Anchor rant.............................................

Anchors..... let the bun fight begin. Is there anyone out there with a CQR anchor still hanging off their bow roller? If so its time to put it in the same box as your plastic sextant, Radio Direction Finder and your Kapok lifejacket. If your boat drags and hits me, we can work things out, $hit happens. If, however, you were using a CQR or some other antique POS the conversation will be different.  I can even live with the Delta and Bruce, even though they are somewhat outdated.  There is a whole slew of new generation anchors out there that are so far ahead of their predecessors that it is ridiculous.  My favorites are the Rocna and Manson, and I have no objection to the other variants of the design.  My recent experience with the Spade anchor was outstanding.  It set fast and held solid, sort of what you need in an anchor. 

The owner had initially bought the aluminum version (shown above) in order to save weight (26lbs and opposed to 44lbs).  I bitched and moaned until he swapped it out for the galvanized steel version. I can see no reason to have the aluminum version unless its for some piece of Tupperware that never leaves the bay.  Also, their sizing chart tends towards light production boats, so I would move up a size or two.

My backup anchor is, as always, the biggest Fortress I can stow onboard.

Cap-Rail final-final-final decision....

And the winner is......................... IPE

Family Name for Ipe Lumber: Tabebuia of family Bignoniaceae

 

The old sealant (origin unknown) was pretty shot.  Some 5200 had been squirted in at some stage to little avail.

 

This made getting the old rail off pretty easy, once the screws were removed.

  

This was a useful tool to remove the bolts holding the genoa track, if they are the old slotted type.

  

I had a local wood-shop use the old cap-rail as a template and make me a new one, including screw holes. 

 Ipe is hard to bend, but it will bend slightly.
 

 

After much research I will use Teakdecking Systems FE-180A to bond the Ipe to the fiberglass.

Full install won't take place until I return from Europe in late July