'Stoppress' pages for 2025

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These pages will be updated on a weekly basis, when I can, from all the mail and information coming in to us.



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2025. 

Discounted 

EU45 antifouling for Sale.

I have got the same great deal  on antifouling again, now called EU45, (as it was years back)  identical to the old Marclear, made by the same man... Bill Robinson.  For high strength  navy blue, mid blue, red, black, grey and white  Antifouling.  (Workboat red has become just red!)

Ring the free phone number above and quote EOG.  Bill will make a donation to the EOG as a result of owners buying...

Now on the paint is being supplied as 2.5 litres in 3 litre size cans, so it is easier to stir.

Members if you would like it delivered all you have to do is ring the free-phone number to speak to Bill and quote 'Eventide Owners Group' If you are not enrolled  join first or we will know and you will not get the discount.

You  pay him direct by card, or bank transfer it will come direct to you within 48 hours!  

 John



 

      Scroll down for 2025 Stoppress pages...

      So latest update at the top, under this header,  earlier entries below.

 



Tuesday 19th February 2025.

We still support them even if 'others' do not!

I have stopped all my business post to the USA until there is a change there!

 

Eventide News.  The Bank saga rumbles on!  They have difficulty with an organisation such as ours, that has no central clubhouse  that we can have meetings in. We conduct all business by email.  You would think in todays modern age where banks want to do away with post and paper communication, to go electronic they could understand that...   We are getting there but it all takes longer.

 

Good news is the members of the Steering group, John Stevens, as Database Manager and assistant Fund Manager, myself as Website coordinator and Fund Manager,. Steering Group members, Eilard in the Netherlands, Simon, Nick and Graham in the UK are willing to stand again!  With them the MG designs, the GH and the Waterwitch and Eventide are well represented. 

 

What we are short of is a Senior owner or builder to step up to represent the Y.M. Senior and join the Steering Group..  Any volunteers??

 

No more enrolments this week, but a couple of enquiries and a member wishing to sell a Hillyard 2 and a half tonner.  I will be adding that to the 'For Sale'  pages shortly.

 

Had an enquiry from Dave in Devon re where to find a wooden mast for an Eventide 24.  This is the third such enquiry in the last few weeks.   Does anyone know of anyone making masts these days?  I don't.   Could always repair the old one....

 

The advice I give to all these enquiries, is to search the local boatyards for an old ali mast the right length or longer, or maybe even two for the fittings, and then make one good one by altering mast fittings to make the mast suit your rig.   All you need is a rivet gun! 

 

I did this way back in 1975, replacing the suspect wooden mast on board 'Bluenose',  and in 1989 made a new mast from parts purchased from Sailspar of Brightlingsea.  Today that would cost a small fortune, so the recycled spar far the cheapest option.  I know today there are loads more  masts lying about, unused, in boatyards today, that they will love to get shot of.  Not much to be made from scrapping metal and that is where they tend to go. Most boatyards and marina now have boat graveyards, where comparatively modern craft, GRP ones, have been abandoned by owners or the family of deceased owners. Many have racks of spars.

 

It has been sunny here for a few days, but cold, still not enough to freeze the pond solid,  that has not happened for years now.   What climate change?  Still it is not yet fitting out time, still too cold for boat work outside.  Oh I wish we had access to that cosy  barn still!  Checked covers again, all good, as it is about o warm up and get wet.

Good news is I have very little to do this spring, normal engine service, change drinking water filter, rig mast with nicely washed halyards and paint her bottom.  3 days??  Maybe...

 

Roll on summer.

John

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday 10th February 2025.

Came across this by chance.  The grandson's ship entering Odessa in Ukraine. 

HMS Dragon!

A few years ago, hopefully they will be back soon!

 

Eventide News.   Raymond in Canada has been back to us and added a copies of the Kylix  and the Waterwitch drawings to his package.  Posted last week, should be well on the way.  Wonder which one he may opt for.

 

Down the boat after the gales last week and replaced a couple of lengths of the thin parachute cord I use to secure my covers.  Noticed other boats with torn and tattered covers again, those cheap blue woven poly covers.  They just don't last.  bought mine for a farm supplier, much stronger!  This is their third winter and still good.  Watching the weather this week as high pressure has brought cold easterlies over from the continent.  Do not want snow.  The beast from the east a few years back was a wake up call to many. 

 

We know the planet is warming by our pollution, but we have upset all the weather patterns, so as well as losing the four distinct seasons we are having many variations in temperature as well.  This winter the artic is having record high temperatures, melting too much ice and altering the way the Labrador current and the Gulf stream work...   Could get much colder here in winter in future!  All a mess.  Plant more trees, before it really is too late.

 

The chap in Ireland looking for a wooden mast for an Eventide, turns out to be the owner of 'Osprey'  Was 'Osprey of Dublin'.  This is the Eventide 24 that the master carpenter built, a labour of love over 20 years or so.  Do not think he ever sailed her, he was a builder not a sailor methinks.  Did an amazing job, covered in carvings etc.  Waiting for updated photos from the owner, Andrew Sexton.

 

Off to Chelmsford tomorrow, the the big city!  Hopefully we will have the new bank account sorted at the end of tomorrow!

 

Cold and damp here today and hear some parts of the country have snow.  Hope those covers are secure!

John

 

 

 

Tuesday 4th February 2025.

Watching with interest  what's going on in Ukraine,  a week or so into the new American presidents term..

 

Eventide News:-  We have had another enrolment.  Welcome to Raymond in Canada. He is interested in building an Eventide.  He has donated to us for a set of drawings.  The DVD has been burnt and will be packaged to be posted shortly.

 

Had a call from a member who sadly lost his mast in one of the recent storms.  Guessing the wood gave way.  Asking if anyone has a spare mast.  Then I noticed the e-mail was from an Irish company, so the ali mast that was at Downs Road boatyard in Maldon about 5 years back,  is too far away! 

I advised a trip to a few local boat yards to try and find a donor ali mast the right size, and maybe some fittings from other damaged masts.  I did that back in 1975 to very good effect, though I was lucky to find a source of bare ali spars for the mast.  No anodising, but a good coat of car polish kept it shiny!

 

Was back at our boat the other day, a grey cold one, not a soul in sight.  But checked all lashings are OK.  Commented that in all the hundreds of boats ashore at Bradwell, ours is almost  the only one totally covered in tarps! Down to near the waterline.  Hoping the covers will last out the season and maybe next! If I am still sailing in  2026??   Rapidly coming to the conclusion that I should pass Fiddler's Green on to someone younger and fitter!  She is in top notch condition and ready to sail off on new adventures, just not sure I am!

 

As the evenings get perceptively lighter, longer, thoughts turn to fitting out.  Not that winter has finished with us yet!  Sure it will have a sting in the tail, often does!  With Spring in mind I dropped into the Maldon Chandlery Saturday and purchased a new cartridge for our water filter.  One of the few items on my shopping list this fitting out time. I was astonished to see the price of these now, 20 years ago they were £20.00. Today seen them at anything up to £49.00!!  Pleased to say Marinestore in Maldon can still beat all the online shops for just about everything! £38.00.  Sold!   When I was preparing F.G. for the round UK trip, I ended up in there for charts, pilot books and all manner of chandlery.  A small family store worth supporting.

 

This afternoon the confirmation  letter and statement arrived from Lloyds . At last we have the closing statement and look forward to popping into Chelmsford again next week to open the new bank account for the group.  All seems to take so much time!

John

 

 

Tuesday 28th January 2025.

The war still rages, despite Trump's promises!

How long before it spreads??

Eventide News.  We are another step nearer opening our new bank account.  Spent the morning in Chelmsford at the bank where they scrutinised our constitution, our aims and the online email Steering Group meetings we have.  Pleased to say all agreed.  Now the second signatory on the cheques has just to visit his local branch and prove his identity and in a fortnights time when I have to go back to the bank a forth time.... hopefully we will be up and running.  So many T's to cross and I's to dot.  Many, many hoops to jump through these days, just to prove we are bona-fide and not sponsoring terrorism or crime!  Understand totally the need, but it is frustrating.  Gone are the days one could just pop into any bank and set up an account!    Hopefully by March and the Annual Meeting, (in the Members section of the site,) I can reveal in the report the state of the finances at said bank!

 

It was suggested we had a 'Face ache' page,  but I for one shun social media, do not trust it, and without someone overseeing it, not sure how that would work.  Understand you need moderators, as we have on our Forum and they could control it, any volunteers?

 

Little quiet on the mails front.  Had a member wishing to sell a boat and enquiring as to how to log on to the Forum...  Sadly not so many seem to be using our forum, maybe we are a little conservative, with a small 'c'!  Hopefully he will be sending me photos and an inventory so I can add it to the 'For Sale ' page.

 

I have added some photos to the Gallery though and tidied up the 'For Sale pages. still find boats have sold and owners neglect to inform us...  We like to remove old adverts so sellers do not get wasted calls...

 

Have been noticing the evenings, or rather the afternoons, have been staying lighter longer.  1700 now and not dark!  Looking forward to those long light  evenings.  Fitting out time approaches.

 

I checked the boat covers after the heavy gales Friday, all good.  I was down at the boat midday on Saturday and the sun was blazing.  First time we have had lots of good sunshine for ages.  Been so dull and grey here.  Dry but grey!   (We have had loads of wet stuff today though!)  So a perfect day  Saturday to get the ladder out and climb aboard.  First time for a while.  Needed to check the solar panels were topping up the ship's batteries.  They were! Voltage not up to the normal level, only 12.4v, but not surprising given we have had no sun!  (I keep track of it here, as when the sun shines my smart meter reads zero! Not done that for a while till Saturday!). 

Service battery gently charging at 0.2 Amp. with low winter sun.

The fridge batteries showing a healthy state of charge. 

Not taking a charge, as the smart splitter was directing it to the Services battery.

 

I also removed my hand held search lamp, as it has to be kept on charge all the time.  It had not been trickle charge in the holder for 6 weeks or more, high time to plug it into the 240v charger I have for it at home.  It has a long life battery in it, lasts 10 years or more, but only if left charging gently.  Now gently topping up at home!

 

Was interesting to see about a dozen other boat owners at their boats, first time I have seen anyone for weeks.  a little sunshine is all it takes!  When I next go down I must apply some 'de-scaler' for the lime scale deposit on my shiny prop!  That will make it easier to shine up later!

Fitting out this year should be very straight forward.  a service on the little Beta 17 inboard and double check of the standing rigging, reeve the washed halyards and antifoul!

Roll on summer!

John

 

 

 

Tuesday 21st January 2025.

After the funny business the other side of the pond, it is more important than ever that we stand with them.

Eventide news.  We have had a mail from Sandy regarding a boat his father owned.  He had a Waterwitch built back in 1963, up in Scotland at a boatyard in Moray.  At the moment we only have tiny thumbnail pics, waiting on the full size ones. 

  

 

Looks like sail number 67, but I could be wrong. 

Where is she now?

 

Also heard again  from Keith with a 3Tonner moored in Norfolk on the Broads. Hopefully some photos will wend their  way here shortly.

 

Been cold and dismal here for a few days again, just a glimpse of the sun today. Weather man says check your covers, high winds and rain on the way this week!  We still have a couple of months of Winter to go yet.

 

John

 

Tuesday 14th January 2025.

Supporting the hero's defending Ukraine and Europe.

https://donation.dec.org.uk/ukraine-humanitarian-appeal 

Eventide News.

A new enrolment, the first this year.  Welcome to Keith with the 3 Tonner,  'King Shilling', he sails the Norfolk Broads, great cruising ground!  Hoping to get some photos to add to the gallery, when the sun comes back out!

 

Been dull and miserable for a while, and cold, but at least the sun showed it's face yesterday and today, for a bit anyway..

 

It has just been announced that the UK had its warmest January temperature, ever, today.  What Climate change!

 

https://techhub.social/@metoffice/113832320066919492

 

 

I was down at the boat earlier, checking and replacing a few of the lengths of parachute cord holding my cover down, they tend to fray where they go over the chine!  Generally pleased to say 'Fiddler's Green 'and her covers have fared well, far better than many boats at Bradwell. I wonder if anyone goes back to check, after leaving them in Autumn.  A flogging eyelet can do a lot of damage!

 

I see the larger version of the Eventide design, 'Irene' is still ashore. Suspect it will stay there till spring.  Ray has a long way to come to sort things out, all the way from Eire.

 

One of my Seagull customers sent me a link to his sailing log, he sails long distances, offshore,  round the UK, but solo??   Still not sure how you can ever comply with the 'Prevention of Collision Regulations' singlehanded!  Worth a read though:-   www.sv-sancerre.net

The days are getting imperceptibly longer now, roll on spring!

John

 

Tuesday 7th January 2025

I have been reading about various groups spending time and effort, dodging the ruzzian shelling just to save animals, of all types.   One young lad has rescued over 40 cats and feeds them with his own money.  These people are admirable.

Click this link to see their work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W16YDFlGdvQ

 

Eventide News.

Sadly starting the year off with the sad news that one of our members in the Netherlands lost his boat in a fire yesterday.  It is believed to be a random act of arson...

The good news is that he is insured.  We wait to hear how well  he gets on with the insurance company.

 

Other Good news, we are another step further to opening a new 'Club' account at Metro Bank.  I have all the signed paperwork back and the mails from members of the Steering Group to take with me to Chelmsford, got an appointment in two weeks time.  Just hope there is no snow!

 

We never saw any snow in this part of Essex. We are just a mile or so from the  coast here, so slightly warmer than 10 miles up the road.  However a lot of you, if further north, will have had a basin full, so hope those covers are secure. 

 

We have had issues with our internet service provider, Heart,  over the holiday period.  They decided, in their wisdom, to change all the mail settings on everyone's mails.  You can imagine the number of complaints they must have had, if our experience is anything to go by.   All our outgoing mails failed.  My business the same and even the auto responder failed to work. Great.  They had no staff on to fix it.  Then they tell us it is our fault as the settings we were given to use years ago were out of date....  well the mail worked well up till midday on the day they chose to alter it...  Some people..  Had a message from them today saying it was all down to the previous administration, as they had only just bought the company.  Strange that, heard that excuse from someone else recently...

 

Heard today that the increased wind strengths we are now experiencing, have helped to raise the amount of electricity generated by wind power in the UK.  This is the first time I have actually heard of an organisation admitting it is getting windier!  Also the Met office are explaining the high rainfall on the same thing, Climate Change.  The additional 1 to 1.5 degrees  of air temperatures simply means the air can hold a lot more moisture, and thus it can also release it when it gets here!  Sure the people of Lincolnshire will be pleased to hear that, they are flooded!

 

Hope 2025 brings us a few good sailing days.

Fingers crossed.  Just to try and help, I have another half dozen trees to plant, every little helps!

John

Thanks to proof reader Keith for the correctons!

 

PS.  Had to smile today, Keith called me to tell me though I got all of the corrections, I then miss spelt corrections!  See last line above... Duhh

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday 1st January 2025!

Support Ukraine!

Honestly feel if we do not support them, we should be learning ruzzian!

https://donation.dec.org.uk/ukraine-humanitarian-appeal 

 

 

Tower bridge and fireworks, my old 'patch'.
Happy New Year, Eventiders,  here comes 2025!  Hope it brings peace and happiness to all.

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

Eventide News.

As  expected the EOG  mail box has been relatively quiet.  We have however had an issue with our service provider. Sadly on New Years Eve our outgoing mail was interrupted and 3 days later we are still unable to respond to anyone.     As you can imagine there were few staff on duty at Heart over the holiday, so we may have to wait a few days to get it sorted.  Apologies if you were waiting for a reply.

Just before the mail failed I was able to respond to Alan who had sold his lovely 'Stella Marie'. An MG design.  ( Note to me..  I have to move her from the For Sale pages). 

At 80 he has decided to go 'stink boat'!  Good move Alan, long may you enjoy getting afloat!

I have been busy with the bank and the Steering Group have been sending me new updates on the proposal to move from Lloyds to Metro Bank. The bank needed more specific info..   Hoping to get back to Chelmsford soon with the completed paperwork, to open the new account. Moving to close the Lloyds account.

Today for the first time in ages the sun is out!  We have had weeks of dismal, misty and foggy weather.  Today it is cold but bright, so hoping the batteries aboard are going to be charging nicely with the solar panels hung on the boat.

Solar panels facing south!

Checked the covers last week after the last blow and all OK.  Snow in the forecast for much of the UK, in the next few days, but possibly not in Essex. However pleased she is all wrapped up to cope with it.  Hope your boat is!

Lastly it is 100 years ago today that the shipping forecast was first broadcast.   Those evocative melodies of 'Sailing By' are  forever associated with that late night forecast.  However that music was not added till much later, the 1950's apparently, though I have always heard it when I listened.

If you did not catch the 0900 broadcast on Radio 4  today, this link will take you to some of the highlights.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4Xd1HYns0lKBdl27DDGnWpG/the-shipping-forecast-centenary

https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/c0ewj85nj8wo

 

I have a cherished recording here of  one of the famous readers Amand Nadel,  doing a comedy reading of Les Barker's work, one of our folk hero's poems.  Hilarious! Wish I could link it here...  worth looking up, bet it is on UTube!

So while we wait to see if we will get snow, click on the links above and enjoy the shipping forecast, read by a variety of comedians and actors!

Here is to a peaceful, happy and healthy 2025.

John

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

              

 

 




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 




nday 21st October 2024.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

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