@@markthomasson5077 Thanks Mark for your comments. I now sail an ETAP 21i which jumps over the waves in comparison. However, I can’t fit a wind vane system, which I prefer to the auto pilot, which struggles with my current setup. It is all a matter of finding the best compromise. Fair winds (and waves !). Andy Lane

@ that’s a nice boat also, have been tempted

Very good comments James and I was as disappointed as Blondie would have been. The boat was sinking with the hull split open on the starboard flank, and in spite of 1.5 m3 of polyurethane foam, she would not have lasted long. I was in the North Atlantic drift moving me towards Iceland at about 1 to 1.5 knots. I was not at war either with myself or the enemy ( I also am an ex Royal Marine ).It was a survival situation and had I gone even further north, I would have been that much further north than the shipping lanes and possibility of rescue. With young family back home, it might have been a very egotistical decision to save my soul and try everything. These were the decisions I had to take somewhat rapidly. Thank you for your input. Andy Lane

E Delano . Thanks for your comments. Yes, the Epirb, (infact a PLB) and the SPOT tracker both worked and alerted the Canadien Coastguard. All very efficient. Best wishes. Andy Lane.

Hello Frederic, I wish that I knew the answer. With the lock down , especially for us oldies, I think that 2020 will be a non expedition year. Perhaps in 2021 I will sail up to the top of the Gulf of Bothnia on the Swedish side, and back dow the Finland side. I have added roller reefing and a jib/ genoa for better performance. Cocc is raring to go !!! Best wishes.

@@andylane7732 Is this plan still on?

Hello Adrian. Last year I changed the bowsprit for one I made from the top end of a windsurfer mast, projecting 1,20 m in front of the bows. Very much lighter and only slight bend when the wind is on the beam. Reinforced with thickened epoxy where it touches and the points of fixation. There are a few shots of it in Krill 60°N but often I took it off because my mooring was onto nearly vertical Baltic granite. Fair winds in 2019. Andy

@@andylane7732 Thanks for the tips! I'll take a look. Thanks for answering!

MrPhilEU . Hi. The best advise is to obey the 13 th commandment, " thou shall not get found out". More seriously, the new regulations are more about how you equip your boat rather than what it was designed for. Anything over six nm from a proper shelter is regarded as high seas and the boat has to be equipped accordingly, including life raft and so on. So coastal cruising, there are many parts of the French coast which technically are beyond this limit. My Krill is classed as unsinkable and being built 20 years ago, there is a derogation to obviate the need for a life raft. On the other hand, if I had a modern unsinkable boat, then I would have to have one on board. I wouldn't go offshore in anything less than category C, which since January 2016 allows one to sail comfortably in Force 6 winds up to 27 kts gusting to 35 kts with waves up to 4 metres. And even then, I play defensively and make the rigging stronger, but not too heavy, make the hatch leading into the cabin completely waterproof, see my modification to Gwezer, JC 2014, when I replaced the two wash boards in heavy weather with a removable sheet of 20 mm ply into which was set a hatch.

Phil Landemard . Good morning Phil. I would be delighted to share my modifications to Gwezer, my Jouet Régent for singlehanded offshore work. Either we can communicate using my email, [email protected] or you can phone my mobile 0033632960427 or landline on 0033563930672. The weather is foul at the moment and I am somewhat pinned to the office. Will speak soon. Andy Lane