Living Contentedly

27-Mar. Servo rudder foil has been  marked off.  Heb ridean plans suggest the drawing a grid of lines along the blank to guide shaping with a hand plane. Using Spotted Gum I think handplaning would be mighty difficult because it works like stone.  Another technique I've used before is sawing accurately to depth cuts to define the foil. These are a guide to shaping the waste off. Cutting these on alternate sides provides accurate symmetry.  A third method used with plywood is to simply sand to reveal sequential layers of ply,at various depths. This looks super cool and is accurate because you can gauge the depth quite easily.  The windvane basically comprises four parts: the Pendulum (servo rudder), the Trunk (main body), Outrigger (holds the sail up) and the Vane or sail. After completing the foil shape  the Rudder is mounted on the Trunk using a gudgeon and pintle arrangement.  28 Mar:  Foil shaping the rudder was completed overnight. The Spotted...

On a Facebook site recently a very large yacht was photographed hard aground. What was unusual was that everything was otherwise fine; sails neatly furled, anchor stowed, rig and hull all neat. The vessel looked well kept except that she was parked halfway up a rocky shore. A little odd.  What was interesting was the outpouring of sympathy for the skipper. Some fool dared to question why the anchor had not been deployed, and got swamped by well wishers, pals of the skipper. Buy I was left wondering that there were many ways the beautiful sailing boat could have been, that hadn't been tried.  Fastforward a day or so and a podcast I follow Offshore Sailing and Cruising with Paul Trammel interviewed Ronnie Simpson. Ronnie had just been rescued from his around the world solo non-stop sail boat after she broke up. Throughout the discussion, Ronnie described how "worn out" his boat was from previous challenges and how, in Australia, he had doubted he could complete ...

Skip to content Jester Challenge A modern experiment in old-fashioned self-reliance, self sufficiency, and personal responsibility. Challenge Guidelines The Jester Challenge is not an ocean race. It is a personal challenge for those who wish to test their self-reliance and offshore seamanship, sailing singlehanded in modestly-sized boats. There are no prizes except the satisfaction of having achieved a demanding personal goal. The Jester Challenge is run on a ‘gentlemanly basis’ within the following guidelines: for sailing vessels between 20 and 30 feet (including multi-hulls). for skippers who are over the age of 18 on the start date of the event. human power is the only acceptable alternative propulsion to that of the wind: rowing, kedging or clubhauling, for instance, are permissible. single-handed. one way. stops allowed, but skippers must take personal responsibility for adhering to any entry and departure regulations wherever they stop. no time limit. engines may be fitted but on...

A lovely few hours was spent on JS on Wednesday afternoon. The weather had been ordinary elsewhere but here at Clareville Beach the southerly flow was cast aloft by the surrounding hills, trees and multimillion dollar homes. There were a few sailboats about. May be its the Wednesday evening races? It didn't look busy enough though I did see an old gaffer with six sailors standing on deck as she motored through moored craft at a decent clip. Odd that was. The rudder head was measured for windvane mounting.     On board I replaced another chain plate which makes the boat feel better, stronger, under my feet. When checking the sails to do a hank audit, the first grab to move the headsail saw it rip to touch. Oops! Put "repair sail" on the list and Google "secondhand headsail for sake". The other headsail was obviously the one that had been furled on the foredeck for some time. It was sun stained and also brittle with age.  Anyway it needed 8 hanks @ $3....

While singlehanding an engineless Folkboat from Pittwater to Port Stephens in calm conditions I experienced hallucinations. (In ideal conditions this 80 mile hop can be sailed overnight, but in a calm with no engine it took us four days.) I saw something larger than the Captain of the Pinta, a whole island. As an obedient and prudent skipper I avoided the island, even though I knew it didn't exist. At times I berated myself for being stupid, but all the while tried to avoid running aground. Weird! Luckily I was able to develop a resolution that was agreeable to both sides of my brain: I would steer around the imaginary island, only a little off course, just in case.  From this experience I learned a valuable lesson; that fatigue due to lack of  sleep and sun exposure, can steal away your judgemt st sea. Its odd that although singlehanders experience hallucinations, its rarely offered up to explain mysterious events and disappearances at sea.  I'm definitely taking steps t...

if I scrub the sound of a cat vomiting, today's waking sounds were thunder and later, torrential rain.  It occurs that a seat belt, life insurance, a crumple zone or body guard will not protect you from lightning strike. Nature is a great leveller .  my garden during this storm Watching " Wayne's Diaries ", I see a fellow sailing make do craft; a shantyboat with  softwood & plastic sheet canopy, a small sailboat with an old outboard. He speaks of living simply & cheaply, but most of all having "big" adventures, ones that cover long distances & take weeks & months. The trick seems to be to place great importance in the integrity of hull & engine/sail rig. The rest must be shaggy, recycled & clunky, the sailor must be weatherwise, cautious. For, are not the prospects of days held up in a remote & safe haven, reading & drinking coffee, the highlight? Good day to you.  

ELUSION, better E LUSIVE (active verb).