Bought a 1984 Hunter 27 recently. There is some exposed lead on the keel where some paint is chipping off. Any advice?

I took the boat out for its first sail this year and lost the rudder.

Do you guys think this is reparable or am I buying a new boat? It’d be a shame to lose her over something so stupid

The season will be opening up here in Upstate NY soon. It can't come soon enough.

I liked this guy's dodger so started following him. He's a cruiser but got invited to a regatta and filmed it. I think it gives a great perspective of what a sailboat race is like. I think more cruisers should go racing, it teaches you how to react under pressure and how to use your equipment. And tests your equipment, it's better to break stuff on a Wednesday night than 2 weeks out from port!

Being on a sailboat often means having a plethora of beach and wading opportunities. It also means space is at a premium. You'll have to load everything into the dinghy, or carry it with you if you are walking there.

I'm going to be heading back to the states, and am planning on upping my beach game. While the only thing I currently have is a little shade tent that I barely use, what I have on my list, based on hanging out with other cruisers at the beach, are as follows:

• Ball/Frisbee (catch is crazy fun, and as a grown up, I don't do it enough)
• Beach Chair (just to keep yourself off the sand)
• Portable cooler of some kind for beverages
• Beach blanket/towel (again, sand buffer)

What would you add?

Anyone have any bareboat chartering experience in either/both? I have pretty extensive BVI charter experience and am looking to do the Med for the first time. For a long time, Med == Greece for me, but I hear a lot now about Croatia being the new hotness. Curious if anyone can share some key points of difference between the two.

After two months on Porto Santo it's time to head to the Canary Islands.

So a boat neighbor of mine was just telling me that he's got an entire locker configured just for an onboard hydroponics setup. I'm gonna head over at some point this week to check it out, but he mentioned that it all started with this book.

You will notice a couple of things.

• This book was published in 1981.
• Amazon lists it for $75 (paperback)
• If you just Google it, there are a lot of freely available PDF versions
• On the fourth page of the pdf, it says you can order your own copy for $7.95 + $.50 postage and handling.

Regardless, I think I'm going to enjoy this.

Not sure how well this will work, sharing a post from a different community.

Just saw this in "all" and thought I'd share.

I'd been lazy about it because I need to launch from a boat ramp every time. This was my second time out. First time with the jib up. She sailed just fine. Great day for it. Got back at 5:30 and finally ready to get gone at 8. It's kind of stupid how much time it can take to get everything back together for trailering. I need more than one day off a week for this.

Weather was very nice but the wind could’ve been more constant. Regardless, this is freaking great.

what offshore pfd recommendations do you have? i have used several but never take note of brand/model. I'm looking at this mustang md3184; something with harness built in and easy enough to travel with.

Picked up a Force 5 dinghy plus trailer years ago, for the low low price of $100. Prior owner had let water sit in the mast tube, cracking it vertically. Trailer bunks were set up improperly as well, leading to some gnarly cracks in the hull. Without having any sailing experience, I was besotted with her (I can't resist a good project), until I learned the sail slipped over the mast and wasn't raised via halyard. I set her aside for a few years while I worked on other boat projects that fell into my lap (O'Day 19 & Westerly Centaur).

I'm based on a river with height restrictions in both directions, preventing me from actually sailing with the O'Day and the Westerly. The dinghy can make it under with feet to spare. I'd like to get some actual sailing in,, so I've set myself a goal to finish the rehab and get her on the water before the end of the season.

Mast tube has been repaired. Ground out and beveled the cracks in the hull, then fiberglassed several layers over. I hate mixing gelcoat, so I'll be painting instead. PVC replacements for the thwart bits are sitting in the pile, ready to go.

Trailer needs some work as well: bunkers need to be secured better, tires and bearings need inspection.

After four hours of sail through the rain. Just after we docked the sun greeted us.

Forecast had it miserably hot, but turned out to be decent. Way nicer than I was expecting.

O'Day 23-2 rafted up to a 32' Benateu, and another O'Day (272LE).

This was taken in the Hornsund - southern Spitsbergen. I would love to go back - a very stark and beautifiul place.

I'm rigged up and ready to go on a weekend where I got in three consecutive days of sailing -- first time ever. Next acquisition: tiller extension. It is now clearly in the must-have category.

Does anyone have any handy resources for doing electrical work on a boat? I have to update most of my electrical systems as part of a repower I'm doing. The stakes are pretty high with electricity so I want to be sure I'm doing it right.

I'll be racing J35 Osprey 205 miles over 40ish hours with 7 other people. You can track our AIS here: http://kws.kattack.com/WPlayer/WPosDisplay.aspx?FeedID=1928

Left the engine on the boat and sailed my dinghy to shore today for a grocery run.