Sailboats are different. We heel over (lean), the drinks usually fall over and, listen to this, we have plastic cups to drink from.  Power boaters have real glasses! You can hear the ice clinking!! On sailboats there is not much drinking. This is due to the fact that when sailing we heel, or tack, the drinks. If not getting spilled, they are mixed up from moving to the other side of the sailboat. It’s times like this that you’ll read about in the newspaper; a boater was rescued from the water. It’s possible that it was a guest or crew member aboard a sailboat that was chasing his drink before both were launched overboard. When we do get to our destination, you never see us on deck drinking or otherwise. We are usually below sleeping to regain our strength. Aerobics knocks us out. Then once we do regain our strength, its back on deck and look out… we’re fixing, adjusting, and tightening everything in site. Then, you guessed it, back to sleep. When we are back to ourselves, we are usually sanding down teak, varnishing, or oiling it. We do break out the alcohol, but we have wine. We are reserved. How reserved, I don’t know.  If you remember, we’re drinking out of plastic.

            Now, let’s get serious. It’s not like that at all. Well, some of it is, but generally not. Sailing is just that – sailing through the water, and with some people it gets through to their hearts. I’ve sailed from Montauk to Bermuda, taking 4 1/2 days and, on some of those days, there was not a need to even adjust the sails. I’ve gone to Block Island and Nantucket needing to only attend the sails (winching and adjusting) rarely. It’s once you get through the “Boot Camp” and venture out on your own that you realize how mellow sailing really is.

With a powerboat, as the weather changes and the waves get bigger or smaller, they just adjust their throttle. Our throttle is those sails, Main and Genoa. As the wind picks up, our sails are either reefed (brought in some) or taken down to only one sail. And with the opposite (wind easing), we put out more or even bigger sails. All this action is physical. Do we do it all the time? No, but as weather fronts roll by, it definitely keeps us busy. So when we have a sailing trip that is just perfect, we don’t forget. How often is the weather perfect? Sea conditions? Wind? All this has to come together to achieve that perfect sail. Who has patience for that? Because, it doesn’t come that often. Usually something is off. Well, we’re always waiting for that perfect sail. Sometimes it seems like a long time, especially if we are just drifting with no wind. You know and I know we have engines, but we’ll wait and just drift with sails up for a puff or two to come along. I don’t know why we don’t just start our engines. It can’t be the fuel usage. We only use up to a gallon an hour. Even at full throttle, we don’t use much fuel, and to tell you the truth, we don’t go that fast either. That could be the reason, or I think we just like our surroundings and want to savor the moment as long as we can. We are always rushed on land; I guess this is our break.

            It’s a great feeling to be out on a sailboat, not worrying where the next fuel dock is, but only looking forward to that next breath taking harbor or cove. To be out for days sailing, offshore, seeing whales, dolphins, tuna, flying fish, and then hundreds of miles later, pulling into an island harbor people normally take planes to. It’s not that difficult. It’s almost easy. The hard part is having the time. Oh, that so precious commodity.

            There are sailboat clubs and associations that hold races, which include not only racing sailboats, but a “cruising” division for the rest of us. Here is where you hone your skills by knowing your tides and currents to add a boast. Tweaking those sails to get every bit of knotage out of them. Tacking (oh no!) as efficiently as possible to pull ahead of others and take every advantage. This “racing” builds knowledge and know-how in all weather conditions from race to race. Some are long (Around Long Island Race) and some are short (around a few buoys in a bay), but in all, determination to be more efficient, faster, and quicker, comes from your growing racing knowledge which in turn makes you a better sailor. Hey! Did I give away a secret or something? To give some examples, you watch the surface of the water for wind puffs, the skies for changes (dark clouds coming in or different formations).  Your electronics help by giving you other information about your last sail adjustment, i.e. did the knot meter on board show a plus or a minus to your knotage before? Is the depth sounder showing quick depth changes that might slow you up, caused by undo currents or wave action? This awareness gradually becomes automatic as you strive for other tell-tail signs to bring you ahead.

There is more than just getting addicted to racing. There are those before and after get-togethers, award dinners, and barbecues. It’s the finding of new friendships, boating pals and mates, plus maybe a few of their racing secrets that just tightens it all up. The funny thing is that you don’t have to be rich. Sailboats come in large and small sizes. Even trailerable sizes of 26 feet or so with roomy interiors. These naval architects are working hard for us to give that performance with comfort. A tough combo, but they’re making strides. By going on other sailboats for an afternoon sail, or as crew in a race, you get to feel the different characteristics of other models. Their upwind and downwind abilities, the amount of heeling at certain wind speeds, and other aspects. All this unknowingly makes you a better sailor, giving you the option to look at further destinations. Ones you never imagined.

You can look good lounging on your hotel terrace, but you can look fabulous arriving by yacht. The question is how to achieve this without a)blowing the bank, b)getting sea-sick, and c) falling off.

First, yachts don’t need to be expensive. Consider how much you’ll otherwise spend on a hotel. Look at the number of berths on a boat and make sure you fill them. Split down the costs and surprise yourself. The numbers in your party and the berths on the boat are the most important factor. On the whole you’ll find the bigger your party the better rate you can get. A recently booked skippered charter out of Athens for a group of 10 on a 65ft sailing yacht, including all the food and drink (maybe not all the drink), all taxes, fuel and annoying extras came in at 71EURO per head. Not bad.

What else? If you don’t have a yachtie member of your party who can drive the boat then you can easily hire a local skipper for around GBP100/day. If there’s 6 of you that’s about GBP17 per day – not too distressing for a professional tour guide every day and one who’ll take care of the yacht for you.

What about that sick feeling you get as soon as the wind picks up and you’re supposed to be having a ‘good sail’? Well, there are places where you can avoid this. For example the east coast of Greece is almost entirely protected by the Greek mainland mountains, which also create a reliable afternoon sea breeze to waft you gently into the next port. The breeze takes half the day to develop so you can get in some proper sun-bathing time in the morning or just visit the picturesque town you’ve berthed in, then you can go for a sail (little waves only) in the afternoon. And best of all, once the sun goes down, so does the wind. Just in time to enjoy a gin and tonic sundowner, not a hair out of place. Who’s the yachtie now?

If you holiday in the winter then top up on the tan in those long, wan winter months by visiting to the British Virgin islands. Protected waters, sunny, food and drink at every stop, blue waters and bath-temperature seas. Not to mention stunningly beautiful coral reefs. A trip to the BVIs in November or December followed by skiing in March (or the other way around) must be the ultimate ‘winter blues’ remedy.

Any other top tips? Well, for the Caribbean I can recommend a catamaran, not a monohull, charter. It’s cat country out there. Cat’s are faster, more stable, have more space and have a much more ‘normal’ layout if you’re not used to yachts. The Med is slightly different. There a catamaran can be more trouble than its worth when you arrive when trying to find a space in those tightly packed meditteranean town quays. Still, it is possible and if you’re keen for a cat and also hiring a skipper then you can let him worry about those kind of details. A good local skipper will find the space in every town quay however packed it may look.

So next time you come back from holiday, don’t say “i’m just back from holiday”, try “i’ve been holidaying on my yacht”. Well, it is yours for a week or two. Now how does that sound?

Rig type and sail plan go hand-in-hand. Typically, there is a trade off between ease of sail handling and safety/flexibility. For example, a cat rigged boat with one large mainsail and no headsail (think Laser) is very easy to handle by one person, since there is only one sail. If you are day sailing in a small lake or close to shore where you can take cover if things heat up, this is a great rig–simple, easy to handle, quick to set up. However, it is not a very flexible design, since the sail can’t be reefed in big blows. A standard Marconi sloop is one step above in flexibility since it adds a second (head) sail that can be changed in size to accommodate wind velocity changes. In addition, these rigs today almost invariably offer roller-furling of at least the headsail, if not both sails, making on-the-fly adjustments simple and easy. This is certainly a rig with enough flexibility for stronger wind.

The tradeoff is that you have now added a second sail to handle, change, and furl. Moreover, the sloop is still pretty limited in terms of the changes you can make to sail plans. The cutter rig is the next step up in flexibility with 2 headsails and typically a much smaller mainsail. This configuration allows for significantly greater variations in sail configuration and a much wider spectrum on wind ranges within which the boat can comfortably be sailed. The tradeoff is a third sail to manage. Finally, the double-masted designs–ketchs and yawls–provide the greatest level of flexibility and therefore the greatest range of wind velocities to comfortably sail through. The obvious disadvantage is complication–2 masts, 4-6 sails. For my money, the sloop wins for Bay, Great Lakes and Coastal sailing, while I would want at least a cutter rig for ocean passages, with the ketch and yawl being that much better.

Keels are the next consideration with two primary questions–how deep and what kind. Deep keels allow for more stability (less heel) and greater angles to weather (into the wind), but limit the places you can safely sail without running aground. For me, the depth question is easy–racers should opt for the deepest keel practical for their sailing area, the difference on windward legs can be dramatic. I would recommend deep keels to anyone else who spends a lot of time beating to windward (whoever that may be). For everyone else, the shallower the better–more cruising grounds, more safe anchorages and less chance of hitting something as you go. As for type, if you are doing offshore passages or even long coastal passages, I recommend a full keel–the boat tracks better and gets much better “holding” than a shallow keel. Alternatively, if you do a lot of close quarters maneuvering, I would NOT get a full keel and instead opt for the fin keel.

Interior accommodations range from practically nothing in race shells, to full blown luxury (microwave ovens, flat panel TV’s, DVD players). The simple rule is to match the sailing type to the interior type. My guess is for all but the hard core racer, budget will dictate here (more on this in Part III).

Finally, consider the overall hull type. I examine two dimensions: SA/D (sail area to displacement ratio) for overall speed estimate and D/L (displacement to length ratio) for overall stability and maneuverability. Neither is a perfect measure and manufacturers have a tendency to fudge the numbers (but that is a different article), but they are a good general reference point.

In summary, the first step in buying a sailboat that will make you happy is to know exactly and in great detail how you will use the boat. The second step is to identify the characteristics of a boat that will best match your usage and start looking for boats with those characteristics.

The coursework options available in this field include:

• Fluids
• Structural Analysis
• Guidance and Control
• Propulsion
• Spacecraft design and testing
• Control system design and theory
• Applied aerodynamics, compressible flow, applied aeronautics
• Mechanics of composites
• Classical dynamics and space mechanics

The research options in Aeronautical Engineering that are available in various universities can be classified broadly as below:

Aerospace Computing:

Development and application of numerical techniques in the design of aerospace products. Methods are developed to solve mathematical models of fluid flow ranging from the linearized potential flow equations to the fully non-linear unsteady Navier-Stokes equations. Systems are used to analyze and design vehicles ranging from sailboats to commercial airliners.

Aero Fluid Mechanics:

Involves the study of the interaction of compressible vortices with aerodynamic surfaces, with emphasis on the noise generated by such interactions. Also dedicated to basic studies of the fundamental properties of turbulent flow. Areas of interest include measurements of the structure of turbulent flames, direct numerical simulation of free shear flows, and use of topological methods for interpretation of complex three-dimensional vector fields.

Aerospace Robotics:

Involves creation of experimental systems for developing advanced robot systems and new control techniques with applications to free-flying space robots, to undersea and air systems, to mobile ground robots, and to industrial automation. Basically an interdepartmental program, with specific application into aerospace.

Aircraft Aerodynamics and Design:

Basic research in applied aerodynamics and aircraft design. Work ranges from the development of computational and experimental methods for aerodynamic analysis to studies of unconventional aircraft concepts and new architectures for multidisciplinary design optimization. Involves studies of unusual aircraft configurations and novel flight control concepts.

Turbulence Simulations:

It is a multidisciplinary research field to develop new turbulence models and associated numerical simulation methodologies that will enable a new paradigm for the design of advanced systems in which turbulence plays a controlling role. Research aims to develop simulation technology capable of dealing with systems as complex as a full jet engine and phenomena as complex as the plasma turbulence of a Hall thruster.

GPS & Navigation:

Involved is studying and building systems for vehicle navigation and attitude determination. Since the GPS satellite navigation system became operational in 1993, there is increasing interest in an array of applications for this technology.

Guidance and Control:

Guidance and Control includes a wide spectrum of specialized research for making and testing novel instruments and control systems of extremely high precision. Applications include aerospace vehicle guidance and control, sensing instrument development and applications, internal combustion engine feedback for improved efficiency and reduced pollution, robotics for manufacturing and operations in space, precision engineering and fabrication, and ultra-precision machine tool design and development.

Hybrid Systems:

Hybrid Systems Research involves designing algorithms for the analysis and control of complex aerodynamic systems. Research ranges from systems design and control for the next generation of Air Traffic Systems, through the development of algorithms for automatic flight-mode switching in flight management systems, to the design and control of a team of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

Structures and Composites:

Research encompasses composite structural design, including vibration, stability, impact damage, and environmental effects; biological applications of composites; grid structures; composites in sports equipment; composite manufacturing; fiber optic and piezoelectric sensors; structural health monitoring; and smart structures.

A radar reflector therefore, is a piece of equipment that all cruising sailboats should have. Recent tests have shown that they are not necessarily that effective, depending on their positioning in the rigging, heel of your vessel, other clutter in the area and the sensitivity of ships receivers close by to name a few. There is much written on this subject which you can research.

Nonetheless, a reflector permanently installed high in your rigging is an additional item that can assist in alerting approaching shipping that you are in the same quadrant of water as they are. Many other factors come into play such as has the other ship recorded your presence? is there a watch in their radio room at the time? is your boat heeling? etc. All of these could hinder the chances of the other shipping seeing you.

There has been much written about a tragic incident near the Isle of Wight in August 2006 between the yacht ‘Ouzo’ and a large P&O ferry. The collision or near collision resulted in the sinking of the yacht and the drowning of the three crew. As the yacht itself has never been recovered, this incident remains a mystery of the sea. However, it was known that ‘Ouzo’ did carry a radar reflector – whether it was in position at the time is not known. There is an interesting report you can read on the internet which you can find easily enough by tapping in ‘Ouzo’collision report.

Fully effective they may not be, but under the heading of any additional equipment that can alert an approaching merchant vessel, having a reflector clamped to your cap shroud above the top spreader is best seamanship practice and no cruiser should put to sea without one.

They come in two basic shapes – one is made up of segments (octahedral) which can be assembled and hung in the rigging – not ideal for long passages. The other, and to my mind, the better option for cruisers is the tubular type which you can clamp on to your upper shroud and leave in position permanently. I positioned mine on the starboard cap shroud above the top spreader. There are a number of manufacturers making these reflectors and you can view the range at any quality chandler. You can appraise them initially on the internet where you will find illustrations and prices for your local market.

Obviously radar and more recently AIS(Automatic Identification System) would be part of a modern day Cruisers ‘onboard package’, but that is another subject.

You can read more about night navigation, radar and near misses in my ebook ‘Voyage of the Little Ship ‘Tere Moana’ downloadable from my sailboat2adventure website

RYA Day Skipper is a sort of ‘foundation course’ in seamanship and navigation. It has two elements, theory and practical. Suitable for those with limited experience it is effectively an ‘entry level’ course, though while you don’t need any theoretical knowledge you do need to know how to sail. The RYA stipulates that Day Skipper candidates should have 100 miles logged. In our experience it doesn’t matter what sort of boat you have sailed, so long as you can sail. Dinghy sailing years ago is just as relevant as last years flotilla holiday in the Med!

If you are not confident about your sailing ability you may want to consider taking an RYA Competent crew course first. Five days training alongside Day Skipper students or Yachtmaster exam candidates is sure to give you a feel for cruising under sail and hopefully a thirst for more. Alternatively you could take a berth on one of our mile builders, again five days but with an emphasis on going places rather than intensive pilotage and boat handling. The Channel Islands and France are favourite destinations for mile building out of the Solent.

When you have gained the Day Skipper theory and practical tickets you can consider yourself well on the way to being a safe and competent yachtsman. The RYA Day Skipper practical certificate entitles the holder to an International Certificate of Competence (ICC). These certificates and a VHF Radio licence are all you need to charter boats in the finest sailing areas the world has to offer.

More important than the certificates in themselves is the knowledge you will acquire on the way. The Day Skipper theory course covers chartwork, chart symbols, Lat & Long, compass, tidal theory, pilotage, safety, meteorology and so on. The theory element can be taken as a five day ’stand alone’ course or combined with the practical (on the water) training in one 9 day course. This offers the opportunity to achieve both Day Skipper theory and Day Skipper practical tickets with only five days off work, an important consideration for those with busy lifestyles.

Mustang Sailing have been delivering these courses for long enough to know how to get the theory across in a painless, stress free way. Not everybody is comfortable in class, and for some it has been a while…

On a 9 day combined course we split the theory into two, two day blocks at either end of the course. The first and last two days are spent in class. The first two laying the foundations so to speak, then it’s down to the boat (we’ll take you if you don’t have transport) for five days of sail training.

Sailing from Universal Marina on the Hamble River we criss cross the Solent and venture to Chichester to the East and Poole to the West, depending on the weather. Day Skipper practical involves many short passages, involving lots of passage planning and pilotage as well as boat handling under power and sail. When Friday comes it’s time to leave the yacht and head back to Ringmer to finish off the theory.

Collision regulations and meteorology are the two big subjects for the last weekend; you will have been living and breathing sail cruising all week so the final sessions are pretty easy. Two exam papers are despatched on Sunday morning, a quick debrief and off home with two new certificates, miles in your logbook and memories to last a lifetime.

Mustang Sailing are a small sailing school with a big range of courses which we run all year round. We moved to Ringmer nr Lewes three years ago and have expanded steadily. We take no print advertising, relying on our website and word of mouth recommendation to grow our business. This year we have doubled our classroom capacity, and added a dedicated diesel engine workshop at Ringmer, and bought a 40′ yacht to cope with the demands of our expanding customer base.

Our training centre is housed in converted agricultural buildings close to the South Downs. The central location close to major road and rail links and conveniently located for the London airports makes us the obvious choice for sailors in the South East and London and for international students looking for quality courses at a convenient location. The quiet rural setting makes it easy to get down to studying the subject in hand.

Mustang run all the RYA Cruising and Yachtmaster shorebased courses at Ringmer and all the practical sail cruising courses from Universal Marina on the Hamble. Probably the nicest marina in the Solent, a pleasant rural location with an old-school feel it is a great place to be, relaxed and civilised.

– “What kind of small trimaran do I want?” This is probably the first question. Another way to approach this one is to ask yourself, “What do I want to DO with my sailboat?”

Do you want a super-speed-machine? A recreational day cruiser? A relatively well performing (fast and easy handling sailboat) that also features a small cabin — thus allowing it to become a “weekender” instead of a just a “day cruiser?” How comfortable do you want your boat to be … do you absolutely want a cozy sit-down seat, or are you willing to ride on just a small hiking seat or trampoline? How big do you want your boat to be? (The smaller a boat is the more “wet” your ride is likely to be. If you really want a wet and wild ride during the dog days of summer then regularly getting doused with water is fine).

– “Do I want to simply buy or factory-order a commercial boat, or am I willing to build one myself?” If you want to get a small trimaran that is only available commercially then, naturally, you’re choices among boats will be restricted to what is available from commercial manufacturers. If you’re willing to build then you have to ask yourself if you’ve got the skills (or if you can realistically acquire the skills necessary) to build your own boat?

– “Am I willing to buy a used small trimaran?” If you are willing to get a used boat then you might be able to save a bit of cash … whether choosing a boat that is either commercially manufactured or owner-built.

– “How much money do I have to spend?” This is a big one. Your “recreation budget” set aside for sailing will more often than not determine if you can purchase a brand new boat … or what kind of a boat you can afford to build yourself, including the cost for plans and building materials.

– “How long am I willing to wait for my prized sailboat?” If you want to buy a commercially available trimaran then you can save for it instead of buying on credit if you don’t have all the money upfront. If you’d like to build a small trimaran on your own then you will have to plan for how long a building project like that is likely going to be. Will it be a few months … or might it be a year or more … and if it is a year or more then could you simply save the money to buy the boat you want during this time instead of building it yourself?

There are other questions you can (and should) answer, of course. For example, where are you going to store your boat? Will you will buy or borrow a trailer to get your boat to the water? How much effort is it going to take to keep the boat in excellent condition? Etc.

If you consider questions like those above it may help you understand the market better so you can choose just what kind of trimaran is the right one for you. A hasty decision is more prone to be regretted later on.

Enjoy the research process. When it comes to small trimarans, your initial research may be almost as much fun as finally deciding which boat you’re going to sail.

Let’s get started fixing that crack.

Did your jib pole come loose? Did the anchor swing too wildly or did your landlubber friend forget to tell you he had on his golf shoes? Don’t laugh…it happens. I used to get all upset when I saw the slightest damage to my gel coat and thought it would never be the same. You will always see it even after a mint fix. But no one else will, even if the fix is not perfect. Power boats get cracks here and there from the pounding as they cut through waves. Sailboats get it the same way, plus all the heeling over they do.

I have read all the books and articles and found they all do a great repair. Some more complicated than others. I took the best from each and now do this procedure for a great fix.

What you’ll need:

1. Get a Bondo can (auto/marine body filler), that is short and wide, with a plastic top. This comes with the catalyst you will need.

2. Sandpaper/wet & dry (emery cloth), 1 sheet of each: #220, #320, #400, #600

3. Gel Coat color from the manufacturer – it’s worth the wait to get it. If not, you can      use white gel coat with the tints you need to get it right. Most stores have a chart.

You can mix the gel coat over the winter. Get the right color card from Home Depot, and you can play with the color over the winter, until you get a match, and save it in a jar for the spring.

4. Acetone

5. Masking Tape

6. Spray bottle, sold in marine supply or hardware stores.

7. Screwdriver or metal pick

8. Newspaper

As you can see from the materials list, there need not be a great expense in performing your own repair. These materials can last through 10 repairs. Each time you take care of the crack yourself, you can save yourself hundreds of dollars.

1.         In order to repair a crack, clear the area. Take a good look at it and then take some acetone on a rag and clean in and around the crack. A little goes a long way. Too much is no good. This cleans the wax, dirt, and stains off so you now can see clearly how far the crack really goes and what color you should mix, too. The factory gel coat that was sent is the original color of the boat’s gel coat. By sanding lightly with 300 grit wet you will bring this color out, but it will not match the rest of the boat. You may have to add a touch of yellow or gray/black to get that faded color. Look from the sun. If you plan to compound to the original color, then go with the factory color, otherwise, tint it down.

2.      Now that the gel coat is ready, let’s get back to the crack. After using some acetone and sanding right around and in the crack, use a flat hand screwdriver or metal pick to loosen any material in the crack. Make good, fat edges at either side of the crack. Chip away at it until you get to good, uncracked gel coat. Sand the area, blow out and acetone again.

3.                              Tape around the area you are working on, close to the crack. Then tape newspaper around it to catch any overspray.

4.                  Get the sprayer, read the instructions. Pour the gel coat (factory or mixed) into the jar. Add some acetone to cut the thickness of the gel coat so it can spray out. Add the proper amount of catalyst, stir and screw the jar back on and you’re ready to go.

5.                  If the crack is deep, you need to add some plastic filler (bondo). You can use the type that has fiberglass strands. A white colored filler is preferable. Mix the proper amount of catalyst into the filler and squeeze it into the crack. If the crack is small, use a flathead screwdriver. Keep it just in the crack. Use masking tape along the edges, if you need. You can keep it level with the surrounding gel coat, because when it dries, you will sand it lightly with the 220 or 300 grit and make a slight depression in the plastic. Drying time will vary according to the temperature and amount of catalyst used. Pull the excess masking tape away. Use acetone to wash away the masking tape glue and any impurities.

6.                  Find a piece of cardboard to spray on. Feel the force and the amount that comes out of the sprayer. Press the nozzle to move it to the right. Release nozzle. Press the nozzle again, move to the left and so on to get a smooth coat. Now, spray the repair area with the same motion. See how it looks before you repeat the process. Don’t try to complete it in one or two shots. Slow and easy. It will cover. You can put extra coats on because you will do sanding next. Don’t put too much on. Let it dry. It’s good to do this in 70 – 80 degree weather. If it is cooler out, point a utility light at it. It should harden it in anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour, varying according to the outside temperature. If you want, you can leave it overnight. If it still doesn’t set, use the acetone to get it off and try again with a better combo of catalyst. You will get good at this one you do it several times, just like riding a bike.

7.                  After the gel coat hardens, take that plastic cup top and put some water in it. Rip a 1″ x  4″ piece of emery cloth off the 220 or 300 grit. Soak it a bit and also put some water over the repairs. Wipe it around. Now, with the emery cloth pliable, lightly sand over the repair. Feel the coarseness of the area you are sanding. Add more water if it feels pretty flush with the surrounding area. Move to 400 grit, then to 600 grit. Get it nice and wet. Watch not to take too much gel coat off. Do a little check.

8.                  The final step is using a little white compound. Add a touch of water. Compound out lightly. Wash off thoroughly and wax. You’re done. Is it perfect?  Maybe, but if not, no will see it unless you put blue gel coat where white should belong. In the meantime, you will forget about where it actually is as it fades in. A scrap is basically the same, just a large area. Sometimes a light sanding with 300 or 400 grit, nice and wet, will remove most and sometimes, surprisingly, all of the scrap without a gel coat repair. It just depends how deep it is.

With a little practice, you can save yourself a boat-load of money otherwise spent on having the gel coat refinished professionally. If doing it yourself is not your thing, you may find understanding the process helpful when consulting with a repair center.

Sail shades are made up of strong cloths which can withstand harsher treatment than the temporary versions of shade that are typically available. Sail shades are typically attached to permanent fixtures such as walls or permanent posts. As a result it is a longer lasting source of shade that should be dealt with as a key part of the design of the outdoor space. Garden designers can often use them to base the design of the outdoor space. Such is the striking nature of this type of shade that the whole theme of the outside space can be amended to work with the sail shade.

Sail shades were first utilised by ancient Roman and Greek sailors that hoisted sails up to protect them from the searing sun when they were on land. This innovative idea was exploited by many different people and the theory has developed into the modern day sail shade. It is said that the coliseum was covered with a sail so that the people that attended the sporting and theatrical events could be kept cool from the searing sun. This theory has been exploited to make the modern sail shade. The primary change has been that the type of cloth used to make the sail has changed. New technology has introduced new fibres that make the modern sail shade both sturdy and extremely effective at blocking out the harmful UV rays from the sun.

The sail shades come in a number of different shapes and sizes. Most sail shades that are used for large outdoor areas are designed by the sail shade manufacturers specifically for the place that they will be used in. The range of options if you decide to have your sail shade designed bespoke to your needs is infinite. There are also a number of sail shades that are sold off the shelf. These come in a number of different sizes and shapes. Each manufacturer and sales company produces different sizes and shapes bust most of these companies will provide something to suit your needs. Most sail shades are available in triangle and square shapes. These are generally called triangle shade sails and square shade sails and are a great way of providing a semi-permanent shade for your garden.

Other types of garden shade that you could utilise in your outdoor space are gazebos, umbrella shade and the larger marquees. Gazebos are another fantastic option as they are quite inexpensive and can be erected anywhere. They are small tent like structures that can be put up anywhere. Unlike tents they do not have walls and they are tall enough to stand under. Also they often provide rain cover as well as shade cover from the sun.