Season ending ...

[Refueler]

Season is drawing to a close ... night temps are in the single digit figures with possible -1 .. -2 at times ... luckily being near to Baltic Sea - that tends to hold our temps in Ventspils a few deg higher than inland.

Anisette (38ft Conqubin Cruiser Racer) is agreed to go down coast to Pavilosta for lift out ... painting and general works planned. This should be within a few days 0nce we see the weather .. spend night alongside removing sails / marking lines etc before mast unstepped / lift out next day.

Superanne (25ft Sunrider motor sailer) is at back of house sitting in the mud at present - rain stopped and wind from north has reduced river level enough for her to be stuck. Once rain or wind cxhanges - she should rise with river level and then move round to lifting area .. to be stood outside house. Needs to be completed inside cabin - cupboards / woodwork where removed old to repair the stbd bilge keel. Headlining to do in main cabin and WC area ..

LuLu (5m Progress 4 soviet speedboat) already lifted and she will move into the barn for cleaning up and repainting .. new floorboards .. new wood dashboard etc.

Lady Lu (5m Kormoran lift keel sailboat) is also already lifted and will receive further work as cabin new sole boards, headlining, fender strip on the hull-deck joint'

Seaone (Primor 24 motorboat) will be trailered out and then stood outside house .. needs various such as battery switches replaced / relocated to easier access, mains electric for charger etc, general clean up and painting of superstructure, installation of new speed and depth gear ...

That's only the items I can remember while typing ! And ... yes ... like most people - half will not get done !!

 

[geem]

Like everybody here in the Canaries, 365 day season. I wonder when they do jobs

 

[flaming]

Are you absolutely sure you have enough boats?

 

[billskip]

Like everybody here in the Canaries, 365 day season. I wonder when they do jobs

Good innit....just do jobs when you feel like it, you know the sun will shine tomorrow...

 

[Daydream believer]

That's only the items I can remember while typing ! And ... yes ... like most people - half will not get done !!

Have you thought about blowing up the parliament buildings.
Then you could have the Latvian version of Nov 5th
Solve a lot of boat work issues

 

[ProDave]

Like most people we only have 1 boat to do. Yesterday was our last sail of the season, sun setting as we returned to the harbour, and just enough daylight left to take the sails off and pack them in their bags while nice and dry. Good move as today and most of the rest of the week is raining.

Communal mast lowering on Saturday and group crane out the following Saturday.

A good end to a very good season

 

[Refueler]

Have you thought about blowing up the parliament buildings.
Then you could have the Latvian version of Nov 5th
Solve a lot of boat work issues

I do actually have a Nov 5 bonfire and party here each year. The Fireworks available here are really good ... not cheap - but create a really good show ..

 

[William_H]

Hello Nigel
I hope you feel you have had a good season. The next season will come soon enough. I hope you enjoy all your boat maintenance work.
By contrast of course my little boat was relaunched last Friday and had first race on club opening day on Sunday. She went beautifully with new a/f however other boats went even better. I really enjoy the freedom and ease of boat maintenance when boat is home on trailer.
Now I would really envy your fleet your large property, equipment and access to water but allass not the latitude. Winter here is like UK summer and summer b hot. Nice.
Best wishes ol'will

 

[Refueler]

Cheers ol'will .... good luck with the racing ..

Of course winter here can be cold and last years - more like UK winters ... wet and horrible ... but odd years we have the proper winter ... deep snow, blue sky, sunshine and Postcard picture scenes.

What I have put together ... 'fleet, gear and water access' etc - I think I deserve after all the years of working .. its been a struggle at times - but knuckling down and graft has paid off.
I'm asked whether I will ever return to UK ... but when I look at UK today and the state of PC and other factors .... I think I will stay here ! I love UK .. I am proud of being a Brit ... but I can live here untroubled, good connections with authorities who don't want to lose my business and 'investments'.

The summer here is glorious (usually !) .. and being tideless ... opens up the cruising ... no need to wait for tide ..

The Stockholm Archipelago is truly amazing .... I am an ex Solent guy and I thought Solent was good ... but once I got over to the Archipelago - I was stunned by its beauty and freedom to moor up to trees / rocks etc.

Next year ... will be a lot easier for me as I have taken on another Manager to free me up from admin ... which of course I will bore everyone with videos and photos of !!

Work done on the boats this winter - photos etc as well ... so anyone suffering insomnia .. you know where to come !!

 

[ProDave]

@Refueler

You probably can'e see it but your pictures are showing as "Content not viewable in your region" It looks like imgur.com is restricting where you can view content. Time to look for a different image host? Or just upload pictures to the forum?

 

[flaming]

@Refueler

You probably can'e see it but your pictures are showing as "Content not viewable in your region" It looks like imgur.com is restricting where you can view content. Time to look for a different image host? Or just upload pictures to the forum?

Given the context of his post I assumed that was because I'd get too jealous being in the Solent....

 

[Refueler]

@Refueler

You probably can'e see it but your pictures are showing as "Content not viewable in your region" It looks like imgur.com is restricting where you can view content. Time to look for a different image host? Or just upload pictures to the forum?

That's one I never heard before .... interesting.

I prefer not to upload to YBW servers - to avoid file sizes .... but ...





And one that had First prize when submitted to a photo comp :

 

[DFL1010]

@Refueler

You probably can'e see it but your pictures are showing as "Content not viewable in your region" It looks like imgur.com is restricting where you can view content. Time to look for a different image host? Or just upload pictures to the forum?

This one we can't blame on the forums.

Imgur blocks access to UK users after proposed regulatory fine

 

[Refueler]

Oh dear !

I moved to IMGUR from Photobucket due to PB's fee structure etc .... and was happy with their service until the latest update of their format. Previously - folders and images were easily accessed - but the after latest update - became a confusing mess ... such that I and others I know - answered IMGUR that new format was rejected and we chose to return to old format. It appeared that IMGUR may have modified format again - to improve folder access back to similar as before.

If IMGUR is now not viewable in UK for you guys .. I'm sorry as it was a good way for me archive photos and to display to you ...

 

[William_H]

Fabulous photos Nigel (keep it up) and yes every one to his own home. I imgine you have visited Fremantle many times in your travels. I havn't visited Latvia but it looks good. ol'will

 

[Refueler]

Fabulous photos Nigel (keep it up) and yes every one to his own home. I imgine you have visited Fremantle many times in your travels. I havn't visited Latvia but it looks good. ol'will

I sailed on various ships that visited Aussie ... most memorable being inside the Barrier Reef negotiating the shallows to get to ports ... we were deep draft !!

 

[Refueler]

Setbacks !!

Weather has been unkind for water level last week ... wind direction and lack of rain ! River level fallen about 40cms ... Superanne - the bilge keel motor sailer is now leaning over where stbd keel is sitting on bottom ... no way she will move till level rises again.

Primor 24 MoBo is sitting with one side of hull sitting on the ledge of the bank .. she can move but would need care to avoid damage to outdrive leg ..

Anisette - 38ft ... Mother In Law - we have a private Carer that looks after her in home as well as our visits .. Carer is away for 10 days - so I have to be here each day .. sailing Anisette to lift out will have to wait till Carer is back again.

Its starting to get a bit chilly !!

 

[Dockhead]

Cheers ol'will .... good luck with the racing ..

Of course winter here can be cold and last years - more like UK winters ... wet and horrible ... but odd years we have the proper winter ... deep snow, blue sky, sunshine and Postcard picture scenes.

What I have put together ... 'fleet, gear and water access' etc - I think I deserve after all the years of working .. its been a struggle at times - but knuckling down and graft has paid off.
I'm asked whether I will ever return to UK ... but when I look at UK today and the state of PC and other factors .... I think I will stay here ! I love UK .. I am proud of being a Brit ... but I can live here untroubled, good connections with authorities who don't want to lose my business and 'investments'.

The summer here is glorious (usually !) .. and being tideless ... opens up the cruising ... no need to wait for tide ..

The Stockholm Archipelago is truly amazing .... I am an ex Solent guy and I thought Solent was good ... but once I got over to the Archipelago - I was stunned by its beauty and freedom to moor up to trees / rocks etc.

Next year ... will be a lot easier for me as I have taken on another Manager to free me up from admin ... which of course I will bore everyone with videos and photos of !!

Work done on the boats this winter - photos etc as well ... so anyone suffering insomnia .. you know where to come !!

The Baltic is magical -- some of the best cruising in the world. I cruised the Baltic for many years, based in Helsinki, Tallinn, or Riga in the summers.

But I don't accept the whole idea of the "end of the season"! Bah!

For some years I would sail back to the UK in the autumn, then after the pandemic started keeping the boat in Southern Denmark, where the sea doesn't freeze, in the winter.

I'm back in Cowes now after absence of many years, and looking forward to winter cruising in the Solent!

 

[Boathook]

I'm back in Cowes now after absence of many years, and looking forward to winter cruising in the Solent!

The Solent can be very nice in the winter. Also Poole and Chichester harbours.

Enjoy it.

 

[Dockhead]

The Solent can be very nice in the winter. Also Poole and Chichester harbours.

Enjoy it.

Indeed! Weymouth and Dartmouth as well, although I tend to prefer shorter distances when it's cold.

I've missed Channel cruising and am looking forward to get back into it.