• listing members' tips, e.g good products, neat ways of doing a job etc., which are too small for the Tecnical Documents page
• listing commercial organizations which members have used successfully.

Please contribute to this page.

TIPS

Self Steering. Len Hiley has a Hurley 27 and has sent us some useful links about self-steering gear:

The link to my self steering video tutorial is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnkDsDWl8zQ This was on a Robert Tucker T23+ with bilge keels and I am sure the methods would work on the Hurleys as well. Headsail sheet tension on the H27 could be an issue and I have a few ideas to try out next year. The course to steer video is a joke if you can watch it to the end, though there are some good teaching points raised along the way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ka0vaihh8yo

John Letcher wrote the best book ever on self steering and kindly offered it to the Jesters to post for anyone to access. It can be downloaded chapter by chapter here: http://www.jesterinfo.org/selfsteeringforsailingcraft.html.The first three chapters are particularly useful. John completed many long voyages on tiny craft without self steering gears. He is in poor health but I was able to speak on the phone. He is very keen to support small and simple craft.

My own blog post on my experience with vane-less steering is here: https://adventuresofscallywag.wordpress.com/2012/01/ I have learnt a lot about the methods since writing that and a more informed update will come in due course, hopefully after a longish voyage in Emu has demonstrated that the methods work as well or better on a H27.

Yacht Varnish. Having used several of the expensive varnishes and found they all don’t last unless you can put on lots of coats, which isn’t possible with time and weather. I also found Epiphanies seems to go off over winter into a jelly, even with using the correct thinners. After much research I found Rustins yacht varnish which is reasonably priced but contains the magic ingreadient of Tung oil. I buy a litre for a good price on ebay and you can thin it with ordinary white spirit. It also doesn’t seem to go off. Stuart Shaw.

Outboard Fuel. Tim Sharman writes.....two seasons ago Ian Sinclair and I attended a talk at Dell Quay SC by Bill Mitchell of Home Marine, Emsworth. What Bill does not know about outboards doesn't exist! I switched my annual service to him and have been delighted with it. His advice on fuel;

1. Bad fuel accounts for the majority of problems with small outboards.
2. Modern petrol has many volatile components and has a short shelf-life.
3. Always use fresh fuel. At the end of the season put any fuel remaining in your car. Be aware though that there seems to be an opinion that fuel with two-stroke oil in it may damage catalytic converters
4. Always buy best quality, branded fuel, e.g. Esso, Shell etc.
5. Filter your petrol through a coffee filter.
6. Leave the vent on your tank 'cracked' to avoid a pressure build-up and tank failure
7. Empty the carburettor and the hose from the external fuel tank at the end of the season

Electrical Supplier. Stuart Shaw recommends I.E.M. Services SW Ltd are based in Pool, Redruth, Cornwall who. he says are are excellent and very reasonable. Their e-mail address is www.thewiringproject.co.uk.

COMMERCIAL ORGANIZATIONS

DISCLAIMER. HOA take no responsibility for any dealings between a member and any company listed on this website

Fernhurst Books - boat maintenance books
Force 4 (gas bottle locker)
Forespar - plastic seacocks
GJW Direct - boat insurance
Go Sail - a sailing web site concerned with everything that sails including yachts, trailer sailors, dinghies, r/c yachts and wind surfers.
I.E.M. Services SW Ltd. Stuart Shaw recommendsthis electrical supplier who are are based in Pool, Redruth, Cornwall who. he says are are excellent and very reasonable.
mySailing.co.uk - sailing & boating news, racing updates and sailing club information for the UK
Lee Sails - Hong Kong sailmakers
Lee Sanitation - sea toilets and spares
The Metal Clinic, Unit 6 Eastlands Boat Yard, Coal Park Lane, Swanwick, Southampton S031 7GW. Tel: 01489 582264. E-mail www.themetalclinic.co.uk - replacement rudder tubes
Omega Yacht Services - marine surveyor, Hurley specialist
Quay Canvas - supply of Sails, Sail Covers, Dodgers, Spray Hoods, Upholstery for Hurleys. Ring 02380 407441 ask for Rene (rbrent@uk2.net)
Raritan - sea toilets
David Rickards - rubbing strakes Tel: 01803 847630. Mobile: 07946 763877. E-mail rickards@dsl.pipex.com
Simon Winter Marine - boat insurance on 0844 988 6136
Swift Sails - based in Torpoint, Cornwall. Have made sails for the H20 and H22. FreePhone: 0800 978 8827
Thetford - sea toilets
Wiley - boat maintenance books
Woodworx/Kevin Mitchell - boat joinery
	Exe Sails & Covers Ltd. Sailmaker, Sail Repairs, Boat Covers and Marine Canvas in Topsham, Exeter, Devon. Sam Woolner, Mac McDonald and Chris Scanes. Over 50 years experience in the industry providing professional, personal service you can rely on! Our website is www.exesails.com, our tel. 01392 874449, our email: info@exesails.com
	LocksOnline offers an Incredible range of boat locks. Everything you'll ever need to secure your yacht or vessel - all Marine grade locks. LocksOnline is offering a 5% discount to HOA members. Click on the image on the left to link to their site, then enter the code shown in the image in the appropriate place when ordering.

GB Yacht Engineering are a new company based in Rustington W. Sussex and servinng the South Coast from Gosport to Eastborne. HOA South members may be interested in them

OneSails GBR East (Previously Parker and Kay Sailmakers) have provided numerous Hurley sails in the past; for advice and/or free quotations don’t hesitate to call the OneSails team on +44 (0) 1473 659878 or email mpeak@onesails.co.uk www.onesails.co.uk For details of OneSails' special offer to HOA memers please go the the Members' Page. Also see their article on Buying Cruising Sails

MARINE INSURANCE We are able to arrange cover on vessels that are over 20 years old, without the need of a survey. Personal service and support Each policy is individually tailored to meet your specific needs and requirements Competitive premiums- payment options available No Claims Bonus with discounts of up to 40% Immediate cover and policies usually dispatched within 24 hours Without obligation please contact us on 0870 850 4088 or go to our website and complete the online application.