A rather bad photograph of a rather nice sloop on the river, lovely long overhangs and low profile cabin roof is off it's time.
After two years, during which there was the nail biting selection weekend, lots of fund raising activity, preparation and training, we dropped Joseph off at 6.00AM at Southampton airport to join the other members of Hampshire Unit 59 on their way to Seoul, where 40,000 Scouts from around the world are gathering for the World Scout Jamboree.
Unit 59 comprises 36 Scouts and 4 leaders who come from all over Hampshire, so the training camps and activities over the past 2 years have been really good as they get to know each other and operate as a team.
The flight was a relatively quick hop to Schiphol (Amsterdam) where they had a 5 hour wait, anyone who's been there will know it's a massive airport so lots to explore. The flight to Korea was 12 hours, anxious Mum tracking the progress during the night, relieved that it arrived safely and slightly ahead of schedule.
They even made the local news - https://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/news/23687937.hampshire-scouts-travel-southampton-korea-world-jamboree/
I'd like to especially thank the leaders who have given huge amounts of time to make this happen, everyone who has contributed to the fund raising either directly of by coming to the events and fairs.
They are currently downtown in Seoul, seeking out an interesting place for dinner.
Interesting sloop down on the river, at first glance it has a north American look with the broad stern, transom hung rudder and short bowsprit.
The cove stripe and bumpkin look like Hiscock's Wanderer III (Laurent Giles of Lymington design) which might be the case given it's a local boat, certainly the relatively low aspect main and large fore triangle are of that era.
I know I go on about the Troy Class in Fowey, but I shouldn't forget our own local XOD fleet.
These houseboats dried out at low water over at Wicor in Portsmouth harbour made an interesting contrast in the early evening light
Only few hundred yards away beyond the adjacent shore is a busy suburban housing area, yet perched out into the harbor feels like a remote and disconnected haven.
You can see the appeal, what a great weekend get way.
Above aluminum, flush deck, a serious offshore perhaps expedition yacht, certainly designed and built to go places, I've personally liked the look of the unfinished aluminum ever since I saw an Alubat/Ovni in France 25 plus year ago .
This one could have appeared in Howards's Way and is a dated as new romantics, shoulder pads, baggy suits and fizzy perms, but I still like yachts from the 80's
Modern racers are no less exotic and in this case difficult to photograph, very organic, scow hull with an amazing deep cherry, purple candy paint job - wow.
Further up the Medina there are usually some unusual and interesting yachts to be found and this is no exception. I wouldn't ever aspire to anything so big to sail, but it would make a fantastic floating weekend cottage.
Probably one of the nicest MFV's around
This looks like the front end of the Disco Volante, Largo's super yacht in Thunderball, in the last sequence Largo jettison's the aft section and the front powers off on hydrofoils. James Bond and Largo battle over the controls while the action is ludicrously sped up until the boat hits a reef and explodes. Fortunately this one is in much better condition and ownership.
I keep rowing past this classic sloop, and finally stooped for a closer look. Built in the 1960s while quality yachts were still being built in wood despite the growing popularity fiberglass to a design by Alan Buchanan
Specifications LOA : 32' 6" LWL : 25' 0" Beam : 9' 0" Draught : 5' 6" Displacement : 10 ton TM
Originally built by The Rowhedge Ironworks Co Ltd in Rowhedge on the east coast of England as Curtsy, later renamed Curtsy of Colchester before being renamed again as Faoilean Ban, Curtsy still visible carved into the bow planking.
Down at the Itchen bridge when this old gaffer motored past, looks very at home in the industrial setting of the Woolston shoreline.
I was asked if I was available to help out on a quick delivery trip across to Cowes in the week on this lovely 8 meter RIB complete with 250HP outboard.
It took about 2 minutes to think about it, drop everything else I was doing and grab some sunscreen and a hat. The Solent was totally flat as below so perfect day for high speed
One of my favorite boats and one which brings some tropical charm to the Hamble is Odette
Her home port is given as Nassau - Bahamas and she has the characteristic sweeping sheer line of many of the boat types from the Islands. The sloping and stepped coach roof add lots of character and presumably some useful headroom inside the companion way.
The photo doesn't do justice to the sloping wineglass transom,
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