Category: Sailing in General
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Sailrite Ultrafeed LSZ-1 Sewing Machine
South Dock 16th February 2014 Proud as Punch having made my first thing using the new Sailrite LSZ 1 Sewing Machine. Not only that, but the bobbin ran out and I managed to re-wind and re-thread it too!The machine has a lovely heavy feel about it, a bit like a paddle steamer engine. It looks…
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More Vertue News! V61 and Vertue 11 V14
2nd February 2014 One day I’ll learn to use this WordPress program properly and then I’ll try to organise all the information regarding Vertues in a nice list with all the sail numbers. In the meantime I’m afraid its all a bit random. Last week I got a nice email from Ben Deveson in Holland who has…
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Vertue Engine and Alternator Sizes
2014 As there seem to be a few Vertue Owners logging in I thought it might be useful to describe Sumara’s engine and the charging arrangement and to open up some thoughts as to the ideal horse power for a Vertue. I seem to remember coming across one Vertue with a 20 hp engine and I…
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Sumara’s Maintenance
South Dock 19th January 2014 There were a few jobs that I wanted to get out of the way before Sumara is lifted into the yard. My poor Eberspacher had conked out after the Jan Mayen trip so I sent it off for servicing. Easier said than done because it is mounted in a totally…
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Vertue News
South Dock 19th January 2014 I went to the Boat Show out of habit really. My expectations were very low. Last year the day out was made worthwhile because the show was linked to the outdoor show. The combination worked well with good stands in the Outdoor Show selling binoculars, cameras, decent clothing and bikes. This…
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Preparing Sumara – Stripping the Mast
26th December 2013 South Dock Rotherhithe Sumara’s mast is now 23 years old and the varnish has never been stripped off. Despite a trip to the Caribbean and various trips to colder places the varnish actually looks pretty good. However each year there are two or three blisters which need repairing. When I prepare the…
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Russian Meeting No 1
30th October 2013 Charlotte had organised everything! The team met up at the Pineapple Pub in Kentish town. I didn’t make it to the pub having had to bail out of the overcrowded tube and run half way across London. I joined the meeting at Ashcombe Street where Charlotte was staying whilst in London. I burst in…
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The Thames
20th October 2013 The alarms rang simultaneously at 0500 and I poured a splosh of meths into the saucer to preheat the burner for a quick coffee before we set off. We quickly donned our wet weather gear although it wasn’t yet raining and didn’t look too bad under the full moon. The tide was…
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The Medway
19th September 2013 We dashed down to Gillingham after our Residents Meeting in the hope of getting Sumara out of the locked basin before the tide slipped away. Helped by the new HS1 speedy train service we arrived in the early afternoon with a few hours to spare. Poor old Sumara had weeds around her…
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Cholsey Classics 2013
7th September 2013 Cholsey The invite arrived on my mobile but this year the document was so lavish that my phone rejected it. The Cholsey Classics invite is notorious for arriving late so “pre-invites” are despatched to warn of the impending arrival of the real thing. One year I think the invite might be published…