Matthew,
good idea to start a separate thread, there has been some discussion in the background regarding this and we hope that Matt Newlands will enter with his contributions. I will add further comment in the new thread.
For Peter Cockerton's info, the handle "rock doctor" is reference to my former profession as a geologist. I specialised in iron ore and was consulting to a range of clients in Australia, India, N and S America, Africa and Russia over the past 13 years. Happily all that and the consequent travel is finished and back to sailing.