tophatyachts.com

Hello anybody home ? only Bears hibernate ......????? Bear

Hi, I have been wondering where everyone had gone. Anyway we were out on Night Cap this weekend, slept aboard and got lots of work done. Great sunset, heavy winds, but we slept well and warm, then experienced a super sunrise. We intend using our boat right thru winter.

Hey bear - think we are all working too hard or something dull.

Maybe it is time for one of your new Cartoons!!?

Have come to the conclusion that we are not selling solitude, it has been listed for a while and have had a couple of silly offers, not going to compete with the silly prices out there... tempting to stock up on additional yachts... suspect swmbo would have a different idea.

So in conclusion will go sailing a lot more.

PS thoroughly jealous of Phil and Seaka!

Karl, I thnk that Phil was the one that used to do all the posting. Since he's gone it all went quite.

I'm just waiting to get Felicite slipped, its gone for too long and if I don't get a spot I'm going to need an Environmental Impact Statement to move her.

Hey Greg - I am with you on that one... I need to get 'tude out for a bum clean very soon... happy with the fact the antifoul has lasted nearly two years though but not happy the transducer antifoul that only lasted 6 months. will coat the other stuff next time i think.

I am getting Sealady slipped later in the winter so she looks beautiful for the summer.
Also have a long list of other minor repairs for the shipwrights and am getting the rigging checked.
I have had her now for 5 years and the rigging was supposedly 4 years old then.
So probably time for an inspection and I am dreading the quote if replacements are recommended.

Will also do some more painting.
My toe rail / gunnell - what is the correct term? needs painting.
And when I painted the deck a few years ago, I only put on one coat and I missed bits so this winter she will get her second coat.
I know..... Should have done 2 coats at the time.

My "Harbour Bridge" at the bottom of the mast has peeling paint. So bare Aluminium I think is showing through. Anyone ever taken off all the paint and started again? If so... how did you do it?
Is it a job a girlie like me can handle?

That job has been in the too hard basket for a while.

I could also consider repainting my boom. Also has peeling paint. Another too hard basket.
And very expensive to get done professionally.

Although I think a "Sea Lady" should be pretty. She is an old girl and we old girls need a bit of TLC from time to time.

Hi there

Talking of old girls... I was really impressed with the way our Mark 1 handled the strong winds at the weekend; we came down to the boat on Friday afternoon and sailed down to Little Gunyah for the night; Saturday 'blew a hooley' - 25 /30kts- we sailed around Lion Island and out toward Barrenjoey with two reefs in the main and about seven turns on the furler. Leoden just took it all in her stride, we kept an eye on the weather and safety aspects but had GREAT fun, really impressed with the boat!

Happy Sailing
Timothy
Mooney Mooney Creek

Hi Everybody,

I'm still here [Greg] but have been putting my efforts into my Sailblog.

Which I hope you have all been reading.

I had thought that everybody was out sailing as some were. You are spot on Timothy, you can push the Mk 1's really hard and they just fly. I came up from 1770 to Pancake Creek [16nm] with only a Yankee sail on front and that was enough to get speeds approaching 6 knots.

Great to hear you are keeping Solitude Karl. You will be happier for keeping her.

A post earlier about Portta Potties, from experience gained I have found that two weeks of constant use by one person is about the limit, if there are more users reduce the time appropriately.

Phillip
Pancake Creek.

Hi Hatters

Yeah Egret II needs a slipping ! Have to go back to the bad old days and use a public slips ,for the 1st time in 30 odd years the old wet and dry and 2 coats of antifoul and a polish .

Firstly, Bear see what you have done........got everyone talking.....onya.
As far as dirty bottoms go, Night Cap must be in the running for a prize.
Tim, saw your boat was not on the mooring on Fri. We arrived at the jetty around 4pm, slept on boards fri nite and did some work on Sat, then left late afternoon. It certainly blew, but we slept warm and comfy. That was our first of many sleeps on board.
Diana, when u are at Mooney have a look at mast step on Night Cap, heaps better now, Cleaned up and painted white. Wash boards have been removed and taken home for sanding and varnishing. I have made up a new set of washboards...ply, which has many coats of paint. I am pondering the rigging on Night Cap....Bear, Shaun any input welcomed. Best wishes to all, John