Occasionally.........

"Stacey" our 1971 motovespa 125 super sneaks onto the blog. I just passed my CBT test and am slowly getting out and about on the vespa.

Here are two films of this morning's outing

Steve

Still can't get use to using an IPad

Posting on the iPad isn't as clear or as quick as using the laptop but we persevere ........

A few more photos

As promised

I braved the wind and shot off on Stacey to get photographs of 'Irene' the big ketch which is moored in the Barbican. Enjoy!

Intheboatshed

Gavin has posted a lovely feature about the Stirling's and how they have acquired the lease to the No. 1 slipway at the Devonport yard.  You can read about what the Stirling's have been up to courtesy of Gavin at http://intheboatshed.net/

Steve

Joel is putting me to shame

He's made adaptations to 'Ellie' and whipped his ropes AND he's been out sailing with his newly adjusted sail rig. Cool video as always as well.

The man is just shaming me into action
Nice post Joel. Glad to see 'Ellie' on the water for first time this year.
http://navigatorjoel.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/spring-tweaks.html

Steve

Bits and pieces

Well mast cradles are on their way. Similar to Joel's, they are painted white and currently drying in the garage downstairs.  I've got one which drops down the mast hole on the front deck; the rear one lies across the coaming aft of the centre case.  I have to line them with an old camping mat I have in the basement but they should be ready by end of the week. Not that there is any rush. The weather remains "breezy" he says..........25mph for the next few days with gusts around 35mph.

In the meantime I have had my first extended drive out on "Stacey". We went up onto the moors along by the china clay works running through Lee Moor and Wotter before descending down to Elfordleigh and Boringdon Hall. I haven't yet got the gear change off pat yet; there were a few over revved gear changes!

My son and I have different ideas about what constitutes "spongy" brakes. So tomorrow the brakes get adjusted. I discovered this going downhill when I wanted to stop at the T junction at the  foot of it; but surprisingly didn't as the big white stop lines gently trundled underneath me and the houses opposite became somewhat larger and more solid looking as I entered their front gardens!!!

Kids!
A few hours of fun with the missus........a lifetime of payback! I love them dearly, honestly.

Steve

Tough calls in life

Irene is a ketch built in 1907 by one Mr. Carver. She is on our UK historic ships register and at the moment she is alongside in the Barbican in Plymouth. It looks as if she is being fitted out. Life rafts in those white oval canisters mounted on wooden frames were strewn across their aft decks yesterday awaiting some permanent positioning. Now sadly, the camera that I carry permanently in my waterproof jacket decided to run out of battery charge, so dear readers, I will endeavour to go back down the barbican later to try and get said photographs. She is an absolute stunner in some ways although some tidying up still needs to be done. I would love to be able to sail out on her but sadly I doubt I will be able to afford it. Ce cera and all that.
Her historic ships entry can be found here. http://www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/register/469/irene

Her website can be found here at http://cinnabarsolutions.co.uk/Irene/

In the meantime I am now faced with one of those dilemmas all men face occasionally in their lifetime. Today is a holiday. She wot must be obeyed has had to go to work. It's 8.14am. Usually I've already done a couple of hours on my normal teaching day. SWMBO has left me a list.........do the washing, put it on radiators, cut the grass, trim the hedges, tidy the house, make sure teenage son tidies his bedroom, clean the kitchen...........on my list is photos of Irene, fit the new mast supports, trim all ropes with my new hot knife gizmo, whip said rope ends, clean up Arwen, de-winter the outboard. In the back room are 80 coursework projects which need grading and around 20 hrs of lesson planning before I go back to work.

Tough decision. Duty, fear of SWMBO or just 'chill'in'.  Tough,tough call!

Steve

Thanks Joel

Joel has come to the rescue ............ Again!
These are his mast cradles. And they are exactly what I was thinking of. Joel sent me this photo of his.

http://navigatorjoel.blogspot.co.uk/

Well done Joel and thank you. Much appreciated. To go to Joel's site go to

Mast cradles for transport

A vexing question. How do I best transport mast, mizzen and sails on Arwen when towing her?
Up to now I have had something similar to that used by Daveejay on his navigator 'korora' but I only made a rough set and they are starting to fall apart and need replacing.
At present I rest the masts on cushions on the coaming fore and aft and tie them down. It works but it takes time tying them on and off.

Dave's cradles and his lovely navigator can be found here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/davejay/4414077191/sizes/l/in/photostream/ 

So do I go with something similar again or could I try this method which I have sketched on the iPad. It would rest across the coatings fore and aft and the front of he masts and sails would then rest on a similar cradle whose vertical post would slot into the mast hole on the front deck. I dunno.......so if anyone has some advice or tips on best way to carry mast etc; or which of the two methods I have mentioned he is best.......then do please let me know as I'd like to make the cradles ready in time for Easter........which is only two weeks away!

Steve

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davejay/4414077191/sizes/l/in/photostream/