http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2014/10/20/4110627.htm
The author.
The book.
Saturday, December 30, 2017
A J MacKinnon The Unlikely Voyage of Jack de Crow
What a fantastic joy it was to discover this morning a interview with A J 'Sandy' MacKinnon, author of "The Unlikely Voyage of Jack de Crow" at the following address:-
http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2014/10/20/4110627.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2014/10/20/4110627.htm
Monday, December 25, 2017
Sydney to Hobart yacht race
At 0830 hrs today always skippers gathered for the pre-race briefing and a weather report of 10 knot ESE for the race start.
As usual the media are predicting the fastest time record will be broken ... their favourite is "Comanchie".
For the frugal Mirror dinghy cruiser this race represents greed and the gaudiness of extreme wealth which should never be counternanced. My hope is that next year my TINK with pirate flag aloft will be among the spectator craft firing whitty barbs at all the Fat Cats and striking a blow for modesty and class.
As usual the media are predicting the fastest time record will be broken ... their favourite is "Comanchie".
For the frugal Mirror dinghy cruiser this race represents greed and the gaudiness of extreme wealth which should never be counternanced. My hope is that next year my TINK with pirate flag aloft will be among the spectator craft firing whitty barbs at all the Fat Cats and striking a blow for modesty and class.
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas to all friends of the Mirror dinghy!
Photo: "Jack de Crow" book cover. :)
Saturday, December 23, 2017
Tiny Boat, Tiny Refit.
A few weeks into a cosmetic refit of my Mirror dinghy 'Tink'. I have fitted screw hatches to the buoyancy tanks, but mostly, I've just painted the hull (black) and deck (grey). Apart from grinding out any cracks and fissures in the paintwork and filling them with epoxy, it's been pretty straightforward, and rewarding.
Having spent recent decades owning and maintaining larger sailing craft, I find that work on a dinghy is actually very enjoyable, by the time you get started the job's done. Today, without much effort I managed to paint the hull, centralised and tiller assembly. The latter needing to be dismantled and put back together afterwards. Owning a cruising dinghy is s totally enjoyable experience.
Having spent recent decades owning and maintaining larger sailing craft, I find that work on a dinghy is actually very enjoyable, by the time you get started the job's done. Today, without much effort I managed to paint the hull, centralised and tiller assembly. The latter needing to be dismantled and put back together afterwards. Owning a cruising dinghy is s totally enjoyable experience.
Thursday, December 21, 2017
Want a Cheap Cruiser? Look Into the Mirror.
Well, it's been a few weeks since I bought my first ever Mirror dinghy and I've had a chance to check her out more closely and complete a few small jobs.
Fortunately no major faults have been discovered, in fact no significant repairs have been required at all. That's pretty good for a two hundred dollar sailboat. So, if you're contemplating getting g into dinghy cruising, or are an experienced sailor on tough financial Times, or without energy to maintain a yacht, you may do well to look into the Mirror.
What strikes me is how simple and manageable the Mirror is; you need to move it about then just do it, no need to hook up a tow vehicle or winch. Rigging up is an easy one-person operation, and the Gunter rig looks really traditional, while being functional. A note to the newbie, is that all three spars (mast, boom and yard), all stow neatly within the confines of the boat for trailer in and storage. The only future modification will be to add reef points to the mainsail.
Before Christmas I have been going around checking for little cracks in the paintwork, then gouging these out, sealing with epoxy resin ( better adhesion than polyester resin), filling with gelcoat repair, sanding and priming with International primer. My Mirror had been making freshwater in the stern buoyancy and after repairing two very small cracks in the paintwork the problem has been solved.
One modification I have made is fitting inspection ports to the bow and stern buoyancy tanks. Not required, mind but I think functional as they provide access for maintenance and repairs, room for storage and allow those compartments to breath.
Heavier bow fittings, new trailer lights and paint are really the only other jobs done or underway and the most pleasant aspects of Mirror ownership is that all work is cheap to undertake, quite easy and very quick. As soon as this soggy weather eases, I will paint the decks and then look at getting wet.
Fortunately no major faults have been discovered, in fact no significant repairs have been required at all. That's pretty good for a two hundred dollar sailboat. So, if you're contemplating getting g into dinghy cruising, or are an experienced sailor on tough financial Times, or without energy to maintain a yacht, you may do well to look into the Mirror.
What strikes me is how simple and manageable the Mirror is; you need to move it about then just do it, no need to hook up a tow vehicle or winch. Rigging up is an easy one-person operation, and the Gunter rig looks really traditional, while being functional. A note to the newbie, is that all three spars (mast, boom and yard), all stow neatly within the confines of the boat for trailer in and storage. The only future modification will be to add reef points to the mainsail.
Before Christmas I have been going around checking for little cracks in the paintwork, then gouging these out, sealing with epoxy resin ( better adhesion than polyester resin), filling with gelcoat repair, sanding and priming with International primer. My Mirror had been making freshwater in the stern buoyancy and after repairing two very small cracks in the paintwork the problem has been solved.
One modification I have made is fitting inspection ports to the bow and stern buoyancy tanks. Not required, mind but I think functional as they provide access for maintenance and repairs, room for storage and allow those compartments to breath.
Heavier bow fittings, new trailer lights and paint are really the only other jobs done or underway and the most pleasant aspects of Mirror ownership is that all work is cheap to undertake, quite easy and very quick. As soon as this soggy weather eases, I will paint the decks and then look at getting wet.
Saturday, December 2, 2017
I Buy a Mirror Dinghy
I had been chasing the previous owner by text and had just about given up when I got another text providing his address and a promise of all-weekend availability. Great, I thought, that just leaves the unregistered trailer issue and being the weekend no inspection stations would be open so that would mean going to a "Service NSW" office and buying an unregistered vehicle permit.
Arriving at the property, I noticed two things; an uncovered Mirror dinghy sitting markedly in the front garden and, the house had no garage. This raised the chances of said dinghy having rot from pooling water. Then I discovered that Tim was not home and my visit was unexpected; hence the task of flogging the dinghy fell upon the wife. A pleasant person, she felt most comfortable talking up the pressure they'd had sailing as a family before they went away and asked me about my obvious sailing experiences. All very upbeat, but as a poor buyer of this neglected craft, S was intent on drawing out a more pessimistic line in order to talk the price down. I pointed out its sore general condition from various angles (mostly the unregistered trailer),while she kept asserting "well it's a good dry boat. It never leaks". Just about then I innocently removed the rubber bung from the stern buoyancy and out gushed 6 litres of tea coloured water. She muttered "Oh Tim" through gritted teeth and said "what now?" Good question, I may wish I walked away, but it felt solid and it needed someone to resurrect it from this dinghy hellhole. Silence. She says "how about a couple of hundred?" so we did the deal. At least I could afford a sheet of 6mm marine ply if I needed it. I did want to stay and listen to her greeting of Tim when she saw him next, but I had a trailer to register, and then the fun began!
Arriving at the property, I noticed two things; an uncovered Mirror dinghy sitting markedly in the front garden and, the house had no garage. This raised the chances of said dinghy having rot from pooling water. Then I discovered that Tim was not home and my visit was unexpected; hence the task of flogging the dinghy fell upon the wife. A pleasant person, she felt most comfortable talking up the pressure they'd had sailing as a family before they went away and asked me about my obvious sailing experiences. All very upbeat, but as a poor buyer of this neglected craft, S was intent on drawing out a more pessimistic line in order to talk the price down. I pointed out its sore general condition from various angles (mostly the unregistered trailer),while she kept asserting "well it's a good dry boat. It never leaks". Just about then I innocently removed the rubber bung from the stern buoyancy and out gushed 6 litres of tea coloured water. She muttered "Oh Tim" through gritted teeth and said "what now?" Good question, I may wish I walked away, but it felt solid and it needed someone to resurrect it from this dinghy hellhole. Silence. She says "how about a couple of hundred?" so we did the deal. At least I could afford a sheet of 6mm marine ply if I needed it. I did want to stay and listen to her greeting of Tim when she saw him next, but I had a trailer to register, and then the fun began!
Mirror Dinghy
There are many obvious repairs and adjustments to be made to boat and trailer. Apparently the boat was imported from South Australia many years ago (?) and the trailer has never been registered in NSW. She is unmanned so that's good, I'm thinking of the Norse, "Laguz", something about flowing water energy.
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