Tides |
Free tidal predictions for the next week only can be found
on the UKHO
Easytide website - and you can get one or two week predictions
for dates further ahead (or in the past) for £1.00 or £1.75 |
Funded by the Environment Agency, the National
Tidal and Sea Level Facility also give tidal predictions for
up to 28 days ahead for a range of ports. The site also tells you
the highest and lowest predicted spring and autumn tides for the
next 20 years |
XTide is available online at http://www.fisica.uniud.it:8080/zones/
- giving worldwide tidal predictions for any date. As with the downloadable
WXTide program below, UK data is generated without use of UKHO input.
In practice it is good enough for advance passage planning - your
most likely use of an online tide table. |
WXTide32
is a free software download that will generate tidal data for many
locations worldwide for any date from 1970 to 2037. Accuracy is
not guaranteed for critical use, but is generally good enough for
advance passage planning. The current version generates UK data
from non-UKHO sources. |
Stormy Weather Software, of Ontario, Canada, has a DOS-based
tidal
predictor program (runs OK on our Windows PCs) available for
download that gives tidal data for a range of major ports.
The download file is small, and will run 10 times as an evaluation
version, giving unlimited date selection and a worldwide choice
of ports |
Tideplotter 2005 - £10.95 including UKHO licensing, gives data
for smaller UK ports and harbours (480+ UK and nearby Channel ports)
for one year. Order online at Belfield
Software or try out as a free download.
The download evaluation version does not support future dates. A
simple, intuitive program ..... |
Navigation |
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Unlike the UK Hydrographic Office, the USA offers
lots of free navigational information - notably downloadable Sailing
Directions, and
NP229 Sight Reduction Tables, which are identical to the UK
NP401 sight reduction tables, plus quite a lot more. |
Notices to Mariners and chart corrections from the
UK Hydrographic
Office |
Pangolin
Communications of New Zealand have an online Java applet that
produces almanac data for any specific date, plus a downloadable
almanac program that generates ephemeris data from 1980 to 2030
( 30 day trial version free download ) |
Charts (including used and cancelled charts) and
new and used navigational equipment available online from Chartsales.co.uk. |
Online
calculators, for many marine navigation functions, from the
United States National Imagery and Mapping Agency |
From people who seem to care about traditional navigation,
as well as sell the kit online, a good source of basic information
about sextants, and why you should still use one - Celestaire |
Safety |
Although it's aimed at users of inland lakes in the northern
USA, an excellent primer on hypothermia,
and how to treat it. If you sail, you should know about this
.... |
Surveys & Surveyors |
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Osmosis and Blistering of GRP hulls |
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Possibly the best printed reference work is
one of the later editions of the book 'Fibreglass Boats' by
Hugo Du Plessis, published by Adlard Coles Nautical from 1964
onwards - make sure you have a reasonably up to date edition
(1996 plus) as these have much more information on osmosis.
You can buy the latest 4th edition 2007 paperback on Amazon.
A few samples from the book:- |
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".... In middle age, say ten years,
blisters can be expected. They will develop slowly, so there
is plenty of time to consider what to do. Cheap, owner maintenance
may contain them indefinitely" |
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On moisture meters: ".... Meters do not detect
only moisture....." "....many owners have been lured
into expensive work on the basis of false moisture meter readings. |
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".... Never go by the advice of a specialist
clinic or boatyard. They want work ...." |
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".... Replacing a gel coat is a major operation
to be avoided if possible, a last resort, and not, as so often
regarded, the first and only treatment" |
Du Plessis is also fairly brutal in his assessments of most yacht
builders "....to most builders the main consideration has
not been whether the boat would blister but would it do so before
the guarantee expired". |
And finally - some US small powerboat boatbuilders are now putting
conditions on their hull warranties to the effect that they don't
guarantee the boat hull not to blister if it is in the water for
more than two weeks...... |
Organisations and associations |
Stolenboats.org
- an online database of stolen boats and marine equipment. All the
information on this website is provided by the marine insurance
industry and the Police and is cross-checked with the Police National
Computer |
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A website about live
aboard cruising - although much of the content relates to inland
waterways and houseboats, the information will probably also be
of use to anyone planning to live aboard |
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The Cruising
Association represents the interests of cruising sailors worldwide.
It's purpose built HQ overlooking Limehouse Basin in London contains
an outstanding library and chartroom, as well as cabins, bar and
catering facilities.
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Nicholson
32 Class Association - one of the all time classic production
cruisers |
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Hurley
Owners Association - in the 1960s and eraly 1970s Hurley were
one of the major British builders of production GRP cruising yachts
- the most famous of these being the Hurley 22. This is the class
association for all Hurleys =- plus a number of differently named
but very similar later derivatives of the designs. |
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Sailing
Issues is a private website providing a good tutorial on marine
navigation, plus information on sailing holidays in Greece. Well
designed, lots of information - and well worth a look |
Commercial yachting and marine sites |
Sailing
Scenes Marine Photography: David Harding of Sailing
Scenes is a yachting writer and photographer whose work is widely
seen in the yachting press and marine industry; from books, magazines
and newspapers to web sites, brochures and exhibition displays.
His archive includes yacht and dinghy racing, motor-boats, cruising,
coastal scenery and commercial shipping, together with an A –
Z library of production cruising yachts which is used by publishers
on both sides of the Atlantic. |
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Boat-shift.com
is a boat transport company based in Kent, specialising in moving
yachts and motorcruisers around the U.K, France and Spain by road.
Boatshift have specialist trailers capable of carrying boats of
up to 20 tons, and also have 4x4 vehicles to tow smaller boats that
are on trailers. |
Safeberths.com
has an interactive map showing marinas, and a boating forum, marine
links directory and nautical photo gallery. |
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Ship
Shape Bedding specialise in making bedding for yachts and motor
boats. All our marine bedding is especially shaped to fit beds on
boats. In our range you will find V berth, Round ended beds, Tapered,
asymmetric doubles and singles and many more. Shaped Duvets, Fitted
Sheets and Mattress Protectors. |
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The Barracuda is a luxury private yacht, owned by
super star DJ Fatboy Slim that cruises around the spectacular island
of Sardinia. See www.barracuda-yacht-charter.com
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Michael
Briant's website has lots of information about long-distance
cruising, and also sells his books, including 'French Canals to
the Mediterranean', 'Living Aboard Round the World', and a number
of DVDs covering cruising areas such as Polynesia, Panama Canal,
Indian Ocean etc. |
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Yacht Brochures
is a commercial service offering scanned copies of original sales
brochures for out of production yachts. These original brochures
are often rare and difficult to obtain but extremely popular with
owners and enthusiasts. Copies of the brochures can be ordered for
a fee. |
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Simon
Winter Marine Limited Classic Yacht Insurance Specialists. British
Marine Federation and British Insurance Brokers' Association member.
Clock House, Swan Hill Road, Colyford, Devon EX24 6QL Tel +44 (0)844
988 6132 Fax +44 (0)844 988 6133 Mob +44 (0)7775 627652 Email info@simonwintermarine.co.uk
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Powersail
Training is an RYA recognised training centre and yacht charter
business, and provider of sailing corporate events, based at Dartmouth
in Devon in summer and the Solent in winter. Contact 07774-745788
or email info@powersailtraining.co.uk
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Based on the River Hamble near Southampton, 'Arcsine'
is a new 37 ft Swedish Arcona cruiser/racer, skippered by Kathy
Claydon. Yachting
Experiences offers skippered charter, tuition in navigation
and sailing, yacht racing experiences, race training, team building
& management training, corporate entertainment and sail training |
Tops
and Strops sells purpose-built stainless steel ratchet straps
for trailers, roof racks and for other general marine industry use
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Channel
Marine offer small boat transport throughout the U.K., from
their base in Swansea, with a multi purpose trailer and 4 x 4 available
for boats up to 24ft with a gross weight capacity of 3,500kg. Call
01792-467816 or 07751-191784 |
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Hand-built scale model yachts and ships from Lyndhurst
Enterprise Models - if you want a replica model of your yacht
Jan Hack takes commissions...... |
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Online
sales of a wide range of sailing lifejackets at the Marine Warehouse,
Swansea |
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Marine electronics from Yachtbits
- the web outlet of KM Electronics, with online ordering for electrical
and electronic items, and a few other marine products |
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Oceanpix
- a commercial sailing and ocean pictures site providing an online
gallery space for yachting, sailing and marine artists and photographers
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Ace
Marine offer a Naval Architecture Service, including hull fairing,
stability analysis and general design work |
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Pratt
Naval Architecture undertakes the designs of both powered and
sailing vessels, plus consultancy and stability analysis |
Gaelsail ( www.sailscotland.net
) is an RYA sailing school offering the full range of courses,
based from Troon on the west coast of Scotland
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Anything
Marine - for almost anything marine including rigging, yacht
repairs, stainless steel, outboards and numerous other marine services,
such as fresh fish, regatta info and waterside accommodation |
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www.marsbrookboating.com
has more than 50 RYA and ASA recognized sailing schools in 11 different
countries listed, together with a detailed profile and contact details
for each school |
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Mumbles
Sailing School offers a range of sailing courses using
keelboats based at Mumbles on the Gower peninsula in Wales - also
has a small sailing cruiser that can be hired by the day by successful
trainees
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Daften
Die-casting of Wadebridge in Cornwall manufacture a range of
sacrificial anodes for yachts and commercial craft |
Thai
Teak Marine - teak gratings, rails, mouldings, nameboards etc.,
in standard sizes or made to order, and delivered anywhere direct
from Thailand |
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Non-sailing links |
Aston
Wilson web design, graphics and photography services |
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Automotive
Inspection Services - vehicle inspection and consultancy services
in Devon and Cornwall |
Save
our Foreshores - a community website set up to fight inappropriate
waterfront apartment development by the Greenbank Hotel in Falmouth |
Our list of links
to other useful but non-sailing related websites |
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with any requests for links.
Website design and maintenance by Aston
Wilson |
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