Determined and brave: Ben Crawshaw fixes his rudder and sails back to Spain from Ibiza

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Onawind Blue some months ago after Ben fitted her with new sails

Ben Crawshaw has successfully sailed home to Spain from Ibiza via the Columbrete Islands in his 15ft-something 50-50 rowing-sailing boat Onawind Blue.

This meant a second long sea crossing, which in the prevailing conditions meant a lot of rowing. He’s logged only a fairly sketchy account of the trip back on his weblog  – there’s much more to come, I gather – but already I think it’s essential reading. See his The Invisible Workshop post.

I shudder to thing what condition he must be in, but he seems to have hugely enjoyed what has been a hugely intense experience – on the way out he broke his rudder, but after fixing it on Ibiza he then cruised to Formentera, which he describes as ‘an idyllic island surrounded by impossibly turquoise waters’.

No doubt it all seemed that much better after making the trip alone in a small boat he has built and learned to cruise alone.

Bloody well done Ben! I’m looking forward to hearing more and seeing the promised photos and film.

For more intheboatshed.net posts relating to Ben and his boat built to my free Light Trow plans, click here and here.

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A dockside stroll at the Australian Wooden Boat Festival, Hobart

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Some more photos from Intheboatshed.net regular Jeff Cole’s disk of splendid photos from the Australian Wooden Boat Festival at Hobart, Tasmania.

Looking at Jeff’s shots of cruising yachts is rather like taking a stroll around the docks at any show of this kind where most of the time, the casual visitor has only a hazy idea of what he or she is looking at. Sometimes the boats in question are beautiful, sometimes they belong to a particular age, and sometimes they spark one’s curiosity.

Jeff seems to be off-line for the moment – I trust he’s ok – but if anyone out there can add any information about the boats in these photos, I’d be delighted to hear from them. Please use the comment link below!

PS – Jeff has kindly risen to the challenge and added some explanations. Click on the comments link below, where he has explained many things. Thanks again Jeff – and no apology needed!

Click on the thumbnails for some nice big photos!

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Claude Worth’s first voyages

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The Custom House. King's Lynne. Low Water. Claude Worth

Claude Worth’s book Yacht Cruising includes many
charming pen and ink drawings

Claude Worth became a legendary cruising yachtsman, but everyone has to start somewhere – and Worth’s description of sailing his first yacht in his legendary book Yacht Cruising is highly entertaining. Click on the thumbnails below for readable scans.

‘We who adventure on the sea, however humbly, cannot but feel that we are more fortunate than ordinary people, and that we have something which we could not tell nor they understand.’

Worth frontispiece Worth on sailing1 Worth on sailing2

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