Daisy Grace

Keeping a warm bed.

2012-01-30T20:02:00.000Z

I was in DIY emporium and spotted a roll of insulation which consisted of a layer of bubble wrap sandwiched between two toughened layers of aluminium foil. I thought that it could go under the cushions to make the bunks a bit softer (the cushions are thin) and should make them warmer as well. So I bought a roll and cut it to go under the Vee berth. There is enough to go under the short side bench, but I'll need another roll if I want to do the quarter berth. It certainly feels warmer to sit on than the hard plywood. It can't do any harm. Easy to cut and a bit of double sided tape holds it in place. I have cut out the hatches, so they can still be lifted.

Bottom scrubbing

2012-01-28T21:22:00.001Z

I have spent the day scrubbing the waterline and scraping barnacles off the bottom. The Coppercoat is very good, but a few barnacles do establish. Leaving them a few months to tackle seems to make them come of more easily. I presume the poor things are long dead. The antifoul boot top scrubs off quite cleanly with a plastic pan scouring pad. The problem is getting the paint either side clean enough for masking tape to stick to before I can repaint it. I have got one side half taped. I am going to widen the boot top considerably in the back half of the boat. The hull is nearly parallel with the water surface back there, and quite a bit of weed could grow on the paint surface above the boot top.

I have also carried the boot top round the bottom to the stainless steel rudder head, which does grow quite a bit of weed.

New cushions

2012-01-23T18:27:00.000Z

Looking very chic. My wife has made me new cushions and matching covers for the two pillows I carry. The interior is looking far better now. The pillows also make very comfortable back supports in the cabin, which was not the case before. The wooden seat backs are just far enough back to bring your head up against the cabin top sides, forcing you to lean forward slightly. I had planned to fit permanent padded backs to the wooden rails, but these firm pillows work just as well and can be taken out of the way if you want.

Very little more to do in the cabin now. I still need to scrub the waterline and paint that, plus touching up some of the exterior work. But nearly read to go sailing.

Anchor rope

2012-01-22T15:30:00.000Z

Long outstanding job done. I have fitted a large cleat in one of the anchor lockers for the end of the anchor rode. Only just room to get a hand drill into the locker to drill into the samson post for the cleat. I usually store the anchor in the starboard locker and the rode in the port. They will all go into one, but it is very tight and you don't want to be struggling trying to get the anchor away on the fore deck. I have toyed with the idea of chocks for the anchor on the deck. I'll think further on that.

I have put a proper eye splice in the end of the anchor rode. First one I have made for years. I learnt how to do them 24 years ago in my "shore based competent crew course". I really ought to get a more advanced qualification some day...

I still can't decide if the hull needs a new coat of paint. I will do it if I can find a cheap tin of Donegal Green at the West Midlands boat jumble in a fortnight. If there isn't any, I will just touch up scratches with the half tin I have still got.

Rudder fittings

2012-01-22T11:02:00.000Z

The rudder head has a lot of movement on its two pivot bolts. I had decided they needed replacing, so after a lot of heaving and propping, I got the top one out and slotted a new one in. Not easy as the clearance is very exact. Lining up the rudder and transom hole was not trivial. After finger tightening the nut, there was still a lot of play. I then tried just tightening the nuts on both top and bottom bolts, and now there is minimum play. They just needed tightening,not replacing. Good to find out in a dry shed rather than on a tidal beach, even worse, at sea. The bolts are in a horribly confined space. You can only get 1/12 of a spanner turn each go, so it takes a long time to get the nut secured. I will replace both nyloc nuts before I launch.

Mainly rope work

2012-01-21T21:59:00.001Z

I have been fiddling with ropes much of today. Fittings new lanyards to the shrouds. They will need a bit of stretching. New tie downs for the spray hood, to be the right length this year. New tackles for the centreboard up haul and down haul. New lazy jacks. Spent some time simply heat knifing the ends of overlong and fraying ropes, which have needed doing for over a year.

I have also fitted a steel eye plate to the underside of the gallows to hook the main sheet onto when I am towing, just so it has somewhere obvious to go. So no big jobs, just lots of tidying up loose ends, literally. Still to tackle the waterline...

New jib sheet blocks

2012-01-18T09:33:00.000Z

I have finally replaced the jib sheet blocks. All blocks on the jib sheet arrangement were undersized originally and led to far too much friction. But they are expensive, so I have only replaced them gradually. I could have just used a thinner jib sheet, but with no winches, a thicker sheet is easier on the hands. The original blocks were also swivel blocks, as they were attached to the sliding cars, and that just leads to them twisting the now doubled sheet. I had jammed them with cable ties, but that just increased the friction more. So I finally have these two new ones, and now everything runs smoothly. I bought a dyneema soft shackle at the Southampton Boat Show and will use that to link the sheets to the jib's clew.

Little jobs progress

2012-01-16T20:48:00.001Z

The big jobs are largely done, so Iam working at lots of little ones. As small as putting in a line to hang tea towels on (there has got to be one somewhere). I have also put a small upstand at the back of one of the seat backs, which means it will neatly hold the life jackets in place. I have also sent the sprayhood off to have its two new windows inserted.

The area of green paint which looked damaged came up clean with a hard rub, it was only superficial, so there is no need to repaint the whole hull, it is quite sound. I need to do the antifoul boot top, which means some unpleasant scrubbing of old slime. I am going to extend the white line at the stern, as the watermark is quite clear and some way up the green. But it is too cold for painting just now.

Cockpit tent experiments

2012-01-08T22:16:00.000Z

I have been experimenting with old table cloths and bits of tarpaulin, to see how a cockpit tent might work. The answer is really rather well. There could be a central "flat roof" section, between the back edge of the spray hood and the boom gallows. Then a simple wall on either side , which could be rolled up easily. The internal space would be very usable because it would be high for its whole width. There may be a risk of rain getting in through the roof, which would be fairly flat, but I think it could all work. If made of a thin canvas, it might even roll up and be stored on the gallows making it quick to fit and remove. I have had a rough quote of 400-500 pounds from a sail maker in Poole for a tent of this rough size.

What I am planning to do is to have two new triangular windows fitted in the sides of the spray hood. They are terrible blind spots if you are trying to shelter and sail with the hood up. I have had a quote of 64 pounds for both windows, which I think is good. Less than the cost of a tank of diesel these days. I have marked the windows and just need to find a box to pack the hood into.

Cockpit Chart holder

2012-01-07T19:06:00.000Z

I am working on small refinements. I like to prop up a chart in the cockpit (I have got the discontinued Admiralty Tough Charts for the areas from Devon to the Isle of Wight. I really like them, but they didn't sell too well. I think so many motor boats use GPS chart plotters that these never really had a market. You can still get them on ebay) The bulkhead holds them at a perfect angle, but there is always a risk that they will blow away. So now I have fitted a single bungy across each side, which should just hold them secure. The bottom is held nicely by the wooden deck pad, so that gives it a bit more justification

Tiller extension finished and fitted

2012-01-06T09:31:00.000Z

The extension is stained, varnished and fitted. Feels very solid and I can use it whilst sitting right forward under the spray hood or standing, which I like to do in tight spaces or shallow water. I cold probably have put quite a bit more curve into it, but it is probably easier to use without too much. It is not for hiking out, that's not my sort of sailing.

Tiller extension

2011-12-31T13:00:00.000Z

I have started making a tiller extension. I didn't want to use an of the peg one, partly because they seem so expensive for a bit of aluminium tube. I bought a hinge and cut a piece of softwood to fit. I want it to lie neatly along the tiller, so this required a slight curve, which was the other problem with a bought one, they are straight. I curved it by using a hot air gun on the underside whilst I bent it in a vice. Worked just nicely, with a slight scorch mark under the curve, which lenads an artisan air to it. It was slightly loose at the hinge so I stiffened it up with two glued wedges, which stick out on the photo. These have now been cut back. I glued a cheek on each side of the handle area and will carve them to a comfortable grip.

Outboard fairing flap

2011-12-27T14:19:00.001Z

One of the flaps in the outboard well had broken off. I have managed to get a meter of slot strip, which is plastic reinforced with sail cloth. I sandwiched a piece of fibreglass tissue between two lengths of it and glued the whole lot together with epoxy. This seems to have made a suitable strip. I unscrewed the covering board underneath and slid in the new bit and all seems well. I don't think it needs antifouling in practise, but it looks a bit bright at the moment.

I have been washing down the superstructure ready for sanding and painting. She is remarkably dirty.

Everything must earn its place

2011-12-20T09:24:00.002Z

One of the old sailing mantras is that everything on board must have at least two uses to justify its being carried. My new gallows supports the mast when lowered, the mast, boom and mizzen when towing and the boom at anchor. It holds the lateral navigation lights up where they can be seen. It also gives me a secure, easily visible spot to fix my trailer lighting board, which is much more visible than the current end of trailer location hidden away under the boat. That's five uses already. If I get around to it, it will also be the end frame to a spray hood extension. With six uses, I think that just about justifies it.

Boom gallows finished

2011-12-16T09:55:00.000Z

Gallows painted, with just a little touch up needed when I paint the rest of the boat. Wiring and navigation lights went on without a problem and it is all done. Feels quite firm, but the bases are held just by six screws. There would be a lot of leverage on them if someone crashed into the gallows, but I don't think that should be a great risk.

The only new bits I still want to add to the boat are a tiller extension, which I will start on in the new year, and some extra windows in the spray hood, which I will get done professionally some time.. After that it is just cleaning painting and getting ready for the next season.

New navigation lights ready for fitting

2011-12-06T18:50:00.000Z

I have got my navigation lights from Piplers of Poole. Neat little LED lumps which are designed for RIBS but I think they will be just fine for me. They should draw under 2W between them.

I have fitted the stern light without much trouble. The side lights will have to wait until I have painted the booms gallow support and screwed it in place. Then I can put one at each end.

I have wired them in temporarily to check that the basic idea works and it does. I shall feel much safer sailing around in the gloaming, which often happens to me when I am looking for good anchorage in the evening.

Wiring covers finished

2011-11-28T22:13:00.000Z

Took the clamps off and the wooden quadrants over the stern light's wiring stayed firmly in place, which was a relief. I managed to clear up the epoxy squirts before they had gone rock hard which is good. It is an awkward position to sand. I will probably paint the quadrants to match the rest of the super structure. I don't think they will stain to match the edging as they are softwood. Just waiting for the lights to arrive so I can check wiring holes and then fit them. Once they are on the main jobs left are painting the super structure.

I am not sure the hull needs another coat of paint. It looks pretty good apart form some chips where the anchor goes up and down. That will inevitably get chipped again, so I think some touching up is all that is worth doing. The boot top anti-fouling does need repainting. Nearly all of it had come off by the end of the season. But it did the job.

Navigation light wiring in place

2011-11-27T15:56:00.000Z

I have routed two 5Amp wires around the cockpit, which link the port, starboard and stern navigation lights in parallel. The wires are hidden the under the side decks completely when running to the side lights, but the pop up into the open to reach the stern light. I have fitted a softwood moulding in each corner of the coaming, right at the stern, which covers them nicely there. I will paint the wood eventually and it will not notice to anyone.

Round the back of the coaming I have run the wires under the projecting hardwood edging, covered by a quadrant moulding which I had planed out at the back to form a run for them. I had to heat bend the moulding to get any chance of fitting it. The first go I inevitably bent it the wrong way and had to cut another length. The whole lot is now clamped on an epoxy bed, which I hope will hold it. About the trickiest clamping I have had to do. Nothing is parallel or thick enough t get a grip on. I wouldn't be surprised if the whole lot didn't just fall off when I release the clamps.

Ready for the finishing stages

2011-11-24T21:08:00.000Z

I am varnshing the wooden pads, book shelves and strips with Tonkinois varnish, which is taking an age to dry in this humid cold weather, so it will be a long job. I have fiddled and got the wiring from the switch box ready to connect to the navigation lights. I have bored new holes through the second flat fender and cut the ropes to length, so I can hang them very quickly off small cleats on the inside of the coamings. And I have ordered the navigation lights and topsides paint from Piplers in Poole. I think I know how I will run the light wires around, and will start on it over the weekend. I can't do any painitng until Ihave given the boat a thorough clean as she is filthy.

Bookshelf arrangement

2011-11-21T13:54:00.000Z

This shows the strips and blocks screwed to an MDF board which makes up my bookshelf unit. It just drops onto the existing shelf behind the upstand. It doesn't look quite so neat now, after I spilt linseed oil all over it. I have decided to varnish the woodwork after oiling, as the plain oiled wood looks lovely but really picks up the dirt. I have just ordered some "Tonkinois" varnish for the job.

Gallows shaped and finished, ready for paintng.

2011-11-21T09:31:00.000Z

The gallows cross beam is cut to length, mahogany ends glued on and the whole thing sanded ready for painting. Planing mahogany is a delight. Long dark shavings coming off smoothly. The temptation to keep on planing just for the pleasure of it is hard to resist. I will stain the ends and the spar support bracket and paint the wood ivory to match the superstructure.

I have drilled the beam for the navigation lights and threaded through two wires just to see if it can be done. These wires are not the final ones, they are not long enough. I still have to work out how they will go round the back of the boat. There is no obvious hidden route and access into the rear compartment is not that easy. Another for the wait-and-see department.

Cabin works advancing

2011-11-20T21:32:00.000Z

I have fitted a false back to one of the backrests in the cabin. This gives just enough room for a few A2 sized charts to be slid in behind the seat. I have had the charts laminated at a local print shop so they should be fairly indestructible.

I have built up two simple little book shelves on the forward cabin shelf. I had fitted an MDF base to the shelf a year ago, and the bookshelf sides are just screwed to it. They will only hold a few, but that is all I carry. I carefully masked all round the wood so that I could oil it without staining the MDF. Finished the job by knocking over the bottle of linseed oil, sending it flying over everything. So much for preparation.

Boom gallows work

2011-11-20T14:09:00.000Z

I have finished the wedges at each end of the beam and the whole thing screws up really tightly and feels quite firm. The three spars slot in fine, but with little spare length for the boom. The shroud shackles on the mast just touch the mizzen mast when stowed, which is a shame. Just another millimetre apart and they wouldn't have touched at all. I don't think it will be a problem.

I have bolted on the tabernacle support. I had to widen the boom slot slightly as the goose neck fitting has to fit in as well. everything is quite firm. I am going to fit bungee hold down cords, which will be all that is needed to hold things in place.

You can see the wedges at each end. I am going to cut off the beam beyond each wedge and epoxy on a mahogany end cap. I have also drilled through the beam for navigation light fittings. I had thought I would have to level up the ends for the lights, but they are so close to horizontal that I don't think I need to. The boat will be rolling and heeling anyway.

Boom gallows shaping up

2011-11-19T22:57:00.000Z

The struts are cut to length, and angle. The spar support bracket is glued to the curved beam and I have epoxied bigger backing pads to the outside of the coaming to stiffen the whole thing up. I haven't matched the angle between the top of the struts and the cross beam as closely as I had hoped, so I am gluing on some wedges to give a firm base to screw the struts through. I still need to cut the beam to its final length and I may glue on a mahogany end trim. The beam will be painted ivory to match the cockpit.

The further plan is to run wires up through the struts to navigation lights at each end of the beam. I have seen some nice LED ones which would fit on neatly and only draw 1W or less. There will be easy access to the mizzen and no obstruction to lounging on the side decks. And as planned, I can take it all off by just unscrewing it if I don't like it.

Mast support bracket take two (and three)

2011-11-16T21:28:00.000Z

I wasn't happy with my first mast and boom support bracket. It was too big and clumsy. I had left room around each spar and they were far too loose. I have cut a completely new one, using hole saws and jig saws to make cut outs that fit the spars. They all slot in nicely and the whole bracket is wider and lower. If the fit is close, there will be no movement and no chafe. That is the theory in any case.

I used the gallows support to trace out a matching support to fit on a block at the tabernacle. I cut this from the last largish piece of Robbins 18mm marine ply, which I have been hoarding for over a year. Again, it fits really neatly. I need to sand and round of everything, epoxy the gallows block in place and then finish the gallows supports, which I can't do until this beam and bracket is finished . All being well it will be done and ready for painting after the weekend.

Mast support bracket

2011-11-15T10:06:00.000Z

I have roughed our a mast support bracket in a piece of my old mahogany table top. It is shaped to hold the boom at any time it is lowered, or to hold the lowered mast centrally without crushing the sail track. The boom and mizzen should stow either side of it in the angled recesses. I need to drill for restraining bungee cords and hooks yet. I will fit a similar shaped support at the tabernacle. All being well it should mean that the rig can be lowered and stowed rapidly. Currently, I can get the mast down in seconds, but it takes a remarkably long time to lash everything securely in place. I hope this arrangement will allow me to do it all in just a couple of minutes. I have lined the bracket with a strip of vinyl flooring, but may change that to something more refined. Soft leather would be ideal but I don't think I have got any.

Boom support "beam" out of the mould

2011-11-14T11:47:00.000Z

The cross beam is out of the clamps. I am quite pleased for a first lamination. It is very strong. I stood on teh centre and it just flattened out slightly. The angles of the ends don't quite match the angles of the supports on the tops of the stanchions, but it is close and a couple of thin wedges will fit it all into place. There were some gaps along the edge of one joint on the underside. which I couldn't see, but I have worked some extra epoxy into it and it should be fine. A lot of sanding needed before I could run a plane along each edge. I need to sand each wide face smooth as there are a number of epoxy dribbles on them.

Boom and mast support

2011-11-13T18:35:00.000Z

I have always wanted some form of boom gallows. Partly to speed things up when raising and lowering the mast, and partly to form a basis of a cockpit tent/spray hood extension. I also hate having loose things the lying around in the cockpit or hidden away in the cabin. The boom scissors I have work fine, but they just irritate me. My latest attempt will use two guard rail stainless steel stanchions, secured to the cockpit coaming as far back as they can go and still support the lowered boom. I have fitted two wedges to make the base fittings parallel. (I must confess that I glued one wedge on the wrong way round and had to chisel it off and start all over again.)

Joining the stanchions will be a curved, laminated cross beam, made from four think softwood planks, braced in a curve and glued together. I have never laminated anything like this before.When I first clamped the boards, all of the chocks I had carefully nailed along the curve on the workbench just pulled out. Eventually I screwed them all down to the bench with 4 inch screws. All of the jig is covered in parcel tape and all four layers epoxied together, so hopefully in the morning the bits which should stick together do so, and then bits that shouldn't, don't. I am also thinking of fitting side navigation lights onto the ends of the gallows, which will get them fairly high but keep them out of the way. As always, we shall see.

Oiling wood and boring holes in foam rubber...

2011-11-11T11:44:00.000Z

I have spent the last week linseed oiling various bits of wood. Firstly, the two doormat pads, which I have now screwed to the side decks. I have found that I can screw them down firmly without the screws penetrating the plywood underneath, so I have left them like that, without any glue underneath. That means they will be easy to remove if necessary (mainly if I decide they look god awful). I have also narrowed my original cockpit table and added two up-stands to the short edges. This means that when it is propped in front of the companionway it forms a comfortable seat with your legs in the cabin, and that it doesn't stop you opening the cockpit locker. It has got the table leg socket screwed to the underside and lives in the cabin when sailing. All pieces have had six coats of linseed oil, which leaves a wonderful colour and surface.

Secondly, I have bored two holes through the width of one of my flat fenders. This means I can thread ropes down through them, so that they hang better and the ropes don't get in the way of them being used as cockpit cushions. I puzzled over how to bore these long holes for some time. In the end I bought a length of 8mm aluminium pipe, filed some grooves in one and and then pushed and twisted it into the foam rubber. That worked quite well, but I quickly discovered I could speed up the process just by whacking the end of the tube with a hammer and blasting it through. Threading the rope was tricky, but I managed to feed it into the tube, and then pull the tube out, leaving the rope in place. I have repositioned the fender cleats so that I don't trip over the ropes and can quickly hang the fenders in place. I need to do the other fender, but my tube is full of foam rubber, so I don't know if it will go through so easily next time.

Wooden "door mats"

2011-11-02T21:18:00.000Z

One thing that has bothered me for a long time is the damage and mess on the side decks from people's feet (mainly mine). Whether getting in from a dinghy or off a pontoon or off a ladder in the shed, you tend to step on the deck and grind your foot around as you swivel to get on. It means there is always a dirty patch just by the cabin bulkhead. I thought of fitting a fake teak deck, but at £500 just for the strips (it's only polyurethane for goodness sake) that was a non-starter.

Then I pondered various ways of fitting timber slats on the side decks. I think that could work, but the edges and back of the deck curve, they are not parallel and there is a large locker lid in one deck. I didn't think I could do a good enough job. So I have plumped for solid wood "door mats", one each side, just by the cabin, where you step in. Their width is determined by the space between the bulkhead and the locker lid. I have made them from edge laminated softwood boards, which I have found is stable and strong even on a boat. I think they look quite good. I will screw them from underneath onto sealant and then use linseed oil to finish the tops and edges.

Let there be even more light

2011-10-29T14:25:00.000+01:00

I have fitted two small switchable LED light units over the Vee berth. Very pleased with the results. I now have controllable light in all parts. The total wattage of all internal lights is less than 4 watts, so the battery and solar panel (rated at 10 Watts) should be able to cope easily.
One curious discovery. The lights are mounted on a plywood base, which I hollowed out to hold the connections. I marked the fitting positions with a ball point pen. when I painted the base, by the time the paint dried, the pen marks had migrated to the surface. After a second coat, the same thin. It looked like I had drawn with the pen on top of the paint. Very curious.

I am also planning to make two very small book shelves either side of the big shelf in the fore peak. It is too low and shallow to allow books to be fore-and-aft, but I can get in a few side to side. So much for getting junk off the boat

Top coat on

2011-10-27T11:40:00.000+01:00

Rubbing down the edge of the primer with white spirit before it was set hard worked well. No noticeable edge to the painted patch. I have applied a single top coat and I am pleased with the result. There is a very slight undulation, but as I mentioned earlier, that is the case with the hull in many areas. I will rub down the very slight raised edge later. I will then overcoat the whole hull at a later stage.

I have also roughed out a support base to two interior lights. Once that is painted I will fix it in place and if it all works, that will be the interior electrics completed. And it isn't even November yet!

Cracked area primed

2011-10-26T10:53:00.000+01:00

I have masked off and primed the area of the crack, and I'm really quite pleased with the result. Not absolutely smooth, but no part of the hull is. this is bent plywood, not moulded plastic. If you crouch down and peer up at reflected light, you can just about make out a slightly raised area where the fairing compound was applied, but looked at straight, it is invisible. I will try to rub down the vertical edges of the primer this evening with a little white spirit before it goes hard. That should feather the edge sufficiently for an overcoat to hide it.

Cracked hull filled and smoothed

2011-10-25T09:49:00.000+01:00

I filled the prepared area with epoxy mixed with light weight fairing filler (micro-balloons, which I think are miniature glass bubbles) and left that to set. It looks like polyfilla, but as it sets by curing rather than drying I gave it 24hours to set. It is sandable, but much harder than the aforementioned polyfilla. Fortunately I bought a power sander a few weeks ago, so just kept at it until eventually I couldn't feel any roughness or protuberances when I closed my eyes and ran my fingers over it. Fingers are amazingly sensitive. Areas which looked perfectly smooth could feel distinctly rough. I shall prime it and overcoat it and leave it at that, as I plan to sand the whole hull and repaint it later in the winter.

I have got two little LED cabin lights to fix over the fore peak Vee berths. I will need to make a small wooden baseplate for them so that the wires can run in from underneath. The four cabin lights should draw only about 3 watts in total, so my 20Ah battery should be able to cope easily. Interestingly (to me anyway) the solar panel on the cabin roof is showing a charge to the battery just from the daylight coming in through the shed window. It also charges whenever the fluorescent lights are turned on. I have reconnected the battery meter on the switch panel and it shows the battery still as fully charged.

Painful repairs

2011-10-22T18:34:00.000+01:00

It had to be done, but it hurt to start. I've started on the crack in the hull. Squirting Araldite into it just after it happened worked, it is all bone dry. I used a hot air gun to soften the paint and scraped most of it off. Then went over with a power sander along all of the crack. At each end it is just a hairline crack in the surface veneer, which just needs filling. In the centre the plywood has delaminated a bit. I have opened it up with a Stanley knife so there is room to inject some slightly thickened epoxy. Then I think just a bit of fairing and sanding will finish it off. It is not in a stressed area, so I think no need for major surgery.

I like my semi-bulkhead, so I am fixing it in place permanently. I pulled off the timber strips on the ceiling which held it in place and I have worked an epoxy fillet in one one side. When that has cured I will repeat on the other side. It looks a bit messy here but it is actually quite smooth. Once it is all painted it should look like it has always been there. These are the main epoxy jobs I need to do, and I wanted to complete them before it gets too cold. My shed is unheated.

Internalwiring progresses

2011-10-17T20:46:00.000+01:00

I have wired in a switch for the main cabin lights, so they can be turned on and off independently of the main light switch. I have also fitted two long wires leading into the forepeak, so that I can fit some bunk lights up there. I had forgotten that for once I had wired in litle screw terminals so that I could attach new items easily, and it was all quite straight forward. I will have depth sounder and GPS on one main switch, cabin lights on a second and the third will be for some navigation lights. I have fitted two tail wires for that, so that I don't have to open up the switch panels again. That still leaves me with a cigarette lighter outlet, which I use for recharging my VHF and my mobile phone. I can't see that I shall need any more switches, which is just as well, as I don't have any more.

Dinghy really is a boat, she floats

2011-10-16T19:08:00.000+01:00

We launched her on the local river, which can only be used for about 50 yards between overhanging trees. She floats level and takes two quite comfortably. The longitudinal seat makes it easy to balance, but I need to move the rowlocks closer to the stem. Other than that I am very pleased. I can really say I have built a boat now.

I am still working on tidying up the wiring in Daisy G and I have now got a spur for navigation lights, to be fit at some stage. I still need to fit a spur for lights in the forepeak, which I want to improve reading in bed. Not sure the winter is long enough to get it all done.

Floor alterations just about completed

2011-10-15T22:23:00.000+01:00

I have just about completed the alterations to the cabin sole. The pipe linking the ballast tanks is now hidden from view and I have a secure place for my bucket (an important item in any boat. I brought mine back form India as hand luggage.) I have still to refit the battery restraining strap and then to paint the plywood. I have also bored a hole between the battery space and the back end of the berth, so that wiring can pass directly between the battery and the switch panel without wrapping it around the edge of the bulkhead. There is a lot of rationalising of the wiring to be done.

I have also extended the half step in the sole by the water tank to fill that whole area. (The half step is there to cover over the bilge pump pipe and its strum box which comes into the cabin just there.) This allows me to put in the cool box in a fore and aft position, which makes it easier to get at when the table is open. Now that the sole is complete, I will take it all up so that I can thoroughly dry out the bilge and boat floors, slop some preservative over those floors and eventually refit them all and lay new carpets tiles. I will be able to lift any section of the sole just by undoing about four screws.

Working on the floor in the cabin

2011-10-13T22:38:00.000+01:00

I have needed to sort out the floor all year. Small amounts of water get into the cabin through the companion way and from the engine when I stow it inside. These build up under the floor and slosh out when the boat is healed. I can't lift the floor easily as it is a double layer of plywood and you have to take up all of it to get at the bilge. So I have replaced the bottom layer just with strips of plywood over the floors and then a single layer over the top. This can be removed in sections if necessary to sponge out any dribbles.

I have also started boxing in properly under the companion way where the portaloo and battery sit. Work half done, but I managed to burn out a fuse on the battery by trying to see what happened if I touched two wires together. Doh! Hopefully Halfords will have a replacement. The space for the portloo is so tight for height that I had to plane of the backside of the plywood before it would slide in. That means it won't move at sea.

I haven't started on the crack repair yet as I am out of epoxy resin and I am waiting until Rutlands have one of their 15% off everything and free postage sales before I buy some more. They are the cheapest then.

How to store a dinghy

2011-10-09T14:53:00.000+01:00

Hang it from the roof.

In the summer I am planning to hang it upside down so I can lower it down onto a roof rack. Just need to figure out an easy way to get it off the rack at the other end. I can't store a dinghy at my marina. They don't have the room and so they provide a little fleet of dinghys you can borrow.

Sailing dinghy

2011-10-08T19:15:00.000+01:00

Here is the little dinghy with Daisy G's mizzen n place.I think it might just work. saves having to carry a seperate sailing rig for her. The mast heel needs to be sorted out, it is quite loose.

Portuguese baby is finished

2011-10-07T12:31:00.000+01:00

My little project is finished. I have just fitted a length of Daisy Grace's old main sheet around the gunwales as a fender. I'm am quite pleased with the way she looks, although the deck looks a bit like it was just dropped on top (which it was). I need to get a set of roof bars for my car before I can get her anywhere near water. We live on top of a limestone hill and there isn't a drop of free standing water around here.

I must cut back on junk on board

2011-10-05T21:37:00.000+01:00

I have just spent the evening unloading everything from Daisy G and as always it horrifies me how much stuff I carry on board. Each year I promise not to do it. But it has all come out, all of the lockers are open and there are just some ropes left to remove which are shackled on (sheets and kicking strap.) At the weekend I hope to push her outside to give her a good scrub down before I start on any repairs and alterations. I enjoy the off season almost as much as the on saeson.

Daisy G back in her shed with the new baby, ready for winter tinkering

2011-10-03T09:27:00.001+01:00

Building room is a bit tighter but not too bad. It smells like a dockyard with sea weed and mud. The first thing will be to get everything stripped out and to give the boat a good scrub. This will be the first winter that I have had Daisy G at home and under cover, so it will be fun to be able to work properly on her.

The lighting board fell off on the way back, again, and shorted out half my lights. I am abandoning using the trailer to hold the board. I will mount it on the boat itself from now on.

Daisy Grace is out of the water (7nm 393nm total)

2011-10-02T21:12:00.000+01:00

Daisy G is back home. The weather was so glorious (25C) that I motored over to Redhorn Quay for lunch before I hauled out at Baiter. The water ballast again came into its own. I was able to haul her onto her trailer with only one wheel partly in the water and just the tyre on the other. Everyone else was having to fully submerge their trailers on this horribly shallow pitched slipway. No problem towing home apart form the lighting board falling off and shorting out half my lights. I am going to fit it to the boat itself in the future. The low slung arms at the back of the trailer have given me nothing but trouble.

This just about shows the growth on the Coppercoat after six months on a mooring in Poole Harbour, which is a highly fouling area. There are some barnacles and some slime. I think it is remarkably clean. I shall leave them to dry of for a while at home and then they just brush off.

Now for all the winter jobs, including fixing that crack in the topside.

Varnishing started. Launch day looms…

2011-09-30T10:18:00.001+01:00

First coat of varnish on. They always say you need at least 12 and really 14. I usually get bored after three. I have my suspicions that “they” who make these recommendations also make varnish. I am using simple foam brushes that I got form the children's painting section of a local discount store. They give a good finish, only last for one coat, but that is all you want them to do, and it saves me ruining yet another brush.

Dinghy painted and ready to varnish

2011-09-29T12:40:00.001+01:00

The final paint coat is applied and the worst gaps touched up. I have used Dulux weathershield internally. which was remarkably thick and had to be rolled on hard. I have painted the floor with Sandtex masonry paint for a non slip finish. It looks OK but only time will tell how robust it is. I need to varnish all of the deck, gunwale and transom and then fit a fender rope around the edges. Then she will be ready to launch (scary). I know she will float because wood floats. Beyond that it will be literally a voyage into the unknown…

Just a short test

2011-09-28T21:57:00.000+01:00

Nothing special here, but I am just testing out a new way of posting to this blog from Windows live. Anything to make it easier. Daisy G. sits demasted in the hottest week of the year and on Sunday I shall no doubt be stuck in a Bournemouth traffic jamb trying to get her home in the heat.

Packing up ready for haul out

2011-09-25T21:03:00.000+01:00

Down to Poole just for the day, getting Daisy G ready for hauling out next week. I could do it all in one go, but I like to spend the time just getting everything off and the spars stowed as securely as I can. Then there is as little to do as possible on haul out day. It wouldn't matter if that day was a nice, breezeless autumn day, but if the wind is blowing and the rain pouring, I just want to get her on her trailer, strapped down and away. I had a frustrating hour's delay as I couldn't get back to my mooring because of the low tide. I could have floated all the way to the mooring fine, but I couldn't get the rudder down, or the centreboard, and the wind was so strong it just kept blowing me round and away. In the end I just went back to the pontoon and went for a walk whilst I waited for the tide to rise.

The dinghy progresses slowly. First coat of Dulux paint has gone over the insides, but it will need at least one more but probably two. But it is easy to apply. I will be interested to see how well it survives. I have added two little wood "ears" to the gunwales either side of the bow. They form comfortable handles for lifting the front to move her around, without projecting out anywhere. They look a little odd, but I shall see how they work. I can take them off easily if I don't like them.

Painting the inside

2011-09-23T19:04:00.000+01:00

I have decided that the inside needs paint, not varnish. It is just not good enough for a clear finish. i have applied firts a grey primer, then a second coat of mixed primer and top coat. Only after I applied that did I wonder if the two paints are compatible. They are from differnt manufacturers, so I hope I don't end up with a layer that never sets! The final top coats will be off white and then varnish for the deck and gunwales. I want to fix a rope fender around the edge so that it doesn't damage Daisy G each time she bumps into her.

Outside painted. Now "just" need to do the inside and edges

2011-09-22T11:54:00.000+01:00

Finished outside painting and tidying, fitted an aluminium strip at the bow and bolted on the skeg wheels. Now I just need to pain the insides and varnish the deck and gunwales. May be done by the spring...

First coat of final colour on the dinghy

2011-09-20T21:33:00.000+01:00

It is true that the slowest part of building a boat is painting it. You have to wait 24 hours between each stage and it is tedious, watching paint dry. I have applied two undercoats, a half and half under and top coat and now the firt of two top coats. I think she will look good, but painting the inside and varnishing will take even longer, so there is a way to go yet.

I have just uploaded 70 photographs I took of wooden boats being built on the beaches of the United Arab Emirates in 1977, when I was working out there. One below and you can see the rest here if you are interested.

https://picasaweb.google.com/102590069615120275593/UAE1977#

I won third prize in a photo competition for this shot. I won the first prize too!

Dinghy being painted

2011-09-19T12:10:00.002+01:00

The dinghy is basically built, although I need to add a handle of some sort on the stem for moving her around with. First primer coat applied. She will be green, like Daisy G. because I have have a full tin of that colour. Painting the inside will be more complicated and I am planning to varnish the trim.

Spent yesterday at the Southampton Boat show and saw the BayCruiser 23, the BayRaider Expedition (big cockpit, tiny cabin) and the BayRaider 17. The latter is beautiful, but I don't really go for the other two. 23 feet doesn't seem to give you much over 20 feet apart from increased difficulties in launching/recovery. The Expedition would almost certainly need a cockpit tent to make it really usable, and you can fit one easily to the open BayRaider. It will be interesting to see how they all sell. The BayCruiser 23 is proving popular with families.

Beautiful September sailing (27nm 386total)

2011-09-16T11:15:00.010+01:00

Motoring down from Wareham

The forecast was good so I risked it and it was worth it. Lovely day sailing around the harbour (with a heavy downpour in the middle admittedly) and then motoring up to Wareham, where I was the only boat tied up to the quay all night. I had seen the seals at Shipstal again, and saw that there is a small raft off Round Island where one was hauled out in the sun. Beautiful chestnut brown over his head and back, and spotty sides. It was obviously his raft.

Had a Guinness at the pub and fish and chips from the local chippy for dinner. Late morning departure for the best weather of the summer. Just idled down the Wareham channel, beached on Arne and had to use the sail batten to poke out a stone jambed in the centreboard case, hove to for lunch watching the big ships coming and going and then finally sailed back to the marina. gentle wind so I lowered the main sail, went in under jib and mizzen and managed to pick up my mooring under sail, which always feels like an achievement. The weather was clearly changing so I packed up and headed home. I shall probably only be down again to pack her up and bring her home.

Wheels on the dinghy and new workbench in the shed

2011-09-13T21:40:00.000+01:00

Not much work on the dinghy today. I took the straps off the skeg and bolted the wheels on to see how they looked. Not too bad.

They are so narrow that I don't think they will add much drag. I can always take them off if they are a problem.

Most of the day spent finally fitting a solid workbench into my shed. Never had the time until now. Maybe I can get my tools organised at last. And tomorrow I hope to go sailing...

Little sailing but the dinghy progresses

2011-09-11T18:46:00.000+01:00

I am in the middle of a fortnight's holiday, but the weather has not been good enough to go sailing. Tomorrow maybe, but storm force winds are blowing around the place.

The dinghy progresses. I have completed the transom and have had her on the floor to check rowlock positions. They will largely be determined by the need to get me and a passenger in rather than the best balance for the boat.

I am fitting a mahogany skeg with transom wheels, which will be the next job. I have completed the taping to the joints outside, which is not my favourite job. Seems to have gone quite well.

Foredeck complete, transom to be worked on

2011-09-08T20:55:00.001+01:00

I have finished the foredeck on my dinghy and am quite pleaed with the result. The transom needs some work to make it thick enough to take a small outboard. Then I will turn her over to complete the outside.

Slight change of viewpoint...

2011-09-04T21:23:00.000+01:00

My son bought me a trial gliding lesson for my birthday, and today was the day. Great fun, although the cable launch is a bit stomach turning. Views absolutely wonderful, and we flew right over our house. In many ways like sailing, you are looking for the wind all the time, but in this case vertical wind rather than horizontal. I would recommend it, but I don't think I could manage gliding and sailing. Mind you, the gliding club is only 10 minutes away, not two and a half hours.

Dinghy deck half glued on. Can't do it all at once as I don't have enough clamps. I am also building two buoyancy chambers under the seat, which will be filled with expanded polystyrene eventually.

Deck and buyancy chambers under way

2011-09-03T21:06:00.000+01:00

I have fitted a central plank to my fore deck which seems to fit quite well. All of the angles at the bow are compound which is really difficult to measure out and then cut. Square hole for the mast, which I drilled and cut with a coping saw and rasp. Should be more than big enough. Once set I will glue on narrower side planks either side.

I am going to fit boxes under the seat fore and aft to be filled with foam buoyancy. That coupled with the bow tank should keep me afloat if swamped. having the boxes running fora and aft will also stop any water from sloshing from side to side, which can tip you over again all too easily.

Bulkheads glued in

2011-09-02T13:44:00.002+01:00

I have glued in the forward bulkheads and fitted the access hatch through one side. The sides around the mast support are tacked in with epoxy, but they still need to be fully filleted to make them water tight. They need to be as this is a buoyancy tank. Before I put a deck over it all I need to epoxy the inside of the tank and fit the towing eye permanently. That will be much easier before the lid goes on. I want to built more buoyancy under the seat, but I will need to finish the outside first before I do that.

Update: All panels around the mast slot now filleted and I have covered the inside of the locker with epoxy. Next the bow eye needs to be bedded in sealant and I need to devise a decking system of some sort. My initial idea won't work and I have wasted a bit of wood in the process unfortunately.

Forward locker coming on

2011-08-31T20:52:00.000+01:00

I have started boxing out a small locker in the bow. Partly for buoyancy but mainly just for the heck of it. I am going to board the mini-deck over the top and varnish it. The rest of the boat needs to be painted.

I have also bored a hole through the stem, fitted a solid backing block and inserted an old eye-bolt I had left over from my Winkle Brig, which had two towing eyes for some reason. I have fitted it low so that the bow lifts when the dinghy is towed. The mast box needs to be sealed off from the locker so that it is water tight.

I have an air tight locker cover which is a spare from Daisy G. which I shall fit on the starboard side to give access to the locker for inspection and maybe a bit of storage.

End of season sail to Studland (13nm 359nm total

2011-08-29T20:36:00.000+01:00

A sunny day, but cool. Wind in the NW and I went for a gentle sail, out into the open sea and across to Studland, where I anchored for lunch. Views of Old Harry rocks and the sail training Tall Ship Lord Nelson coming into Poole with people on the yard arms. It feels very much the end of the season. Boats just drifting about, most with paint work looking a bit scuffed.

I may be down again in September, but probably just to pack her up and bring her home. I sailed off my mooring and didn't use the engine at all until I had to battle the full ebb flow to get into the harbour entrance. Then I needed full power just to make 1kt against some of the current.

Mast support frame work on the dinghy is fully set, but needs surplus epoxy grinding off.

Fitting the mast support structure

2011-08-28T20:48:00.000+01:00

Just about a year since my shed started in earnest and it is starting to blend in. Plants growing up it and the trees in leaf hide the bulk from the house. Good thing too. The main comment form most visitors is "My God it's huge!"

I have fitted the inwales to the dinghy and the longitudinal seat, which is all looking quite good. The seat allows you to adjust the rowing position if there is more than one person on board. A neat idea.

Now I am working on the mast support. This looks good clamped but is covered in a mess of epoxy at the moment which I hope I can get tidied up when it has set. I am having to make all of this up as I go along as the boat plans don't cover installing a mast at all. This is real woodworking, Compound mitres and curved tops to the beam. Fingers crossed that it all stays in place over night as the glue sets.

Basic hull more or less "complete" for about £75 in materials and 25 hours of work

2011-08-26T10:38:00.000+01:00

She looks like a boat and I am very chuffed with her. Second gunwale now firmly glued in place and I am just fitting inwales, which are not part of the original plan, but I think they will make her stronger and give a better base for the rowlocks. More strengthening needed on the transom for an engine but the rudder of my Blue Peter Dinghy will fit on without any problem.

The outside seams still need taping but apart from that, and an awful lot of finishing, tidying and painting, this is the built boat. About two weeks of very simple evening work, I would say about 25 hours maximum to this stage. Total cost of cheap plywood and softwood about £35. Epoxy and fillers about £40. Yes the glue costs more than the wood, but not if I was using marine ply. Mind you, this isn't MY finished boat, as I want to fit a mast support, towing eye and probably a skeg, possibly with a wheel built into it. Another couple of weeks at least for all of that I should think, and then an age painting her.

First gunwhale on after two weeks work

2011-08-23T21:33:00.000+01:00

The starboard gunwhale is clamped on and the espoxy is curing. This was really a filthy job, epoxy everywhere. I hope I managed to clear up most of it. I have used every clamp I have. If I want to do a serious bit of boat building I will need more, and powerful ones too. The second gunwhale is jambed in a bent position between daisy G's trailer and the shed wall and I have been toasting it with the hot air gun, which does seem to soften it. All being well I will fit the second one tomorrow. I have one screw in each end of each gunwhale and I think those will be the only ones left on the finished boat.

After the gunwhales the next job is smoothing and glassing the outside of the hull joints. Not looking forward to resin and fibreglass tape.

Corners braced

2011-08-22T20:47:00.000+01:00

I have screwed and glued simple trinagles of wood into the corners of the hull. The difference they make to the stiffness in remarkable. If needed, you could actually float and punt the hull now, but there is no where to fit rowlocks yet.

I have also trimmed the floor roughly to shape with a flexible Japanese pull saw and will finish that off with with a disk sander. Gunwhales next.

Dinghy progresses

2011-08-21T21:03:00.001+01:00

I have glued the floor onto the hull. Very messy job, with thickened epoxy fillets. I got through about four pairs of rubber gloves. I hope I have filled the joints well as they are crucial to holding the whole boat together.

I will be putting fibreglass over the outside of the joints, so they should be strong and watertight. The hull is slightly distorted where the seat frame is glued in, but I think I might have broken a side if I had tried to move it around without the frame. The whole thing is much heavier with the floor in place.

Lovely days sail but with a sad note at the end (24nm 348nm total)

2011-08-21T20:58:00.000+01:00

Day and a half sailing in mixed weather. Sailed in a lovely evening to Shipstal point for the night. In the morning nearly aground when my daughter texted to say she was on her way. Managed to get off and was at the marina in time to meet her, so trouble was avoided.

It rained in the morning and the wind died. We studied just how fast the tidal currents were, drifting around Green Island. I got quite wet, but I gather that it was nice and dry under the sprayhood. Then we anchored off Brownsea and somehow managed to fit in the dinghy to row ashore for tea at the National Trust Cafe. Just before that we had had a most spectacular grandstand seat for a Red Arrows flying display, which was focussed on Bournemouth, but the jets reformed over Poole, so we saw the most wonderful flying.

After Brownsea we had the most beautiful sail of the season. Fresh winds and clear blue crystal skies. First time it has been like that for two years. On the way home we heard the awful news that one of the Red Arrows planes had crashed just after the display we had watched and the pilot was killed. Dreadfully sad.

Seat support in and stern fillets now curing

2011-08-19T10:42:00.000+01:00

I glued on the seat supports, which will brace up the whole structure. All this thickened epoxy is good stuff, but it is hellish messy. I am sure I have got some on the threads of my wood clamps, which may wreck them. I am thinking of fitting a small foredeck with a locker under but not sure yet.

I need to figure out how to support the mast and how to fit a rudder. I have a whole rudder assembly for my Blue Peter Dinghy, so I might use that, at least to start with. But primarily the boat will be for rowing.

Turned her over

2011-08-18T20:59:00.000+01:00

I have roughly cut out the floor, leaving a big margin for trimming. Tracing the shape, as described in the plans, is not straight forward as the sides are so wobbly. I am going to fit the seat brace before fixing the floor, with the hope that it will hold the whole thing a bit more solidly.

At the moment various bits are glued and curing overnight. If I get time in the morning I will fillet some corners and then take a break as I hope to go sailing over the weekend. Also need to fit the job in somehow.

Stem glued and knees more or less cut

2011-08-18T14:20:00.000+01:00

I have glued the stem of my dinghy, using oiled screws to hold it all together. The theory is that I can remove the screws when it has set. I hope it works, because the screw holes are full of epoxy. I measured the diagonals and it is just about square. I have also just about cut some simple quarter knees, which I should be able to fit satisfactorily. They are really hard to make!

I have tested the 9mm ply I am going to use for the bottom, and it curves easily so shouldn't be a problem. I want to see if I can fit my mizzen mast and sail from Daisy G as a sailing rig. That will require a mast support and some form of lee/centre board.The alternative is to extend the floor outside the hull to form chine runners. Some people say they are brilliant, some say they just don't work. Both camps tend to slag each other off on the web. I shall make my own mind up.

Tricky parts starting

2011-08-17T21:11:00.002+01:00

I was right, it gets harder. I have just been trying to cut corner knees for the stern. Really difficult as there are no fixed lines or angle to use as references. I have chewed up a couple of pieces of wood already. I think I will have to cut down the temporary extension to the transom earlier than I planned in order to be able to fit something. But I will get there. I am planning to paint the boat completely, so should be able to hide any dodgy joints.

Suddenly she is a boat

2011-08-17T11:59:00.000+01:00

I have tied and clamped together the three parts of my Portuguese dinghy, and suddenly you can see what she will look like. about four hours work to date, and I have never built a boat before, so I really do think anyone could do this. Although the tricky bits still lie ahead.

Transom finished

2011-08-15T22:19:00.002+01:00

I have finished cutting out the inner transom and gluing the two parts together. Quite pleased with the results so far.

I have started posting some details of this construction on the Woodenboat forum. I suppose I should just do one or the other really. But they prefer all the technical detail over there.

Transoms glued, always a mucky stage. Just squeezed enough for the glue to ooze out, but not so hard that all the glue is squeezed out.

Finished transom, with a timber ledge clamped in place. When this is glued it will form a landing for the bottom of the boat to be screwed to. when all is finished, the curve of the outer transom will be cut to match the inner.

Another couple of steps on the new dinghy transom

2011-08-15T11:49:00.001+01:00

I cut out the inner transom in 9mm plywood in the evening after we got back from sailing. The double edged Japanese saw was flexible enough to follow the curve of the top edge beautifully.

I want the inner transom to have large cutouts in it to reduce its weight. I sized the retained edges and central strip to allow my Honda outboard to be clamped to it. Then I used a 45mm hole saw to drill out the radiused corners of the cutouts.

Four of these hole were taken right through the outer transom so I can have two handholds. Two pairs of holes were joined to create hand slots for lifting the back. A Japanese saw again was perfect for cutting out the waste between the holes. Only the tip of the blade could be used to start the cuts, but because you are pulling the saw, it cuts very easily. Now I just need to cut out the waste form the inner transom, glue the two transoms together and then find a use for 14, 45mm diameter plywood disks...

Day sailing with wife and friends, and stuck in the mud (17nm trip 322nm total)

2011-08-14T20:51:00.002+01:00

Went down to Dorset for a couple of nights and went out sailing with friends on Saturday. Motored west in the Harbour and then tacked up the Wareham channel. Motored up the Frome to Wareham, where we rafted up alongside a friendly motor boat and had lunch and a drink the the Granary Pub.A nice spot. Left rapidly when someone started rafting up outside us. We didn't want to get stuck (little did we know what was coming then).
We motored down the Frome and in the channel I turned up into the wind so we could raise the sails and have an easy run home. I concentrated on not banging into a starboard channel marker, not noticing we were on the wrong side of it until my wife commented that we weren't moving...
Got the sails down too late. We had slid onto the mud, which was too soft to either jump out on or to push off from. we were stuck, on a falling tide and we just had to wait for it to come back. 2 1/2hours later we got off. I now know that low water at the head of the Wareham channel is 45 minutes later than at Poole quay. Nothing moves slower than a watched tide.
We had the benefit of water ballast. We pumped it all out, which helped pass a bit of time, and meant that we probably got off about half an hour sooner than we would have otherwise. But all was well and we were back in time for dinner. We left the boat on the pontoon over night and I went back to her the next morning to clean off the Poole mud and put her back on her mooring.

This google map shows where we spent the afternoon doing a bit of unplanned bird watching (godwits and egrets in particular).

Further note: the hinged table over the centreboard came into its own. The board was firmly jambed when we floated off. Mud sticking the whole board into the trunk. My wife hinged it open and a good push on the blade forced it down and cleared the slot. Total action took less than half a minute.

So much for a winter project...

2011-08-12T10:49:00.001+01:00

I had half an hour free before I went to work. It only took 25 minutes to cut out the sides and transom. Most of those minutes were spent standing back and admiring what I had done.

First side cut. It took about three minutes using my beautiful new Japanese pull saw. It holds a straight line almost perfectly, and all the lines on this boat are, or at least can be straight.

Both sides cut, with the waste section used for the transom. About ten minutes in total.

The basics of the boat! I am sure it must get harder as I try to stick it all together. I have cut the transom over-large with the top edge straight. This will make it easier to work on the hull upside down. I will do the inner transom next in 9mm ply wood, with the top edge curved. The outer transom can be shaped to it later. Now off to work.

Short "check the boat" sail (9nm 305nm total)

2011-08-10T21:36:00.001+01:00

Went down just for the day to check the boat as I haven't been on her for three weeks. Very windy, F5-6 gusting 7. Lots of Oppies and Toppers racing as it is school holidays. Somersaulting all over the place and strings of empty dinghies being towed back by rescue boats. I presume the kids had been picked up and taken ashore and not left to their own devices in the water.

I sailed jib and mizzen for a bit, but you really can't point well so I plucked up courage and raised a double reefed main. She sails fine like that and I do realise now that she is not going to tip over, but I don't like strong wind sailing. Sailed around Brownsea Island, looking for a sheltered spot but without great success. When the wind is in the south west, the most sheltered spots are also very shallow and inaccessible at low tide. So I bobbed off Brownsea's north shore for a bit and then packed it in. The boat was fine apart from a lot of bird poo, which washed off easily.

Before I sailed I carried out a couple of jobs, one of which I have been planning since the day I got Daisy G. The jib cam cleats were aligned to angle towards the crew, rather than towards the line of the sheet. This meant they didn't drop between the cams automatically. I had fitted a couple of cheek turning blocks, which improved the angle, but introduced more friction. I have finally removed the cheek blocks and realigned the cleats. Although they angle away from the crew, it doesn't matter. The cage on the cleats allows for this, and when single handed, I tend to cleat the windward sheet before tacking, so that it does not run free after the tack. This means that the new angle actually points to where I am most of the time anyway, up to windward. It took all of an hour to do, including filling holes and sikaflexing around the cleats. Don't know why I have waited two years to do this.

This photo shows my control lines on the starboard side. Working outwards from the companionway: centreboard uphaul, topping lift/lazyjacks with a green fairlead, main halyard and the newly angled starboard jib cam cleat.

This one shows the port hand side. Working outwards again, the centreboard downhaul with automatic release cleat for when I hit the bottom, the kicking strap with the red fairlead, the jib halyard with the hook of the handybilly just above it, which I use to tension the jib luff, and the newly angled port jib sheet cam cleat. The scuff mark above the jib cleat is the sanded area where the turning cheek block used to be. The sheets run out much more freely now.

Finally, I am planning to fit wooden strips to the cockpit benches to give a more hard wearing surface than the current paint. Real and fake teak is really expensive so I am going to strip it myself over the winter. I laid a single strip along the deck to check length and curve. Should be do-able but it will take a long time. I will need 10-11 strips per side. I could force them into a curve to match the seat front, but I think I would make a mess, so I will leave them straight. They will also need to be cut around the hatches at the after end, so it will be a fiddly job. Will keep me occupied during the dark months.

Just can't wait

2011-08-09T13:07:00.002+01:00

The plywood arrived. I had an hour to spare so I couldn't waste it. First sheet marked out with the boat sides and outer transom, all in 5.5mm plywood, which looks quite good. It has been stored flat so there are no nasty curves in it. I have marked the stem, which is just a square section batten. The sides meet at 90 degrees at the bow. As I said this should be a very simple boat to build. I am sure I can prove that wrong.

I am building the transom in two layers, a full sized one in 5.5mm and an inner one in 9mm, 5.5mm narrower. That will give me a recess to glue the sides into before I fillet the joint. You can just about see that I got the initial drafting completely wrong. Measure twice and cut once as they say. First diversion from plan. I have added a 50mm curved top to the transom. It will look enough of a box as it is. I may put a sculling notch in it. Or not.

The sides are held apart by precut, temporary battens. I have cut these already and they will be screwed in placed at specified distances along the sheer. Some people have had the plywood split as they have bent it, and recommend wetting it first. That is a way down the line as I have to build some garden paths over the next few days.

More on the Portuguese Dinghy

2011-08-09T08:41:00.000+01:00

I have built a little card model of the Portuguese dinghy to get a better feel for it. The cross bulkheads are only there to hold the model shape, they are not there in the finished boat.

Quite different from the Peanut pram. Significantly smaller and with a flat bottom. I have a feeling I may end up building both for the fun of it. The dinghy is the simplest as it only requires straight saw cuts and the flat bottom means far fewer joints to form and fill. I am planning to add a skeg or even a full length shallow keel to to keep it straight in the water, and possibly a couple of wheels for trundling to the water's edge.

Boat building urges

2011-08-08T12:13:00.000+01:00

I had planned to build myself a little "Peanut pram" this winter, but I think I have found an even better one, Hannu Vartiala's Portuguese style dinghy.

Hannu in a Portuguese Dinghy

It is pointed at the front, which is nice, and it does look as easy to build as a boat can be. I have just ordered bog standard builder's plywood for the hull (5.5mm for the sides, 9mm for the bottom and transom) and I have some cut price timber from the "Focus" closing down sale.. So this will be cheap. Longevity will be interesting. I know I "should" be using marine ply, but it is so expensive I will give it a by for the first build. A good thick layer of paint should help it survive a season at least.

The plan is to build her over the winter, but I can't see me waiting that long...

Day 3: Lymington to Poole, total trip 57nm (annual total 296)

2011-07-22T11:31:00.002+01:00

No problems with the return journey, other than lack of usable wind so I motored all the way. I had to leave around 0630 to catch the ebb tide past Hurst point and then had a favourable current for an hour or so. I passed much too close to Hengistbury Head at low tide and hit my centreboard on the bottom. I really should have been much further off.
Finally turned into Poole Harbour, which is always magical because it is like a world of its own, hidden away from the Channel outside. Tided up to the waiting pontoon and went into town for lunch. Packed all away as I won't be down for a few weeks and then made one of those obvious discoveries.
I usually motor away for the pontoon in reverse, back into the marina and then motor out forwards to the mooring buoy. Feeling lazy, I decided just to carry on in reverse all the way. It was a revelation. You come up to the mooring buoy backwards under complete control and no risk of the bow being blown off. You are by the engine and the buoy at the same time. You could just lean down and pick up the buoy without a boat hook if you wanted. Holding the buoy, just flick the engine into neutral and your drift carries the boat on as you walk to the bow and drop the loop over the samson post. It was all so easy. why do we insist on doing it going forwards, which can be a nightmare?

Day 2: Yarmouth to Lymington via Newtown River

2011-07-22T11:19:00.000+01:00

I had no idea what time the Raiders would be arriving in Lymington, but thought it would be mid-afternoon. I spent a long time in the morning titivating the boat and wandering round Yarmouth in the sunshine. I was admiring Daisy G from the far side of the harbour when I suddenly realised that if I looked at her straight on from the stern I could see that her mast was not quite vertical, and probably never has been. That could account for why she tacks one way better than the other. Next half hour spent adjusting the lanyards on the shrouds.
The current was eastwards for a few hours, so I set out to go towards Newtown River. Complete contrast to the previous day. Barely a breath of wind off the land and warm sun in a mainly blue sky. I drifted along the coast for about six miles, with most of the work done by the current. I devised a very comfortable cruising position, stretched out along a side bench, leaning back against the stern coaming. Not a great view forward, but very pleasant. Off Newtown I eventually had to start the engine or I would have been swept past. I motored in and down the arms of the inlet very slowly. I have heard eulogies of the beauty of Newtown, but I was not greatly impressed. It is mainly mudflats, and nothing that special. I like the entrance area, where the shingle and sand banks are steep too and easy to land on. I landed on the west side and went for a swim. Cold. It is a nice spot to swim as you are in deep water quickly, but you have to be very careful of the strong currents or you will get swept away.
Motoring out I found that although there was a very strong inward current running, there was a large backeddy on the East side which allowed you to keep out of most of it. Outside I set full sail and started towards Beaulieu River. A pretty gaff cutter was heading towards me and the crew seemed to be running around oddly. Then I realised they were putting a reef in. I looked up at the sky and thought I might just do the same. Good decision. Huge black clouds flew up, the wind got up and the rain poured down in under ten minutes. I completely lost sight of the land on both sides in the rain and had to genuinely follow my GPS for the first time. Without compass or GPS you could not have the slightest idea what direction you were sailing in, or if the wind was just blowing you round in circle. I set the course for Lymington and sailed that way for a couple of hours.
Eventually the rain stopped and I motored up the channel behind a ferry. Tied up near a Drascombe and a BayRaider and went for a walk around Lymington. Very pretty and more yacht chandlers than I have ever seen in one place. In the evening had a good meal with the Raiders in the Royal Lymington Yacht Club.

Day 1: Sailing to Yarmouth

2011-07-22T11:01:00.000+01:00

I went down early in the morning, but not early enough. I needed to get to Hurst Point before 1330 to get the tide through. I should have left Poole by 0900 but it was nearer 1000. The wind was strong, I reckoned F5, but I gathered later is was F5-7 plus! But from the West, so it would be behind me. I set out double reefed and motoring, with some degree of nervousness. Turning East outside the harbour it didn't seem too bad as I had the wind and current with me, so I set off motor sailing for maximum speed. I planned that if I couldn't make Hurst, I would drop back to Christchurch. In retrospect that would not have been fun, as it would have been a 2-3 hour slog back against the wind and then the ebb tide from Christchurch would have been against me. As it was, I reached Hurst and made it through with less than half an hour to spare. It took just three and a half hours, when normally I would expect four and a half. The GPS recorded a maximum speed of 9.2kts! That would have been sliding down a swell which must have been about 2m high. I shook out one reef, which seems daft thinking back on it, but the boat was handling well. Sliding down waves she did try to broach, and having the motor on probably gave me more control. I also wonder if in a strong down wind run it might reduce weather helm to furl the mizzen. But I wasn't trying it then.
Once in the Solent the wind was quickly damped down by the land and I was off Yarmouth in about 20 minutes. I furled all sails and motored in with some relief, forking out the extra for a walk ashore pontoon. Most of the afternoon the rain just poured down, so hard it beat the water flat. I either sat under the spray hood and watched it fall, or sat in the Bugle and had a pint. I had read a lot of vitriol about the changes at Yarmouth, where they have removed all but six of the pile moorings and replaced them with floating pontoons. It was a "loss of beloved tradition", "people LIKE mooring between piles" etc. I have done it once nearly thirty years ago and never want to do it again. I noticed that no one used the remaining piles the whole time I was there.
The Bugle does a good dinner.

Completed my mini-Raid

2011-07-20T22:54:00.002+01:00

Motored back to Poole today after sailing to Yarmouth, Newtown River and Lymington. More deatails when I have the time. Here's the map.

View Mini Raid 2011 in a larger map

In Yarmouth

2011-07-18T16:21:00.001+01:00

I'm sitting on Daisy G, in the rain in Yarmouth harbour. I am joining the English raid just for a day tomorrow, over in Lymington. Sailed 20nm in F5-6, downwind but motor sailing all the way, because I had to make the tidal gate at Hurst Point, and I was late. I made it with fifteen minutes to spare! Averaged 5.4kts and hit 9.2 surfing down a wave! Quite rewarding, but I still prefer warm sunshine and gentle breezes. I will go to newtown River before Lymington if the weather is at all good. Keeping my fingers crossed for fair winds home on Wednesday.

More on the solar panel

2011-07-13T09:47:00.002+01:00

My original 1.5W panel was just about up to the job, but marginal. I had one weekend where the depth sounder went blank towards the end of the second day. From what I read recently in Practical Boat Owner Magazine, it seemed that a 5W panel should suffice. I looked at various options and Sunshine Solar were offering a 10W panel at the same price as a 5W for that week so I took the plunge for that. I am planning to instal navigation lights at some stage, so the extra power might be useful.

The panel was delivered in under 24 hours, but they forgot to put in the regulator. That came 24 hours later. The regulator is cheap, rated up to 100W and from my point of view was perfect, as it had three wired in connectors so I didn't have to figure out which wire went where. It all just plugged together and matched the existing battery connector.

Where to position the panel? Nowhere is perfect. I have opted as far forward as the cable will reach on the roof, but off to one side. It is shaded some times by the jib sheet, but not by the boom. To fix it I used just a blob of Sikaflex at each corner, with a short fat screw through each blob, just to hold it down whilst the Sikaflex set. It follows the slight curve of the deck so should be safe from cracking when I inevitably stand on it.
All the cables run through self adhesive mini-ducting, which seems to work very well and is hardly visible, but easy to change.. One change not on the photo. The ducting runs under the centre board up-haul, which chafes it. I have glued a stainless steel anti chafe strip over this to make sure neither the rope nor the cable rubs through. When I plugged in the panel, a little "charging" LED lit up, which was very rewarding. It glowed until remarkably late in the evening, even after the sun had just set, but how much power it generates then I have no idea. Now just to see if it does the job.

Weekend installing new solar panel and tootling round the Harbour (31nm total 239)

2011-07-12T21:46:00.000+01:00

Spent two nights at anchor. Got to the boat late afternoon and fitted a simple solar regulator and a new solar panel. I have a new 10W one which I managed to get at the price of a 5W one, so thought I may as well go for it. I was amazed that the plugs between the various parts were the same as those on the Maplin panel I had, so everything just clicked into place. even the conduit on the cabin roof could be reused, so the whole lot went in much more easily than I feared. then I fitted new supports for the boom scissors, which are much more substantial and probably far bigger than they need to be.

I realigned the jib sheet cleats a bit, but think that they probably still need to be angled a bit more to get a straight sheet run. With the new blocks on the clew friction is much more noticeable so I need to reduce it as much as possible.I have also fitted new cam cleats for the topping lifts/lazy jacks, and the boom kicking strap. These make it much quicker to reef the sail single handed.

On the second day I just sailed round the harbour in up to F6 winds. Mainly just jib and mizzen and I was still hitting 6 kts on occasion. Tacking is not so easy, but if you haul the mizzen to windward as you push the tiller down, she nearly always goes round.

One the third day we finally had some sun and i sailed out to Studland Bay, but the clouds threatened and it was cool, so I headed back for home quite early.

Mini Raiding

2011-07-03T18:17:00.001+01:00

I can't make the English Raid this year because of other commitments, but I am planning to go for the first night in Lymington. It will give me a chance to catch up with others and see what they have been doing to their boats. I am likely to be doing it on my own, so hope the weather is kind to us all.

More BayCruisers

2011-07-02T21:50:00.000+01:00

I saw two other BayCruisers last week in Poole Harbour. No 3, which is moored alongside me in Parkstone Bay, which I have never seen sailing before, and no6 "Jaunty" which I thought was based in Chichester so maybe was just in Poole for a visit.

Four days sailing and meeting up with friends (56nm total 208nm)

2011-07-01T14:23:00.001+01:00

I took a few days leave and spent them on the boat. My wife joined me for one night and we met up with friends sailing their Hawk 20 over from Christchurch. We even had some quite decent weather. The first night I anchored off Redhorn quay and watched four Chinese men in an minute inflatable dinghy putting out long floating fishing nets. They said they netted some mackerel, which I think unlikely in the Harbour. More likely bass, bream or mullet. How they didn't fall in I don't know, they were paddling round for hours.
The next day I met up with Hester, a Hawk 20 which friends had sailed over from Christchurch. It had blown up to F6 in the morning and I had abandoned sailing in Poole Bay, but the time they came over it was almost flat calm and they had to motor much of the distance. We hailed each other on VHF which was a first for both of us. amazing that it actually works. I kept forgetting to press the button when I was talking, which led to disjointed understanding. We sailed up the Wareham Channel and then motored slowly up the Frome to Wareham where we tied up overnight.
Wareham is a lovely old town and the quayside is almost unique in allowing free mooring on the quay for up to 48 hours at no charge. I think it just adds to the atmosphere of the place. I was moored under a street light and I had to fix a dark blue tea towel over the main hatch to keep it off me whilst I slept. The only disturbance was a group of lads diving in of the bridge at midnight. But nobody drownded. (I had been for my first swim in the harbour earlier in the day. Cold...)


Panorama of the Wareham water front with Daisy G near the bridge and Hester tied up to a large catamaran.

Good restaurant in Wareham and they aid I could take my Guinness outside, so I had it on my boat. Very civilised.

In the morning I was up before all the others, so had my breakfast on the riverbank, watching a painter set up his easel by the bridge. I went over to see what he was doing and saw a beautiful picture emerging with Daisy G in the fore front. I asked, just out of interest of course, how much he would charge for eth painting when finished. he grinned and said "Around four to five thousand pounds" !!! I Checked his web site. That IS what he charges (http://www.peterbrownneac.com/) I'm not sure I want a picture of my boat that much. He said it will be on his website by the end of the year. That might be as close as I get.

After breakfast I pumped up the dinghy and rowed upriver under the bridge, where I have never been before. Absolutely delightful. The epitome of an English river in the summer, with trees brushing the water, kingfishers zipping over the water, and lazy cows looking over the bank side vegetation. I only had time to go half a mile or so before turning back

View 2011-06-28 09:18 in a larger map

When the rest finally emerged from their B&B I took AH as crew down the Frome and then sailing round to shipstal Point. AH nearly wrecked a port hand marker, tangling a reefing line around it. I had just said to him (You don't want to get yours lines tangled round that, like I did a couple of years ago". It took him only five seconds to do just that. We managed to unhook ourselves, but left the stake at 45 degrees. To make it more embarrassing, the pilot boat was by Shipstal, checking and resetting all the channel markers. Were they going to give us stick? No fortunately, but three days later the marker is still canted.

A curious incident as we anchored. We thought of running up the beach, but the beach slope only let us get near. I hopped out and picked up the anchor and stood there for a moment, clutching it muddily to my breast, up to my shins in liquid gloop. At that point, a bird watcher on the beach grinned and greeted me by name! Am I that well known? As I was near tripping and being dragged under by the anchor I said "I'm a bit preoccupied at the moment, I'll get back to you." Turns out he is a Winkle Brig owner and knows me from the winkle Brig web site I still manage (http://www.jegsweb.co.uk/boats/winklebrig/winklebrig1.htm) He has been sailing in Poole Harbour for a holiday and had been keeping an eye open for me.

AH sailed back to Wareham on the Hawk and I sailed over to Parkstone where my wife arrived for the night. We drove over to Wareham for dinner and then back to Parkstone for a night on the marina pontoon (in the boat...). Then we sailed with the Hawk around Brownsea and had a rafted up picnic, before the Hawk headed back to Wareham and I sailed my wife back to the marina so she could get back home.


Rafted up for a picnic off Brownsea Island

After my wife had gone I did a few jobs whilst in the marina. I have fitted purchase system to the jib sheets, with a single block with becket on the cabin roof track and single blocks on the jib clew. This has transformed handling the sail. You have to pull in twice as much rope, but it is so easy. getting the sheet out of the cam cleat under load is easy, whereas before it was well nigh impossible under a hard press. should have done it ages ago. I also replaced my ole Celeron Powertank with a new 20Ah sealed lead acid battery, which I will now see if it can keep its charge with the 1.5W solar panel.

I thought the Powertank was shot as it still had no charge after a week in the sun. But when I got it home, I found the torch was turned on, so it would never have had a chance. I will see if the little solar panel is up to keeping the new battery topped up enough before I buy a bigger one, which will require a charge controller.

The only other jobs were to move the main sheet fixing forward on the boom, which seems to have worked for keeping the sheet away from the mizzen sprit heel, and moving the Handy Billy from the vertical part of the jib halyard by the mast, to the horizontal bit under the spray hood, where it is out of sight but also easy to reach.

Then a lovely slow sail back to Shipstal where I spent the last night, before back to work the next morning.

One note on impressive sailing. I spotted a smallish sloop anchored out west of Brownsea Island. About 30ft or so, noting very special. Except it was flying the Stars and Stripes and its home port was Portland, Oregon. On the US Pacific Coast. I think I have gone a long way when I get to Christchurch, two hours away.

Windy Sunday (18nm 152nm total)

2011-06-20T15:20:00.000+01:00

I went down late on Saturday afternoon with promise of good weather on Sunday. Sort of worked. Very windy when I got there (F5-F6) so I motored out to Shipstal Point, which has been the most sheltered spot for most of the last month (Winds in Southwest to West). Only one other boat there which is unusual for a Saturday. Wind died down and I saw a spectacular firework display over Poole Quay. Heavy rain during the night, but the morning was glorious. Very low tide with water birds and a seal all round. By 10:00 it was cloudy and fairly windy (F4ish) so I sailed reefed over to look at a new house which is rising on Green Island (sold five years or so ago for a rumoured 5-7 million pounds. I think they are also dredging a deep water mooring as well. It will be one of the best houses in England when it is finished.

View from Shipstal Hill over Poole Harbour

Anchored in semi-shelter off the north shore of Brownsea Island for a bouncy lunch (spilt most of my soup). Eventually the sun did break through, but still windy and cool. I sailed down the harbour to Rockley channel, Back up to Arne Peninsula for a short break and then stormed up towards Parkstone. Slightly disconcerted to be faced by the three masted training vessel Lord Nelson coming backwards out of Poole Quay. It was clearly the best way to manoeuver slowly out of a tight space against a strong headwind. I tacked over to Brownsea to keep well out of her way, dropped soils and put the engine on for the first time that day to motor back to the mooring. Good sailing but I long for warm sun and gentle breezes.

Lunch time anchoring, with table earning its keep.

Cruising maps

2011-06-13T11:47:00.001+01:00

I have cut back the number of maps on googlemaps as the whole thing was becoming congested. Only interesting ones showing now. Have also had to cancel plans to go to the second english raid due to other commitments. I am also experimenting with settings on my phone to make it a bit more blog friendly. Better photo below as a result I hope.

Very mixed weekend 15nm total 134nm total

2011-06-12T17:35:00.001+01:00

Down after work on Friday and two nights on the boat, although the forecast was mixed and correct. anchored off North shore of Brownsea Island for shelter from south wind. On Saturday night I anchored of Shipstal Point for shelter form a West wind. On Sunday morning I was woken by being bounced around by a strong north wind and heavy rain in the roof.
Just pottered round the harbour, fitted a cockpit table and on Saturday cycled, without really meaning to, from Parkstone to Studland and back. Lovely trip on a sunny day with only a bit of a hill here and there. I tried the folding bike in the cabin and it does fit, but I would only take it if I thought I really would use it.

View 2011-06-11 13:03 in a larger map
Quite a physical weekend, first cycling nearly 20 miles, then rowing a fair distance in the even, and then nearly having my arm wrenched out trying to hang onto the mooring buoy in F5. I gave up and dropped my boat hook. Realised that the spray hood being up was acting like a sail, so I went round, stowed it, picked up the hook and went back and got the buoy on the third attempt. Quite messy but no damage done. On the plus side, the telescopic boat hook has been jambed for a year. Now it isn't...

Foul day for ducks

2011-06-12T11:23:00.001+01:00

Last night was just about perfect. Little wind, lovely sunset, birds and deer walking and flying around. I rowed through salt marshes and even saw two seals, which are rare around here. This morning it was pouring and blowing F 5+ . Motored back to the marina with the spray hood up. The biggest problem was finally picking up the mooring. Took 3 goes and I lost a boathook in the process (but managed to catch it later). Glad to be back on dry, steady land.

Dry sailing the good ship FB Brompton

2011-06-11T12:50:00.001+01:00

I sailed back to pontoon to do a bit of shopping. Found I would be stuck for over an hour by the low tide, so I got my trusty Brompton out of the boot and cycled to Studland, where I am now enjoying a wheat beer in the sun. Sadly, even with a ferry crossing I can still cycle to Studland faster than I can sail there.

Anchored off Brownsea Island

2011-06-10T20:36:00.001+01:00

In the rain. But at least the wind has dropped and it is bright in the distance. I am hoping to be out for two nights but it depends on the weather. The alternative was the Beale Park Boat show, but I think that has got quite boring over the last few years. Each year it is just the same as the last one. I gather Matt Newland will have a Baycruiser 23 there, but I am not in the market for a new boat!
Have installed my cockpit table and I am really pleased with it. Just need some sun so I can dine on deck.

Just a maintenance visit

2011-06-06T10:50:00.000+01:00

After a beautiful day in London on Saturday it was a horrible day in Poole on Sunday. Light drizzle giving way to heavy drizzle giving way to heavy rain etc. I went anyway as I don't like to leave the boat unchecked for too long. Just motored her to the pontoon and carried out a few minor alterations. I have an old cam cleat fitted now to hold the lazy jacks/Topping lift lines, which works well and will save time when I am trying to lower or raise the sail. I have also got a proper flag pole at the top of the mizzen for my little ensign and a new storage bag just inside the cabin to hold log book, tidal stream atlas etc. And to keep me busy at home for a bit, I am fitting a pedestal support to the cockpit floor boards so that I can use the plank I use as a movable bridge deck as a cockpit table. Just hoping for some sunny weather to use said table when it is finished.
I also noticed that although I was on the boat for a couple of hours in steady rain, I felt no need of the cockpit tent, just the spray hood. I think I shall dump the tent idea.

The crack in my hull

2011-05-24T11:33:00.001+01:00

Not a great photo, but taken on a phone through a waterproof cover from a dinghy, so not too bad under the circumstances. I squirted epoxy under a large loose flake and stuck map pins into it to hold it shut whilst the glue cured. I cut off loose plywood edges with the razor sharp Leatherman knife I got for my birthday and then coveted all the edges and scratches with more epoxy. It all felt rock hard when I pulled the pins out an hour later. Always pays to have some Rapid araldite on board!

Trip to Christchurch aborted (27nm, 119nm total)

2011-05-21T21:46:00.003+01:00

I set out to sail to Christchurch as the wind and currents were about perfect. I reckoned I could make 3-4kts. I was storming along at 5-6 and was due at Hengistbury Head ahead of estimate. Then I noticed the Isle of Wight had disappeared. Then Hengistbury disappeared and it was only a mile away. Thick fog was rolling in from the Channel. I turned tail back to Poole. The fog lifted but I was glad I had gone back. Close hauled I was still making 4kts. Daisy G sailed herself for half an hour without a hand on the tiller. I even made a sandwich and just watched the view. I only had to steer to get into the entrance channel. Then a sunny afternoon storming around the harbour. I beat a Shrimper in a straight windward beat, which was very satisfying as I was towing a dinghy and went aground at least once. A good weekend's sailing apart from the crack (which I have filled with Araldite)
The little video below was recorded on my mobile phone thorugh a waterproof cover. On my way back to Poole and just about to get my lunch ready whilst Daisy G deals with the helming.