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