XOD

 I know I go on about the Troy Class in Fowey, but I shouldn't forget our own local XOD fleet.

 Freshly painted and ready for the season looks splendid waiting on her mooring

Wicor Houseboats

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.

Interesting Local Boats in Cowes

Helping out on a fast delivery trip (250HP RIB) to Cowes was also a great opportunity to check out some interesting boats over there

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.
 

Faoilean Ban

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.

 

Another Nice Gaffer

 Down at the Itchen bridge when this old gaffer motored past, looks very at home in the industrial setting of the Woolston shoreline.

 

Fast crossing

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

 

Odette

 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,