Arwen's meanderings

Hi everyone and welcome to my dinghy cruising blog about my John Welsford designed 'navigator' named Arwen. Built over three years, Arwen was launched in August 2007. She is a standing lug yawl 14' 6" in length. This blog records our dinghy cruising voyages together around the coastal waters of SW England.
Arwen has an associated YouTube channel so visit www.YouTube.com/c/plymouthwelshboy to find our most recent cruises and click subscribe.
On this blog you will find posts about dinghy cruising locations, accounts of our voyages, maintenance tips and 'How to's' ranging from rigging standing lug sails and building galley boxes to using 'anchor buddies' and creating 'pilotage notes'. I hope you find something that inspires you to get out on the water in your boat. Drop us a comment and happy sailing.
Steve and Arwen

Thursday 26 May 2011

and another addition to the worldwide family of navigators

A new navigator has been launched. Congratulations go to ‘Blindblake’ (sorry I don’t know your real name, forgive me). He has posted photographs in flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/38941023@N05/sets/72157618953099785/
It looks a fantastic boat with a neat paint scheme and some excellent craftsmanship. Blindblake reported on John Welford’s yahoo forum that things had gone well at the launch bar a small trickle of water at the centreboard pivot bolt. Yep I remember that trickle in Arwen.

He apparently kept forgetting he had a mizzen sail (huh - that will soon pass believe me - need eyes in the back of your head for that one) and that the boat positively skipped along. The sails set very well with no creases (lucky man – remember all the problems I had trying to remove sail creases until John and the forum came to my rescue?)

Blindblake suggests he will move some of the rigging around and he wants to put in pockets for keys VHF etc. I have loads of double pockets (Canvas type) all around Arwen’s coaming and they are fantastically useful for storing spare rope, sail ties, drinks, suncream, a spare emergency fuel bottle and lord knows what else – they make the interior far tidier.

It is really good to see another navigator join the growing worldwide family of navigator boats. Enjoy your sailing Blindblake and congratulations – a job done really well – a lovely boat.

Steve

2 comments:

Osbert said...

Hi Steve

Do you have photos of your pockets?! Thinking about something along those lines for Scratch.

Cheers

Osbert

steve said...

Hi Osbert
i have pockets like these that i bought from a local boat jumble - they clip onto press studshttp://www.force4.co.uk/1781/Force-4-Halyard-Bag-Double-Blue.html



i think i paid around £10.00 for pckets and fittings. i have 2 sets on each side coaming; and one either side of centre case in aft footwell

steve