Boat trailer maintenance tips

 If like me, you have had the wheel hubs collapse on your old boat trailer, you will appreciate the importance of having a regular maintenance schedule. At that time, I didn’t and it served me right. After fourteen years sterling service, the old trailer was consigned to the great scrapyard in the sky. The axle stubs had been badly scarred and bent. The damage had been done.

One mile from home, after a three-mile trip back from the local ramp; within minutes of each other, both hubs exploding and collapsing! Axle stubs badly damaged and hubs shot to pieces. Ho hum! It is, frankly, embarrassing!  And yes of course it happened on a narrow road, on a bend, opposite a busy entrance to a local golf course driving range, during the home time rush hour, on one of those busy ‘community connecting routes.

Now I have a new ‘gleaming’ ‘unbraked’ trailer from Admiral Trailers up at Honiton in Devon; and very pleased with it I am too! Heavily adapted from one of their stock trailers, I have promised myself and more importantly, signed a contract with my blood for the ‘boss’ that says “I will do maintenance checks every trip out and monthly inspections too”. Apparently, I will die before I have another new trailer!

This is the basic trailer I got but it as been adapted with extra 'raised' keel rollers, the rear part of the central spine cut off to give a hull overhang

You can find out more about the new trailer by searching 'admirals trailers' in the search box opposite. Or use this link https://arwensmeanderings.blogspot.com/search?q=boat+trailer

So, without further ado – here is my check list for trailer maintenance! All common sense but easily forgotten in the excitement of getting out on the water or sailing new destinations. I know, it sounds ‘nerdy’ but hey it’s a list that works for me and I hope it is of use to others too!

Before each trip out

I have a routine – it takes a few minutes and it covers brakes and bearings, electrical components, hitch coupler, tyres and safety chains.

1.      Test tyre pressures and visual check for wear and tear concerns

2.      Put spare trailer tyre in the car boot

3.      Check wheel bearing protector caps secure; check tightness of lug nuts

4.      The safety breakaway chain coupling is intact

5.      Lighting board/lights work correctly; lighting board connector pins - clean and dry

6.      Hitch coupling works correctly

7.      All wobble and keel rollers are securely pinned, not crushed or collapsed and are functioning correctly

8.      No loose bolts holding trailer components together

9.      No severe rust areas or stress fractures evident on frame

10.  Boat trailer toolkit put in car boot with wheel chocks and car jack

11.  Test winch strap bow eye hook functions correctly; bow eye is secure; boat winch ratchet working correctly

12.  Mudguard checked for splits, looseness and rusting/loose bolts and nuts

13.  Jockey wheel check

14.  After hitching up to car and before leaving – a final walk around check of boat security, correct storing of items etc. A ‘BIG’ visual check.

After each boat retrieval

1.      Rinse the trailer at slip way - particular attention to wheels, rims, hubs and any internal frame areas that are open/exposed and all rollers on the trailer

2.      Back home, the following day after wheel hubs have cooled, top off grease levels in hubs

Although not relating to my trailer as it is unbraked, I guess that those with bigger or braked trailers would also

1.      Ensure trailer brakes are clean

2.      Have brake shoes/pads inspected annually

3.      

 

One every month or two, as per ‘blood signed’ contractual promise,  I check

1.      Tyres for wear and aging; check air pressures

2.      Lubricate the trailer hitch coupling unit

3.      Check the lighting board that light units are tight and not leaking; that wires are not pulled out or frayed

4.      WD40 the lighting board connector 

5.      Top up the hub bearings with grease via a grease gun

6.      Clean the rim and check the tyre seal against it; check wheel nut torque

7.      Grease all keel and wobble roller pins and spindles

8.      Top up waterproof grease on winch mechanism if needed

9.      Test the jockey wheel and if necessary WD40 spray or grease moving parts

10.  Structural integrity assessment of the frame and drawbar; a check on all U bolts – tightness, rust etc.

11.  Look at the winch strap to see if it is fraying anywhere; grease the actual winch mechanism

12.  Check trailer ratchet straps for condition and that they are still securing boat to trailer correctly

13.  Check the mudguard attachment bolts

 

So, let’s go into a little more detail on each of these checks.

Trailer tyres and wheels

Tyre pressures – low pressure can cause delamination, blow outs, worn tyres etc. I inflate to max rating on the tyre wall. Arwen sits on a steeply sloping drive and the wheels are chocked by concrete blocks, so periodically I will take the trailer off the drive to move the wheel position. The spare lives in the garage but I check it as part of the trailer tyre routine. As with our motorhome, I look at wear and tear on the tyres every few months. I’m not so concerned about tread depth as scratches and nicks on sidewalls or evidence of uneven wear across the full tyre tread width; or bulging –  some of which might indicate a bearing issue, an out of alignment axle stub etc. Over winter I’m conscious that in colder weather air pressure in tyres may lessen! And now contentiously I’m sure – when do you replace tyres? On our motorhome – every six years even if they still have tread and are in good condition. I will be doing the same with this trailer.

Wheel bearings

Ugh! Still have nightmares about ‘trailer disaster day’! Arwen’s trailer wheels have hub caps with a tiny pinprick hole in the top. I pump in waterproof grease via the nipple until a tiny stringy bit comes out of the hole. Them bearings are then well greased – its packed in! Perhaps it is time to invest in the spring-loaded proper wheel bearing protectors. Whichever arrangement you have – make sure you grease them regularly. I grease the nipples every time just before I submerge the trailer. I also run some grease around the back of the hubs as well. It seems to be working!

I have promised to disassemble the hubs every other year, clean them and repack them with grease. Its on the contract, signed with my blood!

By the way, how do you know your bearings might be on the way out? You see grease seeping out on the wheel hub exterior; unexplained grinding/squeaking noises when you rotate the wheels; the wheels don’t spin freely when you have jacked the trailer up.

Safety trailer chain coupling

No rust, no fractures, no worn links. Simple! A visual check that it is still securely attached and not showing any drag or rust damage.

Trailer lighting board

Check your lights every time you hook up! Its simple! Ensure your towing connection sits correctly in its little cup when storing the trailer. Better still buy a little green protective cap for it. Ensure the connectors on both socket and pins are clean. None of the wires are pulling out of the little rubber grommets on the board; nor are they showing signs of fraying/chafing. WD40 the lighting board connector. I don’t have trailer wire tubes on my trailer – the long cable runs along the boat side deck and then down over the bow to the car socket. So, if your arrangement is like mine – check that the cable is tied securely and wont drop down onto the road; and that it has sufficient slack in it so you can go around sharp corners without socket and pin separating!

Hitch coupling

It’s still in good condition? It fits properly? All the parts move correctly and cleanly? I grease the moving/locking parts but I don’t grease the friction plate/collar that surrounds the tow ball. Now I know that some people do. I’m jury out on this one because I just don’t know enough about this.  If it wont lock correctly or it appears dented by the way – play safe - replace it!

Keel and wobble rollers (Or bunks if you have these)

I visually inspect these before I go on a trip. None are loose; none collapsed. Every few months I regrease spindles and pins. No loose bolts/nuts, no badly rusted holding brackets. I don’t have bunks but I guess it would be checking the quality of the carpeting etc. For support rollers, I also check they are in correct position and haven’t been jolted looser. Arwen shouldn’t rock even a tiny fraction if the wobble rollers are at their correct heights.

Trailer frame components

My trailer is galvanised but the two main pieces are open at the end because the lighting board extension arms fit inside them and are locked in place with screw threaded handles. After every retrieval the trailer is washed down at the slip, including sticking the hose up the interior of these tubes. The locking screw handle threads are greased after every trip. The lighting board bungie cords get checked every couple of months although the lighting board is stored in the garage between trips. Before each trip I do a quick visual – bolts, rust areas etc. No obvious cracks in frame.

Boat trailer toolkit

Here is what I carry in a small box – a grease gun, spare can of grease, cloths, tyre inflator, car jack, one axle stand, plastic wheel chocks, ¾” plywood board on which jack base can stand, four way lug wrench, torch, small foam sleeping roll mat, a plastic tupperware box to put nuts etc in, pliers, hammer, flat-blade screwdriver. What’s in yours?

Boat trailer winch and boat bow eye

Ratchet mechanism has waterproof grease on moving parts and the strap has wound back on correctly. The winch hook is greased and rust free. Bow eye is still tight and secure on boat stem. The winch strap stitching is good and there is no frayed/worn areas.

Mudguards

I check them for splits/fractures, correct alignment and that their securing brackets are sturdy and not loose. I periodically check the holding nuts and bolts and grease those as well every couple of months. I’ll give the interior of mudguards a good clean at the end of the sailing season and then at the end of the winter storage season as well.

Jockey Wheel

On shallow slips I have to almost completely immerse the trailer right up to the top of the mudguards so that Arwen floats off. I often resort to a rope launch to stop the car wheels going into the briny. The jockey wheel therefore gets periodically immersed. Every trip it gets rinsed down on the slip but the following day I will quickly unwind the leg as fully as possible and spray it with WD40; I’ll also waterproof grease the wheel spindle area as well.

Trailer brakes

Being the owner of an unbraked trailer I feel totally ill equipped to proffer any advice on this matter at all. My take on brakes is that they should be rinsed immediately after every immersion – part of the routine when you do the wheels and lug nuts. My Dad, a retired engineer and once upon a time car enthusiast suggests that brake drums/pads be checked every year – cracks, unusual wear patterns, contamination. At the same time inspect brake lines. Researching this post, I read that if the reservoir level is suddenly low it suggests a leak in the pipes somewhere. I know that braked trailers, like our old caravan, will have a breakaway system as well. Make sure that you check that works effectively as well.

Other bits and pieces

My son when he was a teenager did a full restoration on a 1968 barn find battered Motovespa super 125 small frame vespa. ‘Stacey’ had her own ‘second hand’ trailer. It had leaf springs and we had to replace one set because they were badly corroded, cracked, rusted and useless!  

Remember I’m an overcautious, overthinking, overcomplicating nerdy type! But I hope this is a useful checklist reminder for you, just in case like me, you’ve reached an age where ‘things begin to slip your memory’!

References:

https://www.discoverboating.com/ownership/towing-and-trailering/boat-trailer-maintenance#:~:text=Check%20the%20brake%20fluid%20reservoir,not%20towing%20to%20prevent%20corrosion

https://seatow.com/blog/5-tips-for-maintaining-your-boat-trailer/

https://betterboat.com/blogs/boating/boat-trailer-maintenance-tips 

https://www.bassproboatingcenters.com/blog/boat-trailer-maintenance.html

https://www.warwicktrailers.co.uk/vehicle-checklist/

 

Copyright Steve Parke, Arwen’s Meanderings 

When Arwen met Polly

 A quick sail with Kevin who arrived down Plymouth Sound with his lovely wooden boat 'Polly'. Not the best day for a sail - very strong spring tidal flows in nasty westerly winds which made for difficult sailing conditions on the Sound. I gave up sailing Arwen after a while - I got trapped in Jennycliffe Bay and struggled to get out of it so resorted to motoring.   Ah well! 

I was very impressed with Kev and the way he sailed Polly everywhere. It was noticeable how he could get about 40 degrees off the wind whereas Arwen prefers 60 degrees. Could I keep up with him? Could I heck 😆!! One minute we were exiting the Cattedown together, next minute he was well up Jennycliffe Bay. Then he disappeared across to Drakes Island. 

Choppy, plenty of spray. It was a good day. I followed Polly and Kev across to barn Pool by Mount Edgecumbe with a view to beaching and showing Kev how my anchor bungie buddy worked but it wasn't to be - the spring tide currents along the beach were phenomenal and I rapidly abandoned that idea before Kev arrived. 

Kev sailed plenty and I learned loads. Thanks Kev. 

And so a very short segment of video from Polly coming out of the Cattedown - You will see Arwen somewhere on occasions! 

https://gopro.com/v/9mrbw3Pb3nRW3

and below my take on events out of the Cattedown!! An unintentional masterclass from Kevin on how to sail well in blustery conditions.  Boy he and Polly are a good combination. '60 seconds and gone' 😂

https://youtu.be/YXgZFOUlROI

Kevin's YouTube channel can be found at 

https://youtube.com/@sailingpolly-adventuresona9709?si=gqLgRGTavi7raGlb

What does 'traditional' mean to you when applied to a small sailing boat?

 This post is based upon videos, discussions and comments had by members of the Small Traditional Sailing Boat Facebook group. I had already been thinking about the word 'traditional' for some time; since last year in fact, when a passer by made comment that Arwen had nice traditional lines and rig and was a very 'traditional' looking boat. The gent disappeared off before I could question him further, so I never got to unpick what it was he was eluding to. 

Most of the material in this blog post today comes from the STSB group. I have inserted a few of my own ideas - you can tell where  for as usual- they will make no sense to any one! 

I am one of the admins for the Facebook Group ‘Small Traditional Sailing Boats’; a group I joined on a whim and have since then been learning heaps from.   I know nothing about boats, so, I’m never sure I have anything of worth to contribute. After all, those who follow my blog know I came to sailing late in life. I built a boat before I learned to sail and I have only ever stepped aboard/sailed six other boats before Arwen – some different lasers (One, Pico, Stratos and Bahia), a Drascombe Coaster and a Wayfarer. I did two ‘learning to sail’ courses in the Med and a Day Skipper Three day course in Plymouth.  That is the sum total of my knowledge about boats, sailing and all things nautical!

The 'Small Traditional Sailing Boats' (STSB) group is lovely. Friendly, supportive, informative, passionate, knowledgeable, inspirational. Such positivity! A privilege to be a member of such a great group and if you are into small traditional sailing boats, I genuinely urge you to look up this group. You will not regret joining it.

So, as you can imagine, I have recently been fascinated by a series of conversations and discussions about what ‘Traditional’ means to individual group members. Below I have tried to summarise the points made by video contributors and some of the comment discussion that emerged afterwards. I may have got some of the arguments wrong or poorly expressed and so I proffer my humble apologies at the very start!

My deep thanks to Joe Farrow, Howard Rice, Vincent van der Post, Captain David Gardner, Nick Edmunds, Michael W Jones and Tom Cunliffe for taking the time to post informative, thoughtful videos on the group site. And of course, to all those who got involved in the discussions afterwards via comments. Thoroughly illuminating. And as always, as a novice sailor, I learned heaps!

“What does ‘traditional’ mean to me?”

When I first had this question posed to me, I panicked. My lamentable lack of knowledge about small traditional sailing boats was about to be put under the spotlight! I had no ideas in my head! At a push I can identify a Salcombe Yawl, a Cornish Shrimper, a Drascombe and a few of John Welsford’s designs. Push me on a very good day and I might be able to tell you the difference between a standing lug sail, a gaff rig and a Bermudian sail. Pitiful!

Anyway, this idea of ‘traditional’. What is my thinking on this now? What have I learned from the videos and discussions?

Having listened to all the discussions and read all the comments, I’m thinking ‘Traditional’ refers to the key characteristics/traits in a boat that reflect its historical design, construction methods and sailing rig/techniques; such things that make it different from more modern designs today. This would include discussions about form and function, building materials and modifications made. There is within the word ‘traditional’ also an implied ‘historical significance’ argument. In fact, some group members have argued that a boat can only be ‘traditional’ if it predates the advent of the gasoline engine (although a caveat to this is that modern adaptions of these old boats could be still called ‘traditional’ if they hold firm to the form and function of the original). Many contributors argued that ‘traditional’ boats vary in design based on the region, culture and specific purposes for which they were built.  The dhow in the Middle East or the felucca in Egypt, for example, were a product of their environment and culture, used as fishing boats and for transportation.  

If this is a broad summary of the discussions that emerged, it needs a little teasing apart, just for my own peace of mind and understanding as someone who knows little about boats.

At its simplest then, the term ‘Traditional’ is referring to a set of characteristics. Like, for example, the ‘building materials’ used in a small traditional sailing boat. Some argued that a ‘traditional’ boat would simply be constructed of  wood (oak, Cedar, mahogany), oil, tar, hemp, caulking and painting. Copper rivets perhaps. No epoxy, no glass sheathing, no modern materials.

‘Traditional’ could also refer to the design and construction techniques used in a small sailing boat – plank on frame, lapstrake/clinker construction; the fastening of wooden planks using various techniques such as riveting, caulking or other traditional joinery approaches. Is there something here to do with ‘hand-crafted’ as well? Those almost lost artisanal skills, that skilled craftsmen from the generations of boat builders and custodians before us, passed down? Does ‘tradition’ refer to constructional methods from a time ago that were based on the most effective and efficient use of materials and implements to hand at any given point in time?

Although not specifically mentioned in any discussion, I pause here because I wonder if associated with the argument above is another principle. Does ‘Traditional’ imply a ‘sense of responsibility’ we might feel to being the custodian of a small sailing boat? Carrying out regular maintenance using these old ‘traditional’ construction techniques to conserve old design features in our current boats? I may be clutching at straws here, for what do I know about boats in general? Nothing! But it strikes me that learning the old ‘traditional’ way of whipping and spicing your boat’s ropes, is preserving a sense of ‘traditional’ approach. Using the old hand plane passed down to me from my father, his father, and his father’s father, is another sense of ‘traditional’ is it not? That plane was used to create bevels in stringers and create flat surfaces for lapstrake planks to sit neatly against each other in Arwen. My father taught me how to use that plane correctly. His Father taught him. 'Traditional'!

 Which leads us back to another consideration around design and construction methods. That principle of ‘evolution’.  There was much discussion and comment on the group Facebook pages about this. Building materials and construction methods have evolved over time. We use more modern building methods/materials in our boats – wood can now be glass sheathed and joined with epoxy. Gaps can be filled with….you get the picture. So can we call these boats built like this, ‘traditional’? The consensus, with the odd objection, seemed to be yes. Someone observed that “most small boats today are a variation of a traditional design because most of their designers draw inspiration from what has worked in the past. They merely adapt/change things to meet the needs of current users today”.

But wait! This theme of ‘evolution’.  Is ‘traditional’ not also associated with the ‘changing form and function’ of a small sailing boat? There was much discussion about how ‘traditional’ refers to an interplay and balance between science and art? Between form and function?  Many ‘traditional’ boats evolved from workmanlike principles – their appearance, seakeeping qualities, how they handled in different seas, their simplicity of use for the job they were built for, their level of safety. Old working boats were a ‘product of their environment’ (and to a certain extent, their ‘cultural setting’, but I’ll come back to that before I confuse myself and you good reader any further); boats designed to function within particular locations with particular environmental constraints and working factors in mind. Did they have to be easy to maintain? Able to be efficient and effective under sail and oar? Easy and safe to sail single handed?  Boats over time thus evolved in shape, form and function; in comfort, volume, seaworthiness, shelter, draft, displacement, efficiency, safety, stability, ease of maintenance. "Adaptation of sensible solutions to particular work-related problems, scenarios and environments were made!", as one commentator noted. In which case, can a boat of wood with modern materials and building methods be deemed to be ‘traditional’ because it is based on traditional values, such as those to do with safety and seaworthiness, that were developed long ago?

Although not explicitly mentioned, I guess this argument can be seem in the development of sailing rigs. I personally associate the word ‘traditional’ with any small sailing boat with an 'old' style sailing rig. But then I am, as I have already said, quite naive and simplistic on these matters. But, surely certain rigs must have evolved under certain environmental, locational and working practice factors long ago?  Can it be this simple? Does ‘traditional’ imply some form of rigging choices? Classic designs like the various lug sail designs? The use of natural fibres – cotton, hemp, manilla? As a geographer, old landscape paintings fascinate me. Old coastal landscapes really fascinate me. Such paintings from the 17^th century onwards – do not many of the fishing boats within such scenes have various lug sail permutations? Why might this be? I sail a boat with a standing lug yawl sail plan. It is simple to use, dependable (especially in strong winds), easily repairable and easy to drop sail on. Spars and yards are short and easy to stow away within the boat as I set it  up for rowing. The rig performs well on most points of sail. Let go of the sheet and heave the mizzen tight and the boat sits there comfortably. I could see how old fishermen would use this rig, sure that they were safe whilst hauling back in their full nets. Tan sails hide the dirt and daily wear and tear. Lug sails - simple, efficient, rigged on a short mast with a minimum of running rigging. Its tack just aft of the mast and able to be set with or without a boom – mine has a sprit boom by the way. I’m going out on a limb here - for me, personally – a boat may have modern materials and building methods but if it is based on an old boat design and possesses an old well proven sailing rig, then it can be classed ‘traditional’. There I’ve said it; now where did I put my tin hat? Incoming!!

So, ‘traditional’ boats ‘evolved’ due to materials and construction methods but also of course to work demands – form and function meeting particular environmental and locational factors. Up my local river, the old Tamar barges evolved their form and function to negotiate shallow creeks and tidal mudbanks/flats.  Flat bottomed to trade where there was no quayside; drop keels to overcome leeway and currents; a simple wide voluminous hull with flat transom, rounded bows and shallow draft – function and form. Probably not a good example, but the best I can come up with at short notice! But, in saying this, is there now another aspect to do with the word ‘traditional’? One of aesthetics?

‘Traditional’ refers to this aspect does it not, surely? Elegant lines that reflect the historical context in which it was built? Decorative elements, traditional paintwork?  Maybe I am clutching at straws again on this one as well.

There is a cultural context to the use of the word ‘traditional’. Some boats are ‘traditional’ because of their historical significance within a particular area - their use for centuries with minimal changes to design; the cultural importance they are held in within a particular region, community or ethnic grouping.  

‘Traditional’ can also be a personal interpretation. Although this aspect was barely explored, it was mentioned in discussions. Perhaps a boat can be termed ‘traditional’ because of the feelings/emotions it evokes when you see it or step aboard it. This is a personal interpretation, individualistic to each of us. It is a ‘feeling’ we have towards a particular design/small boat; an instinct about how it looks and how it will behave out on the water. Aesthetic appeal, the smell of varnish/paint, the amount of varnished wood and hemp rope on show. Its simplicity of design and line, sense of internal space and generosity of freeboard. The sense of confidence it instils in us regarding its safety and seaworthiness. The emotions the vessel provokes through sound and smell – the creaking spar against the mast, the rhythmic clunk of a centreboard in its case; the bubbles and ripples along its hull as it surges forward.

In a similar vein, can ‘traditional’ also relate to the ‘experiences’ we have within a particular small sailing boat? Arwen’s natural haunt is sniffing up the creeks, lakes, marshes and upper river reaches of the Tamar system. Centreboard bouncing along mudflat edges, rapid sequences of tacking in narrow river channels. We follow in the sailing courses of the old Tamar barge and farm produce boat skippers as they once hauled cargo between the old quaysides, lime kilns, farming hards, brickworks and old mines that litter the slopes of this extensive Devon and Cornish valley. Within these waters, I have to develop an understanding of tidal river fluid dynamics - those currents and eddies; how the wind spills off different slopes and where the treacherous mud banks might be found, ready to trap and ground you. Where currents, reedbeds and ‘huffing’ the margins can give you a lift around the next meander bend. The peace and solitude I get, the appreciation of the river valleys and their quirks. The skills I use to navigate into the upper most reaches by pole, oar and sail – reminiscent of those once used by the barge and small trading boat skippers of old. ‘Traditional’ skills and knowledge used way back then and still used today. Essentially its ‘traditional’ seamanship/boatmanship, is it not?

Finally, there was a beautiful argument made about whether a ‘traditional’ boat is one that attracts interesting people alongside it. Such people will recognise certain elements of form, function, design and aesthetics that have their origins in the past. These people appreciate a wooden boat! They appreciate that wood has been used as a boat build material for centuries. They appreciate that this wood came from a forest and was worked on – shaped, formed. It was held together by natural fastenings using old working methods. Such interesting people who come to admire a small boat know and understand the rhythms of nature; they understand timing! How the length of a person’s lifespan can be measured in the length of the life of a wooden boat. It’s a nice perceptive observation. Arwen often draws many admirers. Not for her smart appearance I might add, for she is a much-neglected vessel in needs of some serious cosmetic TLC. No, people comment on her lines, her ‘traditional’ sail plan and its numerous advantages; her hull shape and its seakeeping properties. How she handles in a blow. Those elements are recognisable by those who know!

So, have I clarified my thinking on what does ‘traditional’ mean when applied to a small sailing boat?

I’m beginning to! I think! May be not yet! 

Have I accurately summarised the discussion points from group members with simplicity and clarity – I very much doubt that and so I humbly apologise for this failing!

Perhaps the last words, as way of a summary, should be left to some commentators from the STSB group. One observed that “what defines a boat as ‘traditional’ can be based on different regions, cultures and eras. It can encompass a wide range of designs and construction methods that evolved over time due to particular locational, environmental and working demands. But, what is possibly important is that the term ‘traditional’ places emphasis on preserving historical construction, design and sailing methods”.

Another noted “are what we now all sail developmental hybrids of those early work boats adapted to a society with time on their hands for recreation?”

I think Michael W Jones may have had it right when he observed “Don’t worry about strict definitions of ‘traditional’. Take your boat, adapt it to your needs. Make sure it is safe, simple, easy to use and easy to rig. Go and have fun sailing it.”

If you want to contribute further to the debate on what does ‘traditional’ mean to you in the context of a small sailing boat – then why not find one of the conversation threads using the group homepage search bar and add in your comments.