Free Stuff: Helping to get and stay afloat

Free Stuff

Helping to get and stay afloat

The crew of Froo Gal keeps an eye out for free things, discounts and bargains. Here are a few that we have seen recently:

1. Yachting on the Cheap [Kindle Edition], available from Amazon. The reviews suggest that this is a book for those just starting out with sailing or aspiring to it rather than for the experienced sailor. Although I have yet to read it, I like this kind of book. Its contents might be mostly common sense and conventional sailing wisdom, but reading the experiences of others is always though provoking for me. And who knows if you like the book you might just do the author a favour and buy the hard copy (4.95 GBP).

2. Join Freecycle (or Snaffleup). Freecycle is an efficient way to recycle low value goods within your local community. As a boat owner you might need an off-cut of plywood.  Freecycle could be the place it find it if you are prepared to wait. Similarly, rather than dumping your unwanted items at the local tip, give them away on Freecycle. One man's rubbish is another's treasure. Snaffleup seems to be used for larger items - furniture, bicycles, white goods.  Gumtree and Craigslist have a similar freebie sections.

3. Free Apps. There are may useful apps for the sailor. Just browse the Appstore on your iPhone or iPad. Our favourites include anchor watch and GPS type apps. As mentioned previously mAIS is the next on our list to try. More generally games and gadgets can be fun. iNetHack is a good one for middle aged game geeks -- a free 70s game repackaged for the iPhone.
 
4. Frugl (the App). There has been a lot in the press about this one (frugl.com). It is a channel for discounted (affordable) and free events (gigs, etc.) in London, but expect it will branch out once it has established a brand. Travel is already part of the portfolio. The founder Suzanne Noble is candid about the business, saying it is hard to generate revenue whilst building a user base.  Good luck from the Froo Gal crew!

5. Sailing novels. Free e-books and a cheap reader is a great way of saving on the cost of books:Sailing Alone Around the World by Joshua Slocum and A Sea Queen's Sailing by Charles W. Whistle caught my eye. Others include,The Cruise of the Elena by James Ewing Ritchie, Elsie Yachting with the Raymonds by Martha Finley and Up the River by Oliver Opti. Classics that are out of copyright are plentiful. Sailor might try, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne, Across the Spanish Main by Harry Collingwood, Adrift in a Boat
by W.H.G. Kingston, Adventures in Southern Seas by George Forbes, Moby Dickby Herman Melville and Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, to name but a few.

6. Sailing Freebies. Nomad Sailing has a freebie page that compiles links to free things of use or interest to the sailor. It current contains sail calculators, worksheets, tutorials and games. The UK Maritime an Coasguard Agency sent us (on request) some very useful leaflets and sticky-backed aides memoirs -- Mayday and medical emergency check lists. They are perfect for display next to the VHF radio on Froo Gal, a must-have for any seagoing vessel.

7. Free online sailing course modules. NauticEd offers a couple of free tutorials online. There are other similar companies that offer similar tasters. You to try one to reinforce your training, self-development or just to get a feel for a particular training provider - try before you buy. Why not give one a go when it is blowing a gale and you don't want to leave your mooring or the yacht club?

8. Free Advice. Members of the Royal Yachting Association are able to get free legal advice, advice on sailing abroad and lots other useful information.  Topics include safety and regulations, boating and the environment and practical information about buying and owning a boat.


Understand the difference between cost, price and value!