Solo Ventures

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 Gum was true to form but will varn

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 to avoi

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).

A random photo of a Yamaha Tenere 600 adventure bike stopped for a lunch break in my local park. The older guy rider seemed to be mid flight on a decent tour. Good luck to him.  Despite more wet weather this week has been another good one for progress Ion on the boat and  my health. New arrivals are boarding ladder mach 1 and Hebridean Wind Vane kir. The ladder I ordered had the wrong feet and i was modifing it but remained concerned about its strength in the new format. Finally I bit the bullet and ordered the right one. It just happens to be the same one as  Pickled Herring , it mounts on the side deck & stored vertically against the lifelines. I feel its important to get this right as over the years I've heard of regular drownings as old sailors fall while transferring to or from their tenders. I'd rather go more intelligently.   My Hebridean windvane arrived from Scotland this week too. Its a puzzle of bits at present, these include two manuals   I bought s

Boarding Ladder Project is well underway. The wrong mount system was bought and needs serious modifications. A chance glimpse of Sam Holmes' system helps. This is a major safety feature to prevent falling when  boarding. Fitness is coming along with daily stretching, Yoga or resistance training. Earlier this week I managed to surf for the first time in years, and did quite well.   Hebridean Windvane has been purchased and is en route from Scotland to Australia. Once arrived I need to make timber components before fitting up. Storm Trisail and Headsail have arrived from Rolly Tasker Sails . The postage was horrendous, but hopefully the product will do the job.   . Weather this week has been one of extremes. Several days of 40°ish days gave way to three successive days of 40mm rains and cold.   Finances took a dive with my Foster Caring finishing last Friday. But yesterday I sold my rigid sea kayak for $500. I can rely on my portable inflatable when refitting and cr

Swinging on a mooring some 200k away my Folkie has more of a mental presence than a real one. Although I think of her daily, my efforts to reach my goal are directed in roundabout ways. Some are more obvious, like today, a large package adorned with Rolly Tasked Sails packing tape arrived - a brand new suit of storm sails now sits in my loungeroom. That's a very sailorly act. But some are a bit "oh yeah sure". One of these is improving my fitness. Every morning I rise early to meditate and exercise. The exercises are typically just stretching, actual yoga, resistance exercises or walking. And although I have to actually guard against stressing myself too much, I also need to push on gently. Lately, I've noticed that my morning exercises and sensible eating are providing good results. I feel muscularly firm in my core and have good energy levels. So I decided to test myself in the surf, not just swimming, real surfing. Being midweek and with a forecast of an early afte

As of today it is the second 40°C day, back to back. There is nothing to do for it except get your work done early then go inside to avoid the hottest part of the day. I am laying on the floor with the dogs and cats, shutters drawn. Ex-cyclone Kirrily is closing from the NW pushing hot desert air ahead of the rain.  Also out there are my new storm sails and windvane, coming from Sydney and Scotland respectively.  Meanwhile I have prepared the starboard chain plate and a new boarding ladder to fit up on my next trip to the boat. If I get the time to hang about and wait for the sealant to set, I will then go sailing.  I have been swimming, today I ordered an inflatable surf mat. It will be easily stowed on my motorcycle or the boat, ready for action.