Just About Sailing November 2020 - The Dinghy - fitting wheels, puncture repair and outboard start 

Michael, I think that after many years I've finally discovered the secret. Follow the instructions as closely as possible. I have always previously assumed that the temperature and humidity parameters etc don't really matter that much. They do. A good technical data sheet has saved many of my DIY jobs. Cheers Paul

I had a look at the Porta Bote at the London Boat Show a few years ago. Very nice! One day I will probably invest in one, but I can't justify the expense at the moment. Or at least not until I run out of patches ;) Cheers Paul

I was very surprised that both repairs worked so well. Specifically the one on the actual seam. I think that PVC might be slightly easier to repair than Hyperlon. Even though PVC is not so strong, it is more 'melty' (is that a word?). The MEK makes the surface of the patch and dinghy go a bit tacky even before the adhesive is put on. I think that there is quite a bit of mechanical bonding (which will be weaker) with Hyperlon - hence the need to abrade it. Either that or I was just lucky. I did think about going out in the dinghy anyway - but thought that it might not count as exercise unless I was actually rowing. Cheers Paul

@@verynearlyaboutsailing8114 Inflating it and packing it away definitely counts as exercise!

It was certainly hard work. Not sure I'd like to justify it in court though ;)

Peter. It could have gone either way. I still have a lot of wrinkles in the new headlining I did when I replaced the windows just to show how bad I am with contact adhesive. The list of things to do is long and I am working through it very slowly. But, there are quite a few jobs that have been started and I am holding onto the videos for a bit - otherwise I will lose the continuity. Also, the Windlass is the final really big project. I do have a relaunch 'date' in mind - but I'm not going to get too hung up on it. Every step in the right direction is a step in the right direction. Cheers, Paul

@@verynearlyaboutsailing8114 Just keep going, my yacht rebuild took me 7 years. I understand the struggle but it's worth it 👍

Good to know. My very original plan was to sail off in 2024...So in some respects I'm still 4 years ahead of schedule ;)

I've actually lost the instruction sheet - so I never did get to see how I was supposed to do it. Oh well. Cheers, Paul

Thanks. I know that what you say is very good advice. As I'm sure you know, it is very tempting to push things 'just a bit' and then regret it. I have done this a few times. I am learning slowly. And those were my spare felt pens - I don't let my best ones near the workshop. Cheers Paul

Thanks. Ill give that a go. Of course the real test is to fold it up on the (very) small foredeck whilst at sea - much more difficult! Cheers, Paul

Thanks Randy. You would certainly not want to swim to shore in the UK. The water is cold in the Summer and even colder in the Winter. Maybe I should fit a diesel heater in the dinghy. Cheers, Paul

@@verynearlyaboutsailing8114 I don't do below 70°F, water or air, LOL Caribbean here I come...cheers!

Yes, it didn't take me long to figure out that I had made a mistake by not fitting them. It's not everywhere that you can tie the dingy up and simply push it back out after wading to shore. Paul

Good luck. Let me know how it goes. Do make sure you are 100% confident on whether it is PVC or Hyperlon - different adhesives. I partly knew mine was PVC because it was so cheap. Cheers, Paul

Matt, yes the dinghy bag is not a good idea. I have actually already ordered a fold-up/roll-up bag. I should really try it with the dinghy on the deck of the boat - which will not be easy. I left the Bristol Channel (Watchet) a while back (I did a series of videos of the journey back in April-May 2017). I'm now down in the South East. I never managed to go in your direction and get to Bristol. Cheers Paul

@@verynearlyaboutsailing8114 Top tip for getting dinghy into the bag on deck but too complicated to explain here: ask a nurse to show you how to change a bottom sheet with a patient in the bed! Even on my own it's fairly easy, and with two it's a doddle. Re Bristol Channel, yes I see I got my years mixed up! Hope Tier 4 isn't too bad

@@matthughes6474 Thanks. That's a strange tip. But it will be the first question I ask the very next nurse I meet. Tier 4 is a pain, but at least I have Serenity practically in my garden so there are no restrictions on getting to her to do DIY.

When it comes to epoxy, glue., paint and contact adhesive I follow the instructions. For everything else I just make it up as I go along. Cheers, Paul

David Yes, it definitely cuts into the fingers. And using the painter was even worse. I will most definitely be adding some sort of handle. I think these wheels will make a lot of difference - certainly anywhere there is a tide. Cheers, Paul

Geoff. I have a foot pump which does have a deflate option. I remember reading somewhere that the dinghy is easier to fold in the right way if you just let it collapse and don't actually suck the air out. So I tried it this time. I'm not convinced. Cheers, Paul

Really? Is that that time of year again already? Oh well, better get the banjo out of the case again ;)

@@verynearlyaboutsailing8114 don’t forget the falsecho!

That's a bit profound for me. But it certainly took more than 4 days. Cheers, Paul

Thanks very much. I am happy with the result. Paul

Thanks. I must try to not sound so surprised when things go well. I have had a hate-hate relationship with contact adhesive for as long as I can remember and never expect it to work. It will be nice to have a trip up the river at some point. Cheers, Paul

I can't remember where I originally got them from. Just found them on the internet. Try searching for "Dinghy Wheels" in google then click on images. There are a few that look the same. I just found some called "EasyFlip" that look identical. Not cheap at just over £100. Thanks for watching. Cheers, Paul

Thanks Ken, I hope you are doing well. Things continue to plod along slowly here. But there's no harm in that - I can always edit the videos to make it look like things are happening a bit faster than they actually are ;) I think that the change in rules here mean that we will be able to take the dinghy out on the river soon. But it's starting to get a bit cold and the weather isn't our friend at the moment. Fingers crossed with AstraZeneca. I did some work with them ages ago and I was impressed with them as a company - very pleasant to deal with. Cheers Paul

We could probably get across the Atlantic on 5 gallons. That motor is very frugal - but not very fast. Mind you, it doesn't have a reverse, so once we set off we're committed. Cheers, Paul

@@verynearlyaboutsailing8114 my 2hp can pull the boat

Thanks. I'm not really sure why I wasn't expecting the patches to work - but I'm very pleased they did. ANd the wheels are great. Cheers, Paul

Clive, it's a different River Stour. The one I mentioned runs from Pegwell Bay in Kent on the South Coast (very near to Sandwich). It then runs through Canterbury and ends up in or near Ashford (I think). It's the second biggest river in Kent after the Medway - but it's actually not that big. Cheers, Paul

I still know all the words and sing it to myself on a regular basis ;)

I've just ordered a wrap around bag (one size bigger than the dinghy). There is no way that I could have got it back in the bag whilst on the boat. Also, the wheels did add some extra bulk. The wheels are Suprod HD200. I got them from Titaps in Germany shop.titaps.com/ Be careful you get the ones you want if you order any. There are many different variations. I specifically wanted the ones with springs rather than cotter pins and nearly ordered the wrong ones. Cheers Paul

@@verynearlyaboutsailing8114 probably need to be careful typing in that URL as well! 😂

Tom, the floor has a number of plywood slats that are in pockets. It is not a great design to be honest. But I remember that it was a very good price and was practically being given away with the outboard motor. I was originally going to go for one with a blow-up floor which also had a bit of a chine. But I do need to get a better design of 'bag' to keep it in. Really all the bag does is protect it from UV. We are pretty much self-contained where I live and Serenity is effectively in my back yard, so I can't really complain at all about being locked down. I am going to install cable on a temporary basis at first for the windlass just to check it works. The overall wiring is going to be my last task. Good luck with it. Cheers Paul

Should do. Obviously sand isn't the easiest thing with small wheels. I haven't tried these on sand yet myself.

Have a look at the "VEVOR UK" website, under the Boat Launching Section. They have a lot of different sizes and options. There are also lots of diagrams with measurements.

Good question. The truth is that I don't know. I had planned a test down the local river, then we had (another) lockdown, followed by bad weather - and other excuses ;) I suspect that they will rattle. My engine is not the smoothest in the world - or the quietest. However, I think that it should be easy to shove some foam or something between the wheels and the transom. But even if they do rattle, it will be worth it for me as it makes moving the dingy on land so much easier. I hope the install goes well. It is relatively straightforward. Cheers, Paul

The dingy wheels are made by Suprod. I'm pretty sure I bought them from "TITAPS" in Germany. Do a Google search, I'm sure you will find their website. Do have a good look through their website. There are lots of different models with slightly different sizes, colours, and locking mechanisms. Cheers, Paul

Rob, I haven't tested it out on a rocky beach yet - and I guess it depends on how rock the beach is. However, with the engine tipped forward the skeg and propeller is way off the ground. The propeller tends to be be at about the same level as the floor of the dinghy when it is tipped forward. I liked the look of these wheels because they seemed to lift the boat up higher than some alternatives. I guess it depends on the particular outboard and dinghy, but with mine there is enough room with the wheels up for the engine to turn as far as you want. In fact, I don't have a reverse gear, so if I want to go backwards, I need to turn the engine all the way round. At the very least, the wheels will mean I don't have to drag the dinghy up a beach on its bottom and risk another puncture. Cheers, Paul

@@verynearlyaboutsailing8114 thanks for the quick reply! I bought some longer transom wheels but don't love how they are sitting as the same height as the engine. Also makes it a pain when it's time roll up the tubes. So getting these same ones now for my 12' fast roller so that I won't have to remove them

Hi Fabio I don't know if I can answer all your questions - and I am most definitely not an expert. Have a look back at my series of videos from 2017 between April and May. I did 13 short episodes where I sailed round the Southern half of the UK. To be honest, most of the weather was quite gentle. In fact I had to motor a lot more than I wanted. However I did once get caught out in a brief Force 8 (up to 35 knots) - that was in video 8 of the short series. The waves weren't too big, and Serenity coped absolutely fine. I have a Seafeather self-steering windvane and Serenity just kept on sailing in a straight line. I only have two reefing points and I would really like three. So I intend to get a sailmaker to put in a third. I see Serenity as more of a coastal cruiser than an ocean going vessel. However, a lot of Mirage 28s ended up round the Greek Islands where they were used as charter boats. And I did hear of one that got as far as Vietnam. In their day they had a reputation as a good solid family-friendly boat. Check out Sailing Celtic on You Tube - he has a Mirage 28 and has crossed the Irish Sea. Also a while back mjcook2 on You Tube had a Mirage 28 and did some decent cruising on it. I'm not sure how useful this answer is. But I like the Mirage a lot. Cheers Paul

@@verynearlyaboutsailing8114 I don't want expert opinion because he would tell me all the problems ... I wanted to know from a person with some experience if you feel safe with a mirage ... your answer is exactly what I wanted to hear ... you thank you very much .. I have seen all your videos and also those of Celtic, but what I wanted to know is only the "feeling" in difficult situations .... I hope to put my mirage in the water as soon as possible ... you are registered to the facebook page for the owners of mirage 28 ...? facebook.com/groups/SMAsiteminder

I hope the launch goes well. Yes, in summary I feel very safe with the Mirage. It has never done anything 'unexpected' and always feels solid and controllable. I don't really use Facebook too much, but will have a look at the group. Paul