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Stoppress page for 2016!

Wednesday 28th December 2016.

We are in the middle of the holiday break and it is to be expected that the number of mails coming in would drop, and they have.  However one came in just before the holiday that I hinted at and I just had to share the mail, or part of it, with you.

New owner of the Eventide 24 'Everjoy', Michael Salisbury joined us this month and he has a story to tell. A rather special one.

I first heard this many years back, but it has been retold to me.

Michael had an interest in 'Everjoy' for years, but with a young family was unable to devote time energy and pennies to getting involved, but watched her restoration with interest.  He visited the boat when Ian was finishing it and was contacted by Ian when he decided subsequently to part with her.  Ian contacted Michael as he had a rather special connection with her.

Many years ago Michaels father assisted Tony with the building of her.  Then one day, Michael's father met the lady of his life and wanted to get married.  As he was a little short of cash Tony,  the owner, agreed to lend 'Everjoy' to him for his honeymoon on the River Blackwater.

The result, as they say, was Michael! We are so pleased that 'Everjoy' is being cared for now by someone so closely 'involved' with her!

Here is Michael with his children and wife and I think sister....

A whole new generation of sailors in the making! (Boat laid up in sister's barn at the moment.)

Now isn't that a heart warming story!  More from Michael as he paints her up and gets her ready to sail again.  More pics on the Eventide pages of the Gallery.

John

Friday 23rd December 2016.

Welcome to the new owner of the Eventide 24, Everjoy. Sail No YME473.  Michael bought her a little while back and we knew from Ian the restorer that she was in is hands.  Today he has joined us and sent in this pic.....

Everjoy.

Not sure Where 'Everjoy' will be moored next season, hope she is close enough for us to cross wakes.

Hear the Netherlands group are planning the MG meet again, hope the spring weather is warmer next year to allow all get get out there and join in, was impressive last time. Good luck Eilard, our Netherlands rep and Steering group member.

Massed MG's and friends sail the Netherlands!

The final touches are now being done to the piles of parcels round all the trees and most of the frantic preparation for the big day is virtually over, just one more day of shopping and wrapping to go.

Hope yours is a peaceful and happy one, back when the dust has settled!

John

Wednesday 21st December 2016.

Solstice Greetings!!

Today at 10.44 GMT we pass the point at which the days begin to get longer.  Yippee, looking forward to long balmy summer sailing days already!

I said yesterday I was just going to drop my 16ft boat off trailer.  A Job that normally takes 5 minutes.  It eventually took three and a half hours!  What went wrong???  A simple thing, when the grandchildren were here one summer I decided to apply the handbrake on the trailer, just in case..  I later forgot to release it.  4 years later.....  Result brakes seized on..

Try pulling a heavy trailer with half a ton of boat  on it and with a Morris Minor, when the wheels won't turn!  I ended up with blocks and tackles, jacks and 6ft levers to ease the boat off the trailer, then extricate the trailer with the wheels locked....  Even without the heavy boat on it it was a so and so to move.  It was  dark before I had removed the wheels and eased off the drum brakes.... working by torch.....

So a lesson here, do not apply brakes to trailers in storage!

Off with the trailer and a neighbour to Ongar later today to pick up two 20ft lengths of 9 inch drain pipe!  Bet I get some funny looks, with that lot behind a  50 year old Morris Minor van!!

See Scotland is getting heavy snow today, some say it is the first day of winter today, Meteorologists say if started on the 1st, I think it did too! (Especially up north!).

Keep warm and start planning those summer trips, amending the charts, updating the Plotter cards, ordering the new tide tables etc.  (I use the Belfield tide tables on a CD, brilliant, covers all UK and near continent, and includes tidal streams too now.).

Don't forget to send those logs in, if you are writing up last years cruises too.

John

Tuesday 20th December 2016.

Tomorrow is the shortest day, so bonfires  to welcome the sun back!  Not a chance, too windy for next few days and anyone locally thinking of a Christmas day sail, forget it, gales here in Essex!

So back to armchair sailing!

Just added an interesting one to the 'Friends' page of the gallery.  Another Kenneth Evans design, 'Springtide'.   at 24ft  by 8ft and with 2'11" draft, long keel back to transom hung rudder and very firm bilges, albeit in GRP, it is too similar to a standard Eventide 24 to ignore!  We learn that Kenneth was indeed in partnership with another designer, sadly we do not know for sure who.  But have a peek and see if you see the obvious links! 

I am about to break out the trailer for my 16ft open boat I have for sale (sold!!)  and hitch it up to the back of my Morris Minor van, (without the half ton of boat I hasten to add).  I have to go and collect some long heavy tubing that needs to be collected this week.  A test of the trailers ability to launch onto the hard and recover from the same!  Should be fun!

Still as dry as dust here, but the next day or two may see a little rain...  I'm still waiting for the deluge!  Has to come!  time to check covers and clear the ditches!

John

Monday 19th December 2016

Fast approaching the shortest day and the winter solstice, time for me to get that bonfire going!

We have had some nasty foggy days here during the last week or so.  I was down at the marina Sunday and noted it had not stopped the fishing boats from heading out, all rod and line boats these days, and of course all fitted with the new broadband radars!  Not sure I will be purposely heading anywhere if the fog comes down, but reassuring to know so many set great store by it!

So far this winter, apart from just a few nights when we had frosts, it has been very mild, and extremely dry.  Local pond holes, spring fed, have dried up, most unusual.  Cannot help but feel the weather cannot stay like this so looking forward to cold and wet over the coming months!  Also we have had no gales to speak of for weeks, they will be coming some day, so check those covers every now and then.

Chris in the Netherlands spotted a Buchanan design, a 'Wind Elf', a 25ft classic, she is for sale on EBay. I will be posting a couple of pics I have pinched from the advert onto the gallery.

Don't forget, still just about time for me to send you a burgee!  See the Burgee page!

Back to the Christmas wrapping paper.

John

Wednesday 14th December 2016.

A week or so back I added an advert for my 16ft open boat to the site.  Within a day or two I had someone look, yesterday they made a firm offer that I accepted.  The power of advertising on our pages!   I now have to sort all the kit out and get it available, (it's buried deep in a couple of my garages/stores!).  The buyer will be trailing her away in January, I hope!

Christmas gifts?  What about a Burgee.....

See the Burgee page!

John

Tuesday 13th December 2016.

Its Time!!!!

They are back!

Yes it is time the dreaded bouncing snowmen re appeared!  Now all the houses in the village are putting lights up I have been badgered to putting ours up..

I draw the line at the tree though, because, as I often do, I have a pot grown tree that will be going out into the garden later, so do not want it indoors for too long.  However this year the temperature outside is daft warm, today dropped to 10 degrees, but for the next few days rising to 13 and I have just heard that the bets are off on this being the warmest Christmas day ever, it looks as if it could top 16 degrees!  This is madness, What global warming???? It was not that warm on my trip round the UK in 2013!  And that was May, June and July!

Had a great mail in from Silvio in Italy.  Silvio used to be the proud owner of Tinka and showed her at festivals etc. where she outshone all the other boats. We were saddened to read she had sunk  some time after he sold her in 2007, but now we hear a restoration/preservation society has salvaged her and we have offered a set of drawings to them!  Hope they get back to us with progress news.  Here are pictures  and text from their site!

STORIA:

Tinka fu progettata da Maurice Griffiths (disegno n° 149b) costruita in mogano (west african mahogany) chiodato in rame su struttura in rovere presso i cantieri Staniland & Co Ltd. (n°207) a Thorne nello Yorkshire nel 1951.

Lo stesso disegnatore ne cita la storia in un suo testo "Sixty Years A Yacht Designers"  (pg 69-70-71).

 

Sugli stessi disegni fu costruita nello stesso anno una gemella “Koonawarra” e precedentemente nel 1948 la sorella: 'Sixpence'. A differenza di Sxipence però a fu modificata l’opera viva durante la costruzione. E’ evidente anche dal raffronto con le tavole originali come la chiglia fu aumentata di volume. Lo stesso Maurice Griffith interpellato a proposito spiegò i motivi che lo portarono a modificarne la parte immersa ottenendo una chiglia a “cuneo”.

I volumi della chiglia furono aumentati dai 2.2 T di Sixipence ai 2.65 T di Tinka.

Anche il fasciame fu irrobustito rispetto alla sorella e pur non avendo modificato albero e piano velico il risultato fu una barca estremamente più robusta.

Nel 1985 Tinka venne trovata in pessime condizioni (affondata) da Chris Keenan a Gosport in Hampshire UK che la restaurò in Benfleet Essex per utilizzarla come sua dimora negli anni a seguire. Chris nato sul mare a Leigh, lavorò presso Johnsos & Jago come maestro d’ascia, marinaio e rigger.

Nel 1988 arriva Tinka via mare fino alla Sardegna dove Chris avvia una scuola di vela per la US Navy.

Fu acquistata  a Cannigione (SS) nel 1995 da un armature italiano Silvio Cattarinich che nello stesso anno affidò a due maestri d'ascia di Porto Cervo il completo refitting degli interni (nuova cuccetta di prua, recupero del tavolo della dinette, rifacimento della cuscineria e ricerca dele stoviglie mancanti). Successivamente, nel 2004, sempre sotto il commando dello stesso armature  fu sostituito il motore con l’attuale Volvo Penta 3 cilidri e venne rifatto il bompresso secondo i disegni originali di Griffith.

Nel 2006 partecipò arrivando seconda alle Vele d’Epoca di Imperia.

 

Fu inserzionata nel dicembre del 2008 a 50.000 eu ma poi venduta a circa 10.000 a due soci, che continuarono a tenerla presso il porto di Genova.

Nel 2012 ne divenne proprieterio Antonio Marzocchi che la mentenne fino a quando nel settembre 2014 Tinka per ragioni non ben precisate affondo all’ormeggio presso il Porto Antico di Genova.

 
 

TINKA UNA GRANDE AVVENTURA:

A seguito della proposta di una barca ammiraglia per l'AVEV durante l'assemblea annuale del 2015 dove vennero proposte tre scafi: Tinka, un leudo rivanetto ed un yawl aurico, il Consiglio deliberò di intraprendere il progetto nella direzione del cutter marconi di disegno inglese.
 

Dopo diversi sopralluoghi si è valutato lo stato strutturale dello scafo assai ammalorato ma non tale da pregiudicarne il restauro.

Grazie alla generosità ed alla disponibilità di alcuni soci il progetto prende vita e dopo un complesso iter organizzativo la Tinka viene caricata a Genova Porto Antico presso il Cantiere Gino Gardella il 5 giugno 2015

 

 

 

 

Il 6 giugno raggiunge il rimessaggio dell'AVEV di Cellina dove viene adagiata su di un nuovo invaso in vista dei lavori di restauro.

 

 

 

Ora lo scafo è stato stato sistemato nel cuore del nostro piccolo cantiere. A breve verrà preparato e presentato un progetto di avanzamento lavori che coinvolgerà tutti (si spera) i soci volenterosi. Tinka è un grande progetto che vuole unire alla mera attività di restauro la possibilità di essere un "laboratorio" per chi si vuole avvicinare alle attività di carpenteria con le indicazioni e la stretta sorveglianza di personale qualificato.

 

 

L'AVEV promuove e supporta la Coppa dei Laghi

 

 

I visted my boat today, tucked up safe and sound in the barn, Lucky to have CCTV cameras on her as well now, as the farmer has installed them to stop the Wheatabix rustlers!  Pleased to say that even today with visibility down to 100 yards, the light coming through the skylights is still charging the batteries!

So damp, even though not that cold, it is not contusive to working on boats!  Have a couple of jobs I can get on with in my garage/workshop though.

As it is now only  12 days to the big day there is only just time to order that Burgee for your boat to ensure it gets there in time.  See the Burgee page!

Hope you are not on the naughty list!  If so just time to make amends! Buy a burgee!

John

Wednesday 7th December 2016.

We have been approached by the National Yachting Archive, an organisation that purports to be  a central source of archived information regarding important sailing material.  We will be investigating cooperating with these people, to further ensure the information we have is never lost. 

One of the Eventides that has been for sale for a while on our pages has been removed from sale, 'Polly Peacham'. There had been no enquiries and she was not getting any maintenance where she was, so Keith's widow has decided to donate the boat to an animal charity that Keith was involved in, as a static exhibit and memorial to him.  Some of the sailing gear may be removed and may appear on our pages later, as it will not be needed once she is moved.

Peter the webmaster has sorted out a solution for the problem we had with bogus registrations, and thus far it appears to be working...   It was simple really, anyone wanting to join the forum simply had to do it via the group management!   This way only members known to us will become registered Forum users.  We will watch and see if the mindless ones give up!

Outside today the temperature has risen to a giddy 12 degrees!  Were it not for the dampness it would be warm enough for the epoxy to set! And here we are barely 14 days to the shortest day! We looked at some pictures the other day and realised a few years ago, this time of year, we were snowed in for 2 days, bliss!

Then

Had some info in from 'Friend' Ian.  Ian owns Storm, the boat MG sailed and got the inspiration fro the Storm Class.  He is having her ashore to restore planking and frames and whilst he is doing so is putting the clock back and restoring her to the same configuration as the days in the 1930's when MG sailed her.  He is looking for any pictures that may show her as she was then.

Now!

Hoping to start planning for my next years cruise soon, and I was wondering how many might be sat writing up their logs from last season?  Send them in for the pages when you do!

Regards,

John

Essex’s ‘Discovery coast’ was chosen as the subject of the first of a series of Rough Guides. Does it deserve it? Dick Durham, who has been sailing the East Coast since his childhood, thinks so

It’s the land of the sawn-off keel, the sawn-off bowsprit and the sawn-off shotgun. The keel because the creeks are shallow, the bowsprit because they are narrow and the gun because many longshore folk in Essex have drifted east from Bethnal Green, Bow and Bermondsey, where old habits die hard.

Coastal Essex is marked culturally by violation, historically by sea and, in more recent times, by land. From the sea, ‘the invasion coast’, as Essex was once dubbed, with the ships of Romans, Saxons and Danes turning up with conquest in mind.

Boudicca torched the Roman fort at the head of the River Colne at Colchester, Vikings beheaded the Saxon leader, Brythnoth, on the River Blackwater, while flayed Danes suffered at the hands of a new cult, the Christians who, it is said, nailed their enemy’s shrinking skins to the oaken doors of churches, notably St Mary the Virgin at the head of Benfleet Creek. So when your echosounder pings it could be off the bones of an invader of yesteryear.

From the land, refugees poured across the River Lea into Essex fleeing the smoke of London’s hearths, which on the prevailing southwesterlies meant getting far enough east to be beyond the soot fallout zone. Refugees come with their predators and these included highwayman Dick Turpin and, in fiction, the likes of Bill Sykes and Fagin, who drifted into Essex marshland.

Getting east of Tower Bridge, well east, remained the dream for many working class folk and with them came assorted gangsters. Ronnie Kray enjoyed beers in Wivenhoe on the River Colne while former armed robber John McVicar once lived on a laid-up bilge-keeler in the Crouch marshes.

Less well-known gangland types include Stanley Setty, the Tottenham Court Road, heavily indebted, second-hand car dealer, whose dismembered body was dropped by light aircraft over the ‘North Sea’ – but when the tide ebbed the remains of Mr Setty were scattered over the vast mud banks of the Dengie Flat, to be discovered by a lone wildfowler, Walter Linnet, whose day job was drifting in a tiny punt with a small cannon and downing teal, brent goose, and wigeon.

My father Richard was born in Balham, London, but my mother Nancy was an Essex girl from Leigh-on-Sea, and I was born here within the sound of foghorns, as in those days ships with post-colonial freights nosed myopically in smog up to the cranes of London’s docks.

London’s delta – the Thames Estuary – is a protective muzzle. The first to founder here were the knotty keels of invaders. To ensure safe passage today, through the greatest expanse of mud in Europe, there are myriad crooked beacons, obsolete lighthouses, posts and winking buoys. Abandoned gun emplacements left over from the violation of World War II add their satanic silhouettes and all provide rare perpendiculars, with the contemporary addition of twirling turbines, to the flattest coastline in the UK. So there’s plenty to steer for.

It’s a place where land and sea merge imperceptibly, where plough meets sail, as marked by several pubs. If you pick up a mooring in Hole Haven, visit the Lobster Smack and raise a glass to the late Lee Brilleaux of Dr Feelgood, with whom I enjoyed many beers there, and elsewhere. Blockhead Ian Dury was another regular. He contracted polio in the salt-water pool at Westcliff-on-Sea. Watching him perform, callipered and surgical-booted, in a run-down boozer, you knew he was destined to be a star, a very Essex kind of star.

In contemporary times the boater exploring Essex is more likely to find a tanning salon than a chandlery in many places, but never forget you are only yards from historical detritus, from the timbers of Darwin’s Beagle, which hold up Shuttlewood’s old shed at Paglesham on the River Roach, to England’s oldest church, built on the footings of a Roman fortress at Bradwell.

Don’t forget either that you are in the land of the Parliamentarian: as the royalists headed west to the shires it was only natural that the disenfranchised in the swamp lands should bay for representational justice.

And if the ladies of Essex dance round their handbags in port discos, it’s because they can look after themselves. On this coastline it’s the women with the tattoos. The earrings are left for the men.

Tuesday 29th November 2016.

 and put a few pence in the EOG! 

Brian West JP.,  sailing F.G. Goose winged and slowly sailing up the River Blackwater in 30 degrees and a F2!

Buzzed by friend Mike from Bradwell marina bar and then a slow sail home towards Bradwell

Advance warning I intend to be swanning off the end of September for a bit so there will be a short intermission again then!

Just as I was about to sign off when another mail pinged in and it was John the skipper of 'Iris of Glenarm', with a log of his August Bank holiday cruise and some excellent photos of an Golden Hind 26 sailing well in windy conditions.

I will be adding this to the logs page in a day or so!

Thanks John, just what we like to see!

All for now. off to read it.

John

Approaching the Bench Head just before LW.

Wednesday 24th August 2016.

We are officially in a heat wave!

After several days of wonderful hot balmy weather it has been declared a heat wave.  Been a long time coming this year!  Just hope it lasts till after the Bank holiday weekend.

We are meeting up with others at Bradwell Marina Saturday afternoon, BBQ in the marina bar that evening...

Sunday sail in company/race?? out to the Bench head and back, hopefully in the same F2 southerlies we have today!!  (wish!).

Sunday evening BBQ again and prize giving!

Yesterday I enlisted the assistance of a fellow marine engineer, but a diesel expert, to try and trace my annoying air leak in my fuel lines,  story on my preparation log...  Suffice to say we are off out sailing/motoring later today.

Heard from Barney with the WildDuck 'Whisper' he is after advice re stripping and remaking his wooden mast.  Anyone help? I have directed him with a few pointers gleaned from members who have built new ones....

Also heard re the Eventide Hobgoblin, the name of the guy it was given to in Manchester area was Allan Ward.

Allan subsequently advertised it on our pages in 2006 as an unfinished project.  I now recall advertising it.  Sadly, so far, no response from his contact details....  you out there Allan?

Peter the webmaster is adding the long deep keel for the Senior to the Senior pages so people can down load it for free. will be up soon.  Still waiting for a better drawing or picture of the fin keels that several Seniors sport, and that appears to work so well.... got one??

And hot off the press a price reduction on that GH 31 Serenity, to £64,995.00.  Sadly my number has still not come up on Ernie!

I'm off sailing today, I really feel that much better now!

Fair winds,

John

Friday 19th August 2016.

Had some nice pics in from Italy from member Cristiano of his WW 'Rosy'. He is sadly parting with her after 10 years.  she has prospered under his ownership, see the WW page. He has passed the new owner, Andrea on to us so hope to hear from him shortly.  She is to be moved from her mooring in Tuscany to one opposite the Island of Elba.  I was 12 years old when I stayed there with Club Meditaranee!  The place was  quiet and secluded then, now all hotels...

Incidentally Cristiano has sent me a picture of the Seagull featherweight he bought from me 10 years ago and he is cherishing for his next tender.  Just as 'Rosy' does,  the Seagull looks as good as the day I sold it to him!

I have been working on Glasstide's hatches again see the page in the Restorers section. Getting there. Finding the anaesthetic still effecting me occasionally, but the effects are wearing off.

We have been offered a full set of drawings for the Kylix Class.  As it happens Maurice gave me the sail plan many years ago when I was building my Eventide.  He said the dimensions of my 27ft Eventide and the Kylix were so alike I could use her sail plan and indeed I did use the boomed staysail from it.  Hope to have these available on CD shortly.  May be of use to owners in the future.

No coincidence then that an advert for a nice Kylix has just been placed on the Boats For Sale page of the  site.  A bargain at £3,500, all you need to do is sail it back from Denmark!

Heard from a WildDuck owner who is doing a restoration on 'Whisper'. Sadly he has found some delaminated ply on his deck.  All needs replacing, been advising. He is having trouble removing the stem head ironwork, but I think I have seen the problem, a hidden fastening, the toe rail was added after it was fitted and butts up to and I'm betting, covers, the bolt that is holding things up.  Hope to hear he is winning soon.

As the rain starts to fall here this morning, the last few weeks of warm sun are rapidly becoming a fond memory.  Summers seem all too short, as you get older.

If you are out there, enjoy it while it lasts. We are in for gales tomorrow!

John

Monday 15th August 2016.

Back to work for me today, and catching up on a weeks backlog of mails with Seagulls. And Eventiders...

Welcome to new Member Mark Foyle, who has taken on the restoration of the GH 'Pink Gin'. hoping to see pics of the restoration in progress shortly.

Escaped from the Seagull work for a couple of hours this evening to sand down and refill those hatches I have been working on.. Think I am just able to save them! got to them just in time...  will have before and after pictures soon.

Apparently just missed meeting up with long time member Mat who was camping down at Tollesbury when John Stevens and I were working on his boat..  He saw my van parked and realised we were working on an Eventide but could not stop. Next time Mat!

Had a great mail from Italy today, from Cristiano who bought the WW 'Rosy' some years back.  He has just sold her and she is now on the Italian coast near the island of Elba..  hoping to hear from Andrea the new owner soon.

Peter in Denmark has just sent in details of a Kylix Class boat for sale out there, details o the For Sale pages soon.  I have just removed the GH 'Pink Gin' to the archive pages from there...

Had an enquiry re the VHF radio we have for sale, but it turns out the guy has no idea and no licence for himself or the boat.  As the ship licence is free and you are fined for not having one seems he is a no brainer so doubt I will hear again from him. Radio still here is anyone wants a new Simrad waterproof main set!

Hoping to get to my boat this week and get some sailing in, as I am feeling one heck of a lot better!

Good sailing.

John

Saturday 13th August 2016.

Yesterday was a non day as far as I was concerned, though normally I celebrate the 'Glorious twelfth' (not so glorious for the grouse!!), as it is also called, with a sail at least,  I did not get afloat and did not even get to see my birthday firework display, laid on annually by Swift-Tuttle. (Perseid Meteor shower!).  I was out of it..

This year, after effects of the aesthetic I have been knocked really beam on. I am struggling to trype and cannot be trusted to do much more at the moment.

Thanks to those who mailed to wish me a speedy recovery.

Just heard that Bradwell Marina will be having a BBQ on the Saturday of our meet and we are invited to join in....  do hope we get a few boats turning up.

Off to lie down in dark room!

John

Thursday 11th August 2016.

I'm back and my barnacles are zapped!

Out of hospital and resting, can only do little bits at the moment, yesterday brain scrambled from after effects of aesthetic! Still not allowed to drive and my fingers are having a problem tryping! will be OK in a day or 14 I'm told! Not finished with the hospital yet, got to go back tomorrow, on my birthday!!!  To have a plastic tube removed.... fun!

I have just changed the name of new member John Jennings's boat to 'Iris' and will change it on the GH page too.

Heard from John Stevens last night, he has amazingly found a suitable prop for his boat on our EBay page for 1/8th of the cost of new!  Well found.  RH props do not often come up.  You can see hundreds of old LH ones for sale!  (Time was when all motors were slow revving plodders and all props driven without a reduction ratio, so all LH!)

Hope he may pop over today as he is on his boat at Tollesbury. He is to collect his tabernacle that I have had altered...  Plus I have some bits sorted for him. Cleats and fairleads etc. 

Heard my van, 'Maddy', is fixed, for those that do not know, this is her....

Click on the picture of 'Maddy' the Moggy above to find out more!

At very nearly 50 years old she is my everyday wheels and mobile advert and it is just astonishing that she was to be laid up at exactly the same time I was.  (She really never fails me!) Heard from the garage that they fixed the ignition with the new unit I had sent direct to them, (electronic points conversion).  The last one lasted 20 years so hope I shall not have to worry about the replacement!.  Doc says I am still not allowed to drive her yet, so though they will have done the service and MOT on her, (thought they may as well, whilst she was in), cannot pick her up till tomorrow.

When I am back on my feet I hope to go and get that shed load of chandlery and add it to the pages!

Feeling a lot better now, but boss has me grounded for a while, so off to edit that GH page,

John

Saturday 6th August 2016.

Welcome to new member John Jennings with a very pretty GH26 'Iris of Glenarm'.   (Name corrected, John blames the 'Irish of' on over enthusiastic spell checker!!)  Yes. sailing in Irish waters, based at Strangford Lough.  May be crossing wakes with them next year if all goes to plan!

And part of the plan is for me at last to get these barnacles of mine zapped!  So advance warning, I am closing down as of today for a few days at least, as I go into hospital early next week.

If all goes to plan I could be out afloat in a weeks time as I have been told I will feel 10 years younger after the op.  As I feel about 105 at the moment, looking forward to that!

Before I close this down I will be adding a few pics and also will be placing that Houdini Hatch back on the Bits  for Sale page, if anyone interested, (it did not fit the boat we hoped it would fit! Glasstide.).

Speaking of Glasstide, John has a few more pics to send me of the work we did last Wednesday. Was there for 6 hours and got a whole lot done, see his restorers page.

John is now looking for a prop, a 13x8 or 14x7 or similar, R/H, a 3 bladed prop to fit 25mm shaft. I worked out the size with a prop calc computer program I saved off the net some time ago.

We had links to it on several pages via 'Dropbox', but Dropbox in their wisdom have closed down all the links as it was being used to often??  Daft idea.  So they will host it till you use it, then remove the link, do not like Dropbox.  I will ask the webmaster if there is anyway we can host it on the page so it can be run from there?? Darn useful program!

So if you happen to have a spare prop just lying about??

I was hoping to go and retrieve a van full of chandlery yesterday, but the intermittent misfire on my 50 year old Morris minor last week turned into a total sparks failure yesterday and despite my best efforts, and after I had given up, those of the RAC man, we could not fix her, the 20 year old electronic ignition module had failed.  I can fix most things but a box of magical tricks is beyond me, so Maddy the Moggy is off the road and in the garage till new bits arrive.  She will get a full work over whilst I am also 'off the road' in Broomfield hospital.

Hopefully when we are both fit I will go and collect the chandlery and be posting it on the pages.

Heard today that the set of portholes sold from the pages, has arrived safely in the Netherlands and look forward to seeing the pics of them fitted!

Heard again from Richard re this grandfathers Eventide.  Sadly grandfather has no recollection now of the sail number, so we are not much further forward.  I will post some pics of it on the Eventide page of the Gallery though, in case it jogs someone's memory.

I have at last added pics of 'Kismet III' to the pages, your really should look at this one. At 40ft she is luxurious in the extreme. In Australia and features in MG's book, 'Sixty years a yacht designer'.

Still awaiting a couple of adverts for Golden Hinds, promised some time back.  One a project the other a sail away. 

OK all for now, off to add a few pictures to the Gallery etc.

Regards,

John

AKA: Barnacled Old Bill!

Tuesday 2nd August 2016.

As the rain hammers on the cottage roof, all night and most of today, thoughts of sailing sort of evaporate!  I have sailing friends coming over Thursday and hoped to take them out for a jolly, but see the forecast is F6. Mmm not clever, well not for me at the moment anyway...

Summer was on a Wednesday in June this year.

Just removed the set of lovely bronze 'Davey and Co' portholes and deadlights from the 'Bits for Sale' page, as the courier has just picked up the parcel containing them and they are  en route to the Netherlands.  Hope to see a pic of the boat with them fitted (and polished!!) soon.

Added that fancy loo to the pages....

I still have to go and see a member, 40 odd miles away and see what he has for sale that I can put on the pages here, trouble is, life is so busy and he is a long way off...  Hope to get round to it one day soon...

I will be off air for a few days as of Monday next week, booked into hospital to have my barnacles zapped!  So there may be a small interlude between updates on this page...  Be good to be able to do things again, though the temporary fix cured the pain, it has been  getting increasingly debilitating..

Off to Tollesbury tomorrow, with pen, paper, tape measures and measuring callipers in hand to get an idea of what I will need to be making to repairs the rubbing strakes, toe rails and to do the mast conversion on Glasstide.  Hopefully by the time I am fit I will know what I need to be sorting out... Already taken the tabernacle in to be worked on...

This came in the mails yesterday.  Anyone interested in going along? If so, just mail the organiser.  One of our members Tim Fenner, is doing a course there!

The rain appears to be slacking off now, so time to go and sort some more Seagull bits out, parcel them up for posting tomorrow on my way out.  still collecting items to take for Glasstide too.

Hope summer comes back and we can all get out to play soon, not good watching the boat bob up and down on her berth and not be able to use her..  Who was it said, 'Harbours rot ships and men'.....   Joseph Conrad?  A very true statement whoever said it..

(Bet someone will tell me!)

John

Sunday 31st July 2016.

Now I was supposed to be off on my little BSA Bantam today, at a local event, either that or sailing, but bit breezy today.  Sadly I am doing neither as my personal barnacles have been playing up again, so gentle relaxation at home for me, and a little non strenuous typing! In just over 10 days I should be shot of them and life can get back to some semblance of normal...

Again we have had yet another enquirer say the enrolment form did not work for them. I immediately tested it and it was fine, so really am at a loss as to why some cannot get it to work.  Maybe they are using mobile phones, I have asked, but as yet not heard back as to what they were using....

Just heard from Barney that he has received the set of Wild Duck Drawings.  Good they system works!

So being stuck at home I have been editing some pages and have more to do.    I have corrected a few errors and added explanation to the new 'Glasstide ' restoration pages.

I have also added a brand new, boxed posh sea toilet to the Bits for Sale pages.  Sure this will get snapped up. About a third of real price!

I have had an enquiry for other items on the pages too, so may be removing other items shortly.

Off to lay down in darkened room, and dream of wide open seas and fair winds....

John

Thursday 28th July 2016.

A small but select band met at the 'Duck Inn', Newney Green, Essex, last night, the place was quiet so we could hear ourselves speaking and it turned out to be a very pleasant evening.

No Wednesday night meet at the end of the month in August, as we will all be meeting up over the bank holiday weekend at Bradwell.  Do come along if you can, there will be a cruise in company/race on the Sunday afternoon and prize giving Sunday evening in the Marina Bar.

Opened the mail the other day to one from Ian, the chap I was hailed by, off Heybridge basin Sunday last.  He says he just likes the pages and MG type boats. His boat is a Falmouth Bass Boat, said it looked good! Good to have you aboard Ian!

I started a new page today, on the Builders and Restorers section, this link will take you there.  It is for the restoration of 'Glasstide', our Database Manager, John Stevens boat, a GRP Eventide 26.  As far as we know only a couple were ever moulded in Glass. As one offs. I have offered to assist John and next week work will start in earnest. John has promised to send in pics and words, for me to edit,  as he works on her.

Hopefully the boat will be re-engined, better equipped and all sorted ready to sail in 2017.

I heard from Eilard one of our Steering Group and the Netherlands rep, that the Meet in the Netherlands had to be cancelled last June.  Seems the Dutch had the same terrible spring that we did and very few were ready to sail.  Better luck next time Eilard.

I bought a job lot of Seagull spares  last week and in with it oddly was a brand new sea toilet, still boxed.  I will be adding that to the Bits for Sale page shortly. Will be at a bargain price if you are in the market for a new one!

Got to sort out a load of lengths of timber and take them to be machined by Doug, but as my personal barnacles are playing up at the moment have to wait till the grandson comes back next week, He is tall enough to reach them in the rafters!!  After the excellent job he did helping me paint the cottage, he is going to turn his hand to stripping Seagulls to earn more pennies, got 300 to sort!

Depending on time, may get some sailing in as well as a trip to Tollesbury to check out 'Glasstide'. got to measure up how much new gunwhale and toe rail we need to make!  The inboard has to be disconnected ready to lift out when the mast is removed shortly....

Seems the weather is back to the seasonal norm, sunshine and showers, but at least no gales in it, as yet.

Good sailing

John

Monday 25th July 2016.

Was able to let go the lines again yesterday and once again take a slow putter up to Maldon, against a gentle breeze and then just unroll that genoa and sail back.  As we did I was hailed by someone in a nice looking heavy dinghy, also under sail, who asked after me saying he read this blog.  Sorry I do not know who you are sir too far away for me to recognise anyone, but nice boat! I was able to tell him that at last I have heard from the hospital and in early August I go in to hopefully get rid of my barnacles! (Kidney stones!!).

About time they went as the temporary fix is now giving complications, just as predicted!

Also crossed wakes with the Steel WW normally seen at Blackwater Sailing Club mooring, cameras clicked!, spotted Wedjit on the moorings off the Heybridge basin and the Vulcan and skipper on the moorings off Maldon prom and very nearly went aground whilst admiring her.

Sadly noted the old Eventide 'Malika' has been systematically  sawn up and there is not a lot left now, wondering if one of the live a boards has been using her a s firewood as cannot see anyone doing it to clear the remains from the seawall otherwise... well at least she is keeping someone warm in winter if that is the case! But sadly not the first to suffer that fate round here, Sea witch was used for firewood in Tollesbury and I have had the dubious job of removing and finally burning two others from the Blackwater estuary, 'Fran Charlie' and 'Folly'.  the latter two just made substantial bonfire night bonfires!

Had an enquiry re any Junk rigged G.H.'s for sale.  Sadly I have only known of a couple, the lovely 'Jua', a 34ft? version and one sad one that last I heard was broken up on a beach in France, a 28.  Do not think many were ever rigged Junk, so suggested that the normal Bermudan cutter rig should be looked at, with it's incredible records for safe trans Atlantic crossings, the most by any one design. A record that is very unlikely ever to be beaten.  The enquirer said he wanted to live aboard? Easy enough,  if you are cruising...

Had an owner ask re head sails for a Senior, seems the set on the boat flogged to bits.  Wondering if they had been left up?? Set on Wykeham Martin gear as they appear to be, not wise to leave whilst the boat was left on a mooring...  Sails set on WM gear of course should be lowered and stowed, furled up, as they normally have no sacrificial strip and not a very strong line to furl them and keep them furled.  I have suggested Lonton and Gray as a sail maker, but have you a good one to recommend?

Or even better any Senior head sails for sale, preferably tan...

I have had an enquiry re a possible August Bank Holiday Meet in the Blackwater.

Yes, I am planning to be fit enough to host a meet in Bradwell Marina and we will be using the Marina bar as a venue, meals available of course.  Meeting in there Saturday of the B.H. and a sail in company planned for the Sunday, with prizes of course!   More on the Events page, please come and join us!

Helping a member with enquiries re his Wild Duck. It has a rusty flat steel plate on the sides of the keel, not seen this before, has anyone else? Seems to bridge the sterntube area....

Certainly looks as if it is there for a purpose, but is very rusty, so maybe should be replaced with another or at least removed and re galvanised.

After painting the outside of our wooden cottage last week I rather knocked myself up for a while, so at the moment under docs orders not to climb ladders and do daft things, sailings OK though, so taking it easy, till after the op!

Just out to do a few little jobs..  just little ones dear, honest....

John

AKA Barnacled Old Bill

Wednesday 20th July 2016.

Summer has arrived!

For the past 4 days the sun has shone and the UK has been bathed in sunshine, temperature here in my bit of Essex reached 33 degrees  Monday.  Not far short of it yesterday and will be similar today. Thunderstorms up north already, we will have ours in a day or so...

Sadly not sailing.  I am painting our cottage, with the assistance of grandson Brandon. At 16 he is a useful lad to have about!  We were hoping we might get some sailing in as well,  but yesterday the river was shrouded in fog!  (No not heading out to test the new radar!).  We carried on painting and by 2000hrs last night had the whole of the front finished! Sea breezes here are keeping it comfortable, but we are working round the cottage avoiding the sun! This morning the western end. Later the eastern end. Sooner we are finished the sooner we can play!

Reminds me of working on boats in the open, with painting and varnishing, timing was everything!

We have had more enrolments.

Welcome to Barnaby with the lovely Wild Duck 'Whisper'.  I knew the builder Malcolm, he sailed her for years from Erith Y.C. on my patch of the London River, and sailed her so well.  Barnaby has her ashore at Warsash and is working on her, he is after a set of drawings on CD to assist him.

Welcome to James in Australia with the beautiful 40ft 'Kismet'.  He has sent in some fantastic pictures of her and I will be adding these to the site as soon as I have time...

Have not heard back from David who joined last week to find out if he is thinking of buying or building..  If you read this David drop us a mail.

Pleased to be able to report that 'GlassTide' is at last ashore for her refit, and she is about to have all the growth and barnacles removed from her bottom.  John Stevens is off to her to also power pressure wash the mud and green slime from the topsides and the lichen and lose paint from the deck and cabin top, so she will be clean for us when we start work on her shortly.  Hope she will look splendid after the refit.

All for now, off out to carry on cottage renovation.  At nearly 400 years old she takes a little TLC, but repays handsomely, just like our boats do.

Good sailing, if the fog lifts!

John

Thursday 14th July 2016, 1115hrs.

27 years ago, to the minute, I wed a lady who changed my life, thanks Darian!

Later that day, 27 years ago, 108 friends and family met at a remote Essex barn for a 'Boat Naming Day' barn dance!! We had rolled the boat outside and my daughter broke the bottle of champagne on the bobstay fitting, swung from a special rig hung from the bowsprit!  A police blue ensign obscured the name and a guard of honour of work colleagues,  with drawn cutlass's, stood beside us!

A few moments later I announced that the boat was not the only thing to be named that day and introduced Darian as my wife! (We married in a 'secret' ceremony in Brentwood at 1115 that morning.)   Despite out car being parked outside the barn and covered in confetti, most had not twigged!  There was great jubilation!

To this day, she has not forgiven me for sharing her wedding day with the boat!

The local Morris men danced for us, and friends Mike and Sarah and the Metric Foot Band,  had everyone on their toes for some proper English country dancing! Everyone smiled!

'Fiddler's Green' was not finished nor floated till a year later, August bank holiday Friday, 1990. We have had great fun with her and we hope to continue to enjoy her, for years to come!

Not all get to sail the dream, as John Stevens described it, but Ed and the crew of the GH 'Moondancer' have done it!  You may recall he was awarded the 'Barry Sturrock Seamanship Trophy' for his exploits, culminating in a 4,000 mile voyage to the Gambia.  Ed has just sent in a film clip saying thanks and it features the burgee we sent him! We will be showing the clip on the site soon. (As soon as the webmaster can upload it!)  Click here to see the film!  Just hit the back button after enjoying the clip, to come back here!

Had a great mail in from Oz and the owner of the 40ft MG boat 'Kismet'!  He was trying to enrol but had a problem with the form...  not sure why webmaster to investigate. 

Had a new enrolment earlier in the week, so it does work, sometimes.

Had a trip to my old stamping grounds at Tollesbury yesterday, to have a look at John Steven's (our database manager), Eventide 'Glass Tide'.  (It is a GRP built Eventide 26!) It was good to walk the sea wall again, long time since I last did.   I still maintain and occasionally use a half tide mooring in the creek, but I normally come in by boat!   We spotted a Sparrow Hawk, a Buzzard and a Kestrel all hunting nearby!

I have volunteered to assist him in giving G.T.  the overhaul it needs.   She has not been sailed since we helped deliver her to Tollesbury 5 or 6 years back, due to john's work commitments and health, but now is the time to ready her for sailing.. John is ready!  He is fitting another inboard, a GM10 9 hp to replace the ancient, but still working, Volvo 5 hp.  That will appear on the For Sale pages and will suit a smaller boat. 

When the Eventide drawings first came out the plans had suggestions for motive power,  this included the 4hp Stuart Turner and the 5 hp Watermotor Shrimp!  How times change!  Today 8hp is deemed minimum for a 24ft Eventide and 10hp for a 26.  Optimum 12 to 18hp!  We all have to be there yesterday, 40 or 50 years ago no one dreamt of fighting a foul tide, we all used them,  to our advantage!

John has a lot to do on board and around the boat, but as he is now retired hope we can get the boat fit to be used and enjoyed.  It is Soddes Law that the weather has been so foul and I have not been able to get away on my trip with my barnacles, so no sailing,  so this is the ideal time to work on her.  Already sorting out timbers for new rubbing strakes, modifying a tabernacle to fit her and planning hatch replacements and renovations.  That will keep me busy, if the weather is right I can still do day sails on F.G.

Just heard from someone looking at a GH for sale and he is not a sailor, yet!  Have suggested he goes on a dinghy sailing course!  (Also recommended one of our surveyors!) To me one should always have started in dinghies, learning quickly and normally painlessly, by your mistakes and then when you move up to a cruiser, the slower reactions of the boat gives you loads of time to counter  it and cope.  Seen many who jump aboard a cruiser and have no idea, as they have not learnt on dinghies.  And when they make mistakes in their cruisers they can be nasty and costly!  Seem to recall with the dinghies, I just got wet!

Fair winds and lee going tides to those sailing and to the builders or restorers, John Stevens included, more power to the elbow! (Or is it power to the power tools!)

John

Monday 11th July 2016.

For 3 days now the forecast has had F6 in it, F7 yesterday!  No boats moving on the river and even Mr Selby of PBO, on his way to Southampton had to pull into Bradwell and admit it was better to be in than out there!  Was down the boat a couple of times but no one was daft enough to want to go out, Summer, when will we get one.?

Hope next week is better, have to rub down and paint my little wooden cottage!.

Sent out another Senior CD last week.  We have the deep long keel drawings from Bruce to add, still looking for that illusive fin keel drawing, or the measurements of one of the examples we know works..  I will add the drawing to the Senior page so anyone can see it shortly. In line with our policy of sharing all we have!

Welcome out to David Elliott of West Sussex who joins us as a friend.  Not quite sure what his interest is as yet but will be mailing him with the 'official' welcome letter shortly. Could he be another model maker?

Spent a satisfying 20 minutes just now with a sharp pair of scissors and a sheet of Treadmaster.  I have just cut a sheet of the green to fit the top of the replacement hatch I found to fit in the front end of my cockpit floor.  It is robust and watertight without any handles to trip over, with the Treadmaster glued on top will be non slip too!  But when am I going to get to go sailing, not this week by the forecast....  Thunder storms and heavy rain, with winds to match.

I have just had a mail re an Eventide 26's mast coming up for sale, sadly Karali is no more.  Hope to add the details of the Alloy spar and some sails shortly.  Incidentally seen the used Eventide mainsail on EBay has not had a bid, starting price way to high at £195! Half of that and he may get a bid..

Sadly Keith Pryke's Senior project boat has not attracted as much attention this time round, was not up to £200 last I looked, shame.   Search EBay for 'Senior project'.

Just reduced the price on a G.H.on our pages  by £2,000, the seller has had no bites at all.  The very high priced G.H.'s on the For Sale pages may well be still there, at the prices they are asking at the moment, in the next millennium.  It is just not  a sellers market.

Still waiting for summer to start.

John

Friday 8th July 2016.

Welcome to two new members in the past few days, to John Frake, as a 'Friend', who has sent pennies in for a CD of the Eventide drawings, just to peruse, CD will be out the door today John.  And to Bruce in Australia, a 'Full Member' with a Senior, and a special thankyou as he has also sent a proper drawing of a full length deep keel he had designed by a naval architect 40 years ago and has been testing ever since!  we will be adding the drawing to the CD of Senior drawings.  We are still looking for a fin keel drawing, we know several were fitted with successful fin keels, a lot in Oz, but as yet we have only pictures, no drawings.  you got one?

We have had a few additions and alterations to the For Sale pages again.

Pleased to see the GH Serenity has acquired a RCD compliance survey, at some great cost, and is now legally for sale, price £69,999.  For as near perfect a new GH as you will ever see!

Also had a restored GH added for a much more affordable price. Sure this one will sell, she looks terrific.  see the For Sale page.

Heard that a mast advertised on the Bits for Sale page has had interest and there is the promise of more parts to be added to the page.

Had a lot of info in from Dick of East Coast Pilot, thought you may find it of interest if sailing the Thames estuary.

East Coast Pilot News 6th July 2016 Click here to view this email in your browser

Was down the boat the other day, searching for items mislaid, found most, but still one bit of dodger outstanding. Commented to another boat owner that is was one of the first days it was not blowing hard.  Seems most have been waiting for the weather to calm down.  However today and for the next few days it has F5 and F6 in it again. Will boats evolve with smaller sail areas and shorter masts?

I will be adding a few pics and comments to my 'preparation log' again shortly, pics of the plotter screen with the radar working!  I was impressed.

And finally I went down the field, beside our cottage, to visit the owlets again last night with the licensed  owl officer and to my surprise found I was not grandparent to a pair, but to triplets!  We had to make some drainage holes in the nest box  so the chicks would not get wet and here is a pic of them in a safe place whilst the work was done.  Pleased to say the parents were back shortly after we left, to feed their voracious appetites.  I can tell you they have strong and sharp talons even at this stage, drew blood!  I should have had the gloves on, but doubt they would have helped much!  Strong hand cleaner afterwards! They will be on the wing in about 3 or 4 weeks so will be watching, with the camera.

I am off to have a day 'Owl handling' in Kent next week to further my interest..

Hope you are afloat. if so 'Fair winds and Lee going tides'

John

Sunday 3rd July 2016.

At last I have managed to get off my berth!  The weather was perfect, for a change, F2 to 3 SW and no rain!  Tide was not quite as helpful, but we had a very pleasant 6 hours afloat.  We did not go far, but tested the motor and the new roller reefing drum bearings!  Rigged the mainsails reefing lines and tried the new radar and fish finder out!  Had no idea there were so many fish under us! (If they tell the truth!)

The new 3G radar is brilliant, picks up all the nearby vessels, even fast jet skis and on close range even passing seagulls!  Will be a real asset.

Passed a new burgee onto new member Simon and  after a pleasant dinner in the marina got back in time to do a major edit on these pages.  I have added a Tidewater, Barbican, Golden Hind, Removed a boat sold and added another to the for Sale page.  Moved one to the Archive page...

And I still have a few more pics to add, but not tonight!

Good sailing to all, fair winds and lee going tides.

John

Thursday 30th June 2016.

Where is the year going, still not managed to get out!

Last night dodged the fallen trees in the day before's gales and wended our way to Navestock. Met with fellow Eventiders for a good evening.

 Excellent meal and very reasonable cost, £10.50 for 2 courses! you cannot really beat that as the quality was excellent, doubtless we will be back there.

Had Katie after a set of drawings for the Senior, so have directed her to the enrolment page.. We had someone say it was not working, but I have just done a test and it is working 100%.  wonder if they missed the ticky box to tell us they were not a robot??  Sorry but we have to do this after the russian spammers hit us.

Also had Zak contact us with an Eventide to sell in Bristol, asked him for more details and will add it to the pages, sounds like another project boat sadly.  We are getting a lot of these.

I desperately hope to get afloat this weekend, and in the meantime get the mainsail up on my berth so I can rig the reefing lines and lazy jacks.  thought I was going to be able to do so today as the wind dropped and went easterly, (the boat faced NE in the berth) but within half an hour it was back and SW again!

I have been saying that I have thought the changes in the world's climate have increased our winds by at least one Beaufort.  Yesterday world scientists confirmed this, winds all over the planet have become stronger in the last 25 years.  Some have in the past laughed at my assertions, great to have someone back it up.  Maybe in the future our boats will have shorter masts and less sail area to compensate!

After all the fun and games I had with my roller reefing gear I am now sorting out a second set. bought it in case I needed to scrap mine but instead  I will be advertising it on the pages soon.  I have to buy some bits for it to make it 100%, joining sections etc. but when done will easily suit an Eventide 24,  but with spar long enough for a 26 or a WW.!

All for now,

John

Post Script. 2100hrs.  We are grandparents again, we have two new charges!

Two bundles of white fluff, baby Barn owls in our nest box!!

Monday 27th June 2016.

A group of friends are meeting Wednesday at the Alma Arms Navestock, Essex, for a meal.  We cannot book at this place so have to take pot luck.  First time we have tried it but another member recommended it.  We will see.  Do turn up, we will be there at 1930 for a meal.  Bet someone mentions politics!

Welcome to Simon Coone with the Atlantic clipper 'October girl'.  (Sounds like a pin up!)  Simon is berthed in Bradwell on the beautiful Blackwater.  Hope to cross wakes with her this year.

A member has contacted us over concerns re red diesel and our European neighbours.  As you may be aware they chose to target a few British boats  over traces of red in their tanks recently and one was fined £500.00.

The advice from the UK is to use white if you can, but if you have red in your tanks have the receipts for it aboard.  However I am informed that does not always cut the mustard...  Friends were told to fit a separate tank and have one for white, but there was still a grey area around that so better to either drain and refill with white only, or do as I have done, cruise elsewhere!  I know when I am not wanted. Obstacles appear in front of you!

Had a donation in for another boat sold off the site thankyou John.

We do this for fun and every penny to keep the site going helps as the Steering Group can then decide if there is enough for another of our charitable donations. Youth sailing, sailing for the disabled, etc.

Pleased to hear from Bruce in Australia again re his long fin keel Senior.  He is trying to get a better copy of the drawing for it so we can add it to the info we send out.

I for one really like the Martin Lewis 'Extended Bilge Keel' version, that sails well and can dry out upright. But if you have deep water moorings and do not need the ability to dry then the fin keel or in this case shallow long fin keel is a good option.  As it also has been tried and tested by Bruce for 40 years, we know it works!

Another Senior sold over the weekend, Keith Pryke's boat, sold for very little money really, but is short of a mast, so if you have the remains of a Senior in the back yard and are thinking of breaking it, let us have a list of bits and the buyer of Keith's may well be in touch to look for bits.

There was also one on the Bay for sale at £1250 but that was the 'buy it now' price and it never sold.  Maybe it will come back at a more realistic price.

I tested the Enrolment form out OK on Saturday and of course we had Simon enrol Sunday, but still nothing from Brandon in the States, you out there Brandon? Still waiting to hear re those Wild Duck drawings.

Lastly hope no one mails in to object, but I am off with the local wildlife officer,  to check out the Barn owl boxes we put up near the cottage and will report back on what we find, eggs, chicks or for rent signs.  Nothing to do with Eventides, but what the heck! Many like to hear......

John

Friday 24th June 2016.

Great Britain chooses to go it alone!!!

After a rather tense night the UK has voted to leave the EU!  I must say I am relieved.  Up until 0400 I thought it was all lost and could see there being riots in the streets here.  Seems the only places that voted to remain were ones that have had large benefits from the EU in the past, instead of from central government.  And London, but then London is like going to another country these days!! The flags are out here in Essex.

To top it all the sun is blazing too, so off to the boat later to load the last bits of kit and do a couple of jobs..

Everyone round here has broad grins today!

John

Post script. 

I have been criticized by an associate member of this group for voicing my views about today's results. He did not think the EOG site was the right place for this.!  I have replied to him, but as he clearly had no idea why we were so anti Euro, I wondered how many others have not read about our clashes with the EU on our pages, maybe few, (it is a big site...).  So let me explain why Euro politics is so important to us!

I feel the EU has to be discussed, and scrutinised.  They targeted us, as home boat builders 25 or 30 years ago.  Were it not for  the fact that I was on the Cruising Committee of the RYA at the time and asked to comment, we would all be totally banned from building boats in our backyards!  (At the time I was doing just that!! )  The European Recreational Craft Directive came into force over 20 years ago and all boat builders had to comply. No exceptions! Or they were prosecuted!!!  Many could not comply,  it was, and still is, prohibitively expensive to have all the surveys, tests and compliance testing.   Average cost per boat £5,000!!!  Then!  Many boat builders packed it in right there.  Some went on, but only to build huge, costly boats so the £5k could be lost in the price.

Look at the boats offered by builders today, so very few small boats...

I alone fought hard against these nameless beurocrats and in the end I won home boat builders a reprieve. We could build our boats without complying with any of these regulations, but could only sell, if we kept our boats for our own use for 5 years first, from the date of launch. 

Any attempt to sell before that  5 years was up, (and you had to have documented evidence of the launch date), would invoke the risk of a very heavy fine from our 'friends' in Brussels..

So yes, I believe we have not only the right to mention the EU but for our members it has been imperative that we continue to monitor these faceless politicians.

I note I was not criticised for the comments about the Paris bombings and shooting at  Charlie Ebdo just the EU election.

I have had many owners express concerns over the EU and rightly so, by the history I have just recounted.

Today to my knowledge there are two brand new MG boats that cannot be sold, even though the owners  have to sell for health reasons, as they were home completed, in line with the  opt out.  They have not yet been launched yet, so to sell,  have to comply, with all the expense that entails. 

Politicians!

I can tell another sad story involving boating and the EU. They caused the closure of a firm very close to my heart. British Seagull. Some nameless, faceless man at the EU targeted them and the rest is history.

So Sir we do have the right to comment on these matters and yes I am damned pleased the vote went the way it did!

John

Fly it with pride!

P.P.S. apologies he is a full member as he bought a boat after getting the drawings to build one from us. Subject now closed, but thanks to all those who rang or mailed supporting my statements!

John

Thursday 23rd June 2016.

Independence Day???????

Today in the UK is our first chance in 40 years or so to right a wrong, that is for all of us who voted in 1975 to join a 'European Free Trade Agreement' and were conned!

We will see tomorrow if we are doomed to be locked into the sinking EU ship or free to sail our own course!

On the EOG front had a nice donation in to day from John Showell for helping him sell his Senior.

On the weather front I have never seen such weather as we have had in the last 24 hours.  It started last night with the most ominous coloured sky I have ever seen, a pre-curser to the most spectacular thunderstorms and rain in years.  Started at 2330 and was still flashing and banging at 0500.  locally roads were flooded and Essex came to a standstill.  Out cottage had a moat!.

Today walked to the village to vote and been caught in yet anther thunderstorm on the way back, the water is back up round us and needless to say we were soaked from the jackets down, at least the rain is warm!

I am hoping this will ease off by Saturday as I really do need to get out of my berth for the day!

Tonight I will be adding another GH to the For Sale pages, the boat I moored along side on the Caledonian Canal three years back, 'Hale Kai'.  She is a GRP version too.

Had an enquiry in from Brandon in the States re the drawings of the Wild Duck, yet to get the enrolment. And have not yet heard from Simon with the Atlantic Clipper either, will have to check to see if the form is behaving...

My Van is full of boxes of food and drinks to load aboard tomorrow, plus my Seagull.  Hope to finish off fitting the 'Rate Compass' that is part of the Radar set up...  Bracket all made and epoxied!

Would you believe it the sun has came out after all that rain!

Tomorrow is another day, but will it be a good one, only the voters will be able to make my sun shine!

John

Monday 20th June 2016.

The summer solstice  23:34 BST

Watch out for the Strawberry Moon tonight, no not the colour but a native American saying. first day of the strawberry harvest.  And I never knew they came from America, all those years ago.

Seems an odd time for the solstice to occur, but it is the exact time when we are in the exact place in our orbit, and the sun appears to stop at the furthest northern part of the horizon at dawn.. Suspect the Celebrations at Stonehenge and else where occurred this morning, but they could also be taking place tomorrow as sun up!  This wonderful pic by Mr Alexander was taken in 2008, was not the year we went to see it rise at Stonehenge, when it tipped it down!

So it is officially summer, do hope it gets better, rained incessantly for half of today!

Heard from the new owner of the GH 'Pink Gin', seems there is a lot of work to be done and he does not have the time, so she may well be coming back on the market.

Heard from Simon with the Atlantic Clipper, hope to get his enrolment shortly.

Henk with the Eventide 'Havoc' sent an update, lots of soft bits and damage, but he and his girlfriend are beavering away at the hull and hope to have all the soft bits out of her very shortly.  She is in Swansea.

Brian has told us the Sabb G10 is in Southampton, will be adding that info to his advert.

Bede has mailed to say he has figured out why his halyard got wrapped, the reefing gear is similar to the Colnebrook gear and should have a thin halyard and sheave attached to the spar, it was missing and he used the halyard on the mast and of course there was no swivel,  jammed, mast coming down to attach pulley block this week!

John Stevens the Database Manager has at last managed to sort his water pump problem, the wrong impellor and some missing screws.. also a mud blockage.  Motor running sweetly again.. He is planning to be hauled  out next week and I am hoping the new, nearly double the hp, modern motor will be fitted and the external woodwork repaired, new Houdini hatch fitted and interior sorted in time for him to attend the August Bank holiday meet! He also has a tabernacle that I hope has been modified and is ready for the galvanisers, so we can fit it and make his mast easily lower able... I have volunteered to give a hand.  Well I'm not sailing off anywhere!

Went to my boat this evening, to try and sort a problem of mounting the new compass, a flux gate affair.  After trying every page on my plotters menu I came to the conclusion I could not turn it 180 and simply compensate, I have to make up a bracket tomorrow so it faces the right way!

Bet I have that fitted by the weekend, as it looks as if it will be nice by then.

See you on the river.

John

Sunday 19th June 2016.

I went to Bradwell today to work on the boat, but found the car park full! Whilst driving round looking for a place to park,  I chanced to see a Barbican 33 with a new 'for Sale' sign on it.  I went to investigate and of course it was 'Red Dawn', owned by Mr Leaper, he of the old eoa.  So the last of the old eoa officers is selling up, now there is a surprise.

I had a bit of a spring in my step as I leapt aboard 'Fiddler's Green'!  I managed to turn my staysail halyard end for end, (rigged a thin messenger line)  and bent on staysail and cover. And despite the stiff wind from astern I also managed to bend on the main and it's cover, will save the fitting of my lazy jacks and reefing lines till a calm day!

Filled the water tank, sorted out a loo leak, (turned out it was not leaking just water splash back on the lid, dribbling down the back when lid lifted), all cleaned and polished up like new!

Also got my fancy fluxgate compass sorted, location fixed for it and the cable threaded through and connected. Instantly the Lowrance plotter and AIS also became a radar, really whizzy! Could see every boat near me and the seawalls of the marina as well, clever, even better is it is overlaid on the plotter view and changes as you zoom in and out.  Real techy!!

Bumped into Bill, the owner of the GH 26 'Proteus' in the marina.  he is beginning to enjoy the fruits o his labours, after giving her the TLC she needs... He is a member but for some reason though he would joint the old eoa as well, cannot think why and suspect he is regretting it now as they have ignored him, and he had to pay money!!  So many have had similar experiences....

Spoke to Simon, the owner of an Atlantic Clipper, moored  in Bradwell and mailed him this evening as he wants to join us.

Returned to base a lot happier this evening, for many reasons, not least the excellent dinner with many friends in the marina bar.

Started tackling the edits on the site, I have added a Sabb G10 motor to the Bits for sale page, duff but good for spares. Know anyone with one of these?

I have removed a Senior, 'Shelduck' from the For Sale Page, sold from there, as has the Senior 'Nolly'. New owner of the latter has joined us, Lallyalice. (Wonderful name!) Donations on the way!  I have also amended 2 adverts for owners....

John Hopthrow has sent in a couple of interesting adverts on EBay, one was for a Senior owned by member Barry Pryke, he mentions us in his advert but I have not been able to contact him on the address he gave, to offer to advertise the Senior here too.  The other was for a dozen or so old eoa magazines, many of which I was editor for or the major contributor, never seen anyone advertise these before.. wonder if they are actually worth anything? 99p?

Answered a few mails re meets, sails and the forum too, why are not more using it, sure some think it bites back....

Whilst the rain is now gently beating on my windows and the weather for the next few days looks damp, at least it is beginning to warm up. So warm and damp!  How many days till mid summers day?

I thought I was going to be a little sad onboard today, as today was the day I was hoping to set off on the second leg of my 'Fiddling Around' trip, but as it has turned out, it has been a good day, hope yours was.

John

Saturday 18th June 2016.

Tomorrow I was supposed to be setting off on the last leg of my round UK trip, not even got the sails bent on yet! Weather this week terrible, thunder and wet!  Lots of it.  Still I have not had my barnacles sorted out yet, still awaiting a date with hospital, and I have been up to my ears answering mail both from EOG mails and my SOS.  As well I had not been tempted down to the boat to finish off the loading up...

In the EOG mail I have an advert pending for a SABB inboard, for spares, and two new enrolments.  also one registration for the Forum, hope more will eventually get to use this great resource.

So Welcome to Lallyalice with the Senior 'Nolly' in Doncaster, hope to see pics of 'Nolly' under sail shortly!

Also From Dr. James Botham, of Hampshire who has taken on the GH 'Pink Gin'.  Again hope to add pics to the Gallery soon.

Ted Hollaway has been in touch, he briefly owned the Eventide 'Camelot', before selling her on as there was too much work for him to undertake. Instead he has bought that Medusa 25 that was for sale for a while on EBay, he made a private sale and I think got a bargain.  She is to be called 'Morningtide' in a nod to the Eventide!  Add to that he came across a complete new set of sails for an Eventide a while back, before he had even purchased Camelot and these will suit the Medusa.  She has been moved down from Henley to Gravesend basin, his home port. Hope to see pics shortly.

Nick Ardley, the Finesse sailor who I come across every now and again snugged up in one of the creeks I use, has written a book. Here is the press release.

Tales of the Thames Estuary.

Talking of the Estuary, had this in from my contact Roger Gasper....

I am not sure if I will be sailing across the estuary this season, not wishing to be too far from civilisation with my barnacles, but sure some of you may be.

We have had a query about bowsprits, do Eventides really need one?  Mine does and I am very happy to have one, but if you have no bowsprit and no excessive weather helm, what is different about your boat.  I have even seen one Eventide where the mast was moved forward 6 inches!  most common remedies are filling in the skeg to rudder gap with rudder on the stern, mast bolt upright, (though hopefully still pre-bent!) and mainsail cut back a foot in the foot. What ever works.  See the Owners tips page re weatherhelm.

We have also had payment and have sent a CD of the tidewater/Bluewater drawings out to Wouter in the Netherlands. He tells me his name is Walter in English, MG's middle name!

I saw and bought an old advert from our EBay page recently, its a review from the pages of Yachting monthly of 1949. It was for the design 'Tamaris'.  I will be scanning and publishing it on the pages shortly.

Reminds me I bought a 60 year old catalogue of MG's drawings last month and I have yet to scan a couple of pages from that and publish them, historical gems!

All for now, off to do some gardening in the damp and drizzle, hoping tomorrow will be dry to allow me to bend on the sails!  Sadly weather for next week more of what we had this, not good and it's mid summers day during the week!  all downhill from then....

John

Monday 13th June 2016.

Sorry if you have been trying to contact us but the website co-ordinator was away on a survey mission in the Isles of Scilly preparing for the trip there next year!    Yes off on holiday to our favourite islands in the UK again!  And what a week we chose!  After weeks of cold NE winds the sun blazed on us and we had none of the oppressive heat and winds and thunderstorms the rest of the UK seemed to have,  I actually got sunburnt, which never happens! 

Heard from an owner in Scotland who says they too had the good weather whilst most of the UK had the buckets and mops out.  As it has not stopped pouring since we got back last night and the forecast for the week looks the same, suspect not many will be sailing as yet!

Met Mike Booth with his Tidewater, 'Fidelio'  in the Scillies, after a chat I  left him a card so he could look up the site when he returns from his summer cruising, and took some pics for the Gallery, will add them later when I sort out the camera... lost the lead.  He was anchored where I had mentally selected to stop, a good test, seemed to settle OK at LW!  Hard clean sand... (Green Bay, Bryher if you are wondering!)

I hope to catch up with mails in the next few days, whilst it pours outside...  If you are out there hope the bailer and bilge pumps work OK. Though I have just re-proofed my oilies. I'm not looking forward to testing them at the moment.

All for now,

John

Wednesday 1st June 2016.

Only twenty one days till mid summer and we lit the fire last night, cold and damp, but at least the gales have abated.  Wind still firmly in the north though and it feels like it!

I have been busy on the pages today, added a few new pics of Eventides to the Gallery, one steel one we had not seen before.  also a new pic of the GH right Eh Oh, courtesy of Lucy, to the GH Gallery, and another Senior to the Senior page.

I have added a GH for sale to the for sale pages too.

Added another boat to the builders and restorers section as well, Lady Gertrude.

I am hoping that you are like me, ready to get out there, as soon as summer finally arrives!  Funny old year...

Not sure how many would be interested in this, but it was sent to us for the members, so here it is:-

Sounds as if it could be a nightmare, all those boats vying for position.. but if it floats yours....

On the other hand this may be more appropriate!

Availability Now
We have several weeks of bookings from private charterers and Norfolk schools. Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award students are beginning to book for trips including the small ships race from Dartmouth to Gosport in late August.  However, we do have availability in August and early September so if anyone is interested in a trip either as individuals or putting together a party then do please get in touch!  E-m: sailing@excelsiortrust.co.uk

Hope to see some of you out on the Blackwater during the summer.  I will not be going too far a field till I get my personal barnacles removed, shortly I hope!

Good Sailing,

John

Monday 30th May 2016.

Typical Bank holiday Monday!  F6 and 7 with heavy rain in the forecast.  Yesterday only saw a couple of boats out on the river, F4 and 5, today nothing but white tops on the river.  Cold Northerly wind too.  Roll on summer.

Will be adding the advert for Libertine later today.... See For Sale pages

All for now.

John

Saturday 28th May 2016.

She floats!  F.G. was launched back into her natural element at 1400 hrs yesterday.  Took forever to sort all the wires and halyards, why is it taking longer every year?? Left her at 1700 with all rigging set up and rigging screws taped, and genoa on roller reefing with the new drum!  Saw a look of joy on one of my crew's faces as he reefed her in the first time!

How are you getting on, afloat yet?

We had an enquiry yesterday about an E24 for sale, but the enquirer said he was still looking for a better one!  There are a few out there but as always, 'buyer beware'!  if you are not confident in your abilities, get a survey, worth £300 if you then save getting involved with one with serious problems and if you still want to press ahead, despite a bad survey the price will become much more negotiable!

Clive with the GH Libertine is going to advertise with us shortly, age and infirmity catching a lot out now... And we all look for some one to really care about our 'babies'.!

Just loaned my half tide mooring at Tollesbury out, just for a day or two, but if anyone visiting the Blackwater area needs a mooring, I have one that will take a 30ft boat, able to dry on soft mud.

Off to load the first van load of gear aboard shortly, loads to do before we can take her out and the weather for the next couple of days going downhill fast!  Typical bank holiday!

See you on the river!

John

Wednesday 25th May 2016.

Sadly had to cancel another monthly get together, I am just not up to it..  But hey nothing stopping you from organising one!  If you have a venue, time and date and would like us to promote it, just let us know. If anyone else turns up it is a bonus!

We were hoping to get up to Walton on Naze for a meal there with new members and stalwarts that have been with us since we formed, but not to be..  another time.

Had a mail in from Lucy Hawkins saying she thought a WW was in this months edition of Y.M..  Yes it is a WW, wonder who's it is, we can only see her head on and no name visible, is it you?

Had yet another new Eventide surface this week, a Steel Eventide in Eire.  Awaiting an enrolment! Seems there are still unheard of boats out there coming forward! 

Had another new member join, Welcome to Robert Grieve with the Eventide 24 Tarka, she is moored at Wells next the Sea, a nice little harbour that I visited on our way round the UK a couple of years back, amazing maze of sand banks in the entrance though!  Official welcome on the way Robert.

Heard from William with the Eventide 24 'Vieve', he is adding ballast in the form of a steel box filled with iron scrap, above the 560lb keel, it will transform her!  Been there, done it twice!

Heard one of our prospective Eventide Owners has launched his Snapdragon, hope you are also sailing.  Bede was the owner of 'Lady Gertrude' and sold after teething problems.  Regrets it now I suspect and is looking at other Eventides.  'Lady Gertrude' on the other hand is undergoing repairs in a nice dry barn. 

An ideal place to store an Eventide..  I have been very fortunate to be able to store my Eventide under cover and under lock and key for all the winters of her 26 years, and it shows!

With any luck I will be afloat Friday, and sailing by Monday.  As ever once she is afloat I will be struggling down to her with three Morris Minor van fulls of kit.  I am always amazed where it all goes as you are hard pressed to see much of it when you step aboard!

Hope you are sailing, I have heard summer is coming, in about a weeks time!

John

Thursday 19th May 2016.

It is almost a month since I planned to be in the water, and of course events conspired against me..  however we have only had six days since then that I would have even thought of going afloat. Summer is slow to get here this year..

Yesterday was dismal and the temperature has only just got  up to 18C as the evening comes on, just time to nip to the boat and get another coat of Sikkens on the new bits of wood glued to my transom, the new fishfinder brackets.... very whizzy!

Ballast weights.. I had thought with all the drawings updated by me over the years the queries on ballast would diminish, but no, had another one the other day, who I was able to point in the right direction. pleased to say another Eventide being cared for and brought up to date.

Have you spotted the Eventide on page 13 of the July edition of PBO?  Yes its our 'Fiddler's Green'. The editor printed most of my letter of response regarding the chap who wanted to build one but was 'dissuaded' by friends who said he would never 'make any money' out of it???? 

Really, is that why people think we build our own boats, or even buy used ones and do them up??  What an odd way of carrying on. 

No we build boats so we can sail them, and when doing so can feel the creature we have slaved over coming alive in our hands!  The joy it still gives me every time that tiller comes alive, even after 26 seasons! It is incomparable.  I also know every nut and bolt, every shaped timber and secret bronze fastener.  I have the confidence of someone who 'knows' their boat.  So many seem to go sailing in trepidation of the next failure!

Sadly  new generations are less likely to have that comfortable feeling of 'knowing' their craft, as so few are able to do what we did, 30 years or so ago, spend a lot of time and effort, and a little money, (OK a lot of money!!) building our own. But amazingly we are still being asked for copies of the drawings on CD, loads of them, over 25 a year year after year.. so maybe more will come to know that joy....

With any luck I will holding onto that trembling tiller again over the bank holiday weekend, See you on the river!

John

Saturday 14th May 2016.

Well we had the 3 days of sunshine, with fog, since then it has been fog drizzle rain and cold F7 NE winds here in Essex.  Not many sailing days, so still not missing out on anything!

I am working gently to be afloat in a week or so, still a few jobs to sort, how about you, afloat yet??

Welcome to new enrolment  from Alabama,  US of A.  David has filled in the enrolment but added nothing about boats so will be enquiring later...

Apart from a couple of Seniors turning up on EBay there has not been much mail in the last few days, for a change, maybe everyone is busy with the antifouling brushes.!

I have done that bit, now wiring and fitting gizmos and washing ad polishing the hull, bit cold for wet work today, barely 11 degrees out there... and I wanted to mix some epoxy too...  too cold!

Roll on Summer.

John

Wednesday 11th May 2016.

Welcome to new member, Wouter from the Netherlands.  He is interested in the Tidewater design and we are now awaiting a payment so we can send him the CD of the drawings.  Sadly he has no intention to build, but thinks it is one of MG's finest and wants to frame the drawings for his wall!  OK by us!

We had another enrolment yesterday as well, but I realised Christian had already joined some weeks back, he was just adding to the info he sent earlier.  He too is after a CD of drawings, this time for the Eventide.  He has the Eventide 24, 'Lady Gertrude'  A plucky boat that has sailed round the UK, with a previous owner.  Having only got halfway round myself, OK, 3/4 of the way sailed, if you count my earlier trip to Cornwall, that is no mean feat in a 24.  I found it hard going in our over sized 26, (27'3").  Every extra inch seems to help!

We had an interesting mail in from Joe the new owner of 'Camelot', The gaff rigged Eventide 26.  She is now to be used as a novelty caravan on a caravan site in Suffolk.  He says the sailing gear will be put into store and no modifications will be done to prevent her being re-launched and used later, if the novelty caravan idea fails! Certainly different.

We have had a response from Practical Boat Owner and now from Jeff Nelson, who wrote the letter to P.B.O. re his wishes to build an Eventide.

He has a set of plans dating back 56 years, bought by his father from Yachting Monthly!

I suggested he get our updated drawings if he wished to embark on a 5 year building project, but may also be a good idea to look at the used Eventides for sail, a years restoration on one could have him afloat sooner!

Had a very nice mail in from someone re the sail plan on one of our designs.  Cannot say too much as someone may be getting a set of sails as a surprise present!

I had to take my newly refurbished genoa back to the sail maker this week, I did tell him the luff groove size in advance, but it was made too small so he is to replace it.  I also said I could not live with the muddy brown sacrificial strip he had put on, as all the other canvas work he has ever done for me is very light beige.  Got to match to look right!  He agreed and is going to replace it all with the correct colour, at just labour cost!  I know the approx cost of a new sail and hope this one is going to work out at a third of that cost...  will last me for my sailing years.

There was an old Eventide 26 mainsail advertised on EBay, has been re-advertised at least once. the asking price an astounding £285.00.  Not exactly a bargain!  A more realistic value would be half of that as it certainly needs a clean and valet...  We still have a few cheap sails on our 'Bits for Sale' page. worth a look if you are after a jib....

The following came in to me from friends at East Coast Pilot....

Some interesting information for us East Coast sailors....

I was trying hard to recognise the creek in the picture, but failed...  and I have anchored there!

Belated welcome to Adrian with 'Celtic Lass', she is an Eventide 26 and is now based in Poole.

After three days of warm and sunny, even though we got harr and poor visibility, the last 2 days have seen heavy rain and now fog.  Typical British summer weather really, looking out the study window I cannot see the Blackwater, cannot see a mile across the fields, let alone the 2 miles to the river.

Not good sailing weather yet, can count the good days on the river on one hand so far. But ever optimistic off to the boat this afternoon to try and do a few more jobs.

John

Sunday 8th May 2016.

Summer has arrived! 

For the past 4 days every day has been announced as the hottest this year and today is continuing the trend, at 0900 I have over 21 degrees here on the Essex coast. However if you venture offshore not the same picture.  We have Harr.  For several days now the mist has come in from the sea with the easterly breeze, dropping the temperature and the visibility.  Yesterday the river Blackwater was full of sails, from the Nass beacon upriver, below the Nass, off West Mersea you could not see a thing for fog!

Good reason for me to go to the boat and continue to fit that radar mast! See my preparation log.

I hope to be afloat very soon, but from what I see locally, many boats are nowhere near ready, Bradwell is half empty with boats up on the hard not yet antifouled.

Sent off that CD to Les this week and we have had another enrolment enquiry, from the owner of the Barbican 'Chime'. Steve tried to enrol before but the page would not work for him.  We tried the page several times and it was working, not till yesterday did we realise there was another link to it on a page hidden deep in the site, which of course did not work!  Had to be the one Steve found!  Fault corrected and I hope to hear from Steve shortly.

Had an enquiry about the Senior drawings we sent out to Soren in Denmark, he is struggling to convert them to metric?  I am going to advise he buys an imperial tape measure!

If you are not out sailing today you are missing out on summer, may not last long.... hope you get out there soon.

John

Saturday 30th April 2016.

Actually got to pat the boat's transom yesterday and off to it later to do a little preparation work for tomorrow, got a work day. See my preparation log.

Postman today has delivered a letter and cheque for a CD of the Senior drawings, they are to go out to Les Dodd after the Bank holiday.

Another very generous cheque came in from Toby Harris, for a burgee and donation, many thanks Toby.  Toby has also entrusted us with an original Atlantic Clipper Brochure to scan and add to the site, along with a details general drawing.  Never seen these before and very pleased to be able to share them with you all.   The clothing and hair do's are very 1970!  found a September 1972 date on the brochure.  I was in Dartmouth and visited Philip and sons that July to look for myself, though could never afford one on a humble P.C's pay, thus we bought an Eventide!

Toby tells us he is off to his clipper in the Netherlands, to try out his new set of sails!

Our fund Manager has sent me an RYA link regarding the forthcoming possible, (I sincerely hope probable!!) Exit of the UK from the EU!  Apart from sitting firmly on the fence over it they do not appear to think it will make any difference to sailors who whish to visit, they will still have to abide the same rules...

There was a mention of counterfeit charts that interested me though, I have never been offered any have you.  http://www.rya.org.uk/infoadvice/safetyinfo/Pages/counterfeit-charts-and-publications.aspx?utm_source=CruisingNews&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=may16-cruising

Had part of the GH 'Imshallah's' advert, pics to follow, will be adding to the pages at some time...

Now off to rub down a bit of Sikkens and give it a coat, prior to final coat all over tomorrow.

I feel summer is just round the corner... 14 degrees outside!

John

Thursday 28th April 2016

Hope we have seen the last of the snow storms!  Yesterday was a real mix of white outs and sunshine.  Very April showers!

Heard from the son of an Eventide Builder yesterday, enquiring if anyone knows where his dad's boat is now? He thinks it was sold to someone in Maldon, but we have now traced it to the south coast, about 10 years back, where is she now??

Eventide 24 Sail number 178. 'Emilyne' picture taken 26 August 1967! River Blackwater.

Ex 'CHELONE'. Builder Mr Meeklah carved a dolphin into the end of the teak tiller.  Stuart the son of the builder, would like to know where she is now? Last we heard was 2005 in the Christchurch/Poole area. Do you know her?

We have had several owners contact us about selling boats in the past week or so, a couple of Eventides and a couple of Golden Hinds.  (One is the one I moored against in the Caledonian Canal in 2013!!)  We are happy to advertise all boats for free, and just ask that owners inform us when they sell, and if we assisted selling, make a small donation so we can keep the pages open for others to do the same. We do have a lot of boats sell from the pages.  We are easily found by anyone searching, because the site is large and active!

Pleased to be able to put a Barbican owner in touch with Mark Urry who was able to further put the chap in touch with another owner he had lost track of.  With the assistance of the Database Manager John Stevens we have also been able to put Robin with the GH 'Wine knot', in touch with local GH owners.  Or at least most of them, one had changed his mail supplier and his old mail bounced.

A reminder to everyone who changes their mail, please let us know or you may well be missing out!

I still have not been able to get to my boat, just a bit 'Groggy' a lot of the time, but have a workday planed for Sunday, so hope it will be warmer! Only got a bit of prop polishing, some Sikkens to go on and just the antifoul really.  The Radar mast not back from engineer yet, and that has to go on before we launch...  Everything is ready to connect, so should not take long to fasten to the deck and stern rail.

Hope your fitting out progressing well.

Certainly not the year to be in the water early, despite not having any winter, did not ever freeze our pond.... unheard of...  spring has been very disappointing,   the F11 at Easter was not nice!!  I hope summer is better!

John.

Saturday 23rd April 2016

St. Georges Day!!

The Blackmore Morris men, who danced at our wedding,  at Maldon Prom and doing their stick dance.

What could be more English!

And now for something important from our friends across the North Sea! 

The 3rd Dutch reunion!

For the third time the reunion of YM designs in the Netherlands will be held. This time at Lauwersoog on May 21st -22nd  2016

We will gather in the outside yacht harbour and probably sail together to the island of Schiermonnikoog for our meeting and dinner.

For information contact:
Eilard Jacobs griffithsreunie at upcmail.com +31645693288

Hope you have a great time!

John
 

Friday 22nd April 2016

My Mums birthday!  Sadly she is no longer with us!

I have just added a load of pics of the Eventide 'Parami' in the Netherlands, nice paint job, well done Paul. See Eventides page of the gallery

I have also added an advert for a Buchanan Halcyon 23, again in the Netherlands, see the For Sale page and the 3 Tonner pages.

Had a mail in from long time member Robin, he is wanting to organise events around Poole and the Solent.  Robin Lewin and ‘WINE KNOT’ moored in Holes Bay, Poole (near the RNLI centre) would like to contact/ meet up with any GH owner in or around Poole. Sailing mid-week normally. Big event: Anyone else fancy a sail in company round the IOW on Saturday July 2nd – with the RTIR – some 1800 other boats? contact him by mail:-  robinlewin at btinternet.com

Could be fun, if I am fit and well however I may have sailed past there by then!

Had a mail from John Eastwood, with the Barbican 33 'Hasimara', he was after contacting another owner and Mark Urry has come to our aid to pass details on for him.  Hope you have a good reunion.

Toby Harris has been in touch with nice pics of his Atlantic Clipper, instead of the 'Cap't Pugwash' aft cabin his was much ore sympathetically designed and built from wood. Like it!

'Melia of Norwich'. A different and distinctive Atlantic Clipper!

See more on the Atlantic Clipper page.

Finally a warm welcome to Soren in Denmark, he has just joined as a 'friend' and wants to get a CD of the  drawings of the Senior.  I will be responding to you shortly Soren.

As the rain gently falls and the temperature with it, I have still to get to the barn to pat Fiddler's Green's transom, too many things to do and not so much energy as yet.  Cannot wait to get shot of these cannon balls!

John

Thursday 21st April 201n6

Happy Birthday Maam!!!!

I swore an oath to protect and preserve 50 years ago, and so pleased she is still at the head of the family.

Got to meet her once and was close many times over the years, we could not have a better one!

Think most would agree.  Long to reign over us!

***********************************************

Eventide matters!

We learnt 2 days ago that maybe our efforts assisted Nigel and his Eventide to become  the Classic Boat magazine best Traditional New Build Under 40 foot category for the year!

'Niarbyl' under sail, and looking very smart!

My wife, Alwyn, and Dutchman Win, the boss of Star Yachts who built her (the hard bits, anyway), receiving the award from yachting legend Tom Cunliffe at a ceremony in London (I was away in France on business unfortunately).

Many congratulations to Nigel and Star Yachts for an excellent modern Eventide!

Some may have noticed the editor of PBO had a very kind word to say about the Eventide too, i will be writing to him to see if he wants to sail one!  F.G. is just about ready to launch, it's just me that has to get rid of a few barnacles first!

Welcome to new member Joe with the Eventide 26 Camelot.  She is now to be based up Suffolk way, be good to see her about again.  She has sailed the med this one! she has a shorter mast with gaff rig, big inboard!

The monthly meeting we planned may be postponed for a bit, I am only just getting back in the saddle! More info shortly..

Chris, our GRP rep has sent me in details of a Buchanon for sale in the Netherlands by one of his family, hope to have that on the For Sale pages today.

Had a few mails in this week yet to answer, I hope to be up to date with all mails by the weekend, sorry for delays.

Still not been to the barn to pat my boats transom!  But as British Rail once said, 'I'm getting there'!

John

Saturday 16th April 2016.

Heard that Kareli the Eventide 26 is about to be advertised with us, for a reduced price as a project....  She sailed so far by Doug Bullock, he of Yachting monthly 'Coastal correspondent' for the North West, for all those years.  she is in a mud berth not far from Fleetwood at Wardle.  More soon.

I have added a nice senior to the For Sale Page, Nolly.  Going for a very realistic price too.

Also added a pic of 'Vieve', the eventide 24. New member William is renovating her, starting with doubling the weight of the old 500lb keel, hope to have a page on the builders and Restorers for her up soon.

Trying to contact Roger Harriss with the Senior 'Minuet', as another member is interested in taking her on if she is not being restored to sail at the moment.. long shot.  Sadly I do not seem to have Rogers mail address, which is odd, so I have asked John Stevens the Database Manager to look into that for me.  Post script, the address we found failed, so if you see this Roger do let us have your new mail address.

I have just packaged up 2 Eventide CD's of drawings, one to Norfolk the other to Australia. they will be in the post Monday.

As you can see I am getting more active. Hope to be able to get to the barn next week to pat F.G's bottom, not sure if i will be painting it next week, depends how well I feel!

John

Thursday April 14th 2016.

Thankyou to those who mailed in, I am getting there, firing on 3 cylinders now and stuck in low gear, but getting better daily.

One of the touching mails came from Sallie, the daughter of my late friend Gerry Loveridge.  Her son Richard is now a dinghy racing champ!   Good to know the family still has a toe in the water!  Was it Sallie or her sister that gave my Jenny the name: 'clinging duckweed' (Smuthers yu!).  She was very young and the girls were  her idea of 'princesses'! They were delightful!

Postman has just brought a few more cards ... I will respond...

Managed to get back to the EOG P.C. today for an hour to answer a few and enrol another couple.

So welcome to Toby Harris  of Norfolk who sails an Atlantic Clipper in the Netherlands, 'Melia of Norwich'.  Hoping Toby can join in with Eilard the new steering group member and Netherlands rep who has organised another meet there.

Welcome to Jon Davis who sails from Dartmouth with a 43ft American wishbone cat, different!

Welcome to to Simon in Suffolk.  He has a set of the Mouette drawings, but not sure at this stage if that is to be the project or maybe another of our designs. Hoping Simon will let us know.

Have had notification that a few are contacting Marclear/ EU45 direct and getting the discount!  good, they system works.  Still got stock  here for local owners. 

There was me planning to have mine painted Monday, and launched next week!  Not to be, I will get there, I have not got far to go, just got to sort me out first!

That's enough for now, off for a lie down.

John

P.S. just heard Simon, the new member,  built another boat, not the Mouette, a Selway Fisher, but is now contemplating an Eventide!

Monday 11th April 2016.

Thanks to Peter the Webmaster and John Stevens our Database manager for getting the info on here about my problem! I do not do 'ill' so it was a real shock to be hauled into A & E not once but twice in the past week.  If there is any way of avoiding kidney stones, take it, I have never had such pain.  At least I am now stable, but cannot see straight for pain killers so if I blunder excuse me.

I have a new member or two to respond to and promise I will get there ASAP. At the moment limited to 15 minutes at a time......  I am told they will drag me in to have the 'real' operation in 2, 4 or 6 weeks time!!!! In the meantime life is on hold!  Suspect I will watch a few dozen afternoon black and white cowboy films!

I see I have already had a lot of get well soon mails!  Thanks to all of you.  I will get round to answering, but not this week! Getting about is fun with tubes and bags, sitting to do this no fun!

Time for bed said Zebadee.

John

Wednesday 6th April 2016.

Posted on behalf of John Williams...
Laid up in hospital with kidney stones. Collapsed yesterday admitted, Surgery today
Hope to be out Sat but boat plans put back a bit. Will not be fit for launch on 20th! But in the best place to get it sorted.

Thursday 31st March 2016.

After a wild weekend this week has been rather better here in Essex, temperatures into double figures and little rain. Hope like me you have been able to get o and make ready to launch.  I am lucky in that I have regular helpers and crew and we have a workday booked for  a week's  time and a launch date shortly after.   Hope to be afloat by The first May Bank holiday, for sea trials.

Heard from a few others that are getting there too, power to that antifouling elbow!

We have had another new member, a 'Friend' for now, though he had a set of WW drawings from years ago.  Now sailing a small Westerly but looking for an Eventide, welcome Fergus in Eire.  Fergus has just snapped up that 150ft length of new spliced anchor warp that was on the 'Bits for Sale' page.

There have been discussions about the Recreational Craft Directive recently, as one or two members may have fallen foul of it.

The RCD required that all small craft were built to a certain standard and had to pas all sorts of tests regarding the hull, machinery, rig, stability and every aspect of safety in the construction, be it gas installations or heads.  They estimated it would add £5,000 to the cost of a boat, and as it cost as much for a 20 foot boat as a 50 ft it made little sense to build small boats and in deed many boat builders just threw in the towel.  Thanks EU!  Another bit of daft legislation....

I was on the RYA cruising committee and heavily involved in this legislation. I fought hard to obtain us an exception.  What we eventually got was a partial one.  We are exempt from the regs if we do not sell out boats on the open market for at least 5 years from date of launch.  Having spent 7 years building my 'Fiddler's Green' I thought it unlikely I would be wanting to sell inside 5 years and as that was the best I could get accepted it.

There always has to be exceptions to owners wanting to keep their creations forever and in the past few months I have come across two.  Do hope they manage to get a fair deal at the end of the day.  One chap inherited his fathers MG Lone gull II and is now rather stuck as it has not been finished, never launched of course and will be the devil to sell without RCD approval, if fact illegal.  The only thing to do would be to pass it to a member of the family, but that's not going to happen, very difficult...

Had a mail in from a member this week, who briefly owned an Eventide, had problems, sold it and is now looking for another.  I know the feeling, after sailing my E24 for 10 years or more I sold it with the thought of buying a round bilge GRP Creation, sadly having stepped onto a few, and been given the chance to sail a few, I knew I needed to get another Eventide.  So it was I bought the unfinished bare hull of my 'Fiddler's Green.  Never looked back!  I am hoping I may meet up with this member on my adventures this summer, and if I do, I can let him sample a modern Eventide 26.  That will do the trick!

All for now, off to the barn to polish my prop, 1/3rd done 2 blades to go!

John

Monday 28th March 2016

Easter Monday.

Storm Katie has just about blown itself out now, F11 winds!  We lost several fence panels!  Boat on the hard standing at Southend was blown over and onto the road!  Really violent gusts have brought down power lines, trees and walls and at least one fatality in Essex.

I wanted to get some boat work done, but pointless, as just too windy to open the barn doors!   Instead the Eventide computer threw a wobbly and it has taken me from Friday until an hour ago to sort.  All working fine again now!  A Microsoft update threw a spanner in the works.

I have just been to see the boat and make sure the barn still had a roof!  All fine.

Opening the mail today I have an advert for a nearly new GH31, 'Serenity'.  She has only been finished and launched a very short while and sadly the owners  Steve and Janet are having to sell.  I will be placing the advert later today....

In the next mail comes 'Shelduck' for sale, She is a 16ft Senior and on a trailer in Essex. We have known her for many a year as the sellers father owned her for decades.  Advert on the pages later.

Heard from William with 'Vieve' up in Norfolk, she is now under cover and her 560lb keel is being worked on, it is off and the bolts need drilling and bashing out and when it goes back on it will be twice as heavy.  William is a documentary film maker and he and his girlfriend will be on the restorers page and we look forward to text, pictures and some film of their progress!

Replied to a GH owner on the Forum, who has just launched.  He and others have been discussing how to rig a self tacking staysail, similar to the one we have on 'Fiddler's Green'.  I have promised to add a few pics of the set up on F.G., a picture is far easier to understand!

After the good day on board F.G. Friday, I have been in the garage in between adding a coat of Sikkens to my additional toe rail pieces and more primer to the pad about to be fitted under the new radar mast.  Letting the Sikkens parts set a bit before taking them down to fit, and with any luck will get a coat of red Danboline on the new pad and allow that time to set before I have to handle it, nothing worst that laying on you back in the stern locker juggling with a bit of wood that the paint is still tacky on, it gets everywhere!

Hope your boats survived Katie OK,

John

P.S. just had a plea for internal pics showing the bilge keel stringers in a Tidewater...  can anyone out there help Andy??

P.P.S. I have just edited many pages, added adverts to the For Sale pages, added the new steering Group member, Eilard to the 'Advisors' page, added pics to the Gallery,  the minutes of last years Annual Meeting on the official pages  also the approved accounts.

John

Friday 25th March 2016.

Good Friday.

'Good' so far anyway, as far as our 'traveller watch' goes.  I have been on watch in the road since 0500 and apart from my local Barn Owl coming to visit me several times, all quiet!

So here is a welcome to new members, to Henk who has just bought the Waterwitch 'Shanty sails' and renamed her 'Havoc' a name I think fits better! she will be based in the Bristol channel shortly. Henk is promising to send a few pics for the Gallery once he has finished painting.

Welcome to Paul in Victoria, Australia who is after building an Eventide, waiting to hear from him as he wants a CD of drawings.

I have heard from Ed Wade-Martins who was awarded the 'Barry Sturrock Seamanship Trophy'. He has left 'Moondancer' in Africa for now and will be returning for her later this year.

We have heard from the daughter of an owner of the first ever Eventide, 'Mimulus', we sent her some details of her for her father and she in turn has sent a photo taken during fitting out back in the 1960's!

Heard from Cy with the Steel Kesteloo, 'Wind, Sands and Stars', an advert will be with us shortly, looking for a new caring owner to save her.

Roger Gasper, the man who writes the Thames Estuary pilots, has sent this picture of the S.W. Sunk Swatchway.  As you can see the depth of water is no longer 3.5 metres.  As is often the way in the estuary, the sand moves!

Bit frightening as some believe charts and pilots are infallible!

Roger tells me he will be surveying the area ASAP and has also asked the PLA for the latest soundings.  Will pass on info when we get it!  As I will be crossing the estuary on the first day of my 'Fiddling Around' trip this summer, I for one will be interested.  I know the Gore Channel on the Kent side has gone, one I often used.  Years ago a mate crossed the Barrow through what he expected to be a 2m Swatchway, he found over 20m of water...  that sand has to go somewhere!

With the temperature today already up to 15degrees, I am off to the boat, my stint on 'traveller watch' is done for now.

I think the best policeman of the lot will be watching over us for the rest of the Bank holiday, heavy, torrential rain, hail and gales, Happy Easter!! That will keep the travellers away! Their vans would get bogged down!  At least now I have a Barrister on speed dial and I can get help, in the form of an injunction,  for free,  with just a call, very reassuring!

Off to barn now armed with paint brush!

John

Thursday 24th March 2016.

Maundy Thursday.

Those that know, will be aware all the High Court Judges are away today doing their traditional Maundy Money bit, so not generally available for emergency court orders  so I am on high alert for travellers, as it was this time, Easter, 2 years ago, they tried to camp on the land round us. Last time we got a 'stop notice', this time I am lucky enough to have a Barrister with access to a Judge, 24/7, 365 days a year and my telephone on speed dial.  We can have a full injunction inside 10 minutes, or in the hour at the very least.

So forgive me if this entry is brief, I am due back on watch shortly!

John

Monday 21st March 2016.

The days are officially longer than the nights now!  Yesterday, our Annual Meeting , was on the Vernal equinox.

We had a reasonable turnout, and a lot of last minute apologies. Could have been a near full house if all had attended! We were entertained for 30 minutes by Stuart Robinson of Marclear/EU45 paints, before the business of the meeting.  I have now got a stock of assorted colour antifouling paints.

The minutes of last years meeting were agreed, and will be reproduced on the 'official' page along with the Fund Managers accounts. As a group recognised by the charity commission we are obliged to do this but do it freely and openly, (Why is it others don't.? Do they have something to hide?).

We are in a financially good position, considering we charge no fees and exist on donations alone! So much so that the Annual Meeting  voted to allow the Steering group, when given the green light by the Fund Manager later into the year, to make another donation to a youth sailing charity of our choice..

It was suggested by Member Tim, that other charitable groups involved in sailing may be organising to club together to do something really positive, more on this if and when!

John Stevens, our Database Manager, has rewritten the Data base into a user friendly Excel system that will prove invaluable later.  He informed us that the member ship stood at 1600 now and in the last 2 years over half those enrolling were actually 'owning' members, with a few 'ex owners' staying with us and the remainder being prospective owners, either contemplating buying or building, and to that end 22 CD's of drawings were sent out at cost, £5.00 for UK and £6.50 overseas. Enrolments are at approx 45 a year!!

This year the Seamanship trophy was awarded to Ed Martin and the GH 'Moondancer'.  Ed if you are reading this I will be contacting you to arrange to send a small plaque to you for the boat! If you have not already done so, visit their site.  www.moondancersailing.com  

Worth it for their music as well as their sailing exploits.

With the weather slowly improving, lets hope we can all get back afloat soon, don't forget your antifouling, contact me if local, enquiries@eventides.org.uk or see the phone number on the advert above for Marclear/EU45 if out of Essex.

More power to the elbows,

John

Thursday 17th March 2016.

Happy St. Patrick's day!

Many think my 'Fiddler's Green' has Irish connections, but no.  She was named after my favourite colour and a folk song written by a Grimsby Librarian! John Connelly! I have heard well known Irish groups sing it and announce it as a traditional Irish folk tune, origins lost in time...  Wrong.

Too many Jamison's!

No sooner had I said there were no boating related stories to relate, just 2 days ago than they came in.  Very pleased to say we have a huge audience here at the Eventiders and so many take the time to send in snippets.

John Hopthrow has sent in a link to the Medusa 25 advertised in London, a basic boat for £2900.  Not a bad price if the hull OK (no osmosis.). 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Medusa-25-Sailing-Yacht-Bilge-Keel-Volvo-Inboard-Diesel-Maurice-Griffiths-GRP-/252313375432?hash=item3abf0c92c8:g:rlMAAOSwPc9WzIEA

Had a great series of mails in from Ben who is looking to buy an Eventide.  He is looking at 'Sarane' an Eventide 26 that stretched to 28 in the building and was fitted with a fin keel and short bowsprit.  Bet she sails well.  Turns out Ben is involved with 'Clipper Ventures'4r, and his boss is Sir Robin.  I  related a tale about Sir Robin that he did not know about, from my days on the river.  He is going to mention it and I am hoping to get some feedback!

Ben thought Sir Robin would love a fleet of Eventides for his next venture, real boats like Suhali!

Mike Hughes has been on to say his Senior, 'Moth' has gone to a new owner. He has passed our details on but we have not heard from the new owner as yet.

We had an invitation to look at pics on a Facebook page, sadly we do not subscribe, so I am hoping the person with that Sea Rover will just send the pics to us as jpg files...

Had an enquiry, (or two) for the Houdini hatch advertised on the site for £75.00, that will have sold by Monday, one way or the other, and sold far too cheap I suspect.

Also had someone after the pair of Lewmar winches and handles for sale one the pages.  At the price I am really surprised they have stayed on the page as long as they have.  6 months or more, they are off to Portugal if the post is cheap enough for him!

Heard from a few to say they will be there Sunday, will be pleased to buy everyone that first drink.  I will have a small stock of the antifouling there so after the talk from the paint maker and the meeting  they will be for sale.

See you Sunday at Bradwell!

John

Tuesday 15th March 2016..

Annual Meeting, Bradwell marina Bar,  1230hrs Sunday, for lunch, 1330 for talk,1400 meeting.

(for just an hour... members chance to have a say!!!)

Hoping to welcome all 'members' and 'associate members' to this private meeting in the dining area of the marina bar.  The first drink for anyone attending, is, as normal, on me. Tea, coffee or something stronger! (I do not have to travel far!)

We are recruiting for the Steering Group, we already have one new member, but there is room for more.

You must be an 'Owning Member' to be eligible to run our group.  We are a Group run by owners, helped by 'Friends' or 'Associate Members'!  Unlike other so called  'owners' or should we say  'non owners' groups!

So if you fancy helping to steer our 1500 members and friends, contact us on enquiries@eventides.org.uk

Boat news. For the first time in weeks I have not had any members boat info in!  Normally I hear from several members with items of interest to others, this week so far, we have had  plenty of mail in, over 10 mails a day at the moment, but most simply relate to 'other matters'.

Maybe it is the weather. Here on the east coast the biting north easterlies have brought cold and damp, 4 degrees, misty and dismal. Certainly not fitting out weather. Down at the Marina Sunday for a coffee and making sure all ready for the influx of members next Sunday, the place was deserted, bitter cold winds..

So cold that even in my garage I have only managed to get one coat of Sikkens onto new timbers set to be fitted to raise my toe rails forward, it is just too cold for it to set!

Roll on Spring.

And Sunday, our Annual Meeting day...  just to mention it again....  is also the Vernal equinox, so days longer than nights as from Sunday!  That will cheer a lot of us up...

See you at Bradwell!  (Antifouling will be available.. limited quantity.... my Moggy Van is not that big!)

John

Friday 10th March 2016. (or is it Thursday??)

Well done to Chris, who noticed the mistake, like to know people are keeping an eye on me!

The cold snap was not as long or cold as I thought it would be, in fact the garden pond never froze over once this winter!

We have heard from Ed on the Golden Hind 'Moondancer'.  They have made it to their destination in West Africa they were setting off to, but as I suspected internet access was bad, so no videos added, just a few photos.

They are talking of leaving the boat there and heading back to the UK to earn pennies before coming back to collect her and sail back to the UK.  We will post info when we get it.  If you have not visited the site,  you are missing out! www.moondancersailing.com 

We have one new volunteer to assist on the Steering Group but are looking for a couple more.

If you are a Golden Hind owner, Barbican owner or Senior owner there are places on the Steering Group.  We do not have Steering Group meetings as such, but any decisions are knocked back and forth by e-mail, so overseas members welcome.  Normally I would ask the Steering group to make about 5 or 6 decisions a year. Can I buy some more recordable DVD's or CD's?, can I pay for the update to the wed sites?, domain names?, anti Hacker or the like?, nothing too onerous.  We may ask for suggestions for the charitable donation, or  for suitable recipients for the seamanship trophy...  never much more.. come and help us...  It's your Eventide Owners Group.

So if you are an owner of one of these designs, or any other of our boats and want to lend a hand once in a while, online by mail, please contact us at enquiries@eventides.org.uk

Had a mail in requesting information about a stretched Eventide that was built in and  sailed from Rhodesia many moons back, (Via South Africa!!). Name of the boat was 'Marimba' and it was 30ft long.  Many were built there and 'escaped' back to the UK, this one was shipped as deck cargo.... and belonged to Wing Commander Crescens Reynolds. Was sailed along the south coast. John Dawson is enquiring, as he sailed aboard her. Sadly we have no trace of her? Could this be yet another Eventide that has slipped the net and if so, where is she now?

Mark Deeming the owner of 'Athaena' is trying to help me update the web editing program I use.  The site can be edited in several ways but to make it easy for me, I use the same program that Barry built all the early versions of the site in, dating back to the first days of the internet in 1992!  FrontPage.  Anyone who knows will throw their hands up at the thought of using this program, as it is many years old. (I have the latest version... 2003)  But I have removed all the twiddly bits that FrontPage could put in, so it can be edited with Word for instance, but to make it really easy I need a modern program that is WYSIWYG and works on Win 7.  We may have an couple of options, one may even be a new 'Freeware'  version of FrontPage.  Like the idea of free!  With so many thousands of amateurs like my self still doggedly using FrontPage, I am pleased that there are people out there caring enough to update it. We will see. Mark is investigating 'Joomla'.

Had a nice donation in from Malcolm up there in the Northwest, just as a thankyou to us for keeping the site going, thanks Malcolm.

He also sent in details of a boat he had seen in Fleetwood.  He saw it last year, afloat and got a surprise when it was seen on the hard, it's a fin keeler, not many of these about...

A Fin Keel Eventide!

Malcolm is hoping to catch the owner this spring. This is yet another Eventide not on our books, I do not recognise it and the name does not ring any bells, although we are well aware that names change.

Does anyone know the owner?  Bet she sails well!

The Marclear/EU45 antifouling is selling slowly, early days yet...  good to see people going direct to the link and buying a couple of cans or more with free carriage!  I have one customer calling in on me Saturday.  I will have cans at the Annual Meeting on the 20th if you just want 1 can for £59.00  and do not want to pay the fiver carriage.

Is that enough to get a few more owners to turn out to Bradwell on Sunday the 20th? We are also getting a 30 minute presentation from the paint manufacturer.  If you have not been before we are a friendly bunch!  And the first drink on me!  (As I do not really have to travel far!).

Spent the afternoon today designing and building a folding, transom hung, transducer mount for my new toy, the fish finder.  Once I get it all together I will publish some pics on my 'Preparation' page. Came to me in a flash of inspiration, and a quick visit to our EBay page and I had the 2 stainless fittings I needed to finish the job.  Just got to bend a bit of 3/4 stainless tube a little now. Tried wrapping it round a log but it is a lot stronger than me.!  Off to see a friend with a pipe bender next week!

Also spent some more time shaping the teak wedge to fit under the new radar mast... and took the skin off my fingers with the sander, Opps!  Will be taking the wedge to the boat over the weekend, with elastoplasts on the fingers!!!  If I have got it right will be drilling holes in the aft deck to secure the foot of the mast...  Feel I am getting there slowly.

I have also been trying to assist our Database Manager get his Eventide sorted, it has to come ashore this summer for all sorts of mods to make it fit to sail from next year on. One of the items we were discussing was mast lowering. John wanted to be able to do what I can, raise or lower the mast without outside assistance.   Quite a saving at a boat yard!  What was needed for John's boat was a strong tabernacle, just too dangerous to consider doing it without one and it needs to be substantial.  Try buying one.. we have not found one for sale anywhere, (used of course!)  Then I recalled an Eventide locally that had gone so rotten it was broken up a few years back and wondered... I remembered seeing the fitting on the ground when i went to pick other parts up....  John Phoned and now he is the proud owner of a good sized tabernacle.  We will make that work! 

Keeping the finger on the Eventide pulse  can assist many people to acquire bits from the sad remains of old ones, so they live a new and useful life!  Recycling!

Think Maurice would have liked that, he did a little recycling in his time!

Fingers crossed the weather will continue to improve and as the evenings get longer and when the clocks spring forward I suspect there will be stirrings in the coastal boatyards.  Antifoul stirring!

Don't forget the Annual Meeting on Sunday 20th.... see you there.

John

Saturday 5th March 2016.

Is this the cold snap?  10cm of snow over half the country and below zero for most of it..  Snow in the forecast for Essex too, but it will not settle.  They are still saying we may have a white Easter though!  It is cold here still not cold enough to freeze the pond.  Odd sort of winter.

Paint Talk by Stuart Robinson of Marclear/EU45 paints.

I can now confirm that the Annual Meeting on Sunday the 20th will be preceded by a 30 minute presentation by the antifouling manufacturer.  So gather at 1230 for lunch and chat, 1330 talk, 1400 to 1500 the meeting. Hope to see as many of you as can make it at the Bradwell Marina Bar, first drink on me!

Welcome to another new member, Mark Deeming.  At first we had no boat info, but Mark has come back to say he is the new owner of 'Athaena' and she is now berthed in Poole. Hope to cross wakes later this summer!

I was away for a few days and when I returned my new 'fish finder' was here for me to play with.  At just 5 inches across I hope the screen is going to be large enough!  The eyes do not get any younger!

Getting a little concerned here as we have not heard from that happy band on 'Moondancer', the GH 31 sailing south in the Atlantic to Western Africa.  So I checked yesterday and they have arrived, see  www.moondancersailing.com   I suspect internet  access is in short supply because we have not seen any update videos, but they have managed to get a few new pics on the site. Suspect we will get more when they are back in internet land!   Worth a look to see the very professional films they have taken, watch out for the EOG burgee!

I was off to drill holes in the boat today but at just 4 degrees outside may wait a day or two.

Hope your fitting out is going well.

See you on the river,

John

Monday 29th February 2016.

Not heard of any ladies proposing today, as yet, but there is still time! Who's hiding??

Today we welcome new member, Leslie Dodds of Cornwall who is wanting to build a Senior. He has joined as a 'Friend' and we hope he will soon be applying for a CD of drawings.

Spent an hour or so editing the For Sale pages as there were so many adverts that were possibly out of date, I left messages or mailed all the sellers and those we did not hear back from have had their adverts moved to the archive files where they will be stored for now.  If a seller reads this and realises he or she is still wanting to advertise but maybe the phone number or mail address they gave is no longer valid,  we can resurrect the adverts...

Tomorrow is the first official day of Spring, and though there is still time for a cold snap, hopes of my 3ft of snow, are fading fast.  This winter has now officially been recorded as the warmest on record and certainly for parts of the north west of the UK, the wettest on record.

And there are still some that think the extremes of weather are nothing to do with us?

Sadly it is going to effect our summer sailing season more and more, already  the wind generally one Beaufort strength more than it was 30 years ago, but also the number of sudden summer gales has increased too, not good news.

Had fun this morning looking up the power curve graph for the GM10 and working out the possible sizes of prop that would suit an Eventide 26.  We have to wait till the boat is got ashore later this spring, but if the prop is a right hand 13 inch one then it may be re-pitching it will get 'Glass Tide' motoring about at top speed! Another little project!

I am beavering away at bits for my fit out here and hope to fit the new radar mast properly next weekend. So many little jobs to sort, and some silly ones. Found yesterday that the drop nose pins I had shortened and that secure the radar mast's  telescopic part, were made upside down!  Easy mistake, so the engineer is going to reverse the weighted end piece, so when fitted the weight rotates the pin and the nose stays 'dropped'! Not easy to explain, will get a pic on my Preparation page!

All for now, wear your Daff tomorrow if your Welsh.. St. David's Day of course!

(despite my name cannot find a single Welsh ancestor?).

John (Williams)

Sunday 28th February 2016.

Yesterday met up with John Stevens the Database manager.  He was down to check his boat.  We spent some time discussing the replacement of his vintage, but running, 5.5hp Volvo, with a Yanmar GM10 9hp he has.  As well as preparing F.G. for her trip I will be going to assist him helping to get her ready for the local engineer to drop the new motor in. 

At the same time John is planning a thorough refit, from new heads and galley to  replacing external timber work, (his is one of the few made from GRP), as well as overhauling roller reefing and the like.  Will be a year long project that will see 'Glass Tide' transformed and ready to sail on with John in his retirement.  John has been collecting good gear for a few years now and it is time.

Maybe I can twist his arm into writing it all up on the 'Builders and Restorers' page?? I tell all involved in restorations they can have a page, that way it is a good incentive to get on with the job, as everyone can see the progress, OR LACK OF IT!!  Nothing like a little peer pressure to give you a boost!

I made a purchase yesterday, a new 'fish-finder'.  Now I am not a fisherman but I have been watching, with interest, the new generation of video sounders that can now give an accurate picture of the seabed beneath you.  A clever idea especially for those of us who like to take the ground sometimes.  So I chose a dual DSI & HDI machine, not an HDI sounder??  No I did not know the difference either, till I researched and spoke to Dean at 'Bottomline'. Its the frequencies they work on.  Bet your echo sounder, like my 25 year old VDO instrument, works on 200htz or less, great for penetrating the depths, but not good for detail.

The one I have chosen can work on 83/200htz, but can be switched to 455/800 only for the detail. 

The reason for the 83/200 and 455/800 is that they send a chirp of different frequencies out, not just at one frequency they use all that band, very clever, all solid state electronics.. .  Haven't things moved on since my old lead line! Yup, still got a tub of tallow to arm it...

Added benefit of this is that the old VDO one can work away at the same time giving simple depth readings and the other one will give detail, if on 455/800htz, (plus still give echoes from whales!).

Until I started looking at these I had no idea it was so complex.

I eventually bought a 'Lowrance Hook 5' from 'Bottomline ltd, in the Isle of Man, you will find them on EBay. Though Force Four were actually doing a slightly cheaper deal on a near identical one.  Went to Dean as he had been so helpful....

The screen size was important, I could have bought one for half the price, but I tested the 3.5inch screen and I could not see it from 4 or 5 feet away, had to be the 5 inch version.

Fitting it is to be the next job, as it has a transducer that mounts on the transom and trails behind.  Considering mounting it on a swing down timber support, so it can be hoisted up when not in use, to save fouling! We will see.

Talking of fouling the first batch of cans of anti-fouling are here, if you just want a single can (or more) and you do not want to pay the carriage, (£5.00 charge for just 1 can), pick up from me instead, in Essex.

Had a nice pic of Mollymawk in yesterday...

Chris and Fiona have her on the Beaulieu River at the moment but are hoping to move her to our neck of the woods this spring, hoping to be berthed on the Blackwater.

Chris sent me links to 3 of his web sites, have a peek! You will probably realise you have seen some of his work!

www.christopherleesays.com
www.foreignpolicy.org.uk
www.royalty-christopherlee.uk

Was down at Bradwell last night and a reminder to all that we will be meeting there for our annual meeting at 1230 for lunch, 1330 for a talk and 1400 for an hour of EOG business.  All members and enroled friends welcome.

John

Friday 26th February 2016.

Had an enquiry from a former owner of the first Eventide 24, number 1 'Mimulus'.  We have been able to furnish them with a lot of info but where is she now??  Has she survived?  We are trying to track her down and if you have some info, please share it with us.

Here is a copy of the page I wrote for Yachting Monthly back in the day.  

At the time I was editor of the old assoc, so forgive the references to that defunct organisation.

Wednesday evenings meeting in Maldon  was a very pleasant gathering, a lot of reminiscing and talk of sailing, years gone by and of tomorrow!

Look forward to meeting many more members and friends at the Bradwell meeting on Sunday 20th March, 1230 for lunch. I have now organised a short presentation about EU45/Marclear antifouling.  I will also have a selection of colours there to buy, at our discount rate of £59.00.

I will have red, 2 different blues, black and white.  (only 2 cans each of all but red...).

Interestingly today see Mailspeed is doing a real special offer on paints and apart from Flag, which does not seem to work at all here, all the others are far more expensive than the Marclear, that we know from experience, works!

By using our records and local knowledge, we have been able to find the correct sail number for 'Cameroon' and explain the sail number visible, just, in the stitching on the sail. It was a replacement sail number I issued in the 1980's when the builder launched and could not recall his number.! Very pleased to be able to assist.

I have been predicting and hoping for a cold snap to kill off all the nasties in the garden and did think it might be on the way last week, but though it has dipped below freezing briefly overnight, our pond has yet to freeze this winter, and the weather is warming up again, so time running out for me to tow the grandson about on the sledge I bought him! Will we have snow for Easter?  I can recall crawling out of a tent to find 2 inches of snow one Easter, was Brr I can tell you....  So still time!

Off to clean off a couple of rubbed patches on the rubbing strakes and an odd patch on the bottom where the pressure washer took my paint back to the epoxy,  ready for varnish and antifouling when the temperature picks up.

John

Tuesday 23rd February 2016.

Welcome to another new member, Richard, with the Gaff rigged Eventide 26, 'Cameroon'.

As you can see, 'Cameroon' is different, the tan gaff rig certainly sets her apart.

Hoping to meet up with Richard, as he is planning to sail to Bradwell for the Annual Meeting on the 20th March.  Do hope many other members come along and meet us.  This is your chance to say what you think of us!  This year we are hoping to have a guest speaker before the meeting, from Marclear/EU45 paints.

Welcome to John O'Brien, with the M.G. Medusa  'Stratton's Fancy', ex 'Tina'.  Has to be a story behind that name!  Waiting some pictures to add to the gallery...

I took my newly acquired tan sail, a genoa, to the sail makers yesterday.  Ian, of Lonton and Gray's rolled the sail, plus my elderly 'Team sails' genoa, out on the table.  Apart from a small chafe mark in a part that would be cut off, the sail is in very good order.  So Ian is cutting the large one down to match the original genoa and adding luff tape for the roller reefing, new head, tack and Clew, sacrificial strips and tell tales, for less than £200!

I like recycling!

Speaking of which I will soon have a set of Plastimo roller reefing to sell, got to get a few bits for it, joiners and plastic luff groove pieces and an extra length of spar maybe, so it will be suitable for an Eventide 26 or maybe a Waterwitch.

I have not sadly heard back from several people who have placed adverts for boats on the EOG pages.  If we do not hear back soon they will be filed in the archive pages.

Tomorrow night, 1900 Maldon for a meal.  Any more takers? Call me on 01621 778859.

John

Monday 22nd February 2016.

Reminder that the Essex group will be meeting in Maldon Wednesday evening, for a Chinese meal.

If you would like to join us please ring me on 01621 778859 to book a place at the table.

Welcome to William Darby with the Eventide 24 'Vieve'.  She is to be based on the North Norfolk coast.

Spent a little time editing pages on the site over the weekend, 3 hours pouring over pages of stuff I had written, trying to correct the spelling and grammar. Very difficult to correct your own mistakes, you tend not to see them!  I hope it all reads a little better than it did!

Heard that the Eventide 'Camelot' sold on the Bay for about the same, £800 as she has sold the last 3  or 4 times she sold in the past 18months! do hope she finds a permanent home soon, she must be feeling like an unwanted waif! I will be speaking to the first owner/builder and letting him know this week.

See that white Eventide mainsail is for sale at £285 not £250, and I thought the latter was a lot. When I re-read the advert the guy is in Manchester and says collection only???  Sorry but you have severely lessened your chances of selling saying that.. As I had a sail delivered from the south coast by My Hermes for £10 Friday, seems daft...!  how much is an old mainsail for an Eventide really worth?  I would have thought £100 top whack.... cannot sell perfectly good used sails on here for half that much...

Off to sailmaker today with the used genoa I bought, hoping he does not tell me I wasted my money and he cannot remake a roller genoa for me out of it....

I have been checking antifouling stock here and I have 1 can of red left from last year to sell at the £1.00 off price. 1 can of primer, £29.00 and one of Thinners, (sell that at the cheaper old price £7.50).

I will also be getting 2 cans of black in to sell at the new price £59.00. and next week will have  dark blue, light blue, red and white in stock here for callers, same price. Ring me if you are nearby and just need 1 can, to save the carriage. 01621 778859.

Pleased to be able to offer this to owners again as I think it is about the best you can buy, because it works!  Pleased also that the EOG may make a couple of bob out of it courtesy of the manufacturer, Bill.

Don't forget if you want 2 cans or more it will come direct to you free, if you ring Bill on the number on the advert.  I am not taking a cut so it is no skin off my nose for you to go direct and save a run out to me in Tillingham!

John

Friday 19th February 2016.

Today I have heard news I have been waiting for since last summer, we have seen off the big developer and the greedy farmer who has been trying to turn our tiny village in to a town, by planting houses all over his fields instead of crops.   We are not celebrating yet, but the two appeals by the developer have been thrown out!   I was allowed to speak at the first appeal, on behalf of our village and as a result  the developer has withdrawn the second. Time will tell if we are now safe, but for the moment we breath a sigh of relief.

We live in a tiny unspoilt part of Essex and have been the subject of attacks by these shyster lawyer developers for 2 years now.  What with that and the traveller site we stopped, we seem to have had our rural idyll somewhat shaken. Lets hope it gets quieter!

I have been busy with the Antifouling deal and the first orders have gone through and paint is on its way to owners.  With any luck we will also get a small donation for every can sold, direct to the EOG.  See above for the deal and to get your orders in.

At the same time I have been contacting all the sellers on the boats for Sale pages that have older adverts.  Not surprisingly I have found many have been sold, so the boats are being removed to the archive.  Some that are still for sale have been edited to reflect the lower asking prices.  I have mailed loads and hope to hear back from them by the 24th, or the adverts will again be removed to the archive.  One I removed today, because neither the mail nor the phone number worked!

I have also added some items to the Bits For Sale pages, harnesses, lifelines and some stainless steel wine goblets!

A big parcel arrived for me today, a good used tan genoa!  It was made by Sadlers of Burnham on Crouch, same as my staysail and previous mainsail  and is exactly the same colour.  It is at least 6ft too long in the luff though, but my sailmaker is confident he can cut it to suit me, so I am taking the old genoa and this one along to Burnham next week for him to measure it out on the table.  Tape luff for roller reefing and sacrificial strips to be fitted. The sail came from SeaTeach, the same people who sold me the replacement Plastimo roller reefing drum. Stuart there is really helpful. Cost of a new genoa? Quoted in excess of £900!  Hopefully this one will come in less than a third of that and will be serviceable for years.

Seen an Eventide 26 mainsail advertised on EBay for an extortionate £250.  unsurprisingly it has had no takers.  Says he is open to offers, so if you are looking for a replacement white mainsail, use the EBay page and search, 'Eventide mainsail' it will come up.

All for now, back to chart corrections!

John

Wednesday 17th February 2016.

Today had discussions regarding the 'Marclear' Antifouling.

The source I have had for the past 10 years or so has packed up. However I am now in touch with the manufacturer and have  managed to get a deal!  It is going to be £1.00 cheaper this time round!

Workboat Red is no more, but wait, they have 'dulled' the Red so the difference is not so noticeable, so I'm told!  The copper content is exactly the same. 

The other change is the cans, they will now be 2.5 litres in 3 litre cans, so you will be able to stir the stuff without loosing any over the edge, and be able to add a drop of thinners if it is very hot!

The cans will have the other name for 'Marclear' on them, 'EU45'.  This is what I bought back in the 1990's when I started using the product, it is the same.  ('Marclear' was the trade name for 'EU45').

Details yet to be hammered out, but basically I will stock the paint here for callers, but for all others I will be directing you to a free phone telephone number to talk to Bill the owner of Marclear in Spain. He will take orders at a discount when you give a password and it will be carriage free for 2 cans or more anywhere in the UK. payment by card.

The good news is there will also be similar discounts for those in the EU, 79 Euros delivered for 2 cans or more!! (France will be extra as carriage prices extra, nut only 5 Euros a can).

I will be contacting all who left mails and changing the adverts on the site, shortly. 

Pleased to be able to offer this to all.

John

Tuesday 16th February 2016.

My daughter sent this one in, she knows an M.G. when she sees one!  She competed in and finished the Worthing half marathon Sunday (1 hr 54!) and afterwards went to check out the course of the Brighton one she is competing in for charity in a fortnights time...  saw this boat from a distance so went to  investigate. 

It is the GH 'Francis Fletcher' and for sale for £26k!  So a bit of me has rubbed off then!

Nice boat, so why is she not for sale on the EOG pages yet?

All white and frosty again, so I am setting up the dining room table today to continue correcting those charts!

Little reminder, we are meeting on the 24th, a weeks time, in Maldon this time for a Chinese meal!  If you want to join us, please let us know and I will add you to the seating plan!  It's a great place, all you can eat for less than approx £15.00 a head !  01621 778859.

John

Sunday February 14th 2016.

Happy Valentines Day!

We did our Valentines meal Friday!  Spent the day with the grandchildren today, the two older ones, out in the garden for a bit, bitterly cold...  chopping logs and filling the bird feeders, then off to play 10 pin etc., real old fashioned family day!

When we came out of the 10 pin and restaurant, it was snowing!  1 degree above and wind chill making it 5 below!

May get to the boat tomorrow to do a couple of jobs but even in the barn it is going to be cold, so not hanging about!

Over the past few days we have added another Eventide to the For Sale Page,  A 27 that stretched to 27 like ours!  'April May', she  was called Gambor' but have no history on her sadly. as there is some exotic timbers in her, the Keelson is Teak, we wonder if she was one of the many build at our forces camps in the far east in the 1960's.?  Few jobs to finish off on board but looks a fine boat. Worth a look and maybe a survey...

Chris in the Netherlands sent this in. One for Early Summer?

In 2012 we had the first reunion of Maurice Griffiths and Ben Bouma designs held in Gaastmeer. That was a very nice meeting and Fluessen was decorated for a weekend with superb classic sailing boats. We then agreed that we would repeat the meeting every two years on the first weekend after Pentecost. In 2014, we repeated the meeting. In 2012, we had eleven participants in 2014 less, namely seven.
 
Now it's 2016 and the first weekend after Pentecost, 21 and 22 May, is another reunion weekend. Before we invite anyone definitively we need to know a few things about you to come or how still can count on widespread interest this meeting behind. Therefore, I would like to receive answers from you about the following questions:
 
1. Want to join in 2016 with the 3rd reunion? <Name also reserved if you have>
 
We have the first two meetings in Gaastmeer, it seemed for the most number of ships the most accessible place. We can imagine that some of you would like to participate is chosen as a new location. Therefore, the question:
 
2. Is Gaastmeer Take a sufficiently accessible place?
 
3 Is Lauwersoog Take a sufficiently accessible place?
 
4 Would you like to suggest another place that is easily accessible for many people?
 
Finally, the question:
 
5 Do you have any ideas or suggestions
 
I hope many positive comments
 
greeting
 
Eilard Jacobs :-  eilardja at gmail.com

If any MG owner in the Netherlands has not heard about this meet please contact Eilard  at the mail address given.

Following my comments about red diesel and the bio additives I found this article that may be worth reading..

https://www.pitchcare.com/magazine/given-much-thought-to-your-red-diesel-lately.html

Having just seen the weather forecasts I hope you have those covers secure, snow is one of the worse things to get on board. It can be wind driven into nooks and crannies, and then can freeze and thaw to wreak havoc to paint and varnish..

Not sure if this is going to be the cold snap I have been forecasting, but it is certainly looking more like winter for the next few days!

John

Thursday 10th February 2016.

Just a brief note to say we know the site and forum went down today, the main server had a massive problem for several hours this afternoon. Pleased to say all appears to be back up and nothing lost.

Makes you realise how dependent we are on electronics that we have not a hope to understand.  Also that we have to be doubly sure we have all the backups in place and working as they should.

The site is saved daily to several locations, not just here and the info on the EOG computer, the saved documents and photos as well as the website itself saved to 4 separate storage systems here, with dual drives and Raid as well as flash drives. Belt braces, bits of string and safety pins!

Starting to get lots of enquiries in for the Marclear. As yet I have not had the prices for 2016, but as soon as I get them I will amend the site and let all who have enquired know.

I spend some time today adding another tip to the hints and tips page, (it was when I went to upload it that I found the server was down!).  It is an informative article about servicing seacocks, something I do every few years.  I am often asked how, and now I just have to direct enquiries to out tips page.  Thanks go to our friends in the Trident Owners Association for this tip.

Glad to say it is very calm outside for a change!

John

P.S.

John Hopthrow has just sent this in, an Eventide 26 on the Bay. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EVENTIDE-26-SAILING-BOAT-YACHT-SOLID-AND-SAFE-NO-RESERVE-BUKH-DIESEL/222020560438?

I have identified her as 'Camelot' sold from our pages a couple of times and then sold again on EBay.  She is up for sale and bidding is just shy of £600 so far.  A short mast rig with gaff sails. different.

John

Monday 8th February 2016.

The cottage has been buffeted with F9 winds overnight for the second night and it is still blowing F7. In an hour or so we have Storm Force 10 forecast for the Essex coast.  Already bridges are closed and ferries cancelled, flights as well. This one has the name 'Imogen' and is she is causing havoc!

I cannot recall a time when we have had so many storms and gales in such a short time.  Was it like this years back?? I do not recall it ever being continuously windy as it is now.  Something is clearly amiss with this world. Blame the Pacific El Nino...

Sad news in from Classic Boat and the Medina boat yard, some real beauties have been destroyed in a massive fire there, over 100 lost, including a Dunkirk little ship. Watched the old black and white film of Dunkirk last night, really poignant film!

Did you know it was as a result of the sacrifices by the small boat owners that we got that red diesel tax free concession for so many years.  I feel it is right to tax fuel normally now, as all those hero's have long since swallowed the anchor, most are no longer with us!

Did you know another thing, when you buy your red diesel and if you opt for the 60/40 taxation split, each time the Customs and Excise have to be informed.  No problem if you have a boat with a generator and or a diesel fired heater, but a friend of mine in H.M. Customs said beware, one day, they might just come and check!  If you have not a heater, watch out.... I always pay full whack for mine, in fact I often put white diesel in from the local garage, as that fuel is fresher....  For a few bob it is not worth the hassle of losing your boat!! 

Heard from Peter Fox in Australia, he had a CD of Senior drawings from us, he has given the CD to a friend who is going to build him a 32 inch scale model!  Look forward to the pictures of this!  Not sure if it is to be radio controlled, as the ones being built in the States are  though.

Heard from Tim Fenner with the WW 'Wedjit', she is over wintering on the Blackwater, safely ashore and out of these horrendous wind though, hope to cross wakes in the spring.

I spent some time working on my FG over the weekend, found a time in between wind and wet to get a few jobs sorted.... see my 'Preparation' page.  On course for an early launch and a few sails before I set off round England again.

I am off out to get some welding done, but the wind is so strong here I worry my little moggy may will get blown into a ditch...  Batten hatches!

John

Thursday 4th February 2016.

We heard the other day from Viktor and family,  he was awarded the Seamanship trophy for the work he put in before his Atlantic trip.  Though his mail always said Russia he claimed to be Serbian...  But asked for the plaque to be sent to his address, in Russia...  Only down side is he is adamant that Mr Putin is a real nice bloke!  Funny old world. Propaganda and brainwashing..... even gets to sailors.

I had a mail regarding 'Beachcomber', for sale on our pages. Samantha has already had an enquiry but asked me to point out the theft she suffered was not in the present yard in the Isle of Wight.

After a few days of chilly and breezy the warm wet stuff is back, it just does not seem right.

After selling yet more gear from the web site pages I am about to add a few bits, have a few safety harnesses that are surplus to requirements.. photos and details soon.

Have downloaded all the Imray corrections for the charts on loan and all I have to do is find the superfine waterproof pens and I am away!

Tip, when doing corrections on any chart, do not start with the first correction on the list.  No start at the bottom and work up.  This way it may save you correcting and re-correcting the same area of the chart!  Surprising how many times this saves you time and keeps the chart cleaner.

Just had the renewal from Craftinsure for my boat.  As we are hoping to cruise Ireland we have to pay an extra £28.00 again, makes you wonder why there is more risk along the Irish coast as opposed to some of the English and Scottish rocky bits I have sailed through!  the Dorus-Mor and the nearby Corryvreckan come to mind, Vividly!

Not heard from anyone on fridges or coal heaters as yet??  Nor tablets and phones....

John

Sunday January 31st 2016.

I am presently preparing to correct my charts in readiness for the second leg of my 'Fiddling Around' and have downloaded loads of them from Imray's great website.  I have 20 charts for this part of the trip. I have found 3 or 4 have been reprinted, so I will have to buy new.

Amazingly I went on line and found sharks on line, not only on EBay, are trying to sell the OLD out of date charts, for MORE than the latest chart is advertised for, in Marinestore Maldon!  You do have to have your wits about you, beware.

On a similar thread, I thought I would update my paper copy of ALL the UK tide tables, for 2016. I bought these when I bought the £35.00 Cruising Association's excellent almanac.  Would you believe, when I searched on line, I was offered loads of OUT of DATE tide tables for £15.00 or so. WHAT???!?  I really do wonder who would want one that is of no use....

At the moment I have not found a suitable  set of 2016 tables, but could buy the new C.A. Almanac and then, if I follow the example of the Sharks on the net, sell the old one for more and make a profit!

It is so daft it is laughable.

Off to meet Martin, an ex-colleague, next week...   he followed after me round the UK in his own boat, 'Blaze', see the logs page... and he is loaning me back the charts for the east coast I sold him in 2014 when he went round. We might just be wanting to make a full circuit and come back down the east coast! Martin wants them back as he has plans for next year, when he too will have retired.

Lots of planning to do.

Added a Lone Gull I to the For Sale page yesterday, a lot of boat but in need of TLC.   If you have expertise and energy this could be a great one, one of the first of the Lone Gull's

Had a mail from the ex owner of an Eventide called 'Lady Gertrude'.  He, like me, had noted the name of the storm that roared in 2 days back.!  Gertrude!  Shook my weather vane to bits!

Hope your boats were OK after Gertrude!

John

Thursday January 28th 2016.

A group of 5 of us, that's all, met in Boreham last night, for an excellent meal and chat, where is everybody else?  It was not long ago we could get a dozen every month.  Maybe the annual meeting will tempt a few out in March.....  (20th at Bradwell.).  It was not as if it were cold last night...15 degrees in January!!!  Maybe there was something good on the box.....

We have had confirmation from Christine Rhodes and Roger and Kathy Thomas, that  former owners of the GH 31 'Moondancer' are in touch and are watching the progress of the ship and crew sailing the Atlantic!  www.moondancersailing.com   So are we.

Sam Fuller has been on and will be advertising a part restored Lone Gull II, timber version, just waiting for a few more details before posting the advert.

Cy Walter with 'Wind, Sand and Stars' has confirmed he is contact with a prospective new owner via us, we wait to hear on that one....

Roger and Kathy Thomas has told us they are selling up their olive farm in Spain and going to move on board their 40ft Junk rigged vessel, ' Emma-Fay' as she is now all 'ship-shape'!  Hope to cross wakes with them as their home harbour now will be Newhaven.

I have not as yet managed to get to see the alleged Noontide 32 moored in Maylandsea.  I say alleged because as far as I am aware Conyer only ever built one, called 'Noontide' later named 'Ratty' we think.  this one  http://yachts.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=451110  I am sure must be a steel Riptide extended to the 32ft we have on the drawings, to make it the same as the Noontide, but as you will see she is very different in every other respect.

I am off to the boat today to test the plotter.  Yesterday I uploaded all the chart corrections onto the SD card from Navionics, just have to test that they work!  With the sun shining brightly and temperatures over 10 degrees in the shade outside I will be flinging open those barn doors to let the sun in!  Got to measure and make a wooden plinth for the new radar pole, then pluck up the courage to drill through the deck to secure the base!  Hate making holes in her!

Speaking to John Stevens yesterday we were talking about the advances in plotter programs for tablets, which are often very much cheaper options than a fixed plotter.  OK tablets are not generally waterproof, they are subject to knocks if carried loose aboard and must be ones with WiFi, day visible screen, good battery life  and be retro fitted with a good waterproof/shockproof cover.  But having said that the prices are very reasonable.  Has anyone any experience of using one, pros and cons? We would love to hear.

If all goes to plan I hope to be adding more items to the 'bits for Sale' page shortly....

All for now,

John

Sunday 24th January 2015.

Next Wednesday we are meeting in Boreham, near Chelmsford.  If you fancy joining us for a meal out, please call on 01621 778859.

Next Annual Meeting at Bradwell Marina Bar 20th March 12.30 for a meal 1400 for meeting when bar is closed to others.  Click for more details!

Had a major clear out today, sold loads of bits off the 'Bits for  Sale' pages from here, stuff that has been on sale for a while.  Chap drove away with suspension groaning! Still some good stuff there and hope to add more shortly.

The website has been particularly active in the past week.

Managed to put a prospective new owner on to Cy with the Steel Eventide. Kesteloo built, needing a lot of TLC.  that's before Cy came back with an advert.

Had en enquiry from Chris who used to own 'Moondancer', before Roger and Kathy and before Ed.  We have been able to put her and all the ex-owners and owner together by mail and fill in a few blank pages on the Database.  At the moment we think 'Moondancer' maybe half way to America!

This may be one of ours???

Luke has been on to us about a 32ft boat for sale that is  allegedly MG design. It is for sale locally.  I think it may be a modified Riptide/Noontide and in steel!  It has been rigged as a Junk Sloop and with an interesting wheelhouse and deck saloon. Wondering if this might be that splendid boat that Rachel our Steel advisor built.?? We never did know where it was sold to...  Will take a run down to Maylandsea to see it, but not buying, at over £40k!

We have been contacted by Samantha who has a Lone Gull by the name of 'Beachcomber' down the Isle of Wight'.  Seems there is work to be done and she has no time, so is wanting to advertise it, another that will be appearing on the pages soon.

Whilst talking about the For Sale pages it has been suggested that it takes a while to scroll down to the latest adverts, so maybe I will start adding new ones to the top of the page.   You are still going to have to scroll down though, or you may miss a bargain, one that has been reduced!

Took advantage of the warm sun today to finish off planting 50 new hedging plants, putting the rabbit guards on,  and to sow a wildflower meadow just outside our garden, with permission of the farmer, in a strip he has set aside for the wildlife.  (And for our owls to hunt in!) He is a very green farmer!  Should look a picture come summer.. whenever that comes along!  Half the gardens and hedgerows are in bloom here, spring bulbs, primroses the lot.  If we get that snow storm here in 2 weeks time, that at the moment is sweeping America,  the plants and us, will all be shivering! 

John Stevens tells me that next weeks gales can be called 'Jason', (and the Argonaut's!?). Watch those covers!

Roll on Summer,

John

Thursday 21st January 2016.

We have heard from Cy with the Kesteloo, Steel Eventide, 'Wind Sand Stars'.  Sadly Cy has had to admit defeat and wants to pass her on to someone who can give here the TLC she needs.  The interior timberwork has mostly been removed, (rot), the inboard has had a replacement gearbox, but it has all got too much, hoping to hear back from Cy with more details, but she is moored in Wales on a drying mooring and he really wants her to go to a good home, so if you are in the happy position to be able to rebuild her, and transport her away, please contact us and I will pass your info on.

I have written up more of my preparation log for my forthcoming 'Fiddling Around' trip in June.  Click here to go to it .  You will have to scroll down to find the latest bit....   I intend to set off about June 19th.  Anyone fancy a sail in company, Blackwater to Ramsgate then along the south coast, hopefully to the Scillies then up to Eire and along the Irish coast, hopping over to Scotland and aiming for Troon!  Of course same as with any cruise we have to be flexible and are so weather dependent so could be fizzling out in Southend....  If you and your boat are in a position to take on a long cruise, would welcome you along.

Contact me via the EOG mail, enquiries@eventides.org.uk.

John

Monday 18th January 2016.

The cold snap has not even been cold enough to freeze the pond over here, though a few have had colder, and with white stuff! Pleased my F.G. is safely locked in her new barn!

Sure we are going to have a real cold snap before the winter is out, so got a trailer full of logs yesterday.  Made me wonder about those with solid fuel heaters on board. Have you a coal or log heater on your boat...  and if so, how successful is it.    M.G. used to recommend them, to extend the season, but wonder how many still have them, with the dirt, soot, smuts and ash they cause?

We have the  log fire in the living room alight  and when it's cold, have it ticking over all day!  On our boat we have a small catalytic gas heater, clever thing, little condensation...  but if its a cold day sail, nothing better than jacket potatoes in the oven all afternoon! Can you do that on a solid fuel stove?

At the moment I am trying to get my head round wiring a radar set I have.  Never thought I'd be shipmates with one, seen many when I worked on the water, but all big ship stuff. I used to warn my students of the danger of going close to one.  Today the new broadband radar sets give of a fifth of the radiation of the phone we all carry, different story. So I have made a short stainless telescopic mast to mount on my stern deck and rail and have a 'Lowrance' set to match the plotter I bought some years back, I had little idea the plotter could take an add on scanner when I bought it. Very pleased I bought the Lowrance.

I wonder if many others have had experience of these broadband scanners?

After my experience of fog, navigating the rocky waters near the Corryvreckan  on the first leg of my Fiddling Around trip, I look forward to the reassurance it should give!

Hope to be getting a price on the antifouling next month, my supplier is investigating..

Keep warm,

John

Thursday 14th January 2016.

Sent a WW CD off to Ross in Australia the other day, for some reason it has taken us a while to get the communications sorted, but we got there.  Ross is promising to send photos in, by snail mail!

Sold a couple more items off the 'bits for sale' pages today, gradually thinning out the bits and bobs  in the store!  May have a whole load more soon! Got to visit an ex owner with a garage full to pass on.

Bill Booth of 'Coronette' fame, has sent in loads of photos of her and her travels.  Sadly the narrative of the log seems to have slipped between the cogs on the EOG computer and I cannot recover it, Bill is hoping to send another copy. Sadly again 'Coronette' is once more languishing ashore, having been sold and sold again. Do hope we will see her afloat again, after all the work Bill put in to recover her the first time!

Dropped by the boat today to add the last 2 gallons of diesel needed to top the tank up to the top.  At last the temperature has dropped to near the winters normal and snow is in the forecast.  Will be a shock to all the daffs, snowdrops, primulas and other flowers out in the garden!

Hope your covers are secure,

John

Friday 8th January 2016.

We have had a nice letter of thanks and a donation in from Bob Puzey for selling his Senior on the pages, many thanks Bob. 

I have tried to contact a few who have items for sale on the pages, but sadly some have not responded, so I will be 'weeding out' some adverts.  If you are one of those who have an item for sale, you may have changed your e-mail address, (it happens, after 20 odd years I had to change mine when Virgin gave up on phone line customers...).  If you have an item for sale please check the advert is up to date and let us know. There is a date at the end of every advert and as you can see, some are a little old....

Had a former owner of that splendid vessel 'Coronette' on to us today, asking to be put in touch with Bill Booth.  I have forwarded the request on to the mail addresses, plural, I have for Bill, hope you are still out there Bill.

The silly weather continues, we have daffs, narcissi, snowdrops and crocus out and birds making nests. Real daft. Have a thought for all those knee deep in water too, dreadful weather changes all over the UK and I understand the World.  The fires in Western Australia and torrential rain and storms elsewhere seem to be a worldwide issue, and still there are some that say it is nothing to do with us?

The Eventide 28 'Kiafas' owned by a someone I knew in the 1970's has just sold as 'Pippalotta' £2770.  She is a stretched E26 and when I knew her had a Yanmar 12 single that made all the crew leap in time in the cockpit!  Dreadful thing!  Now has a smooth triple diesel.  After a chequered life, the chap selling, in the Bristol area has restored her and I hope the new owner has a good buy. Waiting to hear from the new owners..

Suspect 'Moondancer' the 31ft GH that has featured her often recently, is halfway across the Atlantic now.  We wait to hear of her triumphant arrival in the West Indies.

A couple of us have been thinking we should perhaps have a 'Passage Trophy' for the best logs and or web pages...  Can anyone come up with an idea for a suitable trophy? (in addition to the Seamanship Trophy).

Hoping this mild wet weather hangs on for another day as I have more hedge plants to get in!  Then watch out for the cold snap!

John

Wednesday 6th January 2016.

The dust from the Christmas and New year celebrations has settled and tonight, or was it last night, was/is twelfth night so all should be packed away for another year.

Welcome to the first new member of 2016.  Marin Boberg in Germany. He is building a properly engineered 'Stitch and Glue' Senior hull from Selway-Fisher.  To complete the boat he needs our CD and yesterday we sent him one!  Look forward to seeing his progress. Will share the photos with you.

Had an enquiry regarding an Eventide for sale in a dealership we have had experience of in the past...  Have warned the prospective buyer.  I suspect he will find the boat is stripped out and the gear can be purchased separately at a price! Beware the sharks!

One enquiry the chap had was 'what length is a berth in an Eventide'.?  Do not think he knew that we all built our own to suit ourselves, so all interiors are different!

One member was on the phone for nearly an hour today as we discussed the pros and cons of fridges and cooler boxes. Made me wonder if it may be worth asking you out there in Eventide land, what you have aboard.?

We have an electric 'IsoTherm' fridge, it runs on the excess voltage from the motors charging system when the motor running, to freeze down a holding plate, takes about 45 minutes motoring to get all frozen. About the time it takes me to get out of the marina and the creek into the Blackwater, convenient! From then on it only cuts in when needed and used the cold in the plate before it cuts in again, thus saving electricity.  However to keep it running for 3 or 4 days I have 200Amphr of batteries dedicated to just the fridge.! A large solar panel helps!

I know others who use cooler boxes, plugged in at home and in the car on the way down to the boat and on the 12v onboard. These can be heavy on the battery though!

Another idea is the deep insulated ice box with several frozen bottles of water as cooling, what works for you?

Essex members will be meeting up on the 27th of January for a meal and chat, fancy joining us?  We will be in Boreham, Chelmsford from 7pm that evening. Hope to see a few members there, honest, we don't bite!

Off to plant a hedge now, grounds nice and wet!

John

January the first 2016!

Happy New Year to all Eventiders!