Stuff onboard

Im going to use the cooker and toilet lots this weekend and write here exactly how they both work as we didnt find anything that really helped online to tell us how they worked.

The cooker is a Taylors 029 and the toilet is a Lavac, I dont know the model.

Shoestring

Shoestring's Stern, thanks to Boatshed photos.

Well the 'survey' and inspection went quite well. Both 'M' (1st Mate) and I were impressed. As to were Alan and Mike at Boatshed Wales, who could not belive that they had just seen a wooden Yacht with DUST in it's bilges.

She's a pretty little folkboat, we spent sometime on her checking equipment and testing the woodowork. She has a full set of VERY recent sails, including a spinnaker -M wants to use it, I'm a little nervous of them, much prefer a slower gentle sail.

Overall our impression of her was very positive. Minor cosmetics and cleaning, few leaks in the roof, and two lines of rigging i'll have to ask the previous owner, (who has took great care of her) what they are for.

We've got the insurance ready for the official 'handover' on Friday at 9am, but we'll need to sort the berthing out on Saturday. It seems that Milford Haven Marina can't fit us in without a month on visitors rates, and the other local marina, Neyland Yacht Haven, has quite a waiting list.

My impression is that Neyland is the better Marina, it also benefits from not having a lock to negotiate but rather a low-water sill.

We're going down to her on Friday afternoon, this time with my Mother and 5 year old brother, Shaun. Staying over night on her then sorting the berth situation Saturday morning.

We've had an expensive couple of days, new sailing jackets each, a couple of charts, and a Standard Horizon CP180 Chartplotter. -We got an excellent deal on this with Marine Scene, who offer it with a CMAP MAX mega-wide chart of the UK and Atlantic coasts for a considerable discount.

They've promised to do their best to arrange a delivery before we leave on Friday afternoon for me.

Monday!

The other half and I are going to down to see her in Milford Dock Marina for a quick check over and finish the handover paperwork. We've been wandering around shops looking (and dreaming) of all the clothing, equipment, ropes, compasses and additions we can throw at her, remembering we can't afford it all yet!

While looking around for research we found some great articles on Folkboats such as This one, on folkboat atlantic.

The Log...

Hello.

I'm just setting this site up at the moment, but soon we'll be posting extracts from the log book from our new (old) Yacht, Shoestring.

We're not ambitious or even overly experienced sailors, but we aim to simply have some fun sailing our 26ft (8 meter) Wooden Folkboat. Our home port for the moment is Milford Haven Marina on the Pembrokeshire coast, Wales.

Come back soon as we develop this more.

Shoestring: a traditional wooden Folkboat

Shoestring a classic wooden Folkboat. This page is a brief overview of her technical and design abilities.

As side from her current adventures and some of those with her previous owner, Dom, not much is known to us about Shoestring's history, being an "old gal" her origins, how she come from the yard in East Germany in the 70s over to the UK is unknown.

After a bit of research we know a little more, for instance on the Irish Sea Folkboat association's website, (see links section), we know that in 1987 she won the Manx Millennium Trophy for best cruising Folkboat, skippered by H. J. Robinson & R. N. W. Ellis. Other than that her full history is only known to her.

We're told her name comes from the origional owners, two irish brothers who were cobblers, hence the name Shoestring. And was originally moored at Dunmore East harbour.

The Daughter of Mr Robinson, has been in touch, and is hopefully going to try and pass on some more details about her from those days.

Built/Launched: 1969 (estimated)
Designed: 1942
Designer: Tord Sunden, Sweden
Builders: Elkboon, East Germany
Length overall: 7.6m (26'1")
Length at Waterline: 6.0m (19'8")
Beam: 2.2m (7'3")
Draft Min: 1.0m (3'3")
Draft Max: 1.2m (3'11")
Displacement: 2,150kg (4,740.8lbs)
Sail area: 214sq ft
Rig: Bermudan
Auxilary: Beta Marine inboard diesel

Equipment:
Compass
Speed, Log
Echo sounder
DSC VHF
Apello GPS (Back up)
Standard Horizon GPS Chartplotter (Cmap Max Superwide atlantic charts)
T2000 Autopilot
Clock
Barometer
Navigation, running & anchor lights
Auto and manual bilge pumps
Cone and Ball
Drinks cabinet!

Sails:
Mainsail
Storm job
Working Jib 1 (green bag)
Working Jib 2 (red bag)
Genoa
Spinnaker (with aluminum pole)

Other blogs and links

Folkboat links
Folkboats on wikipedia
Irish Sea Folkboat AssociationNordic Folkboat International Association
UK Folkboat Class
San Francisco Bay Folkboats

Current Folkboat builders
R.Bergré Bootbau Altnau
Brandit Moeller Boatyard
Nordic Folkboat


Other online logs and blogs
Voyaging with Annie Hill
SoulSailor
Messing about in Sailboats
Banjo in the Bristol Channel
Proper Course
The Lively Lady project
In Search of Sunset
Folkboat restoration
I have a boat
Ocean Escape

Recommended companies
Boatshed Wales
Neyland Yacht Haven
Yachting Monthly
Classic Boat Magazine

Roach's Adventures

About us: The yacht Shoestring

Shoestring is a small wooden Folkboat based on the South Wales Coast. We sail around the Milford Haven, River Cleddau, Pembrokshire islands and coast, and sometimes as far as Lundy, Cornwall and Ireland.

This site is the story of her adventures, it is part log-book, part diary and part magazine. Together with our diary pages we'll also being throwing in reviews and information on everything that is involved in keeping our little wooden yacht afloat.

Your crew are:

TM, the Skipper.
Tony is a designer and artist. Together with running Shoestring is a designer, consultant and artist. As an expert in inclusive design he often lectures in universities and colleges around the world on the social and political implications of communication design. You can see more about his work at: www.tony-malone.com

MW, First Mate.
Michael makes sure that together with sailing well, Shoestring also looks great. Often found fiddling with ship-board projects or sampling the drinks cabinet, often at the same time. He is also a freelance Stage Manager, working at both RADA and the Royal Opera House, and when he has more free time he can be found working Witcomb Cycles hand-crafting bicycles.

Jayne, Head of Galley and the Drinks Cabinet
The mother of half the crew, Jayne makes sure that together with wearing warm coats and keeping safe, that we are also well fed and stocked with tea. -Proving that MW lights the paraffin cooker. Jayne is also the Marketing Manager for a watersports and leisure company.

Shaun, Look Out
The youngest crew member, at 5 years old, Shaun attends Gorden School in Medway and is also very keen on Rugby, Cycling, Football and Swimming. He's very happy onboard, providing he can sit on deck.

Terry, Crew and acting 1st Mate when needed.
As a professional carpenter Terry's skills often get called upon with a wooden boat, however Terry is also a keen canoeist and cyclist.

Dr Ju and Julie, Crew and Acting Skipper when needed.
Ju is probably the most experienced sailor aboard, having a lot of sailing experience with various charities such as the Tideway Centre in London. Ju joins the crew occasionally as crew or as Skipper.

Contact us

If you would like to get in contact with us, please email us at crew@yachtshoestring.co.uk


Advertising
We do allow advertising on this site, as all proceeds go towards maintaining Shoestring and keeping her afloat. Please email us for details.


Media and press information
For all press related information, please use the email address above with 'press' in the subject line.

The Adventures of Shoestring is a privately run publication and all copyrights are held by the authors / publishers. Content of all external links is the responsibility of the relevant site owners.