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I have an old Avon Jet that I don't use much anymore. The reason I bought it (15 years ago) was my wife was concerned about safety, particularly as our three children were small at the time. Other than safety, I think the biggest selling point of these jet-powered dinghies is the amount of...

We named our first cruising boat "Irrational", a name my wife thought was most appropriate. We had just sold a beach house and, with the money from the sale burning a hole in my pocket and no place to go for the summer (with our three children), we took the plunge. That was over 20 years and...

I agree that the head-room under the roof over the aft cabin may limit the use of that space. If the main objective is to have a place for the panels a fixed roof could be built over the flybridge with the panels nestled in place. I built such a structure for my GB50. On the GB36 three...

In my earlier boat, a 1979 GB42 Cl, I installed a half-size dishwasher which served us well. We also managed to install a small clothes washer under the V-berths. (Both units were Zanussi.)

I see in the GB42 they also extended the cabin roof over the side decks, mimicking the Europa design. This would help keep water away from the windows.

Is it too technical to refer to the sides of the car as "passenger side" "and "driver's side"?

Just to give a flavour, we had a view of a Roman amphitheatre from the marina we stayed in Pula, in northern Croatia.

Yes, I spent the summer of 2014 there. It is a great place for cruising. Many islands and historic towns to visit. There is also the Gulf of Kotor in neighbouring Montenegro, just to the south of Croatia. Kotor is not only spectacular but you can fill-up with tax-free fuel on your way out...

Yes, but I would not fully trust the float valves operating unattended. It could get messy if one malfunctions. Doing it manually let’s one see and feel that it is filling and not spilling.

Yes, each cap has a float that shuts-off the flow to the cell at the correct level. The hand bulb becomes noticeable harder when all the cells are filled.

:iagree: I bought this a couple of years ago and it is great, particularly in my case where my batteries are challenging to reach: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FCAXT0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I have a distilled water jug connected to this through a bulb (fuel...

In my former boat, a 1979 GB 42 Cl, I attached a section from large PET soda bottle with a cable tie and this worked very well.

Agreed. Being in a cove with just one other boat is not the same as being in one with dozens of boats.

You could change the prop on the diesel outboard that you already have. Find the biggest-diameter, smallest pitch 4 blade prop that fits and that could do the trick.

Fun day! :eek:

We have been using a Boston Whaler 13' as our main dinghy for a few years. We usually tow it using half-inch nylon. We have used polypropylene in the past which, while it floats, it does not guarantee it won't get caught by the prop (ask me why I know). This set-up requires somebody at the...

I would think it would be hard to find a ready-made bench that would fit well and integrate with the existing ones. There are a lot of curves and slopes on the deck. In my 1979 GB 42 CL I opted for folding chairs and tables. I had four chairs and a large table as well. These were lashed to...

It is the 6000ºK bulbs that are bluish, similar to fluorescent lights in office settings. The warm white are 3000ºK which I find a bit too reddish, particularly for the inside of a dark-wood panelled boat. I find the 4000ºK, which have recently become more available, to be ideal. They are...

Yes, it takes some forethought and practice but it avoids having to wade out to set and retrieve the dinghy.

MV/Rumbalotte, a Grand banks 36, has criss-crossed the European canal and river systems and written about it here (sorry, it is in German but the OP may understand): https://www.rumbalotte.net

You could attach a large container to the end of your anchor chain, drop it the water so it fills and then raise it until it is just off the water. Since this places the weight very far forward it provides leverage to lower the bow with less weight. But don't exceed your windlass rating!

It is possible to remove and re-attach the fly-bridge on the fibreglass Grand Banks, although maybe not so convenient for your trip. If you plan to use the canals regularly, you might consider permanently removing the fly bridge.

The "clothesline" technique for anchoring the dinghy would solve the problem. In lieu of tying to a tree or rock on the beach I tend to use a second anchor there.

Furthermore, the roof's SS tubing structure partially blocks its view. :facepalm:

I like "natural or "daylight" color (~400ºK) rather than warm (too redish) or cold (too bluish). And I find the color rendering index (CRI) to be critical. The CRI measures how continuous and similar to sunlight is the spectrum of the light given by the bulb. A CRI of 80% is the absolute...