Stoppress 2025

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 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.

Monday 8th December 2025.

Bit late but the first day of our winter started 8 days ago.

No snow seen round here but our friends in Ukraine have lots and the damned ruzzian terrorists are knocking out power plants... Grr.

Eventide news. No new enrolments, but I have heard that Stewart and the new owner of the Eventide 'Tranona' that Stewart owned, are in touch.

Had some interesting photos from Walton on the Naze area, Essex. A Waterwitch we knew was sold and taken there some years ago, the unlucky buyer has found to his dismay that the previous owner did little or no maintenance or rot prevention. Sadly the boat has been scrapped. The only part remaining on view is the shallow cast iron keel. It was a leeboard version. The keel bolts had all but rusted away, it is amazing that it stayed on the boat.

As you can see, some bolts had disappeared completely, others badly rusted.

Any sailor worth his salt will check every part of his (or her) boat every year, surely, to ensure his crew is safe.... If you have insurance then a survey will be called for and every 5 years a keel bolt will have to be removed and checked for the survey, surely??. I can only surmise that the previous owner never had insurance and never drew a bolt.

Mylast survey, my surveyor called for me to withdraw a bilge keel bolt from each bilge keel. I had never checked them before... As I have reported here, they were found to be as new, 30 years on. So resealed with Sikaflex and then re epoxied over. Will be good for decades. This spring another main keel bolt should be withdrawn and checked at survey time....

My mild steel bolts, galvanised and coated in grease, then sealed with Sikaflex, will be found well I'll bet. My keel is cast iron.

If you have lead then the bolts should be bronze.

Never ever stainless! Stainless must be in contact with oxygen to stay stainless. Sealed in a wet keel they can rot away faster than iron or steel and often look like a worm has burrowed through them!

About 45 years ago I was with a group of friends fishing off a heavy old fishing boat in the Blackwater. There was about 20 boats all anchored down the middle, in 15m of water plus. A local sailing club had organised a little cruiser race and as they were trying to get advantage from the stronger tide in the deepest part, they were sailing down the river with the ebb, right close to us. Really close! They had a following wind and most had spinnakers up, they were rolling heavily. One small boat rolled violently, and kept rolling, the crew were flung out! The boat inverted. The inverted boat revealed that it had no keel! Frantic movement on many boats, to up fishing rigs and anchors then, to save the chaps in the water and our skipper thought he could possibly get a line on the upturned boat, the mast was now acting as a keel! It was now slowly floating towards us... He had a fishing party of marine police officers keen to assist! But as the boat slowly rolled back and the trapped air in the inverted cabin escaped, she sank.

When recovered a week or two later it was found the stainless bolts holding the keel had all rotted through! This was a 22ft commercially built GRP design.

Do hope he was insured!

Another boat years before, a 24ft cruiser racer had weird stability issues off Bradwell and wisely the skipper dropped sails and motored, but then found the outboard was not in the water as deeply as usual.. They called for assistance. When they got into Bradwell, under tow, it was noticed they were floating at least 4inches higher than normal! The cast iron keel was left off the creek, again stainless bolts. Still there as far as I know!

Stainless is fine above the waterline and OK on shafts as they are in aerated water, but even then some prop shafts have rotted where they were in static water... worth checking!

Had a query in from Thijs from the Netherlands. He spotted this boat off Scotland and wondered if we knew it...

A little difficult to be sure, but it could just be a stretched Eventide. I know of a stretched steel version (29ft), sailing out of the Western Isles.

Do you recognise it??

Well that's about all for today, be sure to check those covers, we checked ours Saturday. At the moment no snow in the forecast here, but a bit of rain... Some folks are getting a lot with Storm 'Bram'.

John

Wednesday 26th November 2025.

New UK laser tests are successful, fitting to ships next.

Can hit a £1.00 coin at 1000 yards traveling at 400mph!

Cost per shot..... £10.00! Good protection for us!

Cannot jam a laser!

Eventide News.

Heard from Stewart the former owner of 'Tranona'. He was pleased to see her in fine fettle! Stewart sold her to buy a GRP creation, but since then has has moved back to a Maurice Griffiths design, a Golden Hind!

We have had a nice donation from Keith with the Senior 'Dipper', thank you Keith. Having just paid out for the SSL certificate that puts that little padlock on our web address, all donations like this are really welcome.

Heard again from Joe with the GH 34 'Jua'. I refrain from showing the photos in case it upsets the former owners, Roger and Kathy, who sailed her so far and so well. Good news is a few waterproof pouches have been recovered and the contents include much of the initial paperwork, including the actual drawings! These are of great interest to us. If we can scan these and digitise them we can then offer them free to other owners, to assist them restoring these vessels.

Weather turned chilly this week, with widespread frosts, but only for a couple of nights, then we are back into changeable weather, wet and windy again, so keep checking those covers.

John

Thursday 20th November 2025.

Orange clown announces amazing new peace plan... surrender!

We best get ready, sure things are going to get nasty.

Royal Navy and RAF shadowing sneaky ruzzians off Scotland....

Some Eventide Good News!

Two new enrolments. Welcome to Kenny with the Barbican 'Nomad'. She has ketch rig with taller mast, and no troublesome centreplate. A bow thruster is being considered for the future, wise move! Not sure where she will be based, but down west I suspect as Kenny hails from Somerset.

Welcome John with the Eventide 'Tranona' One of the boats that was built professionally at Plymouth. Sails the Bristol channel. Interestingly John tells us he was the owner of the Eventide 26 'Johari', many moons ago, we have crossed wakes!

'Tranona', seen here leaving Milford Haven.

More photos and info to follow.

After an unseasonably warm couple of weeks the temperature has plummeted and snow has been seen over the north of the UK , and that has spread as far south as Surrey. Nothing to shout about yet but a concern to anyone like me whose boats are pulled out ashore under covers! Snow has a nasty way of filtering into boats then thawing and freezing. This causes problems, paint lifting and timbers splitting. So check your covers. I will be checking mine again later, they were fine just before this cold wind came blasting in, but you have to be on top of it!

I am already thinking of fit-out time and took the opportunity a week or so back, whilst visiting 'Wedjit', to pop in to the Maldon Chandlery and purchase a new fresh water filter cartridge. Sadly like everything boaty the price has tripled over the years, now £40.00. But the Maldon Chandlery still beats all the online discount places. They do mail order, so check them out. I get all my Admiralty chart folios from them, they are cheaper than elsewhere.

Today the sun is shining again, and at home my smart meter reads zero, with the solar panels, so I am pretty sure the boats solar panels are also working well, keeping all 5 of my batteries topped up! Using a pair of 20w solar panels in winter is so much easier than lugging the 5 batteries off to trickle charge them ashore. Sadly I still hear of owners who have to buy new batteries in the spring, as they just left the batteries on board with no charging system.

Had a mail from James with the GH 26 'Clementine', they had a good season on the continent, looking forward to reading the log. James asked after 'Borer Bee', was she still for sale? Well technically yes as the chap who was to purchase her puled out, so she is still safe tucked away in the corner of a boat shed and Graham is gently restoring her until he gets an good offer. Would be good to see her back afloat.

After all the fun and games we had changing banks, because of the charges Santander were bringing in, Metro have just announced they too are going to charge. Good news is that it is a lot less than Santander. To save myself the legwork of trying to find another bank with no charges, if one exists, I am opting to cover the monthly charge myself. My subs for the year!

Our Webmaster has managed to put another Donate button or two on the pages, but so far it has not nudged many to help offset our overheads. We remain solvent, just, thanks to a donation by one of the Steering Group members and the occasional sale of a burgee.

If you want to put one on your Christmas wish list, just direct your secret Santa to our 'Donate' button and drop us a mail to tell us what it is for, see the burgee page.

All for now.

John

Sunday 9th November 2025.

Remembrance Sunday.

Eventide News. Been a busy week or so here, lots happening. I spent a couple of hours with the grandson of the builder of 'Wedjit', the 30ft leeboard Waterwitch. Simon has bought her back into the family. Lawrence the surveyor was on hand and it would appear that 'Wedjit' is in great condition. A couple of items need attention, replacement hatch covers etc. but generally she is good.

Wedjit under a substantial cover. The contents of the boat being removed for checking and storage. Note shallow rudder.

Have to explain. Wedjit is a Leeboard WW. she has a very shallow main keel and draws little, just over 2 ft. so the rudder has to be shallow too. she sails by the use of the two leeboards, Thames barge style! Wedjit's are Steel and shaped, and raised and lowered on steel wires with purpose made winches.

No new enrolments this week but we have heard from the owner of a Barbican who said he was about to enroll, but the page did not work for him. I have checked and it is working fine, so hoping he gets it to work his end.

We have heard from the new owner salvaging Jua, the 34ft Golden Hind, Junk rig version. Jua has sailed the med and across the pond. He was a beautiful sight to behold with her giant yellow Junk sails, she was described as a big beautiful butterfly!

She has sadly suffered over the last decade , from neglect. Fresh water ingress and mould, now a terrible state inside. Joe is hard at work ditching all the fabric and soft furnishings, to steam clean the inside, quite a job. However the structure looks to be sound so hopefully in a little while she will be ready to sail again. That is if the two sails left on the spars are in any condition to be reused!

'Jua'. Somewhat loathe to publish these photos, as it may upset former owners, Kathy and Roger, but thought if I did, members, could see the scale of the job in hand. Hoping to have good news of her restoration next year.

Senior for sale. I have details of a lovely Senior for sale. She is on a trailer and unusually, gaff rigged. I will be adding details to the For Sale page shortly. £1500 on a trailer in west London.

Looking at this photo I see she is actually gunter rigged as normal.

Waterwitch found for sale.... Just by chance I saw this advert on eBay, a WW for just over £1k. Some work to do, but a lot of boat.

Called 'Richmond Witch', she is another we have never heard of! How many more are there out there??

https://ebay.us/m/5Shu6f

Really was a chance find on eBay. I was looking for a dinghy pump and it came up. Odd.

Something else really odd caught my eye as I searched, and it was a first day cover commemorating the 25th anniversary of the first flight of the P1127. The Harrier Jump jet. I used to cycle down to Dunsfold to take photos of the 'Official Secrets Sign' that told you not to take photos, for the school photo club competition ! My boarding school was nearby, in Cranleigh. Oft saw the Jump jet straining on the wire tethers.. I was there the day it first flew without the wires. Apparently, unofficially!!!! To find a first day cover with all the additional details of the occurrence and signed by the pilot, was astounding! Memories!

Had this query in the other day:-

Just a quick enquiry on the off chance, is there any chance you have listed a ferro bilge keeler circa 38ft, built in the 1970's I believe, last seen in Cornwall in the late 80's? That's all I have I'm afraid.

Many thanks

Richard

Anyone know which one this is? A Barrier Reef I suspect... Over they years we have seen a few and sadly a few have ended up as houseboats....

Chatting to a chap yesterday about boats in general, he has seen the writing on the wall and swallowed the anchor. He is over 80. Had a hell of a job selling his boat, eventually had to almost give it away. A GRP Hustler, a cruiser racer by Holman and Pye. Sadly that is now going to be a live aboard. One of the boats sold by Bradwell marina for a pittance is apparently going to be removed without mast to a nearby canal as a houseboat too.

We spoke about the average age of sailing folk afloat and he had noticed as we had, the average ages of crews was now well over 70! As this generation give up, it appears few are following in our wakes. That maybe is why, when out sailing last season, there were so few other boats out there...

As I have said, so many times, we are the 'Golden Generation'.

Off down to Fiddler's Green the check the covers later. Not that we have had much rain or wind, in fact it is now recorded that we had the warmest November the 5th on record. I remember getting the boat ashore in snow on Guy Fawkes before now!! Today we have 15 degrees C here and though I cut the grass yesterday, it is still growing, unheard of. What Global Warming! Plant more trees!!!

John

Tuesday 21st October 2025.

Trafalgar Day!!!

Eventide News:- No new enrolments over the last week or so...

However have heard from Joe with the Golden Hind 34 'Jua'. she was abandoned up in the north west, and Joe is trying to salvage her. Sadly the interior is shot, rampant mould and rot has torn through the inside. a power pressure washer has removed much of the grime from the outside, but for the interior is really means getting a skip and some protective clothing! Good luck Joe.

Had a mail from a chap in Lancaster, he has an Eventide called 'Kittiwake' there that is in need of attention, and could anyone assist. Cannot quite make out if the owner is there too or the boat abandoned. Anyone in the area maybe could look??

Sadly if the boat is abandoned, owners walking away from their boats is now nothing new.

At Bradwell I have seen many boats sold on eBay, by the marina operators, in the last month, for as little as £1.00, as their owners had abandoned them. Other older GRP boats disappeared'?! (scrapped!).

It is a growing problem for the boating industry, as the type of owner and ownership changes, as us 'baby boomers' get older. So many of my friends have had to retire from the sea. I have to admit it is getting harder and this last season we have always tried to have an extra hand or two on board. One day..

At the moment FG is on the hard.

I have inspected the underside and she is in great order. No play in the prop shaft, nor the rudder bearings, all good. Clean bottom!

As ever with the bottom painted in EU45, (Marclear), we won the cleanest bottom award at Bradwell again!

Our prop, that I polish to get a shine on it every spring, came out without weed or barnacles, just a little lime scale and slime. It took me less than an hour to remove the crud. I will be just polishing it with my electric polishing mop next spring, to get the mirror finish again! Got to be able to see my face in it!

Some ask why.. Well it is far better for efficiency and also for preventing fouling, than painting the prop, as most antifouling will wear its active ingredients away very quickly on a spinning prop, leaving just a base for fouling to cling to. A polished prop is better at resisting fouling too.

I have stripped some of the kit off and washed a few lines, (easy care 30!). I will be going to her this week to pad out the guard rails with pipe insulation and pad any lumpy bits on boom etc. with bits of old carpet, so we can cover her over before we get any chance of snow!

I still have the three heavy tarps I bought from the farm supplier 4 years ago, still good, well worth the £150 they cost.

I have had FG stored facing roughly south, so I can rig the two 20w solar panels across the bowsprit again. That will keep the batteries all topped up over winter, all 500 Amp hours of them! Far easier to do that than lug the 5 batteries off!

Watch out for the darker evenings soon, as the clocks go back next week.

John

Just heard from Bill Robinson of Marclear paints. The discount sale continues till November!

John

Friday 3rd October 2025.

Proudly supporting Ukraine on Fiddler's Green.

Sorry for the pause in communication. All sorts of things happening...

Todays photo in the header is from a couple of days ago when crew Keith and myself escaped for a Maurice Griffiths creek crawl. I will add more pics later.

Eventide news. Welcome to Joanna and Nicholas with an Athena 26 in Wales. They actually hale from the USA, but saw her advertised on Wooden boat for a song and have bought her for restore and sail. Hope to get update photos.

Sadly so many boats now being sold for peanuts or given away. There is not the market for a boat that needs any work sadly. Most of the older wooden boats here in Essex seem to have gone to the scrap yard or the bonfire. At Bradwell, this last week, several of the abandoned boats have been put on eBay and sold for silly money. One, a go faster racing cruiser, for £1.00. A Westerly Centaur sold for the starting price of £500 and a nice 22ft boat, with all the kit, just £1000. In all 6 sold. Sadly several boats, 'disappeared' from the abandoned boat corner and the rumor is that they were scrapped with a JCB!! Gone into the concrete crusher maybe! ( The marinas other business!)

I am watching one with interest, 'Eirene' (thanks for the correction to the name John), a MG 30 something foot version of the Eventide, built in Rhodesia and transported to South Africa when it became Zimbabwe, brought here years ago... She was sold and not taken away, but is still on the hard. She was due to sail to Eire last spring, but for one reason or another she is still on the hard, now looking rather forlorn and racking up a huge storage bill no doubt.

I visited a yard in Burnham on Crouch a fortnight back, enquired about one of our boats I saw abandoned there years back, A SeaFarer 18. Long gone, scrapped I believe.. Sad. And the yard foreman had literally a heap of old boats he wanted shot of.

On a plus note I have heard from the grandson of one of our founder members, Peter North, (Peter sadly no longer with us).. Through us, the grandson has bought back the Waterwitch that Peter built and it is now undergoing renovation up at Maldon. I am going to visit 'Wedjit', as she is called, next month to meet the new owner Simon and the surveyor.

I am told that 'Dougaljo' is undergoing restoration at Titchmarsh marina, Walton Backwaters. Friend Doug built her and sailed her miles. I sailed in company with him several times, to the Netherlands, Cornwall, up London river, to Ipswich. We had many local cruises in company, so pleased his boat is being cared for. After failing health made him decide to 'swallow the anchor' and sell her years ago, it was sadly used as a caravan for a while, lost a little of her dignity! Be good to see her back afloat.

I am still waiting on photos of 'Cameroon', the Gaff rigged Eventide 26 moored in Titchmarsh, Richard wants to sell for about £1200, but I'm awaiting photos before I can put an avert up.

Jeremy has been in touch, he has a full suit of near new sails for an Eventide to sell, but not sure if they are for a 24 or a 26. Waiting on photos and measurements. He also has some new, still wrapped in polythene, bunk cushions. But as I explained, most boats were custom built so not a lot of chance they would slot straight in to another boat, but again await measurements. Trying to ascertain what happened to the boat??

Marclear have been on to us with their annual competition. Must say I have used this product for over 30 years and I am always the cleanest hull at haul out time! It just works!! Mention the EOG to get a discount.

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We hosted the grandson and his wife for a sail a week or so back, but had to curtail it as the promised F2's and 3's soon became 4's and 5's! Boss does not like it when it is that breezy!

It was warmish and sunny and we sailed over to the Nass and out towards the Bench Head, but then the breeze got up, so a slow sail under reduced canvas, and then a putter back into Bradwell. Brandon and Holly great hands to have aboard. (Navy trained!!) Here's to many more days afloat with them.

I as I said earlier, I escaped this week with brother in law and crew, Keith, for a couple of days creek crawling. We drifted under full sail up the Blackwater on the tide Wednesday, to anchor in one of my favourite spots, off Mundon Stone point in Lawling Creek. We had a good sunset and the wind dropped to nothing, our little riding light would have been reflected in the sea. One other boat anchored astern of us for a couple of hours, then motored off gently towards Maylandsea. The marina there and the few remaining moorings nearby, all dry out 2 hours after HW. We did not see or hear another boat all night, nor the next morning, the river empty. I was planning to drop down to the Bench Head buoy, then sail back and up to my mooring at Tollesbury for a night, but it was not to be. Sensibly we to cut it short, as Storm Amy was fast approaching, but we had enjoyed a pleasant end of season sail.

As you can see from the photos, we had F2 for sailing and mirror calm when anchored up Lawling Creek. See the reflections of the clouds in the photos! We had 6 seals and about 100 cormorants as neighbours. So peaceful. We had the whole River Blackwater virtually to ourselves for two days. Very few boats moving. It was a perfect end of season sail.

Now to lay her up and get the covers on her before the weather breaks and it gets too chilly and wet to want to work outside!!. Thinking it must get wet as we have had so little rain for months, sure it will soon be torrential! I will be down to her and be scrubbing the mud from the dirty chain that I left on deck and cleaning as much as I can of the dust from her, before we cover her over. I have one little job to do on board before that, the 25 year old GPS, an MLR FX412, failed. Well the screen failed, clouded, GPS still worked, as it still sent the position to the new DMMS radio for the Digital info on the screen and for an emergency position if the panic button pressed! But could not plot another waypoint as screen went all dark. Got a replacement, an 'Onwa' make set. Comparing the MLR and the new 'Onwa', the screens look to be identical to the original, so wondering if this is in fact an up to date copy. (Chinese). Even the bracket seems to be the same footprint! Got to crawl down the quarter berth head first to thread the new antenna cable though, not looking forward to that, I was a lot more agile 25 years ago! That will be fun, better have someone with me in case I get stuck!

All for now,

John

Sunday 14th September 2025.

Those who know me know I like cats, seems our friends in Ukraine appreciate them too!

Eventide news: Been a very busy week here for me, so apologies for the gap in publishing. We have have a few enquiries in to deal with and several boats going up for sale.

I have just added two more boats onto the For Sale page and await more info to be able to add another two! Also had info about a full set of Eventide sails, used just once, that are going to be sold. I have been a tad too busy to sort out the set of used ones I collected last month from Pete to raise funds.

There are two nice Eventides going on the for Sale pages, and a Tidewater, not just any Tidewater, but the first one! Awaiting more on one of the Eventides and that is an interesting one, its a gaff rigged 26!

I have a couple of pleas.

Has anyone either a half decent centreboard Senior or a Buchannan designed SeaFarer 18 to sell. Buyer waiting... We used to have loads Seniors for sale, where have they all gone?? I know the SeaFarer is a long shot, as there were never many of those... But thought it was worth putting it out there.

And...

Has anyone a working MLR FX 312 or 412 GPS for sale? Again buyer waiting.. Me! Mine has suddenly lost part of the display and I have found out that there are no spares available, as it is over 25 years old... was it really that long ago we installed it?? I have searched eBay and cannot find one. Indeed any simple working GPS that has an output for a GDMSS radio would do. Will happily settle for a working GPS of any other make, simple monochrome read out, no plotter, nothing fancy, so long as there is that NMNE (or what ever the letters are), for connection to the VHF. My local Mansbrite Marine, where the original came from all those years ago, have told me that nowadays a GPS tends to be all singing and dancing with AIS and a plotter built in... don't need that as there is a a Lowrance plotter with AIS, on the back of the cabin top, and that's brilliant and linked to the Radar too. Sadly the old MLR screen is so fogged you cannot see to enter a waypoint!

A plea from family of the late owner of the Eventide 'Miga'. The owner sailed the Plymouth area in the 1970's, where is she now? Anyone know?

I have sold a little boat from here in the last fortnight, my late friend Phil's little 16ft boat. Was fun getting that ready for the eBay advert. Very happy buyer. Good to put some pennies in his widows pocket. (Good to remove it from the garden too!)

The weather here has been foul for the last fortnight, with just a few calm days in-between the F5 and F6's. Today we have F8 forecast. So have not ventured out! My crew and brother in law, Keith and I are hoping for a week of, as Keith puts it, 'Gentle MG creek cruising'! We hope to escape, if the weather calms down, maybe we might get one of those rare Indian summer spells next month, do hope so, need to crawl up a few creeks and sit on my half tide mooring at Tollesbury to recharge my internal batteries!

At the moment we are getting much needed rain, our trees and gardens are in much need. I went to check on the last of the magnificent Elm trees we used to have here on the Dengie, it was a great survivor and local nurserymen have even gathered seeds from it and grown what they hoped were Dutch Elm resistant Elms. Sadly this hot dry summer has killed it. What climate change?

All for now, get out there while we still can.

John

Tuesday 2nd September 2025.

Its officially autumn! Here and in Kyiv.

Eventide News.

No sooner I went to press on the 22nd, than we had an enrollment from Zack. He is looking to buy a GH31. Welcome Zack. He is in the USA...

Welcome too to Marco in Rimini, Italy with a beautifully restored Eventide 24., Marco also sent a generous donation for a couple of burgees. Thanks Marco.

Marco also sent this link to a UTube video of his boat. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fA9Iesk6eac

Whilst watching this video Marco has put up my attention was drawn to another Eventide video. 'El Lobo', a members boat and there is a write up on the gallery, but this was of a cruise in the 1960's to a group of islands I know and love, the Scillies. So interesting to see it as it was back then, not much has changed, a newer ferry and more cars on the street. What was interesting was the clothing worn and equipment used on board, how things have changed. Worth a look. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZsqMkdK9kw

We had a mail in from Chris the owner of 'Ina'. Sadly ill health has caused the forced sale, and Chris asked us to add a note to our For Sale pages about her. Chris generously sent a donation to the EOG.

She is a GRP Kylix class and rather a special boat. Kylix was the boat designed by Maurice for his retirement and 'Ina' is a modern copy in modern materials. she is for sale here: https://kent.boatshed.com/maurice_griffiths_kylix-boat-345245.html

'Ina' a Kylix class for sale.

Other news. Well not a lot really, I have not managed to get out sailing again, had to call off a day sail last week when it blew F6 again. Seems it does almost every day at the moment. I have a day sail planned for next week, fingers crossed the weather stays F3 or F4!

I have been busy with another boat though. That 16ft Starship Class boat I have been sorting out to sell for my late crew's widow. Well I put it on eBay last week and today it was towed away to Suffolk, where the new lady owner hopes to enjoy pottering along the upper Stour on it. Pleased it is going to someone who will use it!

I have yet to take the Eventide sails we were donated, out of their bags to inspect them, but if anyone is looking to replace sails... contact me, I have a set going for a donation to funds.

Same for a lovely transom hung rudder, all restored and in good order.... Would fit a boat I know well!

Had a message from Adam regarding the Eventide 24 'Trudy' He has decided it is time to move it on, he can no longer spare the time to use her, sadly. There will be an advert on our pages shortly.

Had a nice message from Nigel.

We've had some every enjoyable sails with Pegasus since her launch in May. She sails so much better than Kandy did, with no weatherhelm and tacks well too.

We've sailed locally around the Medway and Swale, getting to know her and fixing a few snags along the way. We had a great sail last weekend, surfing back into the Medway past Garrison Point - quite exciting with more wind than forecast against an ebb tide!

I've attached a picture of Pegasus anchored in Stangate Creek.

I sent Bruce some pictures and had a nice reply from him.

Pegasus sailing again, or rather anchored in Stangate Creek!

Good to hear that Nigel is keeping Bruce and Viv informed, Nigel has done a great job of renovating her, after a previous owner left her abandoned. Bruce salvaged her as he could not bear to see his beloved boat deteriorate. Well done to Bruce and a big pat on the back for Nigel, so good to see her sailing again.

Hope you get a chance to sail this autumn, before winter sets in..

John

Friday 22nd August 2025.

Ukraine innovates! Robot boat with missiles!

Eventide News: No new enrolments, but a request from the new owner of one of our boats to join the Forum.

I have responded asking for an enrolment, as the welcome letter we send out to enrolled members, has the pass words to join it. Yet to hear.

Sorry for slight delay posting, having at last got over my terrible 'Cornish Stinker', I have been working 40 hours a day trying to catch up on all the outstanding chores!

I have a 16ft boat in the garden here that has to go, so concentrating in cleaning it up, with pressure washer, ready to place on eBay. An ideal first boat for someone.

Hope it sells.

Weather not been that clever here. Tried to organise another day sail, with novice friends, but the forecast changed the day before and we had to cancel, F5 not good for novices! And it blew!

Today would have been great, F2, but sadly we had other jobs to do, not least burying one of our cats. At 19 years old and deaf and blind for last two years, our old cat constantly amazed us on how she could navigate by touch and smell. On boats its called 'Dog bark navigation', when you lose one sense you switch to another. I love navigating by echo sounder when creeks are unmarked..

She was a champion mouser, but yesterday the new kittens prove they are worthy successors! Row of mice laid on path outside back door!

Looking forward to a visit by the navy. Grandson and wife. hope to escape on the boat for a day or two.

Good sailing, make the most of the summer, its disappearing fast!

John

Tuesday 12th August 2025.

Is America finally waking up? Lots of anti trump protests. Have they at last realised what they have elected!!??

Eventide news. Another enrolment. Welcome to Jakob who is the new owner of the Storm 26, 'Stella Marie' Will be sailing the south coast in future, from Hayling Island. Awaiting update photos of this lovely craft.

Had a good day on board Sunday, a gentle sail up from Bradwell to Maldon and a putter back with the tide but against the stiffening sea breeze.

Loads of thick weed in the river again, and despite our best efforts to miss it, we got a load in the filter and boiled the header tank! Again! An early stop for a picnic to allow it to cool off and for me to clear the wodge of weed from the filter and we then puttered all the way back with no issue.

Highlight of the day 3 harbour porpoises. We had niece and husband Steve aboard and her keen eye spotted them. Sadly no photos, they were too quick. I have a millisecond on a video, but too far away to see properly. Nice to know they are still about, been a couple of years since we have seen any. Niece Clare was about to take a dip till she noted the number of jellyfish, she thought better of it. The sea temperature, on the fancy fish finder, was showing 15 C. warmer than normal I suspect. That accounts for all the weed growth.

Run up to Maldon in very light airs, note the lack of other boats.. max number of cruisers I counted, looking all around on the horizon was 31. Not till we arrived at Maldon did we encounter the hundreds of dinghies. Niece Clare relinquished the helm at that point!

Exchanged waves with the GH26 Proteus and with the blue hulled MG boat , 'Myosis or similar. Sorry too far away to read the name. Thinking she could be a Tidewater?? The same steel Eventide still against the promenade at Maldon, never seen it move.

Took a 200 mile drive Saturday to collect a few bits from an ex Eventide owner, Peter. He has donated them to raise funds. I will be sorting the bits out and adding photos and details to the for sale page, some sails, an anchor and a rudder. Peter lives between Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth. What we did find out was the number of new houses being built in the Norfolk countryside Where are all these people coming from??? Oh let me guess, another 500 crossed the channel Saturday! Also the number of cafes and public houses no longer open. Sad to see shuttered pubs. Just getting a coffee was a challenge! Had to wait till we were back to Colchester!

Waiting on details from Chris, to advertise the MG boat Ina. Hopefully shortly.

Heard from Chris in France that selling his GH out there is difficult. Wants to move up to a larger boat and not many available. If he buys one here he would have to allow for paying VAT on it if not already declared. Funny old market.

Hoping to get more day sails, if the wind abates...

John

Friday 1st August 2025.

Many a true word....

Eventide News.

Sorry for the long break. We escaped to the Scillies and then had a week exploring much of Cornwall and then to Hampshire to see family. Went ot places we had visited 30 years back, sadly Lands End was a terrible disappointment, now a theme park. The Lizard unchanged, but many places overwhelmed by tourists, (Emmets'). At least the 'Merry Maidens' were still un touched! (Its an almost untouched prehistoric stone circle..) Revisited the Eden Project, 24 years on, we were there the first year, the difference outside is amazing, the planting we watched them doing back in 2002 has grown to be a lush native forest, and inside the place is now a real jungle.

Only down side, came back with a Cornish 'Stinker'. (Heavy cold, designed to addle the brains of Emmets!)

Since we have been away there have been no new enrolments....

A couple of enquiries, Paul is still searching for a replacement mast for his Eventide 24 in Eire... Already suggested a search round local boatyards to see what has been left mouldering on spar racks.. (Do they have these anymore??).

Heard back from Frances re the 'oily stuff' seeping out of the deadwood on her Golden Hind. Seems I was right, it was the residue from the bitumen on the sheet of roofing felt used between iron ballast and deadwood timber. All sealed and OK now, though my comment about checking a keel bolt has her thinking. They should be checked periodically... I am due to pull another one this winter for the next survey..

Heard from Joe who is taking on 'Jua' up in the North West. He is preparing to get aboard and starts sorting the interior, trying to get the wet out of her, good luck...

Finally had a clip of video sent me by Chris in the Netherlands. It is of an old Sea Dog and his travels. Bit of a character... But after about 7 minutes he comes across an Eventide, and then begins to tell the story of his father's Eventide and how he came to get into boats. Wish I had a pound for every time I have heard this sort of story... Left me to wonder why it is that so many Eventides are without obvious names? Nothing writ boldly on the bow or stern.... people hiding maybe? Makes it so much more difficult for others to trace boats they once sailed and loved...

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

All for now, off to FG to check her over before the next storm comes in Monday. Was thinking of getting my old motor bike out, but already raining. Summer??

John

Monday 7th July 2025.

Pair of ex RN minesweepers donated to Ukraine, training up in UK last week.

Eventide News.. Not heard back from the person wanting Senior plans, nor from the owner of the GH with the oily stain on the deadwood.??

So far no one has come up with anything on 'Miga' either, but with the scant info and the passage of time, hardly surprising. We live in hope.

Got a couple of pics sent in to me of our day afloat last week. Since then it has been windy as heck, F6 again today. Seems the number of gentle days for boating are fast disappearing?

We are taking a trip on the 'Scillonian' in a couple of days, so there will be a short 'intermission'.

All for now, back soon,

John

Monday 30th June 2025.

Well done to the Netherlands, just donated two minesweepers to Ukraine.

May have the same issue as the two the UK donated, Turkey will not allow them through the Dardanelles!

One day.

Eventide News.

Heard back from Dave re the Eventide 'Miga' Sadly he has not got any photos and both parents no longer with us, but he did have this info :-

Owner William Saunders, address, Brenmoor, Brentor Road, Mary Tavy, PL19 9PY

Mooring Weir Quay And rough dates 1975 - 1979

Does anyone know where 'Miga' is now??

Had no enrolments this week but we have had an enquiry from Olivier, possibly in France, for plans to build a Senior. I have responded and expect a new enrolment.

Had an enquiry from Frances. Their GH 31 is oozing what she thinks is oil, from the keel area of the hull. They are going on the Forum to see if anyone can help. I have a sneaky feeling it is bitumen from a keel gasket.. The epoxy sheathing has given way to allow it to escape. Anyone heard of that happening??

Fiddler's Green managed to get away from her Bradwell mooring for 8 hours yesterday, a slow sail up with the tide in light airs, then a gentle putter. Picnic off Northey Island, slow putter up to the Fullbridge at Maldon, on the top of the tide and then a motor back into a stiffening SSE.

On the way back spotted Brian with his Vulcan off Heybridge. And a pair of Maldon barges off Osea heading back to the quay after their quick dash out! Sadly they both had to have the motors on as well to make it back before the tide dropped too far...

As ever the river was empty. We counted but 24 boats of any sort on the lower reaches, and only near Maldon did we encounter racing dinghies

As it was a F2 to 3 day with only a F4 to 5 later, wall to wall sunshine, where was everyone.?

When we got back we found them, all sitting on their boats or in the bar????

Does no one go out sailing for fun anymore?

Pleased to report that the motor ran faultlessly, the sails set beautifully and the loo and the galley worked perfectly. Friends we took out for the day were impressed. They knew it was a home built boat, and did not know quite what to expect. He is a professional carpenter and spent a lot of time looking at cupboards, under bunks and at screw heads and nodding sagely! Want to come out again, so we got the seal of approval.

Sadly though I could not show them any seals swimming, there was precious little wild life. Lots of jelly fish though, and that curtailed any thoughts of a swim!

Hope we get more days with lighter winds, the F5 and 6 breezes of late are no longer sailing winds for me.

John

Sunday 22nd June 2025.

Missed announcing the solstice yesterday and would have been a great day to have been at Stonehenge, unlike the year we did it and it rained!

World got to be a more dangerous place yesterday, as if it could be any worse.

At least the ruzzians not rushing to the aid of one of their arms suppliers is good news!

Eventide News. Again no enrolments....

Did get to visit Burnham marina though and meet William the other day, with the E26 'Goldcrest'. He made me promise, no photos, he admitted it was in poor shape. Sadly the Treadmaster seems to have been fastened down on Evostik and it and the top layer of ply has lifted everywhere, bare wood showing.. Unless sorted in a month or two this boat will never survive. Hope William makes it to Broadness on the London River, he 'found' the Buxey sands on the way to Burnham from Colchester, the previous day and did not get off till the middle of the night.. It's a steep learning curve, and the sea is a dangerous place sometimes. Luckily it was calm and he just had to sit and wait, had there been a sea running it would have been a different story, the Buxey is unforgiving!

I managed to get back to 'Fiddler's Green' during the week and easily replaced the broken water tank filler and using a battery multi-tool, cut 1/4 inch off that batten to get more clearance for my sterntube greaser. Automatic, (spring loaded) greaser removed easily, refilled and replaced. I also brought home and deep charged the offending battery, de-sulphated it with a clever Cetek charger.. And then replaced it and added a new second battery to make the aux battery bank up to 200Amphrs again. I went back the next day on my bike, and yes the battery was OK showing 13v.

Sadly since then the wind has be F5 and F6 and today F7. no sails on the river!

Bike not that difficult in a F6!

Replacing the water filler. The old water filler after 35 years of sterling service, and the new shiny one that I had been carrying round aboard for over 10 years!. Same fixing holes and perfect diameter for the hose too, 5 minute job! Should have done it 10 years ago!!

Refill water tanks! (Approx. 25 gallons. Aqua tabs added and water goes through a carbon filter..)

When we were out last Sunday, 'Father's Day, I was sporting a new Tee shirt. A great gift from my daughter with cartoon cats on it to match the Kits at home!

Got to be daft as brushes, taking on three new kits! But it's fun. Hope they are champion mousers as we spotted a rat yesterday!

Do not know if anyone has noticed, but the eBay page has stopped working. The Webmaster is on it. I used to use it and it paid back a few pennies most months, to swell the coffers. We need donations to keep us afloat, only got enough in the kitty for 18 months or so I reckon.

Going down the boat tomorrow afternoon, but with F6 in the forecast I doubt I will be going out . Another chance to check battery is charging OK.

Fingers crossed the weather calms down, days getting shorter now! A lot of people glad its breezy though, we broke the records for temperatures for this day in June yesterday. 33 C plus. What Climate change!

John

Monday 16th June 2025.

Could this be a copy of one of the recognition posters Maurice was responsible for in WWII.

I found it on display at a local 'Old Time Steam Rally'. Chap displaying it with a stationary engine of the same era, but had no idea who drew it.

Had to smile at this banner seen on one of the hundreds of 'No King' rallies in America.

5 million protesting and a just a few thousand attending the dictators military parade in Washington, costing millions!!

So much grief in the world now, what with Israel having a pop at Iran too.

So much for Trump the peacemaker.!!

Eventide News:- No new enrolments, but I did bump into our most recently enrolled member, Koren. She made herself known to us at Bradwell yesterday. She and her other half had sailed a Yarmouth 23 Gaff Cutter 'Elizabeth Ann' from Cardiff this spring, to now berth at Bradwell , as they have moved to Suffolk and chose Bradwell as a base. They are still thinking about moving up to a Golden Hind.

In conversation they said they had dropped in at Padstow en-route... I asked if they met Malcolm, was he still the harbourmaster. They had, he was! I trained Malcolm, a lifetime ago!

Yes we were on boat at Bradwell Sunday. Friday the wind dropped enough, just, to bend on sails. Gales again Saturday but Sunday we managed to get out for a test sail. Almost everything worked as it should, but the 35 year old plastic deck filler jammed then broke, so now I have to go down and fit the nice chromed bronze one I have been carrying around for 15 years! Also had an issue with the stern tube greaser, it fouled a timber batten as I tried to unscrew it to refill it. Cannot see why, but a simple job, I hope, to shave off a 1/4 inch of the batten, then prime and paint.... Also noticed the new battery went flat?? New last September and fully charged according to my instruments. So a replacement will be ordered.

What we did notice again, was the empty river.? The Blackwater, 'that noble arm of the sea' as described in 'East coast Rivers' of yesteryear, is wide and long with lots of space for sailing in most weathers. Yes it is tidal, but still a wide river and navigable past Osea Island, even at low water.

We did a couple of counts and could only number a max of 24 boats, of any description, out afloat. Where is everyone.? F3 to 4 Westerly going Northerly later, and mostly sunny, (we did have one black cloud drip on us for 5 minutes.. So a good day to be out, but no. Bradwell had lots of people about and the bar was jammed, but no one boating, odd. Is boating just for posers now, not sailors??

Fiddler's Green afloat in a near empty River Blackwater Sunday.

I had this photo in from friend Jo, taken of her husband Doug on his 94th birthday a month or two back. Keep drawing the pension Doug! Many happy memories of sailing in company with them, to the Netherlands, to London and to the west country! Intrepid sailor!

Had a tentative enquiry in regarding the whereabouts of an Eventide called 'Miga' Dave tells us his father had it in the 1970's. Trying to find out which size it was and a sail number or even a cruising area to help us maybe find her.. await a response.

Finally had this in from Roger.

SW Sunk Swatchway updates.

You can down load this chartlet.

Three updates:

1. SW Sunk swatchway - The survey was conducted on Friday, 13th June, 2025 in perfect wind conditions. The result is that there is very little change compared to 2024 and you should continue to use the recommended 2024 waypoints. New Download image available.

2. Using or crossing the Black Deep - a reminder - the Black Deep uses many routes. The Port of London Authority Regulations require any user with a draft of less than 6m (i.e. us!) to seek permission from London VTS.

3. Reculver Sand (North Kent Coast) - the Reculver Sand extends across the east end of the Copperas Channel. The UKHO issued a new edition of the Standard National Chart 1607 (Thames Estuary - Southern Part) in March this year and the Source data shows it was surveyed professionally in 2024. The effect is the controlling depth right across the Reculver Sand is 0.9m at Chart Datum. In consequence when using Routes 16 and 18, you need to consider the height of tide. - Image in the Consolidated Update.

I wish you a good season.

Roger

All for now.

John

Tuesday 3rd June 2025.

Had to smile when I saw this! Slava Ukraine

Eventide News. No more enrolments this week...

Great news from Nigel though. He has been restoring Bruce and Viv's Eventide 'Pegasus', and doing a great job by all accounts. Last week she was re-launched!

So good to see her back in her element!

Nigel tells us she will be based on the Medway at Lower Halstow. Photos above at Gillingham after launch and on her way down stream to her new mooring. Hope she gives you as many years of sailing, as she gave to Bruce and Viv.

She has come a long way from the days Nigel rescued her. Bruce had sold her years before, but reclaimed her after the buyer left her abandoned in a field to rot. A lot of water under the bridge since then. The new purchaser, Nigel, has been in touch with Bruce and Viv throughout the restoration and I am pleased to say she has kept her name. Bruce was in the Para's ! (Pegasus Bridge regiment!).

Well done Nigel, looking for an entry for the log competition next!

I have not been so lucky getting Fiddler's Green sorted. She is afloat, has been for 4 weeks, but not managed to find a calm enough day to get the sails bent on her. Did the Staysail on Saturday, and was hoping for a sail the next day, it would not have taken long to bend spars to sails, but no, F6 Sunday! Still blowing hard today, F7 and heavy rain, though forecast, has not yet materialised, or I would have been aboard to give the decks a good scrub. A heavy rain storm saves a lot of rinsing off. They say the weather will improve, but we have a week of wild and windy first. Summer??

Heard from Dick at East Coast Pilot with some news. Some up to date sketch charts for the Deben and the Ore entrances for you. Click on the links below to go to his site and download them, for free!

East Coast Pilot News
June 2025

Welcome to all our subscribers, including those who have recently signed up to these very occasional newsletters.

Our main news this time is that the new chartlets for the Deben and Ore entrances have recently been published on our website. Surveys were carried out by Trinity House earlier than usual this year, actually in February, and Imrays have as usual produced clear Trinity House approved chartlets from the new survey data. We have combined each chartlet with some words of advice and an aerial photo of each entrance taken by John Ranson at LW.

Although the route in and out of the Deben is much as last year, there is a new drying knoll to port as you enter, making it important to pass close to the Mid Knoll buoy. Depth is reported to be good, several of our readers seeing no less than 3m at HW-2½.

The Ore entrance too has changed little although we have noted that care needs to be taken rounding the Oxley buoy.

As ever, both entrances are perfectly reasonable to negotiate so long as you don't take chances with them. Follow all the advice and you should be fine.

These chartlets are the result of a unique agreement brokered some years ago between Trinity House, Imrays and ourselves, and indeed we understand that these are the only minor river entrances surveyed by Trinity House on such a frequent basis. We sincerely hope that Trinity House will feel able to carry on with the arrangement into the future, it being of immense value to the leisure boating community.

We continue to add News Items and Book Updates as usual to our website. And these days we also use our Facebook page to tell those of our readers who read social media - we used to use Twitter, now X, but the Facebook page has attracted a far bigger following, now with over 3,000 followers.

But our website remains the ultimate and complete source of any new information - we encourage you to look at it regularly to see anything new.

We do welcome any news of changes in the area that we may not yet have heard about. It's easy to email us via the website (or PM me via Facebook) and you will always get a prompt reply. Incidentally we are reviewing the future of these newsletters - they are expensive to mail out, and if we do continue with them we will likely change provider, hopefully without any need for users to re-subscribe.

I'm sure that Garth and I will be out and about on the East Coast this summer, and we look forward to meeting up with you if our paths coincide with yours.

Wishing you a grand summer's boating -

Kindest regards,

Dick Holness

Co-author and webmaster

East Coast Pilot.

Just hoping the rain stays away, as I hope to be out on my 1964 Triumph tomorrow... I can cope with the breeze on that! Putter, putter!

John

Wednesday 28th May 2025.

We may be giving Ukraine another ship!

Eventide news. Very quiet again this week.

We have though, had a plea in from Christine. Wonder if we can assist her...

My name is Christine Fitzgerald. I am trying to find out what happened to the boat of a friend of mine. The boat was a Maurice Griffiths called Blue Teal. The owner was called Clive (and I can't believe I've forgotten his surname). He was from Crosby or Formby. I knew him from Liverpool marina. I used to have my boat, Thursday's Child (Tradewind 33) berthed next to Blue Teal. This was in the late 1980s.

I think it was in 1990/91, Clive got a job skippering a motor boat in Portugal. Tragically, he was lost overboard and his body never found.

Blue Teal was on the hard in the marina and, as a friend, I removed Clive's belongings from the boat and cleaned down below ready for selling. In the event, the boat couldn't be sold because, not having found his body, I think his family had to wait 7 years for a death certificate.

This is all from many years ago but I would love to know more of what happened Blue Teal. I'll attach a photo of my daughter, who was aged 12 at that time, helming Blue Teal on an overnight sail to Anglesey; Clive can be seen stood near the foredeck.

In 1992 I moved to Falmouth and have since spent many years long distance cruising, only swallowing the anchor now I'm 73.

If you or any of your members know anything about Blue Teal, I would truly appreciate to hear from them.

Best wishes

Christine

I wonder if anyone out there knows of 'Blue Teal' Cannot quite make out which of the many MG designs she could be, Cockler, Bawley, maybe??
Bit difficult from this one photo.

Here in Essex the weather has changed to warm and wet, and windy with it! Did manage to get aboard at the weekend and tidy up, get most of the gear stowed away and fit the dodgers and cockpit seat backrests to the guardrails. Too windy to bend on sails though. Hope to get back in a lull between these frequent low pressure systems and do more. I managed to change the water filter and run the motor up, but decided as the motor had only done 6 hours running last year, to skip unnecessary oil and filter changes. All dipped and tested OK. Batteries all topped up with the solar panel. 14v !

Whilst I have been down at the boat, hardly seen a dozen people and all I spoke to seem to be of the same opinion, we have had summer!

Cannot believe it is so nearly June and we are still seeing the River Blackwater empty! What Climate Change!!! Do hope my forecast of summer being a Wednesday in April is not true!

So its back home to enjoy the kittens!

John

Tuesday 25th May 2025.

Ukraine trying to feed the world. Our farmers do not have to de-mine first!

Eventide News:- Been rather quiet this week, but we have had another enrolment. Koren is contemplating purchasing a Golden Hind 31. Wait to hear if we can change her membership to full voting member! Apparently she and hubby sailed their previous boat into Bradwell recently! a Yarmouth 23. Sailed her from Cardiff Bay to Essex. Well done!

Weather on the Essex coast has been dire, cold NE winds persist. Hardly ever a sail visible from here and this time of year the Blackwater should be buzzing... I managed to get down late one afternoon as the wind dropped, and set up my mast, and with the help of a member of family, loaded a van full of gear on board, but too chilly to sit out putting the dodgers and the like on, let alone bending on sails. And with a Bank holiday coming up, guess what, at last it is going to rain, with thunder and lightning! Great. Why can't it be like in Camelot, warm and sunny by day, gentle rain at night? We have had so little rain here, there is talk of summer drought!

We have had an enquiry about the centre plate on an Atlantic Clipper, or rather the wisdom of a previous owner in removing it! I was able to inform the chap that this indeed was common practice and with the addition of a little ballast in the keel void, general handling was unaffected . (OK a bow thruster would make slow speed maneuvering and berthing easier, as the boat would previously have pivoted around the board, but only if there was enough water to have the board down.....). I hope the owner will take the trouble to enroll.

Here we have three new members in the family, that are bringing us great joy.

Say hello to 'Bubbles', 'Erik' ( the Red) and 'Luna' (tic)! First two are 8 weeks old, brother and sister, Luna is not related, and 2 weeks older, but all get on a treat!

We have only had them 3 days and they have melted us. Will keep us young we reckon!

Hope you are managing to get some sailing in, heard from the grandson in the navy, he is enjoying the heat wave off the north of Scotland! Blurry freezing down here!

Good sailing

John

Monday 12th May 2025.

Leaders. The Coalition of the Willing.

Ceasefire called for today. Will the ruzzians comply??? Well what do you think!!! Don't hold your breath....

Here at Fiddler's Towers, we made the effort last week for VE80. Sadly very few other houses were decorated... Is the freedom we enjoy just taken for granted now??

Eventide News:- I'm afloat! I managed to jump the normal queue as I was ready, thanks to that lovely weather a fortnight back, and I was in the way of another boat behind me!

Well that is the good news for me, not so good is the winds have been so strong and cold, I have yet to set up the mast, tighten the rigging and get that all important 'pre bend' in the mast! Hoping to get time later today, but had to be here this morning whilst the bathroom was being altered today. (We had a shower cubicle installed, now tidying up, building new cupboards etc.). All takes time!

No new enrolments. Guess most are busy fitting out. Apparently very few at Bradwell were ready to launch when we went in, delayed by that cold snap and unable to get to their boats when it warmed up, briefly! Hope you are getting there. Today 23 degrees here and the wind has at last eased. But Thunderstorms predicted! Typical UK weather!

One of my Seagull customers sent me a link to his website. Interesting stuff! www.backbearing.com

Barbican owner Chris has offered to speak to Danny re his Barbican. I was able to supply Danny with the info he was after. 'How was the deck constructed?', as the answer was indeed on the Barbican page of the site!

Heard today that there was a press day for our Database Manager John's publication launch.

Well done John!

All for now.

John

Sunday 4th May 2025.

May the Forth be with you!

Its Star Wars Day!! (Sorry about that one).

A sign of hope! First Penguin chick of 2025, from the Ukrainian Antarctic base!

Eventide News. First an apology. Sorry for the delay in publishing news. I have been working 25 hours a day, taking advantage of the exceptionally warm weather we have had. (Hottest Mayday on record.. what climate change!!). I have been working flat out on Fiddler's Green.

Antifouled, (Marclear EU45), woodwork treated, (Sikkens), Prop polished and finally yesterday, mast up.

See this page for how to raise and lower your mast:- https://www.eventides.org.uk/Mast%20lower.htm

See this page of the site for how to set up your rig:- https://www.eventides.org.uk/tip3.htm

A big thank you to crew men Keith and Harvey for turning out to help me raise the mast. Took an hour or so to organise, 2 minutes to raise, (thanks to Harvey's muscle on the anchor winch), and another hour to untangle all the halyards! Boom on, and radar fitted.

I will wait for the aches to ease before going back to set up the rig properly, get the pre bend in the mast and then tape up all the rigging screws!

So today a relaxing morning updating the Stoppress!

Had an enquiry re the construction of the Barbican from Jarvan. I was able to direct him to the Barbican page of the Gallery. https://www.eventides.org.uk/Barbican.htm Here we have been fortunate enough to had sight of a copy of the original spec. If anyone out there still has a copy of this could they scan it and send it so we can update the images we have...

No new enrolments this last couple of weeks, but we have heard back from Jiri, alias Georgo. He is coming to the UK later this year and is looking to purchase an Eventide. At 74 he is seemingly retiring from world girdling passages and not seeking something capable but also able to retreat into quiet creeks! Can think of no better craft!

Andrew has contacted us and would like to advertise 'Fallow', his Golden Hind. (Good name!). I shall be adding an advert to the For Sale pages shortly. Seems like a bit of a project, but a good price!

Finally a pic of 'Clementine' James's restored GH26. Re-launched after 18 months work and now moored on the Stour at Wrabness.

Well done James!

That's all for now, hoping that incredibly warm weather will return, as yesterday and now today temperatures way down, and too windy to bend on sails!! In the meantime I am back to FG later, to refit the anchor, that I brought home to store as it got in the way of the winter solar panels, that kept the batteries all topped up last winter. Then to put all the fenders aboard, and rig the mooring lines on my pontoon. Ready for launching!

Good fitting out to all.

John

Tuesday 22nd April 2025.

Well what do you know, he lied again!

How can you declare a truce and attack nearly 3000 times? Mostly civilians???

Eventide News.

Welcome to three new members.

Welcome to Herman in Cornwall with a 35ft ketch based in the French Canals at the moment. It is strip planked and epoxy sheathed. Nice looking boat.

Herman's boat, 'Blue'.

Welcome to Jiri in the Czech Republic. He is a round the world sailor, built a Slocum spray and sailed it for seven years, and has written books about his travels, sadly only available in Czech at the moment. After selling and sailing a Dutch design for a while he is now looking for an extremely well found Eventide 26 or slightly larger, with which to continue his travels. Must be capable of ocean passages and sneaking up shallow creeks. Our Eventide design fits the bill nicely there.

Welcome to Danny in Brighton. Danny is actively looking at a Barbican at the moment, and is trying to contact Barbican owners. Sadly for some unknown reason he cannot join their Facebook page, which might have been a good place to chat to other owners. After joining us he has posted a request for info on the EOG Forum. Hope he gets a response... I have been trying to contact some of the Barbican owners on our membership list, but sadly the email addresses are out of date for many and mails have bounced back. Maybe that is why the FaceBook page for the Barbicans fails too...? A reminder to all, if you change your mail provider and thus your mail address, do let us know.

But if you have experience of sailing a Barbican, preferably the long keel version, (without centreplate, or with centreplate jammed up!!), please contact Danny. Virendraonelove at gmail.com You know the form, remove the spaces and add @ instead. this hides mails from the trawling robots and avoids spam.

As our mail address is visible on the internet, we get over 30 spam a day, annoying but with the free program 'SpamFighter' it is manageable!

John Stevens our Database Manager tells me he is grappling with his computer trying to retrieve the old records so he can give us an up to date number for membership. Looking forward to that.

The observant will have noticed the 'Donate button at the top of this section of the Stoppress. Thanks to our webmaster Andrew in Bermuda, this now works. We are simply asking that owners and users of this website might consider a small (£5.00) donation if they wish the site to continue to provide the free service we have been managing for the last 23 years or so. Sadly Internet providers and computer programs to protect this site are not cheap.

Alternatively you could visit the Burgee page and buy a new smart burgee for the season. See link below! Click the flag...

Burgees for sale

Weather wise we have not yet actually had snow, as I foretold... but it had felt very chilly at times here on the Essex coast. A few heavy frosts . Told other parts of the country have seen some white stuff, but only on high ground.

Visiting the boat daily, as we are making daily trips to marina to use the showers, whilst our new bathroom shower cubicle is installed, and on most trips down there, the boat storage area is deserted. Not many venturing out in the cold as yet to lay underneath with paint rollers!. 'Fiddler's Green' is still fully sheeted over, so I do a quick check of the tie downs every day, re-tied a frayed line yesterday. Hoping to uncover her in the next week or so and attack the antifouling. Marclear again, of course! (EU45).

Hope your fitting out going to plan and the weather warms up, it is 18C here today, a good sign!

John

Saturday 12th April 2025.

I hoped the UK will continue to support Ukraine. Good news, we just announced a big increase in spending there!

Eventide News:- Sorry for slight delay in updates, been a little busy here. Bathroom renovations have taken up a lot of my time!

Did take time yesterday, with a couple of helpers, to put up a new Barn Owl nesting box to replace the old one, it had fallen apart, but had been good, 10 Barn Owl chicks in last 8 years, not bad! Plus 3 Kestrels and 4 Stock Doves, and they are an endangered species now! Also re fitted the small 'Little Owl' nest box that came down in a gale last autumn. Just waiting for new occupants!

Enrolments. Good news Joe has confirmed his details and is joining us as a 'Friend'. He is hoping to take over owner ship of 'Jua', the Golden Hind 34 ashore in the north east. Hoping we can change membership to full when he becomes the proud owner and salvor.

Another full member to welcome, Paulo in Portugal. He is the new owner of an Atlantic Clipper 36. He was asking for any information that might be useful in registering the boat with the local authorities. I was able to direct him to the Barbican and Atlantic Clipper page, where there is a copy of the builders info. That was exactly what he needed. Whilst on the page he found his boat under a different name, 'Mariking'. Now 'Sula'.

I will be sending his welcome letter shortly.

Heard from Chris in the Netherlands. After his boat was destroyed in an apparent arson attack, his insurers paid up promptly and Chis has been able to purchase a replacement. Not going to miss a season! Yesterday he sent me a message saying he was enjoying a lovely sail, to his new mooring, only 25 Km from his home. Nice one Chris, Good sailing.

Update to the enquiry about the Eventide 24 'Sparrow'. Barry the grandson of the builder and owner contacted us again, saying internet a little sketchy, as he was sailing round the world! I needed more info.

Built in the Isle of Man and sailing the Irish Sea!

Oh no, I was hoping for a happy ending, so sad. I was there on and off during the build and was there the day we moved her to Castletown Harbour to launch her off a trailer at high tide. My grandfather was in his 70's when he built her. I knew that when he died she was sold to an Irish owner. I am currently sailing around the World on my Van De Stadt. The inspiration to do this started the day we launched Sparrow, I always thought I'd see her again.

Thank you so much for the work that you have done, its much appreciated. I've attached photos anyway. Lots more of the build if anybody is interested.

Cheers, Barry

Left the UK 9 years ago and am due back in Plymouth August to celebrate my single handed circumnavigation. As I said Sparrow and my Grandfather sowed the seed for this dream about to come true. His family have a long history on the island of St Helena. I have just left there after an amazing connection with my families past.

Below is the link to my media. I have a sailing adventure series that does ok on the net. Adventures of an Old Seadog.

UClIKklzZCK7VQ3Rmbojvfyw

Seems his grandfather who built 'Sparrow' was Colonel L.Y. Bazzett. He sent me a photo..

1960's sailing gear!

Apparently quite a character! Hopefully we will get more photos and information about her.

Some may have noticed a non operational 'Donate' button on this page. I am hopeful Andrew our webmaster in Bermuda can make it work shortly. also the eBay page, that appears to have failed, again!

Heard form Chris in Portugal, his 'Mew Gull' has sold! To a local lady, waiting for an enrolment..

I made a quick trip to the boat one evening, cold easterlies meant the marina was deserted! I only stayed long enough to apply some more lime scale remover on my prop. Brr. Yesterday and today the temperatures have soared to 22C and as we are making trips down there to shower, we noticed a lot more activity! I still think there is a good chance of snow yet, we will see. So not rushing! I only have to whip the covers off and antifoul really, polished the topsides last autumn. Oh and apply the polishing mop to that shiny prop of mine! As soon as I am able I will be doing just that. so long as it is above 15C No point trying to paint if too cold!

Hope your fitting out going apace.

John

Sunday April 6th 2025.

Today I posted the Annual Report on the members page of the Forum.

Bottom line is we are solvent, just, but would welcome more small donations to ensure the site remains open.

John, Website coordinator.

Tuesday April 1st 2025.

It's April fool's day

Still waiting for that promised cease fire.

So long as the evil fool Putin lives it will never come.

Seems lies and more lies from both the clown and him.

History will be written about those two fools!

We carry on supporting.

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

Info from John Stevens, we fooled the ruzzians with an April Fool!! Click to see!

Eventide News. Had an enrolment from a chap who will not give his name and in a mail afterwards states he does not own the boat he is claiming to want to register??? Wonder if he had something to do with the old assoc. committee?? Very odd.

Not heard any more from the man in Brazil either?

On the other hand Shannon in Portugal, with the steel WW 'Kathleen', has been in touch. He is renovating and has made large strides removing rusted sections and repainting. He hopes to sail back to the UK this year. Then do a circumnavigation of the UK!

The before and after and a pile of debris! Well done Shannon, bet it is a little warmer in Portugal to be working on her!

Heard from Barry Perrins. he is searching for the Eventide his late grandfather built in the Isle of Man and he is searching out photos so we can maybe trace her. We do know the sail number was 393, so that makes her a 1960's boat. Hope she is still about. Recalls she was sold to Ireland.... More when we get it. Sadly found she was scrapped in 2005 in Tarbert, Scotland.

A mail in from Steven with the Eventide 'Fintra' He is wanting to sell her. An advert on the For Sale pages.

I have just heard that our Database Manager John Stevens is now a 'published author'! He has written a short story that is included in a book, about recovery from serious illness.

John has given me a link to the site the charity book can be found.... https://amzn.eu/d/12GDKwi

We have been wondering how long the finances of the group would allow the website to stay live, and after my mention a few weeks back we have had a couple of generous donations that will ensure we are still live in 2026! I am trying to get our webmaster Andrew, to create a couple more Donate buttons on different pages, hopefully when we get one to work on this page we might see a few more small donations.

Talking of which, how a bout a new burgee for the season?

Tap the flag to go to the Burgee page.. then donate for one on the home page donate button.

Trying to get all the reports in for the annual reports etc. Will be on the members only page of the Forum shortly.

All for now, bright and sunny out there but with a F6 easterly it is bitter. Not antifouling time as yet! I have a feeling we may still get that snow! Keep the covers on!

John

Monday 24th March 2025.

Happy Birthday to Doug, 94 yesterday!

Doug is a founder member, Waterwitch builder and a retired, senior London detective, proud to call him a friend.

Eventide News. No new enrollments but an enquiry from Brazil for Riptide drawings, that may well result in a new member shortly.

Chris in the Netherlands has sent details of a new strange shaped wind generator. All the vanes made of some sort of plastic. At 90cm wide not too huge either. We wait to hear how it performs. Seems to have 4 blades but only 2 fitted so far in the photo.

See this link.

https://nl.aliexpress.com/item/1005008459231079.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.83.b8e179d21wgWEM&gatewayAdapt=glo2nld

Had another request for info re replacement mast for an Eventide. Could be a repeat of a previous one, this time it is from Paul, but in the same area in Ireland?? Again I have suggested a search round all the local boatyards to see if there is a suitable donor spar laying unused somewhere, boat maybe scrapped. If you have the remains of the old Ali mast then fittings can be reclaimed and reused. All you need is a drill to remove the rivets and a good rivet gun and some foam insulating strip, to refit.

Not sure if it is a wooden mast or not though and if it is timber masts can be carefully remodeled, and using modern epoxy would be stronger than the original. All you need it a good carpenter!

For years now I have been telling all that sea levels are rising, but it seems they are now saying that the rate is accelerating wildly. It was a millimeter or two a year, but now, with global warming the amount of glaciers melting, ice caps retreating, this is increasing, and as it does it accelerates the process. Sea levels in the Thames estuary are now 10cm higher than they were in 1993! Seems the rising temperatures worldwide are causing water to thermally expand as well, and it seems that is not slowing down!

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/14/unexpected-rate-of-sea-level-rise-in-2024-nasa

Not sure how long it will be before we can have a jetty at the end of our road, as we are 20m above HW level, but suspect a few marinas will have to extend their pontoon anchorage poles!

As a footnote, with all the shenanigans in Arabia by the Trump loons with ruzzia, a reminder of the track record of the ruzzian terrorists that the Ukrainians are having to deal with. Apparently in the last 10 years there have been over 20 cease fires agreed, and guess who broke every one!

Just donated to try and get more all terrain ambulances to help. I am collecting the badges! See the link:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V834VHx1yi0

Hoping for a peaceful summer season, but not holding my breath!

John

Monday 17th March 2025.

Text has to be green today, St. Patrick's Day

Eventide News.

Spent several hours adding 100 plus photos of the building of the latest Eventide, 2501, 'Wadabe' Well worth a look, see the Gallery, Eventide page, scroll to the bottom! This is a truly remarkable boat. Apart from the beautiful finish, it also boasts very green credentials, from the timbers sourced, to the inboard engine!

I also spent a little time adding more pictures to the great article by Chis Painting, on the rebuilding of his cockpit to make it rain proof!

The For Sale page has an advert for Chris Painting's lovely boat, 'Mew Gull'. well worth a look. SOLD!!

Re the Metro Bank. I realised a week or so back that there would not be enough funds in our account to last more than a year, bearing in mind web hosting, computer programs and Cloud access to preserve the site. I attempted to place a 'Donate' button on these pages, but sadly though the button appeared, it was inoperative?? I have asked Andrew in Bermuda, our webmaster, to assist. There is obviously a lot going on behind the button that I cannot see.

As a result of consultations with the Steering Group and a couple of suggestions from them, I was hoping that if we placed more 'donate' buttons we may prompt one or two to making small donations to keep us going.

Alternatively I was asked for the bank details, and one kind owner has indeed made a donation that way.

So here are the details:- Metro Bank sort code:- 23-05-80. Account:- Eventide Owners Group. Account No. 55748314.

On a totally different tack, I learnt today that my uncle had his DNA tested some time back and it revealed a 6% Irish background! Wondered if that is why I felt so at home there! Always liked the Irish traditional music!

But no, the tune 'Fiddler's Green' that I named our boat after, is not of Irish origin, though some claim it, it was written by John Connolly, a librarian in Grimsby! 1966. I spoke to John when thinking of a name, and I have his kind permission to use it! There is of course a wharf area in San Francisco of the same name, and I am partway through a book of the same name, written about that area, by Earnest Gann.

Odd coincidence behind that. I inherited a load of my mothers books years back and a year or so back, I was reading a book my late father had read, by Earnest Gann. I was so impressed by his account of the last days of trading under sail, that I looked inside the back cover for more details and there was the name of another book he wrote, 'Fiddler's Green'. Spooky!

After a calm, yet chilly spell, it looks as if the weather will be warming shortly. Still have my suspicions winter, such as it it is these days, has not quite finished yet. Still time for snow! And with that in mind I popped down the boat yesterday, to check the covers, replaced just one frayed length of cord. To my amazement there were half a dozen stalwarts down there, with just a 6 degree C temperature, trying to polish the topsides of their GRP boats, would not have thought the wax would have flowed too well! We remain securely covered. ( I polished and waxed the hull of 'Fiddler's Green' before I covered her over, whilst it was still warm, to save time this spring..).

I might pop back and give the prop a spray with de-scaler this week, always help clean the slight deposit off before I re-polish the prop!

Finally is there anyone out there with a good working knowledge of Microsoft 'Expression 4 Web'? I use this program to add pages to the site, but recently I have found some pages are failing to appear as I see them on my monitor whilst editing. It appears to be a 'formatting' issue and, at the moment it, is foxing me.

John

Monday 10th March 2025.

Our resident Black headed Gull has his summer plumage!

Been that warm here recently, got to be snow later!

Eventide News. Really good news, managed to get into the new bank account and pay some pennies in, that were held over from the closed account! Still not 100% as they could not amend our address today, hoping to get that sorted soon Amazing the paying in book and the cheque book made it here with just a postcode!

No new enrolments this week. But we do have a lovely Lone gull II for sale though. I will be adding the advert shortly. She is in Portugal. Mew Gull.

Mew Gull.

Chris has sent in a raft of photos for the advert and also an article that I should have published years back about the restoration of his cockpit. It got lost somehow... I hope to get my fingers working on both the advert and the article soon!

Watching BBC news the other day a name caught my eye. 'The Baileys' and their story of survival at sea! They had their home stolen from them by a whale! they survived for months! Real intrepid people. New book.. See https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2x0eyr9kjo

Another BBC article made me look twice, it was a photo taken from Maldon prom looking up towards town. Look what was prominent in the foreground!

Where is she now! Believe it is a steel Eventide. (Isis??)

Had a great mail in last week from a member, Dr. Josef in Austria. Years ago I had conversations by mail with him and he eventually obtained a set of drawings from us to build an Eventide. Pleased to say that Sail number 2501 was given and she is registered in Vienna.

A beautifully crafted Eventide, and gaff rigged too!

I have a long article about her building and loads of photos to add this week! Here is a taster.

Congratulations Josef. She is a fine looking craft!

Whilst we wait to hear the latest bad news from the idiot the other side of the pond, pleased to hear the countries of Europe and beyond are rallying to support Ukraine. We must do what we can. ( Or learn to speak ruzzian!!). Just taken delivery of another lovely quality product from St. Javelin, made in Ukraine, hoping to do my little bit to help the effort. Have a look at their products.

https://www.saintjavelin.com/?srsltid=AfmBOor6C1Az8prDil69rOJ-WUythYiw_PmJKVQdZstWRlMBBtQtbM0G

John

Post Script. As I went to publish this, we had a mail from Metro bank stating they had sorted it all out and apologizing. Lloyds could do with taking a leaf out of their book!

John

Second post script. I have just added and edited Chris Painting's article about the renovation of his cockpit on his Lone Gull II. I made the cockpit on FG with sililar drains etc. and they have worked, dry lockers. Worth reading.

I have also added the advert for his boat, Mew Gull. It is in Portugal and well worth a look if you want a real quality looking Lone Gull II. Too late, Sold April 2025!

John

Saturday 1st March 2025.

St David's Day.

Though my surname is Williams, cannot find a trace of Welsh ancestry!

After yesterdays disgusting attack on Zelensky by Trump, Americans need to step up and change their leader! They will otherwise struggle to win friends.

Seems no one can trust them now, whilst he is in control...

Eventide Good News: Sadly overshadowed by the news from USA.

Was hoping for a good news day, as at last our new bank account is up and running as of yesterday. Has only taken 3 months....

Well the sun has come back, that is good news I suppose. Still darn cold though and on the east coast with the wind it is biting. Boatyards empty!

Had a mail from Haley, regarding 'Coronette'.

He said, 'It was once in my possession and the possession of my father-in-law Lt Gen Sir Douglas Packard, who sailed her out of the River Deben on the East coast for many years, and cruised regularly down to Brittany and the south coast with other retired soldiers.

After he gave up sailing, my wife and I took her over, and sailed out of Poole Harbour, where we had to have her substantially rebuilt at Wareham as she broke loose from her moorings and sank. We later sailed her back to the river Deben , and several years later sold her to a West Country buyer.

(We suspect this was to the chap Bill bought her from, languishing in a Cornish creek. It was Bill of course, who so beautifully restored her.)

We were most impressed by the work Bill had done on her, and she must now be in much better shape than when we sold her those many years ago.

Sadly I had to recount the story of the subsequent loss of 'Coronette', under the cliffs of Beach Head. Sad loss of a quality craft. Fortunately the skipper managed to escape.

On a happier note, hope you are making plans for the coming season, just hoping we are able to enjoy our boats???

John

Tuesday 25th February 2025.

Demonstrations all over Europe to mark the 3rd year of last ruzzian invasion. And disgust at the lies and antics of Trump.

But it is over 11 years since ruzzians first invaded eastern Ukraine and Crimea in 2014, remember the Airliner they shot down.?

Every day they remain in Ukraine, we are closer to world conflict.

Ukraine flags flying in our village in support.

Eventide News. Difficult to stay positive, but we must.

This week we have had another enrolment. Welcome to Simon in Wales who is interested in a Senior. Not sure if he is buying a used one or thinking maybe of building.. Hope to find out soon.

Whilst on the subject of the Senior design, still looking for a Senior owner to step up as rep and be on the EOG steering Group.

Metro Bank. The saga rumbles on. Waiting to hear if the copy of our minutes, where the Steering Group vote to switch to Metro will be accepted or not?? Never thought it would be so hard to open a bank account.

Meanwhile Lloyds sent me a demand for the first monthly payment for the privilege of them holding our pennies. The threat of that is what caused us to leave. They say they are going to debit the EOG account at Lloyds, that they closed! Good luck with that one Lloyds!

Little else to report this week, except that it has warmed up a lot in Essex and the sun has been seen! Still far too early to grovel about under boats with paint brushes though!

Instead it's time to enjoy the spring bulbs and catkins and plan ahead.

John

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.. Or a WildDuck or 3Tonner owner maybe? Would be good to have other designs represented... 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 section and length or a bit longer, and maybe even a bent or damaged spar, just 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 built a mast here in the garden from two spars last autumn, albeit for just a 16ft boat!

I did this first, way back in 1975, replacing the suspect wooden mast on board my Eventide 24. 'Bluenose', In 1989 I made a new mast from parts purchased from Sailspar of Brightlingsea. Today that would cost a small fortune, so the recycled spars 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, for a change, 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 to 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

Thanks for the proof reading Keith! Corrected!

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.