My son is still in bed, my wife is out! There is peace and quiet in the house and whilst I love them both dearly, it is lovely to sit at my living room window looking out over the village below and the distant Dartmoor Hills, with a cup of coffee and have a few moments to catch up on blogs of other people from around the World. Isn’t blogging wonderful and isn’t it great to have small insights into the daily lives of people you’ll probably never meet but who live on the other side of the Planet.
John has posted his latest at his blog – the subject of winch wires for trailers. You can read it here at http://jwboatdesigns.blogspot.com/2011/02/winch-wires.html
That got me thinking – I haven’t checked the winch strap or winch I use on the trailer –so that’s another thing to be added to the list of ‘things to do’.
Another blog I love reading is this one – I’m not going to say much here but I love this blog because Teresa does what so few of us manage to end up doing – think a dream and then live the dream.
Here is a picture of her lovely boat on what Teresa calls ‘launch day’.
I got hold of another great book yesterday – I have only glanced through it. It’s called ‘Practical Dinghy Cruiser by Paul Constantine and its available from this place here: http://www.moonshinepublications.co.uk/book-content
My initial impressions – this is an excellent book full of practical tips, suggestions and questioning – I like books which make you reflect on what you do, how you do it and most importantly of all why do it! The back cover has this to say..........
The book has many simple constructional diagrams of useful equipment, numerous photographs of the people, the boats and the activity. There are lessons to be learned and short cruise accounts to be enjoyed, sufficient to carry the reader into the dinghy cruising world in the craft that they have evolved. The contents will hopefully encourage them to feel that “I could do that”.
I haven’t quite got clear yet in my mind but I think..........that this is a book written by a Dinghy Cruising Association member; who draws primarily on the experiences, wisdom and expertise of DCA members. I learned loads in just the first few pages and when you do one of those rapid flick through the pages – loads of cameos, practical tips, and difficult to articulate, but what to me is a sense of adventure, joy, exhilaration, and hard won experience just leaps off the pages. I’m just finishing Joshua Slocum and I hate reading two books at once because I’m essentially a shallow person with limited brain capacity who cannot multi task......so practical dinghy cruising will have to wait a wee while longer before I get stuck into it......but I can’t wait! It’s even got fantastic practical instructions and diagrams on how to build a boat tent ......and wait for it......is this an example of the fates coming together or what.......on the same day the book arrives in the post.......I find long lost and forgotten about in the garage a huge canvas tent that I bought way, way back in a boat jumble......which looks as if it could be cut up to make a lovely ridge tent – following the instructions in this book – now is that fate or is that fate!
Rat’s another thing to add to the list of things to do!!!!! That lists a growing and time is as they say running out!
Steve
John has posted his latest at his blog – the subject of winch wires for trailers. You can read it here at http://jwboatdesigns.blogspot.com/2011/02/winch-wires.html
That got me thinking – I haven’t checked the winch strap or winch I use on the trailer –so that’s another thing to be added to the list of ‘things to do’.
Another blog I love reading is this one – I’m not going to say much here but I love this blog because Teresa does what so few of us manage to end up doing – think a dream and then live the dream.
Teresa Carey
What’s more Teresa’s a fellow teacher and well – that just makes her special anyway! Read her blog and see her wonderful projects at http://sailingsimplicity.com/how-i-made-my-break/ Here is a picture of her lovely boat on what Teresa calls ‘launch day’.
'Launch day': copyright Teresa Carey
I got hold of another great book yesterday – I have only glanced through it. It’s called ‘Practical Dinghy Cruiser by Paul Constantine and its available from this place here: http://www.moonshinepublications.co.uk/book-content
My initial impressions – this is an excellent book full of practical tips, suggestions and questioning – I like books which make you reflect on what you do, how you do it and most importantly of all why do it! The back cover has this to say..........
The book has many simple constructional diagrams of useful equipment, numerous photographs of the people, the boats and the activity. There are lessons to be learned and short cruise accounts to be enjoyed, sufficient to carry the reader into the dinghy cruising world in the craft that they have evolved. The contents will hopefully encourage them to feel that “I could do that”.
By Paul Constantine and Moonshine Press
I haven’t quite got clear yet in my mind but I think..........that this is a book written by a Dinghy Cruising Association member; who draws primarily on the experiences, wisdom and expertise of DCA members. I learned loads in just the first few pages and when you do one of those rapid flick through the pages – loads of cameos, practical tips, and difficult to articulate, but what to me is a sense of adventure, joy, exhilaration, and hard won experience just leaps off the pages. I’m just finishing Joshua Slocum and I hate reading two books at once because I’m essentially a shallow person with limited brain capacity who cannot multi task......so practical dinghy cruising will have to wait a wee while longer before I get stuck into it......but I can’t wait! It’s even got fantastic practical instructions and diagrams on how to build a boat tent ......and wait for it......is this an example of the fates coming together or what.......on the same day the book arrives in the post.......I find long lost and forgotten about in the garage a huge canvas tent that I bought way, way back in a boat jumble......which looks as if it could be cut up to make a lovely ridge tent – following the instructions in this book – now is that fate or is that fate!
Rat’s another thing to add to the list of things to do!!!!! That lists a growing and time is as they say running out!
Steve
2 comments:
Hi Steve,
Please do let us know if you build a ridge tent for your Navigator. I was thinking of buying a couple of tents, cutting them up and stitching them back together to make a Navigator tent with windows and doors and maybe using the tent poles as well. But I haven't sorted out exactly how yet. Would dearly like to see what you come up with! Your blog is terrific. Cheers.
Thanks joel for kind comments.
I think I'm leaning towards some form of dome tent - hopefully using my existing hiking tent. That would involve fitting some blocks for putting the poles in. The simplicity of a ridge tent slung between the masts and under the sprit boom does also appeal. I can treat the canvas to waterproof it - I just have to find a strong enough sewing machine to stitch the various bits and pieces
steve
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