Well, we went to the London Boatshow yesterday and were frankly quite disappointed with it. They have made big changes this year, not least the inclusion of an outdoor show for things like walking, cycling and climbing along with a huge indoor pool for events. Frankly, this all mitigated against it being useful for us. The number of small exhibitors with specialist equipment had reduced considerably and, in particular, the big chandlers all had much smaller stands or weren't there at all in the case of Force4.
One of the things that we liked about the old style show was that we could walk around and talk to the experts of some of the smaller equipment as well as finding the occasional useful little thing that you never realised you needed like a new form of self amalgamating tape.
We actually went all geared up to spend plenty of money this year but wound up not buying much in the end. The biggest single "purchase" was to rejoin the Cruising Association. Our impression was that the purely boating area had been shrunk more than the quarter that the outdoor show took up and I suspect that rates had been bumped up substantially to exclude the small companies. I think that the organisers have made a mistake here. Well, at one level I think that they have as the offerings for serious boaters looking for useful stuff for the upcoming season will, in future stay away. However, I am sure that the new format will be good for the gate which will make them profitable - for the organising company at least.
We did buy a couple of admiralty charts covering the Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic coast of the Iberian peninsula. Now we have to find a source of detailed charts which at £21 a pop though Spanish charts are only €25. I will be keeping an eye on Ebay and other sources of second hand but if any of the millions of readers knows of a source contact me and I will be very interested - leave a comment!
I seriously doubt if we will be going next year though at the ROA AGM there was talk about having some representatives at the stand dedicated to Owners Associations and I quite like the idea of volunteering for that. Otherwise, we will probably stay away.
On other fronts, we have got hold of our liferaft off Ebay and have ordered a heavy duty one from the States over Ebay as well. That has been fun. We will also be selling our old rigid dinghy and a sailboard we aquired a few years ago.
Down to the boat next weekend so we want either nice late winter sailing conditions or a howling gale!
Sunday, 16 January 2011
Friday, 7 January 2011
Rival Owners Association AGM
We have just got back from a very enjoyable time at the AGM in the East India Club. Guests of honour were Paul and Rachel Chandler. The usual business of the meeting was conducted but the most noticeable aspect of the whole thing was the presence of numerous strong personalities as you would expect amongst a group of boat owners but also an absence of much in the way of overly strong egos.
The dinner afterwards was also an enjoyable time with the chance to swap lots of notes about Rivals and different cruising plans. Now we just have to bring them to fruition so we can regale everyone with them at the next meeting!
The dinner afterwards was also an enjoyable time with the chance to swap lots of notes about Rivals and different cruising plans. Now we just have to bring them to fruition so we can regale everyone with them at the next meeting!
Monday, 27 December 2010
too cold for sailing
For the legions of readers of this blog in the UK, you will know that we have been gripped with a nasty cold snap complete with some snow which has had the usual effect of bringing the entire county to a standstill. I have even bought a shovel and put it in the back of the car. However, it has genuinly been too cold to think of doing any sailing as we are not the intrepid sorts who relish huddling in the cockpit wrapped up th eyeballs and still freezing. For the other millions who do not live in the UK, we have had one of thos periodic cold snaps that brings a few centimeters of snow and everything to a stop.
In fact it is all looking a bit frustrating and will have made a bit of a mockery of keeping the boat afloat this winter.
At least I have had a bit of an idea for our upcoming cruising plans which is to make a bit of a book called the oenophiles cruise. We can start with UK where the wine industy is advancing in step with global warming. We can then progress across The Channel and Biscay to sample some better known wines. Yesterday we went for a walk along the south coast along the Seven Sisters and encountered this flat calm but beautiful sunset.
In fact it is all looking a bit frustrating and will have made a bit of a mockery of keeping the boat afloat this winter.
At least I have had a bit of an idea for our upcoming cruising plans which is to make a bit of a book called the oenophiles cruise. We can start with UK where the wine industy is advancing in step with global warming. We can then progress across The Channel and Biscay to sample some better known wines. Yesterday we went for a walk along the south coast along the Seven Sisters and encountered this flat calm but beautiful sunset.
Friday, 17 December 2010
Got the main
It arrived at work first thing. Dark green bag, large stainless rings on the "spectacles" and a funky square pattern on the cloth. So we can definitely count on pointing five degrees higher and sailing at least a knot faster! :-)
Thursday, 16 December 2010
New Main Arriving
Jeckells contacted me yesterday and after forking out six hundred odd quid of outstanding balance they are shipping our new main out and it should arrive at work tomorrow.
We shall of course expect the boat to point five degrees higher or sail half a knot faster. The reality is more likely that she will point one degree higher and at least be able to power through a nasty chop with more aplomb than at present. It would be great to be able to try it out but the weather is really not looking promising for Christmas at all as the snow falls outside.
Oh well, all the more reason to sail south.
We shall of course expect the boat to point five degrees higher or sail half a knot faster. The reality is more likely that she will point one degree higher and at least be able to power through a nasty chop with more aplomb than at present. It would be great to be able to try it out but the weather is really not looking promising for Christmas at all as the snow falls outside.
Oh well, all the more reason to sail south.
Sunday, 5 December 2010
Continuing Thoughts
The thing I find myself thinking about the most in this excessively cold and snowy weather. Witness our street here, 
is where we will winter next year. There are a few options all of which it is surprisingly difficult to get concrete information. The most convenient spot to stay would be Gibraltar itself. It is, literally, at the entrance to the Med while also having good communication links to the UK so we can fly down and do the inevitable work.
Other options we have considered are the area round Cadiz, La Linea and Algeciras. It is also possible that we may find somewhere to the East of Gibraltar but I am doubtful of that. More research is clearly needed.
is where we will winter next year. There are a few options all of which it is surprisingly difficult to get concrete information. The most convenient spot to stay would be Gibraltar itself. It is, literally, at the entrance to the Med while also having good communication links to the UK so we can fly down and do the inevitable work.
Other options we have considered are the area round Cadiz, La Linea and Algeciras. It is also possible that we may find somewhere to the East of Gibraltar but I am doubtful of that. More research is clearly needed.
Thursday, 2 December 2010
Photos
Well, at last, I have got around to doing some work with the pictures I have got and it is time to bore the world with them.
First, we show off Sarah Giddings while stuck in Torquay where we left her for two happy weeks.
Next, for your delectation we are now in cosy Darthaven Marina, Kingswear. It is a nice place to winter. Though, as I said earlier, it is a bit odd to be "based" on the Dart rather than visiting it. The next time we manage to go for a sail and then come back will really be the strange bit.
The next two show the work to date on the Aries. We are going to call him Mars as Aries was the Ancient Greek God of war.
A mounting bracket
And the beast itself:
Work lists are growing as ever. So the winter will be busy especially as it is now sinking in that the fact that I have negotiated all that time off work now means no annual leave till August 15 next year!
First, we show off Sarah Giddings while stuck in Torquay where we left her for two happy weeks.
Next, for your delectation we are now in cosy Darthaven Marina, Kingswear. It is a nice place to winter. Though, as I said earlier, it is a bit odd to be "based" on the Dart rather than visiting it. The next time we manage to go for a sail and then come back will really be the strange bit.
The next two show the work to date on the Aries. We are going to call him Mars as Aries was the Ancient Greek God of war.
A mounting bracket
And the beast itself:
Work lists are growing as ever. So the winter will be busy especially as it is now sinking in that the fact that I have negotiated all that time off work now means no annual leave till August 15 next year!
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