Sailing 'life hacks'
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: General
Forum Name: Banter
Forum Discription: For all those non-sailing related discussions
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=11227
Printed Date: 26 Jun 25 at 7:30pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Sailing 'life hacks'
Posted By: Towergate_Insurance
Subject: Sailing 'life hacks'
Date Posted: 25 Nov 13 at 2:10pm
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http://www.twistedsifter.com/2013/01/50-life-hacks-to-simplify-your-world/" rel="nofollow - This blog post gives 50 "life hacks" - simple ideas to make life just that little bit easier! And it got us thinking; do you use any simple/cost effective household items to make things easier on the water? For example, many use builders gloves for better grip. let us know your simple tips and tricks and we'll put the best ones together in to one ultimate guide! You never know, you might end up picking up some stocking filler ideas for Christmas as well! |
Replies:
Posted By: rogerd
Date Posted: 25 Nov 13 at 5:52pm
| If I used number 11 there would be paint splashes everywhere. |
Posted By: Towergate_Insurance
Date Posted: 26 Nov 13 at 9:53am
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See what you mean. A rubber band might be a bit springy and cause splattering. Guess you'd need some reasonably thin SK75? 3mm max?
As an aside, any cheap and cheerful present/stocking filler ideas guys?!
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Posted By: Towergate_Insurance
Date Posted: 26 Nov 13 at 12:14pm
| Struggling to picture what you've done there?! Send us a picture of your handy work! |
Posted By: laser193713
Date Posted: 26 Nov 13 at 4:26pm
I really don't think you want to see a picture of that! 
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Posted By: Towergate_Insurance
Date Posted: 26 Nov 13 at 4:30pm
Har de har laser! Clearly no one needs to put a joke book in your stocking this Christmas! 
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Posted By: laser193713
Date Posted: 26 Nov 13 at 4:30pm
| Also you should NEVER do number 38, especially when working near the top end of the power of an extension lead. |
Posted By: Towergate_Insurance
Date Posted: 26 Nov 13 at 5:03pm
I am but a humble social engagement manager! Fortunately our insurance advisers are far more knowledgeable and probably come across the aforementioned scenario all the time!  We can talk about rowing if you like?! I know lots about that!! Re: the male/female debate, haven't you heard? Insurers can't determine premiums based on gender any more! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12608777" rel="nofollow - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12608777 So... Christmas presents!
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Posted By: ASok
Date Posted: 26 Nov 13 at 5:31pm
| Not ashamed to say that I've just spent 5mins learning the Ninja T-Shirt fold thanks to that link. That's the most I've achieved all day |
Posted By: RichTea
Date Posted: 26 Nov 13 at 6:39pm
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Where the...to get a free GoPro enter the competition at SBS.... thanks Towergate!! ------------- RS200 |
Posted By: alstorer
Date Posted: 26 Nov 13 at 8:06pm
Rather less temptation to do it with UK power leads anyway, much like with #30. Our plugs may be clunky but they do have some advantages! ------------- -_ Al |
Posted By: laser193713
Date Posted: 29 Nov 13 at 11:53am
Oh dear, I don't want my premium to be paying for that! Surely one of the experienced staff is human enough to use a forum and some social media without requiring a dedicated member of staff! Rule 1 of social engagement, don't let the customer know you're just there to humour them whilst someone else is too busy to deal with their questions!
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Posted By: Towergate_Insurance
Date Posted: 29 Nov 13 at 1:41pm
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Dedicated is very much the word! At Towergate we're dedicated to keeping in touch with our customer base both within the confines of business arrangements and outside of them via social channels (where I come in). To address the second half of your post, I'm not here whilst someone else is too busy. I'm here because our marine specialists are dedicated (there's that word again) to solving your insurance problems. It is not their job to hold conversations like this, nor is it their job to source interesting, crowd sourced content by engaging with the boating community. I can assure you however, it is their job to answer your insurance related questions and they are very effective at it. If you do have a question you'd like answered, please use our http://www.towergateinsurance.co.uk/contact" rel="nofollow - contact us page to contact the team. At this point I'd like to remind you of the original point of this thread. do you use any simple/cost effective household items to make things easier on the water? For example, many use builders gloves for better grip. let us know your simple tips and tricks and we'll put the best ones together in to one ultimate guide! You never know, you might end up picking up some stocking filler ideas for Christmas as well! Thanks all!
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Posted By: Towergate_Insurance
Date Posted: 29 Nov 13 at 2:00pm
Apologies. I should have put that bit in bold too. Thanks.
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Posted By: winging it
Date Posted: 29 Nov 13 at 2:33pm
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I'm so glad this forum has told me what 'astroturfing' now means. I guess this is pretty close.
------------- the same, but different... |
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 29 Nov 13 at 2:55pm
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It is. It is also one of the few threads with any traffic on it this afternoon, so it isn't all bad!
------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: Towergate_Insurance
Date Posted: 29 Nov 13 at 3:19pm
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Not quite sure how it's got to this guys?! Perhaps it would help to explain that as part of our website, we write helpful content on a range of boating topics aimed at those starting out in the world of boating. Some of those article even appear right here on yachtsandyachting.com. http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/173251/Thinking-of-chartering-your-boat" rel="nofollow - http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/173251/Thinking-of-chartering-your-boat Christmas is coming, we thought it would be a nice idea to put together a Christmas present idea article with input from the people who know best - you lot! Hope that answers everyone's questions about why we're here.
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Posted By: laser193713
Date Posted: 29 Nov 13 at 4:56pm
| No, because that's not why you're here. You're here to advertise your company for free, yes I know you probably pay for the banners but this bit here is free. If you're just doing it for the fun then you've got something to think about because you're being paid to write it and we are paying for you to be paid to write it. How does that make us feel!? If you want to write on here for fun then create an account that isn't in your company name! |
Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 29 Nov 13 at 5:54pm
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Steady on folks...
Astroturfing is the game of creating fake content pretending to be general public opinion. This appears to be exactly the opposite. The chap is, without any kind of deception or hiding of his identity, soliciting genuine members of the public to write genuine stuff. We surely do not want folks who are providing some kind of company presence to be writing things without making it clear who they are from. Honestly, what are you guys whinging about? That the chap works for someone and makes it clear? Leave off and go and find something important to complain about... If YY object to his presence in the company name I'm sure they'd take action. Quite what it is to do with the most prominent objector, and why he feels the need to be so aggressive about it, is something of a mystery to me. |
Posted By: Mister Nick
Date Posted: 29 Nov 13 at 9:55pm
Can't believe how much some of you are moaning about this! Obviously Towergate are using this as an advertising method but it's totally counter-productive to just lay into them and moan about it. Very boring, and to the outsider it just makes us all look a bit miserable. At least they've tried to make it interesting and generate some discussion on what is actually a very good topic. Might make a bit more sense to make use of at least part of what the OP intended the thread to be for and start talking about some 'life hacks'. 
Anyway... Instead of wrapping up shroud plates in electrical tape, cut off a bit of bike innertube and slide it onto the shroud when you rig the boat. Stops anything catching and stops the split ring getting bent or pulled out, plus it's easier to remove than tape and reuseable. GOGOGO!
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Posted By: yellowwelly
Date Posted: 29 Nov 13 at 10:23pm
| perceived moaning / whinging removed... |
Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 29 Nov 13 at 10:35pm
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I used to prefer a suitable sized hosepipe for shrouds...
I guess electrical shrink tube for covering splices and fishing rod/landing net handles as sources of carbon tube are pretty well documented. |
Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 02 Dec 13 at 11:00pm
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Kite bar floats make excellent covers for shrouds. ------------- https://www.corekite.co.uk/snow-accessories-11-c.asp" rel="nofollow - Snow Equipment Deals https://www.corekite.co.uk" rel="nofollow - New Core Kite website |
Posted By: winging it
Date Posted: 03 Dec 13 at 7:34am
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I used wedge shaped wooden door stops to support the wing bars on my moth. The cvrda is the natural home of such creativity Want not, waste not. ------------- the same, but different... |
Posted By: Towergate_Insurance
Date Posted: 03 Dec 13 at 9:43am
| Thanks to winging it and iGRF! Some excellent ingenuity! |
Posted By: Mark Jardine
Date Posted: 03 Dec 13 at 2:27pm
Why thank you laser193713 The aim of this thread is to get input from forum members to create an article with knowledge that other sailors could find useful. We (YachtsandYachting.com) are doing this in association with Towergate Insurance. This could create useful content - something that your post is definitely not. In future, if you ever have any queries about content that you think is suspect on the forum then report it to Magnus and myself using the 'Report post' feature rather than making an assumption yourself  Many thanks to those who are adding useful suggestions  Mark |
Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 03 Dec 13 at 2:47pm
Well said Mark. As for a sailing hack.... If you have a Laser (or similar that has a 'pot' for the mast step) you can keep it dry by either using a Jug Mop (cost about 70p from many kitchen retail outlets) or by getting a length of dowel or an old batten with a bit of sponge attached to the end. ------------- Paul ---------------------- D-Zero GBR 74 |
Posted By: Towergate_Insurance
Date Posted: 03 Dec 13 at 3:43pm
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Thank you Mark. Thanks also to Jeffers for your suggestion. Getting some great ideas here guys! I hope as Mark says, the outcome of this post will be a really useful article for everyone. If knowledge is power and sharing is caring then this forum post would be like Mother Theresa in an F1 powerboat!
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Posted By: yellowwelly
Date Posted: 03 Dec 13 at 4:11pm
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Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 03 Dec 13 at 4:17pm
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I see she likes that suggestion bless her!
------------- Paul ---------------------- D-Zero GBR 74 |
Posted By: winging it
Date Posted: 03 Dec 13 at 4:30pm
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from beyond the grave.....
------------- the same, but different... |
Posted By: yellowwelly
Date Posted: 03 Dec 13 at 4:32pm
| digging it up (with the other foot of course) |
Posted By: Er-Indoors
Date Posted: 03 Dec 13 at 4:35pm
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Posted By: yellowwelly
Date Posted: 03 Dec 13 at 4:44pm
| spectacles, testicles, wallet and watch... |
Posted By: Towergate_Insurance
Date Posted: 04 Dec 13 at 10:28am
Not really a sailing hack. However, yes - all those things are useful to have on you.
 |
Posted By: laser193713
Date Posted: 04 Dec 13 at 2:13pm
Well if they had just said that then there wouldn't be a problem. I still maintain that I would rather see my insurance company doing useful work related to my insurance than creating online life hacks guides. I don't think it is a good method of marketing nor does it make any business sense to me. Clearly, this thread hasn't worked for this very reason. My sailing life hack... Tesco bags (other brands are available) to put over your drysuit socks when putting your boots on top. No more tugging and struggling. Once the boots are on always pull the plastic bags out by tearing them so that the boots grip with the drysuit making your footing much more steady. You also look less silly than having two bag handles hanging out of the tops of your boots!
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Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 04 Dec 13 at 2:40pm
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Tesco Bags? Can I make another useful suggestion for poor Laser 193713 to help him not look too silly involving a couple of eyeholes? ------------- https://www.corekite.co.uk/snow-accessories-11-c.asp" rel="nofollow - Snow Equipment Deals https://www.corekite.co.uk" rel="nofollow - New Core Kite website |
Posted By: yellowwelly
Date Posted: 05 Dec 13 at 11:04am
| Surely if sailing is for POPs (Posh Old People) they should be M&S bags- they will confuse youngsters (in their 40s and 50s) by referring to them as 'St Michael'. |
Posted By: winging it
Date Posted: 05 Dec 13 at 12:19pm
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I used to know a DI who wore popsocks insaide his dinghy boots to amek them easier to get on. Knee length ones, worn with shorts, no attempt made to roll them down. Lidl's epoxy putty is great for instant repairs and way cheaper than you will find anywhere else. ------------- the same, but different... |
Posted By: yellowwelly
Date Posted: 05 Dec 13 at 2:10pm
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sounds like the vets from trenches... some used to wear womens stockings to keep their legs warm... they joked it was a good way to ensure you didn't get shot, as no man would want to bleed-out in front of nurses in pantyhose. back on topic, and a first world problem vaguely linked to the above... wear speedos under your hikers. If you have to get cut out of them by a pretty nurse at A&E following a head trauma or entrapment/drowning, at least your junk will be under control.
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Posted By: MerlinMags
Date Posted: 05 Dec 13 at 2:50pm
The more environmentally friendly option is to take reusable bags to Tescos, and fill your boots with hot water from the changing room tap before putting drysuited feet into them. They slip on easy, and it defends against an inrush of cold water when launching. |
Posted By: Towergate_Insurance
Date Posted: 05 Dec 13 at 4:05pm
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Nice! Who knew plastic bags had so many other practical applications?! It's also nice to see that underwear is a major consideration. I'm sure the emergency services are most grateful for your thoughtfulness!
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Posted By: winging it
Date Posted: 05 Dec 13 at 5:59pm
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Tesco re-usables have taken teh place of those blue ikea bags. My car is usally full of them holding loads of sailing stuff, while there is nothing to carry the shopping.
------------- the same, but different... |
Posted By: MerlinMags
Date Posted: 06 Dec 13 at 1:55pm
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I haven't done this before - only just thought of it - but perhaps a Tesco bag down the back of my trousers will keep my pants dry when I sit in a wet patch.
By the way, are beer towels extinct now? |
Posted By: yellowwelly
Date Posted: 06 Dec 13 at 2:07pm
there is all manner of wrong in there Mags...
 |
Posted By: MerlinMags
Date Posted: 06 Dec 13 at 2:14pm
| You're saying you LIKE having soggy pants? |
Posted By: yellowwelly
Date Posted: 06 Dec 13 at 2:38pm
this conversation could hit the gutter very easily...
 |
Posted By: MerlinMags
Date Posted: 06 Dec 13 at 3:14pm
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Just trying to defend my sordid preference for dry undies!
Let us return to the many uses for supermarket plastic bags, and hope that someone else can bring a non-trouser-related 'sailing hack' to our attention.... |
Posted By: yellowwelly
Date Posted: 06 Dec 13 at 3:43pm
| a note to dog owners.... you can use them to pick the sh*t up in the dinghy park. |
Posted By: Towergate_Insurance
Date Posted: 06 Dec 13 at 4:05pm
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Just a quick note to say we'll run this thread for another week and then put all the tips together after that. Get those thinking caps on!
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Posted By: Towergate_Insurance
Date Posted: 11 Dec 13 at 1:29pm
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Two days left guys! Final call! Keep thinking of those quick fixes, short cuts and cheap/cheerful alternatives! Thanks, Towergate
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Posted By: Mark Jardine
Date Posted: 03 Jan 14 at 4:57pm
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Following on from all the input, here's the article! http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/174050/Sailing-life-hacks" rel="nofollow - http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/174050/Sailing-life-hacks |
Posted By: Chris Turner
Date Posted: 28 Apr 14 at 6:20pm
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The back of wardrobes make good source of plywood for quick repairs when everywhere is closed when you get off the water...Make sure you pay in cash when you leave the B+B... Have you noticed that the carrier bags you are promoting now all have holes in, they dont work for keeping plaster casts dry...cant beat duck tape and a dustbin liner... I am sure I can remember more, just need beer...
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Posted By: Scoopdeck
Date Posted: 04 Mar 16 at 5:08pm
| Sounds like I need to get some plastic bags and stuff them in my trousers. |