Louie Wills

I wrongly identified a yawl up at Golant as Louie Wills a few years ago, and since then can't help noticing the real Louise Wills when ever we're in Fowey, which possibly makes me sound a bit like a nautical stalker (eek).

Above is a picture of her passing our balcony, where I spend far too much time gazing out at the passing boats.

On a grey day last year I kayaked up to Golant and passing by got the opportunity to chat with Charlie who had just brought Louie back to his mooring after a start of season spruce up at Toms & Sons Yard in Polruam. It's great that Charlie has restored and maintains Louie in such fine condition and we're able to appreciate a lovely and historic boat.

 

Odd Boat

I confess to a fascination with unusual vessels which that use creative design to push the boundaries. This BAR Tech 30 offshore Support vessel, operated by Seacat Services looks like a good example.

The efficiency of long thin hull forms are well understood, combined here with the stability offered by an asymmetric multi hull configuration has created a vessel which compared to more conventional contemporary vessels offers significant fuel efficiency and by consequence reduced emissions.

I also confess to being a fan of aluminum construction which has a functional aesthetic. The asymmetric configuration uses the BAR Technologies’ patented Foil Optimised Stability System (FOSS) improving pitch and roll acceleration, which presumably equates to improved crew comfort and safety

 

Slipway Saturday

When you live in a clifftop house but you just gotta have your own slipway.

 

Sathuta

I spotted Sathuta while kayaking around the harbour thinking she is a Van De Stadt Legend 34 same as our Blue Clipper, getting up close she seemed very familiar but hot exactly the same as I remembered, but there was no one around to talk to.  Most were built by Tylers and fitted out by different yards or even DIY.

 A couple of days later D'Barcuno sailed in which I'm sure is a Legend 34 and was based on the Hamble a few years ago.

We've had bigger and smaller faster boats that Blue Clipper but I still assert she was the best boat we had and my favorite.
 

Folkboat Friday

 The UK Folkboat Association International Regatta takes place in Lymington 17th to 22nd September, hosted by the Royal Lymington YC and incorporates the UK Nordic Folkboat National Championships.

I'm guessing this will be one of the entries, it was on the hard at a local marina on the Hamble waiting to be launched.

Ryde Hoover

 Having sands which stretch out over half a mile and shallows beyond that, it's not surprising that a hovercraft service has been running to Ryde since the 1960's

It's one of those things that I keep meaning to take a trip on, but somehow don't get around to, especially at low water springs flying across the sand flats - note to self.

 

Ryde Sands

The sands off Ryde on the Isle of Wight go out a long way, I recall years ago keeping well north to avoid the sands which had caught a number of boats in the Round the Island race

 While keeping yachtsmen on their toes the sands are great for bucket and spade visitors, with literally acres of clean soft sand which contributed to the establishment of the resort in Victorian times.

And is the reason that they built the 745 yard long (681 meters) peer so that boats and visitors could come and go at pretty much any state of tide.

 

International 14s

There was an International 14 meeting at Fowey while we were there in June, the racing actually took place outside the harbour but it was still good to see them sailing out past our balcony on their way to or way back from the racing.

Getting that huge asymmetric up in the crowded harbour was challenging enough without light and flukey wind.

Returning from the race and still out of the wire and going well.

A more relaxed return at the end of racing.
 

Hurst Spit

 Big high tide at Hurst Spit almost breached, the day was settled with hardly any wind, probably won't take much of a winter gale and big spring tide to break through.