My friend Malcolm has been out and about in the Solent over summer sending me pictures of interesting boats.
The Three Brothers is a 28 foot, originally Cornish boat owned and maintained by three brothers out of Littlehampton for many years and has appeared in many Old Gaffers Association events.
I seem to recall she was quite badly damaged a few years ago, but judging by the photo she's been repaired and looking great.
I remember lusting over these back in the 1970's, well before I could drive, having fitted a new rear view mirror to my Mobylette moped, I no doubt thought I was ready for building a kit car looking something like a cross between a Lamborghini and Corvette. School, girlfriends, Uni probably fortunately, all got in the way.
Designed by Richard Oaks as the Nova on a VW chassis and engine in the UK and in the US sold as the Sterling. That lift up, center section/door was like something out of Thunderbirds. They were built somewhere in Southampton and apparently successful, although I've only ever seen three or four on the road.
The eagle eyed reader might point out that the engine looks nothing like a VW flat four, in fact it's an aluminum Rover V8 (derived from the Buick engine). Hung out the back there it must have had some interesting handling to say the least.
Great to see one, even better if it's getting restored. It seems there's an active owners association and forum
We were going over to Lee on Solent on Saturday morning and passed the Hovercraft Museum which was having a very busy day including demonstration flights from the slipway adjacent Daedalus in partnership with Hovertravel.
Having never been on a hovercraft I floated the idea that a trip would make a good Dad birthday or Christmas present, there are still some dates coming up this year.
Hovercraft Ride Days 15-minute demo rides on one of the Hovertravel Hovercrafts!
16th October 2021
13th November 2021 1
1th December 2021
Plus there's a Hover Halloween season, event who knew there were haunted Hovercraft
I've had a thing for Italian motorbikes going way back to the days when my school friend Clive had a Garelli moped, a complete contrast from the Mobylette I owned. While my school friends were buying Hondas, Yamahas and Suzukis, I was lusting after the single cylinder Ducati desmo despite the fact that I could only afford an aging Royal Enfield - well at least it was a 250 single.
Objects of desire were the Moto Morni 350 V twin, the stunningly beautiful Moto Guzzi 750S3 and the fabulous MV Augusta.
Of all the two wheeled Italian objects of desire it was the Laverda was top of my list, just like this spotted up near the green recently.
Later remembering it was The Sailing Frenchman one of many sailing youtubers who sailed an Ecume de Mer - Ann Alie to the Caribbean, now moved on to crew super yachts and race Mini Transats.
Ann Alie was had a similar colour scheme but was fitted with a bow sprit and without the contracting sheer.
Recent days have seen perfect autumn weather, the mornings misty with a heavy dew settled on cobwebs. The sun breaking through and burning off the mist and the day moves towards a sunny midday.
The early trees are starting to turn yellow and brown, chestnuts are falling, bushes are scattered with berries. This picture pretty much represents the day.
Caption competition
The best I could come up with :
The ultimate garden ornament
The gnomes have moved on from fishing
Normally boys toys, maybe these are his and hers?
I'm reasonably sure this pretty yawl is a willow Bay Boats "Shilling", she sits on a drying mooring at Emsworth just below the millpond.
I think she's called Marjory, and is either new or very well kept, the colour scheme is great.
But probably not much.
Walking along the river for a lunchtime break and my eyesight being not what it was, something seemed not quite right going on over at Swanwick hard.
Sure enough the owner of the van was having a bad day. The side of the hard changes to deep, soft mud really quickly, very easy to get a wheel caught and then.
I had to go back to work, hopefully they got out ok, HW is at 17.22 so they had a bit of time.
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