I have just found out that you can get 2 free tickets to the London Boat Show curtesy of Honda Marine.
Go to Honda marine’s web page here> Honda Marine Free Boat Show Tickets
Download and Print the Form, fill it in and take it to a participating Honda Dealer (Click the red ‘Find dealer’ button on the web page) Then follow the instructions to get your tickets.
Posted on November 25th, 2009 by ChandleryForBoats
Well in a previous post I had told that the ‘Reeds Online’ had gone bust. Which indeed it had. I also said that Reeds Almanacs (AC and Black) had said that they would give anyone that could prove that they had purchased online Reeds Almanac would be given a 2010 paper version as a gesture of good will, even though they had no connection with the owners of the Reeds Online Almanac except as a licencee for them to use the reeds name.
Well I contacted Reeds and in October I received my brand new copy of the 2010 Reeds Almanac, and very nice it is too see below.
Or if you don’t need the full almanac there is always the smaller
Cowes is to have a facelift. The plan is to create a 395m breakwater across the entrance of the River Medina and build a 350 berth marina on the eastern side of the entrance. This will transform Cowes so that it becomes a sheltered harbour. At the moment it is very open to the sea and weather conditions. The breakwater is quoted as costing £6 million and should start soon (early 2009). For more information goto http://www.cowes.co.uk
Posted on February 26th, 2009 by ChandleryForBoats
I read that Red Diesel will be about the same price in 2009 as it was in 2008!
Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC say they will accept a 60/40 split between propulsion and domestic use for all boats) If you want you can claim a different percentage for domestic use then you can. But the onus will be on you to prove it’s all been used for that purpose if the revenue men come to call.
Add to that the reduction in the price of crude oil, a 40% reduction in the duty payable and VAT at just 5%. The price of red diesel for the 2009 season won’t be nearly as expensive as many Industry experts had feared.
It’s important that boaters should be honest, and not abuse the system, or the government may decide to rethink. Currently, the Regulations say that when a boat owner is refuelling, he must declare to the supplier how much diesel he intends to use for domestics, and how much for propulsion. I refeuled this weekend and the supplier automatically charged for the 60/40 split and I had to sign a special form to agree. Honesty should help to keep red diesel affordable and available for everyone in the UK for the foreseeable future (lets hope that a few penny pinchers don’t spoil it for the rest of the boating community).
Posted on February 23rd, 2009 by ChandleryForBoats
The Department of Transport (DoT) wants to enforce proposed drink-driving laws for the owners of leisure craft.
Personally I don’t have a problem with that because when I’m out on the boat I want to be alert and able to react quickly to any situation. Drink would dampen that responsiveness. Drink limits for recreational boaters were introduced recently as part of the Railways and Transport Safety Act of 2003, but so far there has been no attempt to apply them. However, the Department of Transport has said it wants to push ahead and bring the new law into action,it Is unclear exaclty who will be targeted, and how the enlorcemenl will work.
The proposed limit is exactly the same as for drink driving (35 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres a breath sample), car drivers can get their licence suspended but boaters do not require a licence to use a boat so how will the offence be actioned. There is also the question of drinking at anchor or even moored at a berth in a marina, is that going to be an offence? Car drivers can be prosecuted when ‘in charge” of a vehicle in a public place, even when parked, providing the police can prove there was intention to drive whilst under the influence. Would this also apply to a boats?
There are some exemptions for owners of small, unpowered craft such as canoes and dinghies, although a cyclist can still be charged with being drunk in charge of a bicycle.
The RYA haveconcerns regarding “which craft will be exempt, which individuals on board would be subject to the blood-alcohol limit, and how the rules of the blood-alcohol limit, and how the rules will be enforcedand by whom” said Gus Lewis, the RYA Legal affairs manager. “We do not believe these issues have been properly addressed”. Representatives of the RYA and the BMP have recently met with the DoT for an update on the proposed regulations, and expressed their concerns. The regulations themselves will be available for public consultation in early January 2009 on the RYA and BMP websites. Log on to www.rya.org.uk or www. britishmarine.co.uk. (Source Boat News)
Posted on February 22nd, 2009 by ChandleryForBoats
Reeds Nautical Online Almanacs Ltd has ceased trading, and now, the company has withdrawn the subscription service to the online version of Reeds Nautical Almanac.
The Almanac content and the Reeds trade mark are owned by A&C Black and were licensed to Reeds Nautical Online Almanacs in connection with the provision by the latter of the online Almanac service. A&C Black would like to make it clear that Reeds Nautical Online Almanacs is an independent company and not part of A&C Black or Adlard Coles. It did not operate as part of A&C Black’s business or under their control.
While not responsible for these events nor for subscription or other sales by Reeds Nautical Online Almanacs, as publishers of the print Almanac A&C Black would like to offer customers who have purchased access to the online Almanac a free copy of the 2010 Almanac upon its publication. This offer is conditional upon presentation of proof of purchase of access to the online Almanac.
Please contact customer services at A&C Black for further information, see email address below.
Posted on February 22nd, 2009 by ChandleryForBoats
Well we went down to Seahawk II on Tuesday night last, however, the weather forecast was for next to no wind on Wednesday, which was correct in fact there were also patches of fog reported by another boat that came in. So no point in taking the boat out (in fact it would have been stupid). My wife and daughter opted to go shopping in Southampton. I in the mean time set about doing some maintenance to the boat, like scrubbing down the water line as far as I could reach with my brush. We had also been having trouble with the second reef line and inspection had shown that the pulley at the sail was fitted the wrong way round, so I changed that too. Amongst other things.
On Thursday the weather was brighter but the wind was a meer whisper again. Today is Ashley’s birthday so we are driving to Portmouth to go and celebrate it with him. A good time was had and we enjoyed a family meal at a pub.
On Friday we planned to take Ashley home that night, but so that we could get out in the boat Ashley was catching the train to Hamble and we would pick him up at Hample Point Marinaat lunch time. Unfortunately the forecast wind didn’t show up so we ended up motoring up Southampton water to the Hamble. We picked up some fuel from Port Hamble Marina before berthing for lunch at Hamble Point Marina. The weather was really nice although not warm it was still warm enough to eat lunch and chat in the cockpit, with the sun shining and a beautiful blue sky. Hard to believe that its still the middle of February.
By the time we had finished lunch the wind had picked up (10-12knots) and we set sail down Southampton water back towards Ocean Village. Unfortunately the wind was right on the nose so we were tacking all the way, until the wind started to peter out again. Stowed the sails and on with the Donk to get us back to the marina. The forecast looks good for Saturday but we have to get Ashley home to see his girlfriend and he also has tickets for Kiss Me Kate a production at our local amateur theatre “The Concordia”. Though anyone who has visited the theatre will tell you that there nothing amateur about the shows or the running of theatre.
Which reminds me I must go and practice for rehersals of “My Fair Lady” which I will be performing in next May (Bankholiday for two weeks).
Looking forward to when I can get away again for some more sailing.
Posted on February 22nd, 2009 by ChandleryForBoats
Martin Gibbs was taking part in a race in the Bristol Channel when he was hit by the boom and knocked overboard. The automatic life jacket that he was wearing failed to Inflate, his jacket should have inflated and rolled him onto his back. Instead it failed and left him floating face down in the water as his crewman desperately tried to sail back for him. He was later recovered by a search and rescue helicopter winchman, who said Gibbs was being kept afloat by his sailing jacket, it is thought that the cylinder in the life jacket may have come loose over a period of time, sothe striking pin failed to reach it. Records showed that the jacket was just over two years old, but had never been serviced. I guess the moral of this story is to check your life jacket each time you wear it. Certainly, on my automatic life jackets it is easy to get to the cylinder to check that it screwed fully into place. There was a video on the net about how to service your life jackets unfortunately I cannot find the link to it.
Advice:
Regularly inspect your life jacket for wear and tear. Follow the care procedures as described in your owners manual.
Co2 cylinders should be hand tightened only, a small drop of loctite screw thread may be applied as necessary. Only use original rearming kits, these are available from any good chandler. Spare parts should be available for all models, if parts are not available then maybe you should consider upgrading to a new model, after all it could be the life of your friends, relatives or you.
Its been a while since I have made a post to this blog. I have intended to do it but for one reason or another it has got put off. So whats been happening?
We sailed to Cowes from Southhampton to see the new year in along with the brother in law and his family. We had a good time there and breakfast in the Egon Ronay recommended cafe. We felt that the fireworks were not as good this year as last, maybe it’s the credit crunch.
Weekend before last 24/25 Jan we sailed to Portsmouth. My daughter Devan brought a friend along and they wanted go shopping, whilst my wife and I wanted to go sailing. Although cold on Saturday morning and not much in the way of wind, we had a good trip but it took nearly 4 hours! Good job we set off early. We stayed at Gosport marina, yikes £25 for an overnight stay and its winter. What are the prices going to be in the summer? Having arrived just before midday we moored up and went for a shower (nice showers but not worth £25). Then sat in the cockpit taking in the sun. It was quite warm for the time of year. Then about 2 p.m. caught the ferry to Portmouth so the girls could go shopping.
We wandered around Gunwarf quays and I purchased a warm hat coz the one I’ve got keeps slipping off when I wear it. Works a treat, and kept my head warm on the sail back on Sunday. Sunday set off around mid day around high water. Wind was picking up and a storm was forecast for later on.Had two reefs in the main and the jib and was still doing over 6 knots, great sail. Unfortunately as we came by Bramble bank the wind stated to falter so shook out the reef. Within half an hour there was barely any wind at all so motored the rest of the way to Ocean Village.
I was asked recently about the header graphic on this blog. It is of course The Needles on the Isle of Wight. It was taken by me in July 2007 as we were sailing from Lymington to Weymouth. We were on our summer holidays the children had broken up from school and we were going to sail to Falmouth and back via Weymouth, Dartmouth, Salcome, Plymouth, and Fowey. The first time away from home waters (Solent area). On the way back from Falmouth to Southampton we stopped over in the river Yealm, Brixhaam, Weymouth and Yarmouth on Isle of Wight.
In (July-August) 2009 We did our first trip across the channel. We had a really good sail over to Cherbourg. Whilst we were there the liner Queen Mary 2 paid a visit. From Cherbourg we went to Gurnsey in the Channel Islands via the Aldernay Race. Now that was an interesting part of the trip, speed through the water around 5 Knots speed over the ground 14 Knots and the water as flat as a pancake, though you could see lots of eddies in the water. From Guernsey we went to Jersey, a quick trip due to the strong wind and it blowing in the right direction (over our starboard quater). From Jersey we went to St Malo, France. Then St Malo to Granville, Granville to Isle Chausey, then to Carteret, from Carteret a 17 hour sail back to Southampton Due again via the Aldernay Race. This time there was a big sea running, the family thought it was great fun, personally it made me clinch a few times as we rode over the big swells which were breaking at the top. It was an interesting night sail across the channel too another first. Amazing how much traffic there is on the seas!