Gavin Atkin's weblog for the sort of people who like looking inside boat sheds. It's about old boats, traditional boats, boat building, restoration, the sea and the North Kent Coast
The 2020 Kentish Sail Association calendar is now available to purchase for your own use or to present as a gift.
Because this year’s Swale Match had to be cancelled due to bad weather there are no new photos – so the shots in this year’s calendar are taken from previous years. I’m told the his year’s choice of photos will not disappoint – well, the KSA would doubtless have had an amazing selection to choose from.
Copies are £11, including P&P, and are on sale at £8 from various outlets and pubs in Faversham.
Following Yahoo’s announcement that YahooGroups users will no longer be allowed to upload and share files, the friendly Openboat forum of dinghy cruisers has moved to a new site named Openboat 2.
David Bowlas has got in touch to tell us about his friend Geoff’s boat, which is for sale, after Geoff sadly passed away earlier this year.
Here’s what David says:
‘Spindrift was purchased by my best friend Geoff Wakelam back in the 1960’s from a boatyard near Abersoch in North Wales. She is believed to be one of three very similar boats built by Henry Hornsby of Wallasey and has builders plate no 421 on internal bulkhead.
‘It was then sailed to Lanbedr and Pensarne Sailing clubs moorings by Shell Island, where it was used for many years with just a couple of trips away for overhauls.
‘The last overhaul was some 30 years ago, when it required hull recaulking and a bit of repair to the cabin and a change of engine.
‘All of this was carried out over a longish period, but some 10 years ago Geoff became ill and Spindrift has sat in a corner of the boatyard under covers that allow good air circulation, on a six-wheeled trailer that now requires new tyres.
‘The hull is clean and dry. The unused Coventry Victor twin cylinder engine which replaced the existing engine was fitted and then removed back to Jeff’s home when he realised he was unable to get the boat back on to the sea.
‘The mast, bowsprit, sails, rigging, stanchions, engine and loads of other equipment all in Geoff’s garage.
‘I’ve attached an old photo of the boat on its mooring and a few photos and drawing of the boat.’
