Itchenor is a delightful village in Chicheter harbour, plenty of space for hauling out but I can imagine that's a windy, cold and in hospitable spot for doing winter maintenance.
Friday 20 September 2024
Down on the spit
Monday 16 September 2024
Club Nautique Creil Sur Mer
Creil Sur Mer is a village at the eastern end of the Normandy coast nestling between tall chalk cliffs, the Club Nautique has a small clubhouse/workshop and a secure compound for cars, boats and trailers.
The coast here is challenging, the nearest safe harbours are Le Teport to the east and Dieppe to the west and launching is across a wide and steep shingle beach
Added to those challenges the tidal range is around 8 meters, so the club had laid this heavy duty runway and a cable winch for launching and recovery.
It all seems to work pretty well, our neighbor (of the house we were staying in) was out fishing most days taking advantage of the settled weather.
Friday 13 September 2024
Luggers
Selection of small luggers passing by the balcony in Fowey.
These two relatively small boats both with a foresail and mizzen in additional to the lug mainsail are very much is the tradition of working boats, the sail plan keeping the working area clear, but has the opportunity to set a large sail footprint. The short and wide hull form was something seen on both sides of the channel.
A simpler rig just main and jib, looks a very relaxed
Modern interpretation the Nigel Irens designed high tech, 37 foot lugger Roanna is simply lovely, I managed to speak with the owner who had long admired and purchased when the boat came up for sale from the original owner a few years ago.
Monday 9 September 2024
Echo 90
The French have some interesting training and day boats, this example is an Echo 90 spotted in Le Treport recently.
The Echo 90 is a 9-metre ketch rigged day boat, with twin rudders and open transom.the builders claim it proves to be efficient and fast, thanks to a large sail area and an asymmetrical spinnaker while the modern design gives it great stability and allows it to navigate safely even in strong winds.
Operated in Le Treport by the sailing school Sensationlarge.com, it can take up to six sailing out in the Baie de Somme
LOA | 9.14 m |
Width | 2.92 m |
Draft | 1.05 m |
Weight | 1,400 kg |
Sail area | 37.3 m2 |
Built by A.C.B Chantier Naval Brittany , they also have other interesting boats in build - the Maraudeur, La Caravelle based on a Morlaix boat which is described as "rustic boat is somewhat reminiscent, all things being equal, of Citroën 2CV" and the MiniJi a 1/7 scale replica of the 12 Meter JI from the America's Cup
Friday 6 September 2024
Fishing
Interesting fishing boat, good cover come rain or sunshine, low draft and a nice stable hull.
Twin outboards are each relatively small but give redundancy. Looks like they have three rods deployed.
Monday 2 September 2024
End of Summer
August bank holiday and US Labour day holiday weekends have past, the rate of change of daylight hours is racing toward the dark winter evenings ahead.
There's normally a noticeable temperature change around mid September so make the most of the next couple of weeks if the weather holds.