tcm
...
Hm. I note the venerable Mirelle at number 130. Congratulations! Or do we just doff our caps a bit?
Greetings pop-pickers! Mirelle
- Thread starter tcm
- Start date
Mirelle
N/A
Well, thank you kindly, Sir!
Mirelle has to thank a member of the Arthur Ransome Society, who took her picture. This explains why she is flying a Jolly Roger at the starboard crosstrees! In the true spirit of an acceptance speech, she would also like to thank the many people who kindly voted for her, and Ian Wright, who is at the helm in the picture (her keeper is fiddlling with something at the mast, possibly thinking of setting the topsail)
Seriously, I reckon we could use another ton of ballast, don't you? We seem to have perhaps the only boat that loses weight as she ages - the rebuild of the internals removed a lot of useless weight and she seems to float too high.
Mirelle has to thank a member of the Arthur Ransome Society, who took her picture. This explains why she is flying a Jolly Roger at the starboard crosstrees! In the true spirit of an acceptance speech, she would also like to thank the many people who kindly voted for her, and Ian Wright, who is at the helm in the picture (her keeper is fiddlling with something at the mast, possibly thinking of setting the topsail)
Seriously, I reckon we could use another ton of ballast, don't you? We seem to have perhaps the only boat that loses weight as she ages - the rebuild of the internals removed a lot of useless weight and she seems to float too high.
tcm
...
Re: Well, thank you kindly, Sir!
tsk. It's the 130th most-nearly-perfect boat and whatcher doing ? Complaining! Buy some more spanners, and/or interesting slide hammers with attachments, lots of bottled water, keep all spare sails, plus spare blankets and fill the tanks up. Mind you - it seemed fine to me - and all your voters too!
tsk. It's the 130th most-nearly-perfect boat and whatcher doing ? Complaining! Buy some more spanners, and/or interesting slide hammers with attachments, lots of bottled water, keep all spare sails, plus spare blankets and fill the tanks up. Mind you - it seemed fine to me - and all your voters too!
Kristal
New member
Damn and ballast
You've mentioned your ballast suspicions a few times, Mirelle - and from memory, there was always quite a bit of antifoul showing when we passed her on her mooring. At least yours is even, though - Crystal still has that infuriating starboard list. The pigs are about to shuffle, I suspect - when I can see the cabin sole, I'll get under it and sort something out...
/<
You've mentioned your ballast suspicions a few times, Mirelle - and from memory, there was always quite a bit of antifoul showing when we passed her on her mooring. At least yours is even, though - Crystal still has that infuriating starboard list. The pigs are about to shuffle, I suspect - when I can see the cabin sole, I'll get under it and sort something out...
/<
Mirelle
N/A
Not just a pretty face...
Got my latest Survey Report today, may I quote?
“MIRELLE” is a traditionally-constructed cruising yacht from the board of a respected designer, built in 1937 by a well-known Suffolk yard. Her history is documented and she has had only three owners during her lifetime"
During the course of this current survey no major structural defects were noted... “Mirelle” was considered to be in remarkably good condition...and, with normal maintenance in future, may be expected to give many more years of service in her designed purpose of sea sailing. "
So I'll probably outlast this owner too!
Wonder how many new boats will get a report like that when they've had their bus pass for seven years?
Got my latest Survey Report today, may I quote?
“MIRELLE” is a traditionally-constructed cruising yacht from the board of a respected designer, built in 1937 by a well-known Suffolk yard. Her history is documented and she has had only three owners during her lifetime"
During the course of this current survey no major structural defects were noted... “Mirelle” was considered to be in remarkably good condition...and, with normal maintenance in future, may be expected to give many more years of service in her designed purpose of sea sailing. "
So I'll probably outlast this owner too!
Wonder how many new boats will get a report like that when they've had their bus pass for seven years?
BrendanS
Well-known member
Re: Not just a pretty face...
You do realise you could make a tidy living taking fascinated ybw forumites out for trips? Historic_cruises.com?
B
You do realise you could make a tidy living taking fascinated ybw forumites out for trips? Historic_cruises.com?
B
Mirelle
N/A
Fascinated? or horrified? \"Timewarp Cruises\"?
No fridge. No shower. No gas. No running hot and cold water. No standing headroom in forecabin. Not much anywhere else, either. Incredibly uncomfortable cockpit. "Interesting" manoevring under power (some would say - "what power?") "Armstrong's patent" windlass (makes authentic clinking noises, slowing down as exhaustion sets in...) Several miles of rope to coil. No lifelines. For the real enthusiast, we can even dig out the paraffin sidelights, the lead line and the Walker log...
I've got the accounts for building her. She cost exactly the same as a 4 1/4 litre Van den Plas Derby Bentley - and is probably worth a good deal less than one, today - but unlike the car she is still a perfectly practical means of getting about the place!
No fridge. No shower. No gas. No running hot and cold water. No standing headroom in forecabin. Not much anywhere else, either. Incredibly uncomfortable cockpit. "Interesting" manoevring under power (some would say - "what power?") "Armstrong's patent" windlass (makes authentic clinking noises, slowing down as exhaustion sets in...) Several miles of rope to coil. No lifelines. For the real enthusiast, we can even dig out the paraffin sidelights, the lead line and the Walker log...
I've got the accounts for building her. She cost exactly the same as a 4 1/4 litre Van den Plas Derby Bentley - and is probably worth a good deal less than one, today - but unlike the car she is still a perfectly practical means of getting about the place!
Kristal
New member
Re: Not just a pretty face...
That style of survey sounds rather familliar... written by one Mr Evans of Kirby-le-Soken, perchance?
I had a similarly agreeable survey report before I bought Crystal, prompting her then owner to joke that he might take her off the market as a result! This year, I might just finish all the "action" points Martin kindly noted in the report, which I should have done two years ago...
Incidentally, Crystal would like it to be known that she'd happily play "last one to Roughs Tower and back is a floating container" against Mirelle, although a game of "how many crew can you hold before you sink" might not go in her favour.
And whilst one the subject of Top-200 position, she's only just noticed she got pipped by Vashti... I was trying to keep that one quiet...
/<
That style of survey sounds rather familliar... written by one Mr Evans of Kirby-le-Soken, perchance?
I had a similarly agreeable survey report before I bought Crystal, prompting her then owner to joke that he might take her off the market as a result! This year, I might just finish all the "action" points Martin kindly noted in the report, which I should have done two years ago...
Incidentally, Crystal would like it to be known that she'd happily play "last one to Roughs Tower and back is a floating container" against Mirelle, although a game of "how many crew can you hold before you sink" might not go in her favour.
And whilst one the subject of Top-200 position, she's only just noticed she got pipped by Vashti... I was trying to keep that one quiet...
/<
LittleShip
New member
Re: Fascinated? or horrified? \"Timewarp Cruises\"?
"No fridge. No shower. No gas. No running hot and cold water. No standing headroom in forecabin. Not much anywhere else, either. Incredibly uncomfortable cockpit."
I had one of those we called it a GP14 !!!
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Well done with the survey.
"No fridge. No shower. No gas. No running hot and cold water. No standing headroom in forecabin. Not much anywhere else, either. Incredibly uncomfortable cockpit."
I had one of those we called it a GP14 !!!
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Well done with the survey.
tcm
...
Niolargue
hurrah, another classic race series is born.
hurrah, another classic race series is born.
Mirelle
N/A
Le Mans start, by dinghy, from the bar of the Butt and Oyster....
...vessels to be anchored on the line with all sails stowed, in the approved 1850's manner.
The mark to be passed either to port or to starboard.
Luffing allowed.
Finish in Walton Backwaters, first crew ashore on Flint Island wins.
RYA Rules, OGA TCHF handicap...?
...vessels to be anchored on the line with all sails stowed, in the approved 1850's manner.
The mark to be passed either to port or to starboard.
Luffing allowed.
Finish in Walton Backwaters, first crew ashore on Flint Island wins.
RYA Rules, OGA TCHF handicap...?
Kristal
New member
Re: Le Mans start, by dinghy, from the bar of the Butt and Oyster....
Sounds good to me! Please clarify the 1850s approved method of stowing sails, and the length of the "warm up" period in said hostelry. And I'll have to buy a dinghy...
But otherwise, what fun. Losers provide grog and pemmican.
Sounds good to me! Please clarify the 1850s approved method of stowing sails, and the length of the "warm up" period in said hostelry. And I'll have to buy a dinghy...
But otherwise, what fun. Losers provide grog and pemmican.
Mirelle
N/A
Re: Le Mans start, by dinghy, from the bar of the Butt and Oyster....
I'll lend you my self-deflating Avon..heh, heh!
Suggest two tyers on each sail?
Warm up period "not to contravene MCA requirements"?
I'll lend you my self-deflating Avon..heh, heh!
Suggest two tyers on each sail?
Warm up period "not to contravene MCA requirements"?
Kristal
New member
Okay, you\'re on.
How about April 2nd/3rd? I've earmarked the previous week for a sail up to the Orwell/Deben anyway, probably taking part in one half of the Thames Frostbite race and continuing from Erith to Ramsgate, and on to Shotley.
Any other participants want to make me eat my impetuous words?
/<
How about April 2nd/3rd? I've earmarked the previous week for a sail up to the Orwell/Deben anyway, probably taking part in one half of the Thames Frostbite race and continuing from Erith to Ramsgate, and on to Shotley.
Any other participants want to make me eat my impetuous words?
/<
Kristal
New member
130 v 109
Oh, hang on... presumably this means we have to sail off the anchor?
Where's the "spine gripped in the frigid grasp of fear" emoticon?
Oh, hang on... presumably this means we have to sail off the anchor?
Where's the "spine gripped in the frigid grasp of fear" emoticon?
Mirelle
N/A
You are one of those \"Afloat by Easter\" types!
I was thinking of a weekend in June!
I was thinking of a weekend in June!
Mirelle
N/A
Re: 130 v 109 - I want a start!
Yes, definitely sail off the anchor - and stow the dinghy!
Yes, definitely sail off the anchor - and stow the dinghy!
Kristal
New member
I\'m one of those \"stay afloat and freeze\" types...
Sounds like the beginnings of a default to me!!
Seriously, I'm sure I can manage June. In the meantime, can you manage a jaunt on Crystal that first weekend in April? I shall be about anyway, will probably be loitering a fair amount near the Butt, and will need to practise sailing off the anchor!!
If any other East Coast forum members are about, it might be nice to wangle an impropmtu meet over a pint...
/<
Sounds like the beginnings of a default to me!!
Seriously, I'm sure I can manage June. In the meantime, can you manage a jaunt on Crystal that first weekend in April? I shall be about anyway, will probably be loitering a fair amount near the Butt, and will need to practise sailing off the anchor!!
If any other East Coast forum members are about, it might be nice to wangle an impropmtu meet over a pint...
/<
Santana379
Member
Re: I\'m one of those \"stay afloat and freeze\" types...
A few items to comment on in this particular thread:
I. The race – having crewed both of the fine craft in question, (and voted for both of them!), Francis Fletcher confidently predicts that the weather will dictate the outcome of your sporting venture. F3 or less – Crystal will storm off to a huge victory, and will probably only need one or two reefs. F5 and above Crystal’s crew will need a) to be brave, b) to wear full immersion suits, and c) to bring their wallets to pay for grog and pemmican. F4 will provide a very interesting race – with a there’n’back course it could be that wind direction dictates whether square or triangular sails reign supreme.
II. Francis Fletcher has once proved herself competitive with Mirelle, but only when Mirelle had 18 months of weed and barnacles underneath. Not surprisingly a Golden Hind would have no business taking on such lovely thoroughbreds as yours. FF’s skipper therefore offers himself as crew to Mirelle, solving the one ton extra ballast problem at the same time.
III. The huge Jolly Roger flown by Mirelle in her CB photo was none other than Nancy Blackett’s own, on loan. Nancy was wearing her Secret Water regalia at the time – Swallows burgee on starboard, Amazons burgee on port. Regretably she doesn’t have a carved totem to hoist to the mast head, with a hair ribbon to show wind direction, as per the final illustration in “Secret Water”.
IV. Vashti? Not unique surely, but a representative of her class? Could perhaps have been the equally lovely Lady of Hamford instead? Hardly therefore the same pedigree as Mirelle. I should add of course that Vashti is beautifully maintained, and my comments are no way meant to be disparaging about her. Mirelle will be amused to know that I saw Vashti overtaken by gaffer Avola in Holland a couple years ago – the context was that we were all going downwind in about 2kts of puff, and Avola had augmented her normal sailplan with a topsail, and a squaresail flown from a yard.
V. Dinghy to land on Flint Island – what’s wrong with a racing dive and a few strokes of freestyle? Come to think of it, with Crystal’s forefoot and the steep to shore, if it’s flooding you could nose right up and land a crew member. If my memory serves me right (which of course it does) Crystal is perfectly able to take to the ground even on the ebb and get off again, provided you have adequate rapidly moveable ballast, that can rush back from the bow and bounce on the counter!
VI. I have first hand experience of Mirelle’s old (possibly also 1930s) self deflating Avon. I remember a couple of years ago with three in FF’s tender, towing in the Avon to Pin Mill with the precious cargo of Mirelle’s mate and ship’s baby aboard (after a choppy passage around from the Deben in the mothership). Despite my running the tender aground in the dark on the way in, they were all safely landed. I just got the empty Avon back out to Mirelle before one of its two chambers completely deflated. An aside – the chairman of the Nancy Blackett Trust has just wittily named Nancy’s Avon “L’Imp”!
VII. Ballast and waterlines – closely related of course. However, in FF’s case despite the increasingly heavy skipper and payload of gear and booze, (we load the entire season’s drinking pre launch), more and more antifouling shows each year. Its not a problem with the depth under the mooring. Methinks it is my skill with the masking tape at fault.
VIII. FF had a medical in September from the same very good surveyor that Mirelle did – by an amazing coincidence exactly the same sentence appeared in FF’s report! Perhaps one always gets a good survey from a good surveyor??
Francis Fletcher
A few items to comment on in this particular thread:
I. The race – having crewed both of the fine craft in question, (and voted for both of them!), Francis Fletcher confidently predicts that the weather will dictate the outcome of your sporting venture. F3 or less – Crystal will storm off to a huge victory, and will probably only need one or two reefs. F5 and above Crystal’s crew will need a) to be brave, b) to wear full immersion suits, and c) to bring their wallets to pay for grog and pemmican. F4 will provide a very interesting race – with a there’n’back course it could be that wind direction dictates whether square or triangular sails reign supreme.
II. Francis Fletcher has once proved herself competitive with Mirelle, but only when Mirelle had 18 months of weed and barnacles underneath. Not surprisingly a Golden Hind would have no business taking on such lovely thoroughbreds as yours. FF’s skipper therefore offers himself as crew to Mirelle, solving the one ton extra ballast problem at the same time.
III. The huge Jolly Roger flown by Mirelle in her CB photo was none other than Nancy Blackett’s own, on loan. Nancy was wearing her Secret Water regalia at the time – Swallows burgee on starboard, Amazons burgee on port. Regretably she doesn’t have a carved totem to hoist to the mast head, with a hair ribbon to show wind direction, as per the final illustration in “Secret Water”.
IV. Vashti? Not unique surely, but a representative of her class? Could perhaps have been the equally lovely Lady of Hamford instead? Hardly therefore the same pedigree as Mirelle. I should add of course that Vashti is beautifully maintained, and my comments are no way meant to be disparaging about her. Mirelle will be amused to know that I saw Vashti overtaken by gaffer Avola in Holland a couple years ago – the context was that we were all going downwind in about 2kts of puff, and Avola had augmented her normal sailplan with a topsail, and a squaresail flown from a yard.
V. Dinghy to land on Flint Island – what’s wrong with a racing dive and a few strokes of freestyle? Come to think of it, with Crystal’s forefoot and the steep to shore, if it’s flooding you could nose right up and land a crew member. If my memory serves me right (which of course it does) Crystal is perfectly able to take to the ground even on the ebb and get off again, provided you have adequate rapidly moveable ballast, that can rush back from the bow and bounce on the counter!
VI. I have first hand experience of Mirelle’s old (possibly also 1930s) self deflating Avon. I remember a couple of years ago with three in FF’s tender, towing in the Avon to Pin Mill with the precious cargo of Mirelle’s mate and ship’s baby aboard (after a choppy passage around from the Deben in the mothership). Despite my running the tender aground in the dark on the way in, they were all safely landed. I just got the empty Avon back out to Mirelle before one of its two chambers completely deflated. An aside – the chairman of the Nancy Blackett Trust has just wittily named Nancy’s Avon “L’Imp”!
VII. Ballast and waterlines – closely related of course. However, in FF’s case despite the increasingly heavy skipper and payload of gear and booze, (we load the entire season’s drinking pre launch), more and more antifouling shows each year. Its not a problem with the depth under the mooring. Methinks it is my skill with the masking tape at fault.
VIII. FF had a medical in September from the same very good surveyor that Mirelle did – by an amazing coincidence exactly the same sentence appeared in FF’s report! Perhaps one always gets a good survey from a good surveyor??
Francis Fletcher
Mirelle
N/A
Offer accepted. Spending tomorrow polishing the bottom!
(there is certainly enough of it!)
I. If Crystal gives us 20 minutes for each Beaufort notation below 4, we will give Crystal 20 minutes for each Beaufort notation above 4. Whistling encouraged.
II. As Tilman observed, "When they bring you a heifer, be ready with the rope!" Offer gratefully accepted. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
V. Means of getting crew member ashore at finish open to competitor's choice - dinghy, swim, step off bowsprit, catapault Ship's Boy...
VI. The Hebrew letters "T/T ARK, Ararat" can just be made out.
VII. Being gripped with competitive spirit, I've ordered a ton of lead.
VIII. It's called bunkside manner!
(there is certainly enough of it!)
I. If Crystal gives us 20 minutes for each Beaufort notation below 4, we will give Crystal 20 minutes for each Beaufort notation above 4. Whistling encouraged.
II. As Tilman observed, "When they bring you a heifer, be ready with the rope!" Offer gratefully accepted. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
V. Means of getting crew member ashore at finish open to competitor's choice - dinghy, swim, step off bowsprit, catapault Ship's Boy...
VI. The Hebrew letters "T/T ARK, Ararat" can just be made out.
VII. Being gripped with competitive spirit, I've ordered a ton of lead.
VIII. It's called bunkside manner!
