Autumn Row

I managed to get out for a row at the weekend, it was glassy calm and I had the river pretty much to myself. The day was warm but overcast, the low grey sky reflected almost perfectly on the still water. The photograph doesn't do it justice, from the boat there was an impression of looking uphill to the boats.

Along the banks the trees were ablaze with autumnal colours, I keep thinking that things are happening very late this year.

Down at Salterns these folks appeared to be trying to move a barge/houseboat using a rib as a tug, I watched for a while as they kicked up a huge wash from the stern of the rib but didn't appear to be making much headway with the barge. Maybe that wasn't the point. I lost interest after a while and headed down to the cafe for breakfast.

Christmas Countdown

Daughter Katy sent me a copy of the Navy Advent calender.

Seasons greetings Enjoy.

Birdham Pool Turntable

The marina down at Birdham Pool on Chichester harbour has an interesting marine railway systems complete with turntable. The turntable allows boats to be moved to various "sidings" in the yard which radiate outwards or there are tracks which allow travel into the boat sheds.

At the other end the railway connects to the slipway for launch and recovery. Given the investment in concrete and steel the systems must date back to times when the cranes and travel lifts with which we are so familiar were not available. It's a lovely piece of industrial heritage.

Wireless What?

I was amused at the packaging on a bra Erica had bought the other day.

Who would have thought it, then again in these connected days of always on, always available maybe it's no surprise at all.

The only question is it 4G or 34D.

There is a PS to this, apparently there really is a tweeting bra - sends out a tweet every time it's taken off

http://www.lostateminor.com/2013/10/31/the-tweeting-bra-is-here-ladies-and-perverts/

Red Foxed

The Red Fox is a quirky but no less interesting boat which has two asymmetrical lee boards or perhaps they could be described as dagger boards since they are raised vertically through slots in the deck.

Apparently the performance is very good using a NACRA or similar foil shape, the other advantage is minimal intrusion  into the cabin compared to a more conventional centre boat, although raising and lowering the boats through a tack might become something of a chore.

Shallow draft, great interior space, there's even a separate head compartment which is incredible for a 20 footer.

It's one of those boats that makes such good sense but somehow it's never been the right time or the right boat at the time. There's been a few things like that in life, the house you'd love but the time wasn't right to move. When they first came out I really wanted an Alpha Romero GTV, but when I was in a position to buy one there were better cars around. In similar way the red fox has passed me by.

Chichester Canal

The Chichester Canal runs some  four and a half miles from the centre of the town down to this delightful stretch at Birdham where the still functioning lock gives access to the harbour and the sea.

The sea lock is still working, although sadly road bridges further inland prevent navigation along the full length of the canal.

Built as a ship canal in the 1820's as part of the Portsmouth and Arundel canal, which in turn was to be part of a planned and much greater waterway linking London to Portsmouth and the south coast via the river Wey. As with so many projects the scheme had a military basis the idea was to allow vessels to move between London and Portsmouth without the need to venture into the English Channel. But with the end of the war with France the Admiralty decided the link was not necessary and the system was not viable commercially.

The lower reach has a number of houseboats moored along the banks many of which appear to be weekend homes, delightfully situated adjacent the yacht marina.

Maggie May

It was one of those trivial but odd co incidents, while cycling around Chichester harbour we'd spotted an unusual gaff yawl. On the way home we stopped off at the marina cafe and saw an add for a second hand anchor and rang the seller. between his holiday and other things it was a few of weeks before I went over to the marina to pick up the anchor, and what should be on the next pontoon but that same yawl.

Seen in close up her name is Maggie May, so a bit of google research reveals she's owned by Yachting World's retired editor Andrew Bray. Designed by Steve Dalzell and built by Farrow and Chambers. She is a 26 foot centreboard gaff yawl, with wooden hull and spars and very nice she is too, with a slight American classic look to her.

I guess if I read the yachting magazines I would have known about her, but I gave them up years ago, features like "the top ten boat hooks on test" have a limited appeal for me.