Roof rack

 At first sight I did a double take and thought surely you can't drive with a canoe mounted like that?

Clearly not when you have one of these which seem to be called variously a drop rack or kayak loader.

A few years ago I spoke to an elderly couple who had a similar version on a small 4x4 and they said it was really good and made loading their double sit on top kayak easy and simple, so they could carry on kayaking well into their 70's.

These devices clearly put additional stress onto the car roof when the kayak is alongside, and some of the engineering makes me a little nervous, like a failure may result in kayak and rack slamming into the side of the car, eek. For now I can still single hand lift our kayak onto our SUV, but in a few years time this might be the way to go.

Aground?

It was a busy week for people running around, first was this motorboat which was stationary in the middle of the river as it bends past Bursledon pool. I know from experience several years ago that it gets very shallow at LW springs as Angelina bumped the bottom on her way back to her mooring, so maybe they were being cautious and thinking about those expensive props, eventually moving off towards the marina.

A couple of days later I spotted this yacht at the end of the Hamble spit, I was about a mile away and guessing it was a charter yacht out on a cold February day, it didn't seem good spot to anchor. As I got close to the river it still hadn't moved.  From the photo it was pretty much at low water, and it doesn't look like they had cut the corner, so maybe the winter storms had altered the channel. Eventually they started moving and headed up the river, hopefully no harm done.

 

Motor boats

In the depths of winter there's a lot to be said for hearty diesel, the ability to go in whichever direction you want while keeping warm and comfortable in an enclosed wheelhouse, and should it rain then switch on the windscreen wipers and leave the wet weather gear down below until it's time to walk to the pub.

While having a soft spot for classic motor boats like the one above, below is probably a much better proposition and much more able to cope with a bit of weather than many of the fast planing motorboats that predominate.

Of course come the summer, something like this brace of harbour launches would be perfect for picnics, fishing or just pottering around Chichester harbour,

Simple, sturdy and low maintenance what's not to like.

 

Langston Cutters

 I'm guessing these fine craft are from Langston Cutters Rowing Club,  spotted at the slipway in Emsworth and handily adjacent to the cafe for hot drinks and sandwiches which is always makes for a good way point stop when rowing.

Fine, slippery craft, especially the varnished clinker boat.

 

Not your average boat trailer

Apparently it was built in WW2 as a bomb carrier, which must have been quite some explosives, now repurposed and still gong strong as a mobile boat cradle in the yard.

There's a curious mechanism on the rear wheel (above) with what looks like a ratchet handle and gears going down to the axle, there was a cut out on the other side but looks like the mechanism had been removed, I was trying to work out if it was a brake or something else?

 

Winter Sailing

You have to admire those hardy dinghy sailors who go out in the depth of winter and take the opportunity to enjoy some great if chilly sailing conditions.

Sailing a course to the windward mark could be doubly challenging if the tack is into the low sun.

 

 

Despite the cold there was a good turn out and they all seemed to be having a good time

 

Sad News

 The local donkey sanctuary is to close shortly which is going to be sadly missed.

Most weekends there are walkers and children stopping off at the donkey's favorite feeding spot with tasty carrots plus a few regulars during the week.

The five remaining donks will be heading off to a new home in New Forest shortly, where they are sure to get lots of attention and care. Last time we came through Brockenhurst center there a was an acute and cute donkey jam, with several including a couple of super cute babies holding up the traffic.