Painting Jolie Brise

I rowed past Jolie Brise couple of weeks ago, she was in a marina in Hamble being prepared for a new coat of paint.

The weather has been quite fair and mild for the past week or which has hopefully helped the work.

Window shopping?

I pass by this launch on my morning run,  it would probably  be described as a runabout with it's design rooted in the late 1950's or early 60's. It looks like plywood construction and none the worse for that, with a vee bottom hull form she looks to be smooth riding and seaworthy. You can imagine the throaty roar of a big capacity inboard engine with plenty of power to get you where you want to go, not especially "green" in these environmentally obsessed days but a lot of fun.

In my mind it has elegant proportion and line, lacking in ornamentation, giving it a timeless, functional beauty.

If I were in the market for a motorboat something like this would be on the short list.

Dolphin Quay

Tucked away at the top of a tiny creek just off the town centre in Emsworth, Dolphin Quay has been one of those rare places, a traditional old working boat yard with a collection of interesting, mostly wooden boats, many in various stages of restoration or in a few cases decay.

Sadly the incumbent shipwright Tim Gilmore who had operated from the site since 1996 was given notice by the landlord and has relocated his company to nearby Birdham Pool Marina.

It seems all too likely that the yard will be developed into waterside houses and apartments  but speaking to a berth holder I learned that the moorings, the slipway and the creek are owned and operated by Chichester Harbour Conservancy and there is an intention to maintain those facilities and that any development will have to provide access for boat owners.

Something similar happened with the adjacent development (on the right below) a public footpath and right of way  is maintained through an arched courtyard which gives access to the path alongside slipper pond, one of the old tide mill ponds in Emsworth.

It would be good if the development of Dolphin Quay can be accomplished while still retaining the moorings as an active boating facility and place of enjoyment and attraction for the town.

Caen Classis

Close by what remains of the medieval centre of Caen is the "vieux port"which dates back to the 16th century and is connected to the sea at Ouistreham some 15 kilometres away.

Today the vieux bassin is no longer a working port and is largely given over to tourism and as a marina, however down at the southern end an area has been made available for classic boats.

With my lack of French it was difficult to understand exactly, but from what I could tell the city authorities were supporting a society and owners of classic boats by offering the use of the old working quay in an effort to help preserve the local maritime tradition.

It was very much a working environment and low budget, this classic boat was clearly past restoration, but the cut through hull had been labelled so that visitors could identify the parts of the construction, framesn stringers, keelson etc.

The area is very pleasant with bars, restaurants and the local market attracting tourists, the society too had made and effort to make the area interesting.

Of course not all the exhibits were showcase standard, things are clearly operated along the lines of  a working museum and non the worse for that.

Several interesting craft were afloat, the one above showing the classic lines that are recognisable in traditional French inshore craft from the channel ports.

Larger and typical of the Brittany lobster boats with this characteristic raked stern, it's good to see these classic boats being cared and maintained in a semi working environment.

The last post 2012

My predictions for 2013

Sailing will be more fun than working
A celebrity will be in the news
The tides will rise and fall
The wind will be in the wrong direction most of the time
You will remember where you left that vital spare part, it just won't be where you remembered it was
The weather will improve
(I could be wrong about the weather)

Have a great new year and here's wishing you well for whatever endeavours you pursue in 2013

Boxing Day

For a few brief moments the sun broke through, but all too soon the approaching front started to close in, rain is foretold by midday but a few folk were out walking the dog, getting some fresh air and even sailing.

It's a day for a roaring fire, warm beer, hot mulled wine, the children will have playing with the favourites of their presents  - hope you're enjoying the holiday.

Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone a merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

The oil refinery over at Fawley looks almost festive at this time of year, lit up in the early evening twilight, apologies but it makes a change from chocolate box images of pretty villages and cute waterside pubs!

Boxing Day seems to be a very British tradition, a public holiday celebrated on the 26th December in UK, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand and other former colonies. It's a day for sporting events and for people to take the opportunity to get out and "blow away the cobwebs" after Christmas day.

It would be great to get out on the water, especially if the weather was clear and bright like the picture above, sadly the weather forecast predicts otherwise, so it will probably be like the picture below, taken on Boxing day last year of a few hardy members of the Seafarers Sailing Club launching from the beach, it was all too familiar cold, wet and windy but everyone seemed to be having good fun.

What ever you are doing over the holiday have a great time and thanks for stopping by.