The next event also involves a famous person, but I never got to speak with him.
I was with my daughter at a horse tack shop, sheltering from the heat in the car park.
Across the fat side off the shop I noticed a very tall older blonde haired woman. She was talking loudly with a strange English accent, and was obviously comfortable with herself; loud and proud.
The fellow with her seemed older, but equally flamboyant. He was wearing cherry red trousers and a while collared shirt, and although he was more reserved, his voice had a deep sonorous tone. I guessed he was a great theatre person sought off. But not being one to pry or gawk, I kept my distance, and have them their space.
Then I heard her ask: "Anything you want?". To which our man said simply and sonorous: "A belt" and they began walking in my general direction.
Then I noticed the fringe. There's only one fringe like that, I'd recognise it anywhere. Even though it was greyed.
I caught a glimpse of his face, I don't believe it. In a bloody horse shop near Newcastle!
Then the woman approached. As I go as need around, our man was struggling with old age and excess weight loss to string a belt, and he glared at me as off to say "it will happen to you too one day chum".
The woman says:" how are you going Barry?" Confirming that it was, behind doubt, none other than Sir Barry Humphries aka Dame Edna Evridge or Sir Les Paterson.
Tuesday, January 21, 2020
Event 1: Famous Cyclist
Well, the weather crisis here is playing havoc with even my modest sailing plans. It's just too hot basically and the threat of bushfires means that when I'm not sheltering (inside or the beach), I'm working to make the property safe.
So, after the following meeting, i thought it might be good to make a weekly post about someone I meet, or a significant event in my non-sailing life.
Anyway, during the week following New Year's, I think it was my birthday, I met an interesting guy at the beach. I had a long swim in the sea and was feeling energised and liberated, and heading towards the shower I saw a guy ťying of this gear to a bicycle. I first noticed he has a long limber monkey lashed astern like it was hanging on. Not your average bear! I checked about and then I noticed that the frame was littered with tiny storage compartments made of canvas or Kevlar. But the thing is, it has this grime about it, like it was heavily used, but not neglected.
The guy gave me a modest smile as I commented on his monkey, "that's Udo" he said. I just smiled. But after my open air shower my curiosity peaked:
"Do you ride a long way?" I asked .
He said: "Yes, I hope to cycle around the world". He then went on to say "across America, Europe, Asia, China, now Australia and then New Zealand".
I said: "wow! You're nearly home".
He thought that was a great laugh. " I ride to Melbourne. Then fly to Auckland in two weeks and after that Hawaii. "
I am like wow this is ago amazing. Here we are on a crowded beach and we have a guy who's ridden a push bike almost around the world, and nobody knows anything.
He modestly explained that he rode alone and unsupported. He travels light, buying food as he needs to eat, and apparently stays in motels.
His favorite place was Jordan.
So, there you go. It's a bit like " you had to be there", but I thought it was amazing. The only person I have conversed with outside or work or family, for weeks, and he's an ATW cyclist!
I didn't even get his name, so I call him Duo, but pronounce it " You Do".
So, after the following meeting, i thought it might be good to make a weekly post about someone I meet, or a significant event in my non-sailing life.
Anyway, during the week following New Year's, I think it was my birthday, I met an interesting guy at the beach. I had a long swim in the sea and was feeling energised and liberated, and heading towards the shower I saw a guy ťying of this gear to a bicycle. I first noticed he has a long limber monkey lashed astern like it was hanging on. Not your average bear! I checked about and then I noticed that the frame was littered with tiny storage compartments made of canvas or Kevlar. But the thing is, it has this grime about it, like it was heavily used, but not neglected.
The guy gave me a modest smile as I commented on his monkey, "that's Udo" he said. I just smiled. But after my open air shower my curiosity peaked:
"Do you ride a long way?" I asked .
He said: "Yes, I hope to cycle around the world". He then went on to say "across America, Europe, Asia, China, now Australia and then New Zealand".
I said: "wow! You're nearly home".
He thought that was a great laugh. " I ride to Melbourne. Then fly to Auckland in two weeks and after that Hawaii. "
I am like wow this is ago amazing. Here we are on a crowded beach and we have a guy who's ridden a push bike almost around the world, and nobody knows anything.
He modestly explained that he rode alone and unsupported. He travels light, buying food as he needs to eat, and apparently stays in motels.
His favorite place was Jordan.
So, there you go. It's a bit like " you had to be there", but I thought it was amazing. The only person I have conversed with outside or work or family, for weeks, and he's an ATW cyclist!
I didn't even get his name, so I call him Duo, but pronounce it " You Do".
Sunday, January 12, 2020
Two Loves Tie Me in Knots
Too much time thinking by yesterday, it being the last Sunday before I return to regular work for the year. Well as regular as I chose.
Anyway, it's my blog... there were three events: I realised my love off sailing is actually two loves, I cleaned out Misty my Hunter 19 trailer sailed and revisited Sven Yrvind's blog.
My love affair with two different types puff sailing. Well I am expressing that way and I think it may be uniquly me. It seemed to understand my Boat Confusion Status. That status has paralysed me, I begin dreaming of a path in sailing and convince myself that "this is it", the answer to my boating dream. It could be a build of a coastal capable sailing boat with shoal water potential, or a shanty boat or a push to modify my trailer sailed to go Bluewater voyaging.
What typically happens is that great energy it's expended in a certain project, only for my focus to wander into a new project. I find it very frustrating, not the least because it's timbre consuming and disheartening. Then, yesterday I had thirds breakthrough in understanding what could be going on, two loves are tangling my thoughts. One love is Bluewater sailing, the other is living aboard, crossing oceans vs being up a creek and throwing away the paddle. Now most people would think as I have; week the solution is to builda shoal draft bluewater boat. That has merit, put all my resources into one big project. But well, I don't have enough cash or the wherewithall to do that. I have people that are dependent on me to be locked in to my showcased life. I simply cannot sell up and move aboard, there is work, maintain a shed, horses to horse, feed and train, personal care duties to perform. The Pahi 26 and of the second hand Ferro cruising boats were boats that could take me there, and, in time my life course will change to favor thirds route, potentially. But I don't know for certain.
So, I need to break it down. One Bluewater boat, one kind off shanty boat. Two different boats, two different loves and lifestyles. My tastes are to have smaller boats to fit these bills, a tiny offshore sailboat like the tinny capsule boats, a Paradox or heavily modified production yacht and a more spacious way less swarthy boat like an old live aboard cruising yacht or house/shanty boat. But the trick I have to play with my head is, is to keep these interests separate. To not try, ad I have done in the pay, to conflate these two very different things.
Right art the moment I can resource a small Bluewater boat. My current and previous interests include:-
A Llayden Paradox, this design has weaknesses with regards to offshore capability re strength, watertightness, and self- righting ability. Sven Yrvind has identified with the Paradox and offers unique solutions with his Exlex build.
Larger Production yacht, well there are some affordable ones about , but they needs bucket of cash to make seaworthy ... and you still have a habit of ss fittings, flimsy rig, bad sail design for solo sailing. Roger D. Taylor offers solutions here with the Mingming projects.
More on melding these two later.
Anyway, it's my blog... there were three events: I realised my love off sailing is actually two loves, I cleaned out Misty my Hunter 19 trailer sailed and revisited Sven Yrvind's blog.
My love affair with two different types puff sailing. Well I am expressing that way and I think it may be uniquly me. It seemed to understand my Boat Confusion Status. That status has paralysed me, I begin dreaming of a path in sailing and convince myself that "this is it", the answer to my boating dream. It could be a build of a coastal capable sailing boat with shoal water potential, or a shanty boat or a push to modify my trailer sailed to go Bluewater voyaging.
What typically happens is that great energy it's expended in a certain project, only for my focus to wander into a new project. I find it very frustrating, not the least because it's timbre consuming and disheartening. Then, yesterday I had thirds breakthrough in understanding what could be going on, two loves are tangling my thoughts. One love is Bluewater sailing, the other is living aboard, crossing oceans vs being up a creek and throwing away the paddle. Now most people would think as I have; week the solution is to builda shoal draft bluewater boat. That has merit, put all my resources into one big project. But well, I don't have enough cash or the wherewithall to do that. I have people that are dependent on me to be locked in to my showcased life. I simply cannot sell up and move aboard, there is work, maintain a shed, horses to horse, feed and train, personal care duties to perform. The Pahi 26 and of the second hand Ferro cruising boats were boats that could take me there, and, in time my life course will change to favor thirds route, potentially. But I don't know for certain.
So, I need to break it down. One Bluewater boat, one kind off shanty boat. Two different boats, two different loves and lifestyles. My tastes are to have smaller boats to fit these bills, a tiny offshore sailboat like the tinny capsule boats, a Paradox or heavily modified production yacht and a more spacious way less swarthy boat like an old live aboard cruising yacht or house/shanty boat. But the trick I have to play with my head is, is to keep these interests separate. To not try, ad I have done in the pay, to conflate these two very different things.
Right art the moment I can resource a small Bluewater boat. My current and previous interests include:-
A Llayden Paradox, this design has weaknesses with regards to offshore capability re strength, watertightness, and self- righting ability. Sven Yrvind has identified with the Paradox and offers unique solutions with his Exlex build.
Larger Production yacht, well there are some affordable ones about , but they needs bucket of cash to make seaworthy ... and you still have a habit of ss fittings, flimsy rig, bad sail design for solo sailing. Roger D. Taylor offers solutions here with the Mingming projects.
More on melding these two later.
Sunday, January 5, 2020
Sea Keeping a Seawind 24 Catamaran
It's funny how some sailing stories get about. this morning, while perusing info I searched up on Seawind 24s, I found the following yarn:
"A bloke I was talking to told me a mate's soon and his girlfriend sailed a Seawind 24 from South Australia all the way up the east coast. living aboard and beach camping, they had so much fun they continued on to Indonesia and Sri Lanka I think".
Boat design.net/forum
A fellow in North America cruised the Caribbean for several months before living aboard for over a year with his partner. I read his blog.
This information, even the bits I know are true, are useful because I have confidence that a well handled Seawind 24 is capable of lengthy coastal passages and some ocean hopping. Apart from the Middle East and Red Sea sections, such capacity is enough to get one from here to Europe ... and beyond?
Ok the topic of fiddling in small cats, the known record held by Rory McDougal sailing a Tiki 21, Wharram designed cat with marginally less accommodation that the Seawind 24. Rory broke his trip up with a long, live ashore break in New Zealand, but it can be done.
My greatest safety concern with the Seawind 24 is capsize. There are only four things I can cling to here:-
a) the SW24 is considered "beamy" and "heavy" compared to other production cats.
b) the Tiki 21 had an increased sail plan, and while Wharram cats are conservatively rigged, 2 have capsized.
c) experience in the bank. Over the years I have aimed beach cats and was confident to fly a hull and avoid capsize. In any new boat, I would learn to sail her is all winds to get a firm grasp on her habits.
d) sailing conservatively at sea is my style. This means when making the decision to leave port, reefing and nursing the rig.
I hope that these factors, and good fortune with weather, would stand me in good stead. I imagine the difficult times would be during heavy weather, gusty conditions and under windvane steering.
I would try to emulate what Rory did during storms and heavy headwind conditions, to toss a parachute or sea anchor over the bow and wait it out. This is safer, in that it avoids sailing into the wind when the tipping moment id's greatest, conserves the rig and provides rest.
"A bloke I was talking to told me a mate's soon and his girlfriend sailed a Seawind 24 from South Australia all the way up the east coast. living aboard and beach camping, they had so much fun they continued on to Indonesia and Sri Lanka I think".
Boat design.net/forum
A fellow in North America cruised the Caribbean for several months before living aboard for over a year with his partner. I read his blog.
This information, even the bits I know are true, are useful because I have confidence that a well handled Seawind 24 is capable of lengthy coastal passages and some ocean hopping. Apart from the Middle East and Red Sea sections, such capacity is enough to get one from here to Europe ... and beyond?
Ok the topic of fiddling in small cats, the known record held by Rory McDougal sailing a Tiki 21, Wharram designed cat with marginally less accommodation that the Seawind 24. Rory broke his trip up with a long, live ashore break in New Zealand, but it can be done.
My greatest safety concern with the Seawind 24 is capsize. There are only four things I can cling to here:-
a) the SW24 is considered "beamy" and "heavy" compared to other production cats.
b) the Tiki 21 had an increased sail plan, and while Wharram cats are conservatively rigged, 2 have capsized.
c) experience in the bank. Over the years I have aimed beach cats and was confident to fly a hull and avoid capsize. In any new boat, I would learn to sail her is all winds to get a firm grasp on her habits.
d) sailing conservatively at sea is my style. This means when making the decision to leave port, reefing and nursing the rig.
I hope that these factors, and good fortune with weather, would stand me in good stead. I imagine the difficult times would be during heavy weather, gusty conditions and under windvane steering.
I would try to emulate what Rory did during storms and heavy headwind conditions, to toss a parachute or sea anchor over the bow and wait it out. This is safer, in that it avoids sailing into the wind when the tipping moment id's greatest, conserves the rig and provides rest.
Saturday, January 4, 2020
Meeting An Around the World Cyclist
Now I face an existential crisis. The nation puff my birth has entered Climate Crisis and while the Rest of the World offers sympathy and aid I want to tell them to save their alms because you will be next. Events in Australia being symptomatic of a world climate in revolt.
So, my children and I do a Climate Refugee thing and pack up and leave to avoid the heat away from the coast. We're talking 10 to 20 degrees difference and the option of soaking in the cool waters of the Pacific, and seeing boats. Just with my shoulder healing, sailing is off limits just now. The other day, my birthday actually, I met briefly with a remarkable and anonymous cyclist.
My children, daughter's boyfriend, niece and myself had been soaking in the sea and poking inn rock pools, really soaking up the experience. As the sun began dipping and hunger began biting we headed up for a cold shower, the open kind you typically sea on beach promenades where people gather to wash off sand and salt and often to chat lighthearted. While I was approaching the area and various people in states of undress, gear and clothing scattered about, I noticed Udo's Owner, standing off, quietly dusting of his feet, and packing his bicycle. A beautiful machine, sleek and decked out inn an array of very small storage pouches. Apart from a certain grimey look, it could have been a big standard commuter or weekend warrior mount. But the wear spoke off hard use, I approached Udo's Owner and asked off he'd ridden a long way. Her smiled and have a brief (modest) detail that he'd ridden from New York. At this point I got overwhelmed and asked about food (!he bought meals as he needed them and carried "very little"), he explained that he rode alone except for Duo the monkey strapped to his rear rack and flew from country to country.
I beckoned my daughter over: "He has ridden around the world". Udo's dad was opening up a bit and with a thick Spanish accent, but in good English he revealed that he'd ridden "America, across Europe, China's Middle East, China and I am riding to Melbourne".
I said " Oh, west about, you're nearly home?". He said:"Smiling, I go to New Zealand, then Hawaii. "
"Then across USA".
"I've done that, I rode across America and it was very boring".
He reluctantly revealed that he'd covered sixty five thousand kilometres. I just said "that's incredible". I was amazed, here we were on a on a crowded beach, and this totally casual guy was revealing details of a most amazing feats a gunman being can undertake. Pretty soon he would leave and only we would know. He, smiling and amazingly modest, finished packing, put on his shoes and left, but not before givng a smiling wave. I gazed, quite stunned as he rode away looking like he was off home after a 30k day ride.
So, my children and I do a Climate Refugee thing and pack up and leave to avoid the heat away from the coast. We're talking 10 to 20 degrees difference and the option of soaking in the cool waters of the Pacific, and seeing boats. Just with my shoulder healing, sailing is off limits just now. The other day, my birthday actually, I met briefly with a remarkable and anonymous cyclist.
My children, daughter's boyfriend, niece and myself had been soaking in the sea and poking inn rock pools, really soaking up the experience. As the sun began dipping and hunger began biting we headed up for a cold shower, the open kind you typically sea on beach promenades where people gather to wash off sand and salt and often to chat lighthearted. While I was approaching the area and various people in states of undress, gear and clothing scattered about, I noticed Udo's Owner, standing off, quietly dusting of his feet, and packing his bicycle. A beautiful machine, sleek and decked out inn an array of very small storage pouches. Apart from a certain grimey look, it could have been a big standard commuter or weekend warrior mount. But the wear spoke off hard use, I approached Udo's Owner and asked off he'd ridden a long way. Her smiled and have a brief (modest) detail that he'd ridden from New York. At this point I got overwhelmed and asked about food (!he bought meals as he needed them and carried "very little"), he explained that he rode alone except for Duo the monkey strapped to his rear rack and flew from country to country.
I beckoned my daughter over: "He has ridden around the world". Udo's dad was opening up a bit and with a thick Spanish accent, but in good English he revealed that he'd ridden "America, across Europe, China's Middle East, China and I am riding to Melbourne".
I said " Oh, west about, you're nearly home?". He said:"Smiling, I go to New Zealand, then Hawaii. "
"Then across USA".
"I've done that, I rode across America and it was very boring".
He reluctantly revealed that he'd covered sixty five thousand kilometres. I just said "that's incredible". I was amazed, here we were on a on a crowded beach, and this totally casual guy was revealing details of a most amazing feats a gunman being can undertake. Pretty soon he would leave and only we would know. He, smiling and amazingly modest, finished packing, put on his shoes and left, but not before givng a smiling wave. I gazed, quite stunned as he rode away looking like he was off home after a 30k day ride.
Sunday, December 29, 2019
High summer
Australia is having it's hottest, driest, most fire prone summer on record. I also have an inflamed tendon in my shoulder limiting what I can do moving my arm, so very little Pahi 26 building. I believe I do have all the frames or bulkhead cutout and ready for sealing. Next stop, hull planking!
So yesterday with the heat climbing into the low 40's C, we went to the beach, Wanda Beach near Tea Gardens. The wind was a light seabreeze, nor-easter and as this beach runs ESE through NW, it was offshore conditions, hot but with a cool breeze and sparkling waters. The atmosphere on the beach was lazy holiday stuff, lots of sitting chatting, ball games in the water, beach cricket and just ambling about.
After a good soaking we went for a wander towards the western end on the beach. A series of little headlands hiding quaint little coves. At the extreme west end , before the Myall River, we discovered a beautiful little cove with perfectly calm anchorage dotted with 5 sailing catamarans spaced out for maximum privacy and minimum of fuss If you wanted to anchor up for a few lazy days, with a cool offshore breeze, natural scenery and a whitewashed beach, with the prospect of catching a fish for dinner, this would be the ideal spot.
Now, the following morning, I'm wondering, why all catamaran? Spacious, comfortable, shoal draft, yes. But something beachy and beautiful too, something inn the aesthetic of catamaran that mono marina types just don't get. Can't wait.
So yesterday with the heat climbing into the low 40's C, we went to the beach, Wanda Beach near Tea Gardens. The wind was a light seabreeze, nor-easter and as this beach runs ESE through NW, it was offshore conditions, hot but with a cool breeze and sparkling waters. The atmosphere on the beach was lazy holiday stuff, lots of sitting chatting, ball games in the water, beach cricket and just ambling about.
After a good soaking we went for a wander towards the western end on the beach. A series of little headlands hiding quaint little coves. At the extreme west end , before the Myall River, we discovered a beautiful little cove with perfectly calm anchorage dotted with 5 sailing catamarans spaced out for maximum privacy and minimum of fuss If you wanted to anchor up for a few lazy days, with a cool offshore breeze, natural scenery and a whitewashed beach, with the prospect of catching a fish for dinner, this would be the ideal spot.
Now, the following morning, I'm wondering, why all catamaran? Spacious, comfortable, shoal draft, yes. But something beachy and beautiful too, something inn the aesthetic of catamaran that mono marina types just don't get. Can't wait.
Thursday, November 28, 2019
Slow Ahead
Well it's nearly December, I've had my Pahi plans for 3-4 months now and I reckon all the hull frames are done. If I should shout out to any prospective builder I'd describe to them how there are only 4 bulkhead shapes in the build, you draw one and cut four off the same. So bulkhead #1 sits in the left bow and the right bow, as well as the stern of both hulls. It's the same for the next two bulkhead and the middle bulkhead is the same just for the midships of each hull. The time saving is fantastic, but I believe the psychology off building a craft with such design simplicity is more rewarding.
So my next step is cutting out the lower "planks" for the hulls. And guess what? Yep, they're the same for bow and stern, inner and outer of each hull. Can you sense the majesty in that?
So my next step is cutting out the lower "planks" for the hulls. And guess what? Yep, they're the same for bow and stern, inner and outer of each hull. Can you sense the majesty in that?
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