bad winter weather

I took the decision to pack away Arwen for the winter. It took me an hour or so. The tarpaulins over her had frozen solid. Over the last few weeks water had permeated the tarp and collected in the bilges/floor. Because Arwen is stored on a sloping drive, the water flows down and collects at the base of the front thwart. Because I seal the hatch rims with Vaseline, water hasn't leaked through into the under thwart locker but it was inches deep on the floor.

Not on the driveway but on the QAB slip a few months back

Anyway, off came the jib and the jib furler off the bowsprit. The end of the furler cord which runs back to the cockpit has frayed and so will need new whipping. The end of the jib halyard has actually suffered a similar fate - partly because I've been remiss in not whipping it immediately I saw the fray start. So there is one job in the evenings. I removed the main halyard and need to check that carefully for wear and tear.

Out came the mainsheet and jib sheets (another frayed job needing remedial action). I also took out all the paraphernalia  like fenders, and halyard bags. One or two of these were damp and are now drying in the garage. The gratings were a bit damp and had started to get mouldy - so they need sanding down and re- soaking in Deks Oljie. Out came seat cushions and they have been cleaned.  Basically it was a good opportunity to do some cleaning up. I now have to decide whether I'm going to sand down the mast and re coat that in Deks Oljie as well - its a matter of shifting things around in the garage - like a dismantled 1960's scooter!!!!!

Hand on heart - it needs doing; there are a few dings in it which need filling as well. Its all part of looking after a wooden boat and that is what the fun is about isn't is?

Steve

do you ever wake up in the night........

with little niggles.....things that start worrying you and grow out of all proportion?  I've woken up for several nights now with a little fear which is growing in my mind....and I can't shake it loose.......have I put on so much weight recently that a) I will not fit inside Angharad...and b) if I do fit inside.........she'll sink and water will flood into the cockpit across the deck?

I blame my Mother - she saw me recently after a spell of not seeing me and remarked 'darling you really must lose weight'

Gee - thanks Mum! Now look what you've started - rampant paranoia! And a vision I can't shake loose.........I'm at the slip at Queen Anne's battery; everyone has turned up to celebrate the launch of Angharad...they are lining the pontoons; I sit in her, push off and..................gurgle gurgle gurgle! I sink never to resurface again!

Steve

Robert's labour of love

Robert's labour of love is finally on its way and you can purchase it. All the details are here at his site at
http://middlething.blogspot.com/

I am really looking forward to reading this book.  Robert is a craftsman and a really reflective guy - it will be a brilliant and insightful read for all those interested in small open boats - sailing them , building them or dreaming about them. I look at some of the people who have also made contributions - they are legends in the navigator world - these people really inspired me when building Arwen. I pored for hours over Barrett's photographs and wished constantly  I had her level of expertise, craftsmanship and artistry. I complied a huge scrapbook of every photograph I could find of a navigator before I ever started on Arwen; I annotated these pictures with questions, ideas, design features I wanted off these boats; some things I didn't want. I scrutinised these peoples websites, flickr photos and blogs. I spent hours visualising, constructing things in my mind. Dave P's site gave me inspiration - real people, building real boats and having fun in them. These people are my heros! They are the reason I managed to start Arwen and whilst she will never win any beauty prizes like all the other navigators will - I did have fun building her; I did achieve an ambition; I did learn a huge amount and oh hell yes - have I had fun sailing her or have I had fun sailing her! However, I'd be less than honest if I didn't say I got frustrated too - despite my best efforts - I just don't seem to have the skill set some of these people had...it used to drive me mad that despite measuring something 6 times - I'd still cut it to discover a 3 - 6 mm gap had suddenly materialised from nowhere...urgh!  I guess we all have to learn - I'm really good at helping kids learn.....my carpentry skills....well - hey I'll just live with imperfection!

You see this is the thing - you need people like the Dave's, Rob, John, Martin, Owen, Chuck, Richard, Barrett, Kevin (Steve of Spartina fame and Wilfred - see his site sometime!!) - people who will willingly share their time, expertise and passion; who will encourage the novices with words of wisdom; whose creative efforts provide something to aspire to in your own creations; where there is no such thing as a stupid question - or if there is - it is never acknowledged as being one...........

Maybe I'm biased....but I really did look around other designers - I went to them all..and then after each one - I kept returning to a welsford navigator.....it would have been a pathfinder - had the garage extended another 6' forward - but sadly despite the best efforts of my 'harry potter mad' son - the garage didn't do a 'Sirius Black' house extending jobbie and so a navigator it was...you cut your cloth (or boat in this case) to fit......etc etc......

I haven't seen the book yet but I don't have to in order to firmly recommend it to all - it has a pedigree behind it - an inspired author - some inspired practicing contributors and an inspired designer. What more do you need - go get one - you won't be disappointed - promise!

Steve

a nifty idea

Whilst catching up with what is happening out there I came across this really nifty idea for a tiller tamer which I will now do over the winter on Arwen - I found it at Jon's site which you can access here
http://jonspathfinder.blogspot.com/

It really is quite simple and clever. I, like Jon, have found that using the mizzen to actually lie head to wind hasn't been easy and as soon as I move around the boat the balance shifts and so the main sheet doesn't lie along the centre line. Maybe I've been doing it wrong but securing the tiller in this way is certainly a step in the right direction - nice one Jon - thank you!

Steve

well done Thomas - another pathfinder launched

Tom and his crew rolling the boat way back sometime this year 

when clearly I was not paying enough attention

Bit old is this news - but I have only just caught up with it - Thomas Hamernik has launched his Pathfinder - he did it in August and there is a great article on duckworks at http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/11/projects/pathfinder/index.htm

There are a couple of great video clips as well at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHWeDMDRS8c and another one at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOMnid_Gf4o&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

And here he is sailing it. I think the copyright of this photo belongs to Tom.

It's a lovely boat and a great design - well it would be - an obviously talented builder and a great designer - 'wot more can I say?' Other than - "sorry Tom that I didn't publicise your great launch sooner - please forgive me"

Enjoy

Steve

Robert's Navigator book

....................is on it's way. This has been an extraordinary labour of love by a very talented man. I'm really excited at getting my hands on a copy. Robert tells the story more at his excellent blog which can be found here http://middlething.blogspot.com/

Enjoy!

Robert's book - doesn't it look fantastic (copyright Robert Ditterich)

Steve

new video film

Dave has posted an excellent short video for the Akaroa wooden boat festival 2010. I love this film - it is well shot, full of atmosphere and shows how much fun sailing with others can be. A classic - well done Dave and thanks - its brightened up a very nasty, snow and down right freezing winter night here in the UK. You can see some lovely boats and a number of navigators.....and then there is that stunning scenery as well

Find the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVW9rTlHUnE

Steve

finally at last.........

Angharad got her launch. This afternoon she was put onto the car rack and driven over to Oreston slip - a tiny little launch ramp on the side of the Plym. It's a lovely little place overlooking the old docks. Angharad slipped into the water for her first test float. Given I have no paddles yet I didn't get to canoe....but it was enough to see she floated level......and didn't sink. Here are the photographs.

Angharad strapped to the roof of old faithful

getting the painter ready

And she's launched - Angharad takes to the water for the first time

Lordy me....she floats horizontal she does!

Celtic Cross on foredeck

and now its back to the car and home again

Steve 

Here is a video of Kevin with the last sail of his season on board his navigator Slip Jig. He's sailing on the Chesapeake bay in Maryland and wow doesn't it look great. I have always liked the videos of Slip Jig - interesting camera angles - well thought out.

http://70point8percent.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html

He woke up with frost on the windshield and a forecast that was clear skies high of 60 degrees F, small craft advisories, wind NE 15 knots with gusts to 20. What really happened was 10-12 from the SE and the wind shifted to the S in early afternoon to less than 5, temp on the water was mid 50's in the afternoon.
enjoy the video which can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McBMPcfXhvs

I'm still waiting for my last sail of the season - like Kevin - I'm waiting for the right forecast!!!!!

Steve

we did promise not to....but.......

We did promise not to mix scooters and sailing but hey, here is a quick update. The weather has been miserable - we can't get out in Arwen; we haven't been able to do a maiden launch of Angharad. We have made progress on the 1965 motovespa scooter though and secretly we are rather please with ourselves because neither Sam or I know anything about engineering (although he's just started a GCSE in it - so I'm playing catchup........again!). So with apologies to all my boat purists...here are some shots of the stripped down scooter.

the top of the steering column with the handle bars and the front steering fork removed

The circular metal bit at the top of the column is a very stubborn bottom half of a ball bearing cage

which refuses to shift.......I bet for some of you wooden boat purists this is striking fear in your hearts.........or down right revulsion......I still feel that swapping to scooters from wooden boats is something naughty to be done privately behind closed doors!

This is a small frame chassis for the uninitiated. Everything has been taken off it and we now need to find a grit blaster who is sensitive enough to gently blast off the paint back to bare steel. We'll then etch prime it and two tone pack paint it

some rust areas to sort out especially where the floor panel joins the central raised area

this is the front wheel hub assembly known as the fork. you are looking at the back plate of the brake drum and the grey bit is the lower end of the front shock absorber. sadly we are having some problems with this - some idiot tried to force the back plate off with a screwdriver and the nut on the other side has jammed!

the offending castellated nut - i think it will a blow torch job to heat the nut slightly so that it expands....at least I think that is the theory!

This is the carburettor and my mad son wants to take it apart - I applaud curiosity...but this feels one step too far!

before we took the front steering assembly apart

original light, horn, badge - 45 years old and it still worked having been stored in a barn for 30 years unloved - amazing!

The very highly sought after rear tyre holder - very rare and difficult to get hold of apparently

and we are hoping to take it from this...................

to something similar to this.....well that's the plan

The reality might be a tad different!

(apologies because we are unsure where we got this lovely scooter photo from and so cannot acknowledge the excellent restoration workmanship)

Anyway we just thought we'd let yoou know how we were getting on - hopefully the next post will be boat based!

Steve