By Web Captain on
9/7/2010 10:45 AM
Caraway has always had a fixed VHF radio mounted on the port side to the left of the galley and above the entrance to the quarter berth. It was properly installed and has never let me down. The antenna is a Metz Manta 6 and has remained firmly attached to the very top of the mast in all weathers for at least 17 years! The antenna is not particularly expensive to replace and thus since I had noticed the plastic top cover had disintegrated and the bolt that fixes it to the bracket had rusted solid I decided it was a good idea to take it off and have it serviced or replaced.
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By Web Captain on
8/22/2010 10:23 PM
A 14 year old Dutch school girl has set sail on a circumnavigation attempt in a 26 foot boat after winning a court battle with social services trying to prevent her departure . http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11048130
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By Web Captain on
8/20/2010 12:41 PM
From time to time when I pressed the Yanmar 1gm 10 start button I could hear the starter motor click and nothing happened. If I tried again the starter kicked in and the Yanmar started as normal. I knew the starter motor needed overhaul or replacement but I had been procrastinating it. But with the boat back in the water in the solent I decided that I didn’t want to risk the starter failing as it eventually would at the time when I needed it most. So, I had did some research and found that there are some third party starter motors that will fit the Yanmar 1gm 10. For example: http://www.amazon.com/STARTER-HITACHI-YANMAR-S114-303-128170-77010/dp/B003PL7X1A
I then noticed that the above starter fits 1gm, 2gm and 3gm. So I realised that the starter is the same for all these engines. I didn’t want to have to pay over £300 for a new Yanmar one but I had decided I wanted a new one if I could find one at a reasonable price. Enter Ebay. Amazingly I was lucky and found a brand new unused starter motor from...
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By Web Captain on
8/5/2010 10:50 PM
Well I decided to buy a small kayak trolley and go overland to the boat across the marsh. This is practical in the summer but impossible in the winter. In the summer the fields are dry and accessible but during the winter the marsh becomes impassable. I’m also probably not going to keep the boat on her mooring over the winter because it’s just not secure enough from flooding and river debris such as trees and other boats..
The trolley worked quite well and did the job fine. The only problem was the locked gate to the final field to keep the cows and horses in. I had to remove the folding boat and lift it over the fence. Still, it’s good exercise and better for the environment than getting in the car and driving to the dinghy park. Cheaper too..
Arrival at Caraway with “Carawee” on her trolley with oars.
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By Web Captain on
8/3/2010 3:48 PM
Splicing is not something I do very often although I can splice both yacht braid and three strand if I put my mind to it. I needed to make up some new mooring warps for Caraway with proper spliced-in thimbles. I bought the rope and stuff and made a start. But could I remember how to get started with the splice? Well, it has been a while so I messed about until I got it right and then the rest of the splice was easy. It’s always the first bit that confuses me. I can never remember how to do it but I can always get there by trial and error. Once the three strands are in the correct positions then the splice is a doddle.
But I was getting frustrated with trial and error so I did a search on YouTube and came across this excellent little example.
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By Web Captain on
8/3/2010 7:29 AM
After giving Caraway a copper bottom and new rigging it was finally time to get her back in the water. The guys at Rossiters did a great job and we were back in with the mast up and sitting on our new mooring by midday. It was a big relief to work with such careful and competent guys and much much easier with three pairs of hands. Thankfully also John Lack who replaced all the rigging and bottle screws for me did a great job too and all the new rigging was the correct length.
Up she goes.
Up up and away!
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By Web Captain on
7/23/2010 6:09 PM
Well I intended to paint the top sides this summer but since the yard only paint by hand and Caraway has grooves in her hull to make her look like a wooden boat we decided she needed to go to another yard and be sprayed. That and the cost of the job decided it for me. She would have to wait for a paint job and I’d do bottom instead.
Removing the anti-foul was a hell of a job with a hot air gun and scraper but it wasn’t as bad as sanding her smooth. I am delighted to report that her hull is bone dry with no signs of osmosis/blistering. She had originally been treated with three coats of a grey epoxy barrier before the anti-foul went on and much of this came off during the stripping process. CopperCoat can be applied over most epoxy barriers but I tested an area first to make sure they were compatible before I started in earnest. The CopperCoat was applied by myself in one continuous go (four coats all over) and then she was lifted and I did the bits hidden by the supports and under the keel.
She...
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By Web Captain on
7/6/2010 7:59 PM
Being in charge of an expanding web site and database of Flickas I have come to realise that good images of boats under sail are hard to find. Now this is fair enough because photographing your own boat requires another boat with a photographer on board. I can accept this as a difficult problem to overcome but what I find more difficult to comprehend is that many Flicka owners are sending me images of their boats that are out of focus, badly lit and clearly some way out of date.
In this age of cheap digital cameras and phones that take pictures it is a shame not have have plenty of bright clear and colourful pictures to work with. I am a firm believer that a picture is worth a thousand words.
So, if you are selling a boat you will get the prospective buyer a lot more excited and impressed if you are able to provide well composed and executed images. I don't wish to offend or patronise anybody but I hope that a few simple tips might encourage a few sailors to start taking much improved images of...
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By Web Captain on
6/5/2010 3:12 PM
Well, my poor little boat has been a bit neglected since we bought the house in Dorset. Having a severe winter didn’t really help either.
Caraway has been sat forlornly under a tree gathering leaves, twigs, spiders and mould while I’ve been busy decorating bedrooms, painting kitchen cupboards and fretting over web sites and invoices.
But now that the weather has cheered up and I have a few spare weeks before the next project it’s time to crack on and get Caraway ready for the water again.
The sun has been shining, cricket is on the radio, the world cup is just about to begin and Christchurch is looking beautiful. Perfect circumstances for getting down the yard and doing some boat work.
For the winter Caraway has been propped up and trapped in by dozens of other boats and some trees. So the first thing to do was take off all her covers and wash her down completely. So I spent an entire day cleaning off the filth, washing the covers and ropes (which I’d stored in the garage and shamefully...
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By Web Captain on
5/11/2010 4:03 PM
Caraway’s old Origo was getting a bit tatty after 18 years abuse. If she’d only be used lightly it might have been in better shape but I lived on board for a few years and our cruising trips were usually 2-3 months or more. The stove did it’s just well but was starting to show it’s age. The mesh on the burners was corroded away. The top hinge was broken and the slider buttons had melted and the slider mechanisms become very stiff. The inner base was looking very corroded and dirty.
Origo discontinued the 4000 some time ago and replaced it with an electric combi. I didn’t much fancy paying £400 for one of these so I looked around for an alternative. There was nothing that could be fitted easily without a lot of work so I managed with what I had.
Finally Contoure starting making what is clearly a direct replacement for the Origo 4000, so I bought one. And a very nice stove it is too. I was able to remove the old stove and drop the new one into the aperture with no modifications at all which was a...
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By Web Captain on
5/8/2010 10:05 PM
I don’t know about you but I like looking at pictures on a blog, so here’s a few more from last years Italian cruise…
We headed out from Cannes as soon as Nina’s lost luggage turned up (we had to wait three days and Nina had no clean clothes!)
Since the weather was calm we anchored between the islands off Cannes. It wasn’t too busy for a change. And not too hot either.
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By Web Captain on
4/30/2010 12:55 PM
For some time I’ve been intrigued by another boat that Bruce Bingham designed; the Anastasia. However, information on the boat is elusive and I’ve not been able to find anything more about her since somebody sent in old some images of one under construction.
But the power of web search has brought together a few interested parties to the blog where comments and questions have arisen about this boat. Then, one came up for sale so I sent the owner an email and asked if he would like me to post some pics of her on my blog. He sent me the following images of s/v Minaret:
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By Web Captain on
3/8/2010 5:35 PM
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By Web Captain on
2/5/2010 9:49 AM
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By Web Captain on
1/23/2010 5:42 PM
Now that we seem to have finally turned the corner of winter and the days are drawing out a little I’m starting to look forward to working on my boat and using my new garage as a workshop. As soon as I have cleared out the junk and draught proofed the door I intend to build myself a work bench where I can carry out wood working projects for my Flicka. I’ve never much liked working on the dockside without a proper bench to work on. I do have a small plastic vice which is surprisingly effective when clamped to the table in my Flicka. However, handling sheets of plywood, using a router or planing a piece of timber is a challenge without a proper workshop.
So, I first looked at various ready made benches for sale and found that these vary from the luxury top of the range hand built benches provided by Richard Mguire: http://www.rm-workbenches.co.uk/ to very cheap ‘noddy’ benches that look like childrens toys. Mr Maguires benches are very nice indeed and ideal if you have the cash and want something...
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By Web Captain on
11/26/2009 4:21 PM
It is during the long winter months that I usually start thinking about what can be improved, repaired or replaced on my boat for the coming season.
While I was in the Med water was a constant cruising issue. Firstly, the summer months could be very hot and with two persons on board we’d need to drink at least two litres each per day and often four. Add to that the need to shower off the salt water, cook and wash the Flicka water tank starts to become a very modest supply. We usually got around this problem by carrying one or more separate containers and lots of 2 litre bottles stuffed into every spare space. This worked for us but was a constant annoyance and made the process of filling up very time consuming. A friend of mine sent me a link to a product that provide a clever solution.
Waterborn v-berth flexible water tank
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By Web Captain on
11/14/2009 7:26 PM
Just came across a post about Bill Crealock
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By Web Captain on
11/2/2009 5:29 PM
Flicka "Nomad" battles to windward and the safety of harbour...
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By Web Captain on
9/26/2009 8:15 AM
I finally got my host providers to upgrade the content management system I use to run this site. The upgrade happened fairly cleanly with just a few visible problems to iron out. Of course, more issues may come to light but I hope they won’t be serious. We are now running Dotnetnuke 4.9.5. Please let me know if you run into any issues. Thanks, Gus
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By Web Captain on
9/22/2009 2:42 PM
How fortunate I am to have a partner who works in Minorca for two months of the year! I’m even more fortunate that I’m encouraged to stay with her while she’s there. Oh, woe is life!
But this is the first year we’ve not arrived by Flicka and a very different experience it’s been too. I’ve been free of the worries of having a boat on a mooring at the bottom end of what can be a very squally bay. I’ve also been free of the slow burning fear of having the crossing back to France hanging over me for the last week or two.
But, I’ve missed having my little boat there waiting for me on a mooring just a short row from the shore. I’ve missed pottering about on board fixing things and installing stuff. I’ve missed those mellow days when I’d sail off the mooring and go for a gentle meander out of the bay and then sail back and pick up the mooring and be home in time for lunch.
Perhaps more than anything though, I’ll miss the challenge of crossing the Gulf of Lyons in October and the satisfaction of...
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By Web Captain on
9/16/2009 8:39 AM
It’s been a few years since I abandoned film and bought a digital camera. I sold my old Leica M cameras and lenses on Ebay as Leica was so behind the digital age at that time that I decided to sell them while I could. In that time I’ve stuggled with digital and never been completely satisfied with the results or the cameras.
The problem is that most digital cameras that create digital files that are of the highest quality (i.e. good enough to sell) are huge. There have been no serious digital compacts on the market from any manufacturer which is a huge problem. Leica did produce the M8 but it was a cludge and I’m glad I never bought one.
But on the 9th September 2009 Leica announced the M9. Finally, we have a camera that is a true Leica M and has a full frame digital sensor. This makes it as good as, if not better (given the quality of Leica M lenses) as the top end Nikon and Canon SLR’s.
For this reason I’m beginning to wish I’d held on to my old Leica M lenses as these have held their...
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By Web Captain on
9/1/2009 10:36 AM
To my relief the journey ‘home’ went very smoothly and Caraway was lifted off the trailer and chocked up on a patch of grass at Rossiters yard in Christchurch. Just a 30 minute walk from our new house. Rossiters is a friendly yard with a lot of interesting history. Unlike most ports I’ve been at in the Med, Rossiters has a tradition of boat building. They are famous for their Pintail and Curlew yachts and more recently for building ocean going rowing boats. It’s a real nice thing to be back amongst real boat people and away from the Play-Boys of the Rivierra. This yard represents everything I love above boat yards and that which is so often missing in the glossy Med. An assortment of old boats in various states of repair & disrepair, piles of bits of wood, boxes of boat bits, machinery and people busy at work or standing around discussing boats. As I was pottering about a man said to me in passing, “think it’ll turn out brighter later?”. Yes, I said, optimistically only for it to rain heavily within the hour.. ...
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By Web Captain on
8/21/2009 5:53 PM
Well. wonders will never cease.. all my arrangements to get Caraway back to the UK came together like a dream! I even managed with my sketchy French to book the crane on the right day. The crane operator even turned up at the right time and the haulage company were there and did a very professional job. I found Dave Wolff Boat Transportation who amazingly came all the way from the UK, collected the boat and delivered her to Christchurch for £2000! I can’t recommend...
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By Web Captain on
8/3/2009 12:47 PM
I didn’t get the bug for photography on this trip. I was a little pre-occupied with trying to unwind while at the same time being tormented by Barclays bank and their unbelievable incompetence regarding a simple letter of consent on my flat sale. It’s a long and very boring story and suffice to say it pains me to read that Barclays are set to announce £3bn profits. Well, you don’t have to be a genius to work out how they made those profits… It’s fairly evident to anyone with a bank account that banks have robbed more people than people have robbed banks. Barclays, never again.. and someone remind me next time not to go on holiday while trying to sell a house..
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By Web Captain on
7/29/2009 1:31 PM
I am now facing a big back-log of emails to read and reply to and a lot of work related problems and tasks to try and understand and fix so work on the Flicka site will be on the back burner for now.
We had a super cruise on the Italian coast which was lovely but difficult at times. Italy is not set up for cruising sailors in the way that France is. There is often no effort made to cater for passing small yachts. And it seems the Italians do no cruise as much as the French by any means. Often it is just weekenders and day sailors out there. Anchorages are often empty by nightfall which is rare in France. Finding the internet in Italian marinas is practically impossible so my intention to blog regularly on route was scuppered from day one. Marinas were often absurdly over-priced. For example, we paid one fee of €62 at Rapallo, two around €40 and many at €20-30. In each of these places there was nothing to warrant the price and often less for the money than at other cheaper places. For example, at Rapallo...
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By Web Captain on
7/22/2009 10:19 PM
Back in French waters
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By Web Captain on
6/26/2009 11:24 AM
Well it's nearly time. We fly out to Nice on Tuesday..
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By Web Captain on
6/13/2009 8:12 AM
Snookums is off!
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By Web Captain on
5/31/2009 12:32 PM
I guess at some point I had to face up to it but it's hard to turn back once you've embarked on a new and better life.. But, I need to work for a while and get some cash together. That means a lot less sailing this year than usual. Boats and their maintenance are not cheap and even a small boat like a Flicka can leave you with crippling costs. Since my long term goal is to bring the Caraway back to the UK and have a base on the south coast with the boat nearby I've been looking at berthing fees in Lymington and around. And I'm horrified at what I'm finding.. Not only are there waiting lists for berths at most popular marinas the fees are generally higher than those in the Med and in some cases, much higher.
Without doing some detailed research I can’t say if the UK is more pricey than the Med. But looking at Lymington and Poole marinas its definitely a lot more expensive. Lymington would cost me nearly £4000 per annum for a 25 foot (minimum length) boat! And that's if I am lucky enough to get a berth....
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By Web Captain on
5/11/2009 4:37 AM
well.. here I am back in Blighty after the gruelling drive from Chamonix all the way to Calais, a bumpy ferry packed with boozing Brits to Dover and another 100 mile drive up to Guildford. It makes for a very long and tiring day and one which I always dread.. But needs must be and since I’m selling my flat in Balham after 16 years living there on and off I have a lot of work to do clearing out the loft and furniture.
The Caraway is settled in Cannes and I’m catching up with jobs and paper work and property issues.. Will I ever get sailing this season?
I couldn’t sleep so here I am at 4am listening to the dawn chorus. Believe me there is one in Balham and very raucous those blackbirds are too!
I’ve found a little time to do some work on the Flicka database. So this morning I’ve updated Motu with some extra details and added Papillon. I’ve come across some frustrating bug that won’t let me update some of the html content but I’m hoping to schedule in an system upgrade which I hope will fix...
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By Web Captain on
5/3/2009 2:07 PM
For a while I’ve been trying to find the best way to polish up the gel coat on my old Flicka, Caraway. She hasn’t been polished and maintained properly since new. However, the gel coat is thick and can be polished up with the right tools. I’ve tried various products and a lot of elbow grease in the past but never succeeded in getting that glossy shine back. But a friend of mine recently invested in a Meguiars polishing machine and had a quick go on Caraway with some 3m Fast Cut Plus. The results were amazing, the shine came back out very quickly and soon looked like new!
Feeling encourage I decided I needed the machine myself so I went and bought...
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By Web Captain on
5/1/2009 1:36 PM
Creating a blog is very simple and you should not be intimidated if you are not entirely comfortable with computers. If you can rig a Flicka you should find this easy. Here are some basic instructions.
Register with the Flicka 20 site Go to the Blog page and click 'Create blog'. Fill in the settings to set up the blog as you want it. Most of this should be self explanatory. Just ignore any settings you don't understand. The system will choose defaults.
Download Windows Live Writer 2009. Windows Live Writer (WLW) is a Windows application that enables you to write blogs offline on your PC and upload them to the site without having to go to the site and use the online editing tools. This is much faster and easier, especially where it comes to adding and arranging content such as images. You can also write the post offline and then upload later. Better for us sailors.
WLW is very easy to use and if you can use Word you should have no trouble. Download it here:-
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By Web Captain on
4/30/2009 9:40 AM
Great. Hopefully I'll soon be able to get others blogging with Windows Live Writer.
Now to test some images.
I just got back from a trip down to the south of France to move Caraway from Port Cogolin to Cannes. I will be very busy over the coming months and don't see myself finding time to go sailing. I decided to move her to Cannes to save money as it's cheaper than many other ports on the south of France. I'll also be able to get to her much easier. Public transport is pathetic on the Cote d'Azure but Cannes is the exception with regular buses and trains from Nice. I'm lucky enough to have friends who live nearby and can check on her when they're in Cannes.
As we live in Chamonix which is a 6-7 hour drive from the bay of St Tropez we had to study the weather carefully for several days before committing to the trip.
We drove down on Sunday and spent the evening with friends before retiring to sleep on the boat. We then spent the next morning preparing to sail.
In the afternoon...
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By Web Captain on
4/30/2009 9:21 AM
I'm not the only one who finds it a struggle to work with the blog system on the Flicka site. So, since I have some blogging to do and a little spare time I decided to: - Upgrade the site blogging software to the latest version. This fixes a number of bugs and *crucially* now provides the functionality to use
Windows Live Writer to blog. WLW is a tool that works a bit like MS Word on the desktop but allows you to publish the results direct to your web blog. This means you can blog offline and use all the WYSIWIG features to add images and tables etc. Working online in the web editor is painful at the best of times. And just you try it on a boat with a crappy connection or dial-up. - Set up and test the above.
Hopefully, I'll soon be able to get other Flicka owners blogging away in the comfort of their desktops without the usual problems of layout and image upload..
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By Web Captain on
4/18/2009 2:39 PM
Caraway get's a rudder stock cover to protect her varnished teak cheeks at last..
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By Web Captain on
4/10/2009 10:08 AM
Because she's worth it!
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By Web Captain on
4/5/2009 8:15 AM
Bruce Bingham Wins 28th Annual Michelob Cup
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By Web Captain on
3/24/2009 3:09 PM
Not many people know this.. I didn't.. but Bruce Bingham also designed a lovely 32 footer called the Anastasia which was in production by Nor'Star.
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By Web Captain on
3/8/2009 10:09 AM
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By Web Captain on
1/21/2009 7:35 PM
Whale gusher
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