every year we haul out with no barnacles and only a little slime and an odd jelly maybe on the bottom of the keel, that wipes off.  the Marina staff comment on how clean she is every year. Even in 2013 when we sailed half way round the UK, the boat was still free of any growth at the end of the season.  OK we get a little light grass on the waterline mid season, but a wipe removed it..  Having seen some of the others come out with 3 or 4 inches of jelly  and grass growth, and covered in barnacles, we will be applying it again!

2017 'Fiddler's Green' won the prize with the marina staff at Bradwell for the cleanest bottom, yet again!

Every year since we have been the cleanest boat when hauled out at the end of season

John

Deep Sea Seals

Click the picture to go to the website.

Aboard 'Fiddler's Green' I have used these stern gland seals for over 30 years.   From 1990.  They are supposed to have a life of 5 years, but mine have lasted twice that.  As they are rubber they need checking carefully every year, but provided there are no splits in the rubber they should be fine. They even have an emergency closure fitted so you can stop water flow if it goes, but you cannot run the motor. 

They have the ability to be lubricated by the  water bleed off from the engine, the anti siphon device, but as my sterntube has a greased bearing just inside and water flows up the shaft  gently, that is enough to lubricate the faces to ensure a decent seal.

I can thoroughly recommend these seals.

John Williams

I have just downloaded an am using the Navigation lights App, it is brilliant as a training and reference work.  I have asked and yes, a sound signals version and collision Regs is on the way. John

Leigh Timber Company Ltd.

Situated at :-

1338/1416 London Road,

 Leigh On Sea,

 Essex.

Telephone 01702 475771

This company has been recommended by John Morgan for the supply of Marine Ply.  Reasonably priced, with a discount for more than 5 sheet when John purchased his, it was also delivered to the door.

As it is sometimes difficult to source decent marine ply, it could be a useful supplier for those in the area.

Having tried to obtain a part for my (rather old) outboard motor for some six months, I finally came upon this company. I ordered the part on-line and was advised the part would arrive in 10 days (it had to be obtained from Belgium) in fact it arrived in 7 days - well done Seamark Nunn.

Barry.

http://www.seamark-nunn.co.uk

Speedseal. 

Quick release Jabsco covers.

I have had one on my Beta inboard for 8 years now. It is a boon.  It takes seconds to remove and refit, no tools and no leaks.  The little 'O' ring seal  lasted 6 years and I have only replaced it as it stretched slightly, but it was a doddle to replace anyway.  I can thoroughly recommend this modification.  At about £35 it is worth it.

Contact True Marine  on 01372 451992 or visit their web site. Speed Seal

Traditional Wooden Boats

This is Ashley Butler's website.  some of you may remember him and his Senior, or later Merganser, his Goosander.  Look his site up and read of his exploits, he is one of our supporters!

This from Kevin Cornmell for all those trying to find the ever elusive EP 140 oil for some Seagull outboard gearboxes
 

 I got 4 litres of Millers EP140 gear oil from the above address
delivered VAT P&P for £16, RESULT!

www.frost.co.uk

John now sells EP140 direct to customers in 1 litre containers, £6.50.  contact him via  www.saving-old-seagulls.co.uk

Beta Marine Engines.  Many of us have now fitted these magnificent motors.  They are smooth, quiet and powerful. They sip fuel!  The maintenance is easy and the reassurance great.  I personally can highly recommend them.  It transformed my cruising. J.W.

Beta Marine

Sea Pro is a chart plotter system that I have used since 2000.  It worked on my old cheap laptop, bought used for the job. Total cost £400.  I have since upgraded my laptop and bought more electronic charts.  I have coverage from the Scillies to Holland for less than £160!  The program was less than £100!  As I use the laptop for all sorts of other things as well, tides etc. It is a a better bet than a separate plotter.  I simply plug it in to my GPS and it automatically brings up the local chart, with very good detail, placing a little boat in the centre of the screen at my position.  The projected track is plotted with positions shown for 30 mins. hence and 1 hour.  I still do all my plotting on the chart but a quick look into the quarter berth confirms my calculations. Highly recommended.  At the Boat show in 2009 I extended my folio and had my charts all brought up to date.  Cost of update? £36.00  what a bargain!

  Here seen working in the quarter berth, beneath the chart table.  J.W.

2018 I still have this as a backup on the lap top, but have also downloaded the complete UK charts and a free program from www.visitmyharbour.com

One of our Associate members Bede tells us for £35.00 if you have an android tablet with GPS fitted, and a compass, you can get everything working on that by downloading all from visitmyharbour. 

Only works on android devices, and some of these now can be waterproofed for use aboard.  All the UK charts, up to date for peanuts!  My SD card from Navionics for my Lowrance plotter was £200 and £100 a year later to get all updated!

John

This is the company I have hired life rafts from.  OK they have a base in Burnham, which is handy, but they deliver all over UK.  they are friendly, efficient and their products are safe and right up to date.  I have also purchased a number of survival suits from them, to carry on board at all times in my panic bag.  Cheap but strong, they look to be capable of doing the job, but I hope never to take them out of the packets. £7 each!  J.W.

Having used this tide program for over 15 years now, I have just renewed it for a further 3.  It is possible to use it both at home and print out the tidal graphs for the time you are away, or if you have a laptop on board, as I have now, it can just be used when and where you want it.  I had used the 'SHM' from the Admiralty, then a very similar program to the Belfield program, but the old one would not work with Windows XP, thus the change to this one.  I have a sneaky suspicion this program owes a lot to the Softwave program I used to be able to run, however I do not miss the old version, as this is much easier to use and has more information on hand.

No more trying to grapple with those secondary ports!  I used to teach simple methods of doing that, but this is even simpler, it has all those secondary ports on it!  I have found it accurate to about 10 minutes and 10cm.

The CD is easy to install and update.  Click here to go direct to the Belfield site, where you can purchase on line!

John Williams

There is now an alternative 'Neptune' and when my Belfield tide tables expires in a years time I will be searching for this version again, as it is a once in a  lifetime set of tide tables!   Expires 2060!

In the end I found the Belfield more comprehensive and easy to use so have opted to buy again.  and again, just bought 2018 tables.  Now instead of a CD they are downloaded, but you can opt for a set on a USB and those I can load into the onboard laptop.

John

Which Insurance Company?

I used to recommend Powell's of Leigh on Sea, I was insured for 20 years with them, but sadly they have just informed me they are selling up, transferring business and I am now seeking insurance elsewhere. 

 Amazingly I have found the quotes are £100.00 less than Powell's!  (£240).  (On a replacement value of £20k).   So far, St. Margaret's was the same price at £240,  as was East Coast Mutual but Navigators and General, via craftinsure.com   and Nautical are both £150 approx...  However Nautical insisted on a survey before they would accept me... 

So I have gone to:- 

I have a reduction of nearly £100 and I need not have another survey till the boat is 20 years old, (20 years from launch).  I was expecting to have to do another survey on her after 20 years anyway, not that I have anything to worry about!

If you click on the logo above to contact them, they will log the fact that it has come from us and it will benefit the EOG web site....  Got to be worth a quote!

As an alternative to going to them via the website, members can call  on 0845 2607 888 but this is very much a Helpline and the insurance would still be arranged using the website, at the internet price unless we needed to refer the enquiry to Navigators on a conventional basis due to some exceptional requirement.

 

**********************************************************

 

Another firm, slightly different is the one used by our  ex- Fund Manager. However they were £240 plus as well and also wanted a survey.  they only have 500 members and are a sort of club in them selves....

The East Coast Mutual Yacht Insurance Association Ltd.,

The contact, Secretary, is

Mrs Jane Pelling,

‘Broomfield’

8 Little Baddow Road

Danbury

Essex

CM3 4NT

 

This company is a non profit making concern and deals with all sorts of craft, worth a call.

 

J.W.

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Got to give full marks to the new Admiralty leisure chart correction system.

 

Click on the logo above and you will get to the latest Notices to Mariners.  you can print them off in PDF format, and if you do not know what that is, it's Adobe, a free program that you can down load to read lots of files created in it.  There is normally a link to it on the pages but if not try www.adobe.com

 

I saves all that leafing through old PBO's to find them!  Well done the Navy.

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  Click on the banner to go to the BBC weather site, you can get the UK  Atlantic charts, UK inshore forecasts and the 3 day outlook, as well as forecasts for anywhere else in the world!

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Looking for a simple means of  setting the helm? 

Try this site for a device that we think will work!

www.saltyjohn.co.uk

Read below for a report on it's use by the winner of one of our great Newsletter prizes. Justin won a 'Tiller Hand'.

 

 

The 'Tiller Hand' you sent is very good, means you can take hands off the tiller to drink coffee and roll cigarettes without the boat veering off upwind.  I have found that you can set it with enough drag that when you take hands off the tiller is held where you left it, but you can still use the tiller without any effort. Thanks.

 

At the moment I have it 'tie wrapped' onto the tiller as it requires a rebate cut and I want to make sure it is in the right place before I hack lumps out of my new tiller.

 

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Cummins & Perkins recon and used engines and parts take a look at eepottsltd.com this family company offers quality and fair prices.

Had a look at their Web Site - Looks like a 'Proper' engineering Co. 

Barry.

Are you looking for a new wooden mast?  some really nice fittings or blocks?

Click on the logo to go to this site, Bob is based in the Isle of Wight and is registered as a friend with us, he sails a Hillyard 12 Tonner.

Many of us use Kemp Sails,  they have proven to be good investments for us, click on their logo to go to their site, mention the Eventiders when you deal with them!

John

 engineering dynamics

Watt Close, East Portway, Andover, Hampshire. SP10 3TG. UK
Phone +44 ( 0 ) 1264 350778 Fax +44 (0 ) 1264 334215

 

After discovering an exhaust bend gasket had been slowly leaking saltwater onto an engine mount I thought I may now have two awkward jobs. A sticker on the mount identified the maker as Engineering Dynamics and an internet search found their website. A phone call resulted in a new rubber insert being received in two days. Then before I could phone to praise the service they contacted me with the tip that an upturned small baked bean tin drilled and placed over the stud of the mount before the engine goes on makes an excellent shield from oil and water. Great service on a small item from a large company.  Alan Lonton

 

This company is a very good source of chandlery. He sells on E-Bay, but you can contact him directly. Undercutting many other outlets for fenders, rope and some electrical switch gear, worth a look.  John   Wessex Resins for West Epoxy!  Simply the best to use for building our boats.  I built Fiddler's Green with it, using it for gluing and coating.  excellent finish and fix!  Why skimp if you are expending all that  time, energy and effort.  You only want to do the job once, do it well! Below is a link to The West Users Manual as a downloadable PDF file, courtesy of Wessex Resins. West Users Manual These 'traditional' sail makers in Burnham on Crouch have just become 'Fiddler's Green's' sail makers, after the retirement of 'Old John the Sailmaker' at Valiant Sails in Maldon, which has now closed. I visited in May 2007 and saw the traditional laser cutting table and computer gear, just the job for a nice set of tan sails like mine!  they were extremely helpful and had my sail back to me, all beautifully stitched, the next day! Click her to go to their  web site. Just to let you and other members know, I bought the sail from “Fareastsails” in Hong Kong.  I highly recommend them.  From completion of agreeing details and measurements it took only 2 weeks for my sail to arrive to my door.  They reply to e-mails instantly and only start production after you give the OK.  The cost? US$1075 and that included freight and insurance.  It is made of 71/2oz (US) Dacron with 2 reef lines and lettering.  It is triple-stitched where necessary and also comes complete with batons.  Their web site is www.fareastsails.com and the e-mail address is sails@fareastsails.com . They are an American outfit (part of the Wolfbay Group) operating out of Hong Kong.  If anyone needs a new sail they can’t find better.  Keep well and keep up the excellent work.  Brian Darmanin