Arguing with the system!

Hello, updating the blog after we had trouble accessing it. Sadly I think we have lost all our images! I'm sure we will get them back on soon!

Sorry.

Now on facebook!

We've set up a page on Facebook for Shoestring: Come and join us here!

Sailing updates!

Caught up reef lines are rare but a pain to free without lowering the main!

Sorry for lack of updates! Must try harder, especially now I've done a nice shiny new website for Shoestring!

First sail of the season went out in March. We took Michael's Mum and Dad up river to Lawrenny and back. Quite fun, fair wind and was made a bit more dramatic by a shackle on the jib giving out sending the Jig flying from the forward stay and whipping ropes behind it. -All sorted out and fixed now!


Second sail was slower but equally fun. We went out last week down river this time to Milford Haven. Wind was hardly a Force 1, so progress was mostly motor-sailing or dead slow. But we weren't in a rush so it was enjoyable to just potter along. We still managed to break a cleat behind the starboard winch, the screws had rusted away so it simply snapped off under a very light load.

A seal swimming in near the LNG terminal came over to say hello and show off that with the lack of wind he could move faster.


We turned at Milford Haven to head up river -and down wind towards the mouth of the Pembroke River, The Pennar Gut, which together with being out of the main channel of the Haven is also a nice quiet spot to anchor.

We had lunch there at anchor then with no wind at all started to head back to Neyland.

Michael "posing" at the helm. He has been told off over lack of his life jacket!

Waiting for the new season

King is waiting for the 2009 sailing season to star, hopefully we'll get a chance to get her back up to scratch for the spring and summer.

Restoring the boards

We took Shoestring's floor home with us just after Christmas so it could be stripped back and restored. The varnish had been re-painted several times and was looking a bit tired.

Luckily to help with this, we found an orbital sander in Tescos for £7.80, it did a great job! The floor looks like new, just the varnish to add before we re-fit it.

Next it is time to tackle the cockpit restoration and cabin sides!

National Small Boat Register

The Ntional Maritime Museum Cornwall has launched it's new database which it has been developing over the last few years. This is a register of all those boats (under 40ft LOA) which deserve to be preserved by individuals, organisations, trusts or museums.

Our very own Shoestring has been added to list as an example of a traditional family cruiser with local history. Her NSBR Registration Number is 1508.

The National Small Boat Register is a fascinating read, you can search for many small interesting vessels and learn a bit about them, it also offers a great way to ensure these smaller boats are saved for future generations.

You access the NMMC database here

Happy New Year!

In 2009, two Irish cobblers, saw Shoestring on the stand at the London Boat Show, and purchased her. She was in commission around Kilmore Quay in Ireland from 1970 onwards, once her tour as the showboat had finished.

So now 40 years later, she's still in use, and gathered a following of previous owners, adults and children who have learned to sail on her.

So happy new year from Shoestring, the best little ship in the sea.

Shoestring: Bits and bobs all over the place.

Well, Winter season well and truly upon us, I've still not sailed since September!

So far maintenance has included:

• Scrubbing all the interior surfaces of mould from poor ventilation
• Cleaning all the sails & putting them in our loft to dry out
• Removing all soft furnishings
• Top up oil in the Engine
• Check over hull and sides
• Repair two more leaks in the roof!
• Strip and re-assemble the Taylors cooker
• Move the chart-plotter above deck (on a removable mounting)
• Remove the spray-hood (I've decided for now it looks better without)

She still needs her underside scrubbed and anti-fouled, but I am going to wait until the spring for that, possibly summer, and also arrange an engine service. Two new jib sheets will be on the shopping list too.

Sadly I think our Genoa has had it, the lock-pins seem to have ceased up completely, I'll take it along to a sail-makers for advice when I get paid next.

I'm planning on a day-trip out over Christmas, i'll let you know how it goes.

Bit slow on updates!

Sorry not done much sailing or maintenance recently! I've been hectic with work! Have a look over the archives from this year, (menu on the right), or visit my personal site: www.tony-malone.com, while I get this blog ready for the 2009 season.

A new boom tent

Bit of a clumsy design sketch. (I should hide the fact I am a professional designer!), but after improvising a bit over the summer and as we've got a new sprayhood being made up I've just asked for a boom-tent to be made up for us that will fit around our lazy-jacks.

Blooming expensive this yachting lark!

This Thursday...

We start our move down to wales. Hopefully finishing on Sunday morning in time for a day sail. As we mentioned before we're moving to Pembrokeshire part-time, after simply deciding it is a wonderful place. (And we get more use out of Shoestring) The photo above is of the view from the livingroom window and below is looking up the garden at the Cow Shed. All getting very excited now!

Great new website

I can't remember where I found this site, but I've got hooked in a slightly geeky way to watching shipping traffic around the UK coast.

It is an online AIS repeater, showing the movements of ships carrying AIS transmitters.

In absence of the funds to buy an AIS radar for Shoestring just yet, I'll see how this works on the Milford Haven on my laptop as a yard-stick test.

Have a look at www.shipais.com

Grumpy skippers

I've finally got around to watching Three Men in Another Boat, starring Griff Rhys Jones, Dara O'Brian and Rory McGrath.

Its a great comedy-documentary about their adventure on Griff's classic yacht, Undina. as it sails from London to Cowes to join, Jospehine, Undina's sister ship.

As I watched Griff explaining nautical terms and sailing conventions to his inexperienced crew I saw many similarities in how I had been this summer with my 'new' crew.

'No, not like that', 'Yes I CAN see that big ship', 'Mind that BOUY!' and many other such essential Skipper shouting phrases that I realise Griff and I have in common.

Grumpy and stressed skippers aside, there was lots of lovely sailing sequences an amusing fly-by from the Dover Coastguard and a good look over what Griff's lovely yacht can do.

Undina is 'almost' lovely enough to turn my head from Shoestring, MW found it rather funny when Dara, comparing Undina to a newer Beneteau, said how cramped she was, if he'd only ever been on a wooden folkboat, Undia would have looked like a palace!

I have to agree with Griff's sentiment. 'Proper boats' are made from wood, the new ones with bathrooms, double cabins and kitchens are more like 'plastic shower cubicles with a pole attached'. -But still, all yachts are lovely!

You ca still catch Three Men in Another Boat on BBC iplayer for a few days.

Lack of news...

Mum in the forepeak, note the new Solva Pottery mugs. :0)

Since our last trip down to Shoestring, at the end of August, i've simply not had time to post any entries! Sorry!

We had a quick weekend away, with Mum and Shaun. Got in a good 1/2 day sail, and then explored more of Pembrokeshire. Shaun loved his surfing lesson with me on Broad Haven.

Still more leaks popping up in Shoestring's cabin roof... I may take drastic measures and epoxy everything!

Oddly, after our last post on feeling like 'Semi-Locals', and odder still since nearly a month has past from our last visit. Everything is going to change!

From the 1st October we're moving to Pembrokeshire! We're renting a wonderful converted barn in the Preseli mountains, only a half hour drive from Shoestring!

This also means that we'll be also living in London, as we both have work commitments, so our aim is to have a one week in London and one week in Pembrokeshire basis.

While in Wales, MW will be working on his handmade bicycle wheels -www.michael-ward.net and i'll be continuing to develop my design projects.

It also means we can fit more sailing in!

Semi-locals ?

I always felt pangs of dread as I left Pembrokeshire to return to London. That dread that it was back to day-to-day London life...

While away Ju90 commented that we were not 'tourists' but Semi-locals... now thats a nice idea, and quite true. We've been and will be down there so much that it makes sense for us to think of ourselves as semi-locals. After all, we have an address, a 'floating' cottage, friends and genuine love of the area.

Being a part-time local gives us a sense of belonging and not just visiting. In fact having Shoestring then becomes just like a second home, albeit a small wooden one that leaks in from the roof the rain. So no need to find excuses to go 'away for the weekend' it is simply 'working from home for the week'.

Not quite sure what this wittering on  is about either. But anyway it made me feel better. :0)

Historic logs

Thanks to Hannah Robinson and her mother Maggie for the kind extracts from the log-book of Mr H.J. Robinson -a former Shoestring co-owner with Dr Ellis.

Posted below are a couple of entries from the log-book, you may need to click on them to enlarge them to read.

May 15, 1983

Welsh Cakes!

On our second trip to Wales I found this delicacy in Morrisons of all places. Now I realise they are available all over wales by many large bakery brands.

I have to say the best ones we've found have always been fresh ones from smaller bakeries, in particular the bakery on the corner of 'Y Welsh' and 'Ropewalk' in Fishgaurd have the most amazing ones we've tasted.

Welshcakes are small round cakes a bit like scones and eaten with or without jam or butter, we prefer without.

We now find ourselves bringing back a few boxes of them each time we return from wales for friends and family.

I've included a quick recipe from the BBC website below incase anyone feels like having a go.

Ingredients
225g/8oz self-raising flour, sieved
110g/4oz (preferably Welsh) salted butter
1 egg
handful of sultanas
milk, if needed
85g/3oz caster sugar
extra butter, for greasing


Method
1. Rub the fat into the sieved flour to make breadcrumbs. Add the sugar, dried fruit and then the egg. Mix to combine, then form a ball of dough, using a splash of milk if needed.
2. Roll out the pastry until it is a 5mm/¼in thick and cut into rounds with a 7.5-10cm/3-4in fluted cutter.
3. You now need a bakestone or a heavy iron griddle. Rub it with butter and wipe the excess away. Put it on to a direct heat and wait until it heats up, place the Welsh cakes on the griddle, turning once. They need about 2-3 minutes each side. Each side needs to be caramel brown before turning although some people I know like them almost burnt.
4. Remove from the pan and dust with caster sugar while still warm. Some people leave out the dried fruit, and split them when cool and sandwich them together with jam.

The last trip out: Over night at Lawrenny Yacht Station

Shoestring moored up to her buoy for the night

We had our last night in Pembrokeshire, (due both to The Rum Situation and work demands). We left our moorings in Neyland at 11am just before the high-tide, and went out for a sail. Initially we were going to sail up to Angle Bay and then turn back up river to Lawrenny, but the wind and tide was against us, so we sailed as far as the entrance to the Pembroke River and castle pond, then turned to sail up river towards the Cleddau bridge.

After pottering around under sail, Michael had a go at the helm under sail, this time without hitting any buoys, King slept as usually. We realised how much the time flies while we're sailing as four o'clock came round we turned back with hardly any wind -we even tried motor-sailing to speed up things, and headed back from Picton Point towards Lawrenny.

Michael (and new hat) at the helm.
(Shoestring is in need of a new mainsheet traveler!)

The Lawrenny yacht station is a wonderful location, but popular, we managed to get a last minute visitors buoy by calling in advance. -£10 for buoy B28 on the edge of the Cleddau and the Cresswell river mouth, a beautiful spot as you can see but requiring a bit of a paddle to get to the Yacht Station's pontoon -King's first trip in the Sevylor Canoe! (link to the review), needless to say he was nervous but very trusting and eventually enjoyed it.

Thankfully our charts are a bit more up-to-date, but you get the idea.

Once ashore we realised that the wallet was still on the dashboard of the car at Neyland! A quick, but expensive (£60) return trip in a mini-cab solved this. We didn't go in but the Lawrenny Arms pub on the old quayside has been recommended to us many times.

Me(Tony) off out in the canoe.

We rowed back to Shoestring in the canoe, after having a bit of fun trying to get King into the canoe over the edge of the pontoon. -Thankfully he had his lifejacket on so he was easier to carry. -Or at least aim and throw as it must have looked like to the people watching with great humor in surrounding yachts.

After dinner on board we had an amazing sunset at Lawrenny, we sat on the fore-deck in our woolly jumpers with a scotch and coke (YES NO RUM) and watched the still water reflecting the light from around. Then complaining as a motorboat user, just after sunset decided to show off water-skiing skills with no navigation lights and making lots of noise and lots of wash. Thankfully this ended after twenty minutes or so.

Sunset at Lawrenny, looking up the Cleddau river.

We settled in for the night, noting that Shoestring didn't move that much more than she did in the Marina. I was in the double bunk up front and had to have the forward hatch open for a while longer to look at the amazing star-fields you get in the very low light pollution skies.

Shoestring's bow, with No.1 job awaiting a tie-down for the night.

Come morning all had changed. Rain, and I mean RAIN, was falling, Shoestring's cabin roof leaked again, this time in 1 new spot too! We had a quick breakfast of toasted muffins and jam then decided to return to Neyland under engine. -Wearing every waterproof garment we had.

King relaxing on his bunk (again)

Safely docked at Neyland about 2 hours later, we both wished we had spent the night out there before in our trip. We decided to leave Shoestring at Neyland during the wet stormy weather, and drive back to Lawrenny for lunch at the (award winning) Quayside Tea Rooms, where we had a very reasonably priced lunch that was one of the best we'd had on our trip.

One of our best shots from the evening. (Before the storm hit!)

We can't wait to take Shoestring back to Lawrenny. Perhaps next time exploring by Canoe further up to Cresswell Quay (the water is too shallow for Shoestring) where there is another great pub which has the best hog roast and BBQ in Pembrokeshire on a friday night apparently. We'll investigate and report back!

Link to Lawrenny Yacht Station

Made in Solva

I have to confess, for the last six months with Shoestring we've used Sainsburys Basics blue mugs... Shocking I know. 

We've been on the lookout for some nice handmade mugs for ages, we both love craftsmanship in all forms, as reflected in our day jobs, and of course, having a wooden yacht.

On a visit to Solva last week we found the perfect mugs to compliment Shoestring's craft. At £9 each they were not cheap, but these beautiful blue mugs were made by Bobbie Jacobs, whom we had a long conversation with on her work as she found us four of a similar size. -The mugs are thrown and spun instead of being cast. Her work is a wonderful reflection of the area with her bright blue hues and tones setting a theme in their work. You can visit the Solva Pottery page here.

Solva is a wonderful little town, accessible for 2 hours either side of high-tide, and it's quay drying completely. It has a great, dog friendly pub: The Harbour Inn, which serves great food, next door to another great café 'Number 35' where Michael enjoyed a locally caught crab salad. (Which was caught by the café's own boat).

We had a browse through the "Window on Wales" store there, both purchasing a fine pair of Wellington Boots. Then went off to visit the local Woollen Mill.

About one mile away from the harbour is the Solva Woollen Mill, another traditional crafts-place. Their workshop forms part of their retail store where visitors can literally walk up to the looms and discuss their workings with the crafts-people there.

More than a tourist attraction the mill is a working company and offers a fine variety of rugs, blankets and throws. -Their 'Skomer' pattern is particularly nice!

Sadly, the Sock-Knitting-Machine pictured above was out of order. But made me want a Sock-Knitting-Machine of my own nonetheless. 
The Woollen Mill is currently raising funds to restore its water-mill workings, some of which can be seen turning both outside and inside in the tea room area.

We've still to explore the quayside and harbour area fully, but can definitely recommend the town to visitors by car or sea. -We've not tried yet but previous owners have managed to dry Shoestring out alongside the quay wall there.

Last night at Lawrenny

We spent last night moored up river at Lawrenny Yacht Station. Just a quick entry this one, until I get a chance to post fully.