Mirror.Dinghy"Tilman"

i had to get away! It's not often a single dad of two ad tny business owner can wrangle a few days off from responsibilities to others and focus on themselves, but every dog has his day and I had a week between Xmas and NYE that left opportunity for me to go cruising. But which boat? I chose Misty for two reasons; the aim of the cruise was maximum relaxation (coffee and reading), it was going to stinking hot and "Tillman" offered little sun protection. But actually I took both in a way, more later. Where to cruise? I was going through a river cruising phase. Subscribing to shanty boat living in my head had me dreaming of drifting down my local river (I could launch just a few k's away), to join a larger river all the way to the sea in the town of my birth. Fixed, well no not really. Random act #1: I am prone to acts of total randomness. It's a strength and a weakness and always makes life that little bit more exciting. (On my wage I need to generate some ex...

On September 5,1997 as " Jack de Crow " was navigating the River Severn in the vicinity of Shrewsbury he discovered that Diana Princess of Wales had died.The news came to Captain Sandy not by Facebook or internet news feed, but by reading sympathy cards affixed to a mountain of floral tributes left by the town's cenotaph. Local shops had windows decorated with images of Diana surrounded by flowers. Apparently the entire country was mourning, even the "lager louts" had stayed in and the town laid down in silence. Being a good natured and eloquent chap, Captain Sandy only slightly expresses his dismay at such an attitude to the passing of a royal mother of two, who passed away while out clubbing in the early hours with her boyfriend:- " The mood of those weeks had the bright uncrushable, brittle glitter of cellophane ..." So, apart from being written by a sailor, what does this have to do with sailing I hear you ask. Well, not a lot honestly, it was j...

My dream is to one day sail very far offshore and continue for a good while before turning for home. I'm a big believer in "going it with what you've got". But I reckon for an open ended voyage/ liveaboard, the Hunter 19 would be too  small. Not enough stowage for food and water, no headroom for whole days at sea or in port awaiting fair weather. I need a boat that l can call "home". Something I can carry 50 to a hundred  books, clothes for all seasons, tools and spares and still have space to spread out below. Hell I may even have guests aboard, or the kids may want to visit for a few weeks. However, as a small business owner, single dad and carer I don't have the money or the freedom to just move out right now. But when things change I  need to move before old age or cancer take hold. I've been lucky to come across two good books lately: "Sensible Cruising: the Thoreau Approach" and "Living Aboard Around the World". Both books ...

As the school holidays race by under a torrent of foul weather I've been working on Misty to make the most of my time. In a fit of pique I went out and bought myself a bimini hood. Ideally I wanted a hood to cover the sliding hatch so's I could sail or go below while protected from rain or beating sunshine. A few years ago I bought an engineless Folkboat up from Pittwater. In the height of summer over an almost windless three days I experienced really bad sunburn, mostly to the tops of my feet strangely enough. But it provided a reality check about gales vs. sun exposure. Well, it wasn't until I'd  bought the smallest Oceansouth bimini and laid it up in the cockpit that I realised it would not be a five minute job. Dodging a mid-boom mainsheet, backstays and sheet winches keeps you busy. I won't bore anyone with details, because every matchup between sailboat and bimini will be different. At the moment I still need to host the main to check how far forward I'...

Although I did have an afternoon sail at Shoal Bay in Tilman a week ago, I've mostly been working on his big sister Misty my Hunter 19 trailer sailer. She's my preferred craft for school holidays and once again they're upon us. By work I mostly mean modifying . Well, there was the broken tiller from last holidays that needed repairs. It was a job that kicked on way too long as it happens. I harbour bigger plans for Misty and I've taken the time to add a Samson post and collision bulkhead, some new deck treads over the anchor well and installed new ground tackle; a 12kg CQR and 40m of 6mm chain. Anyway ... a few nights ago a fellow on the " Dinghy Cruising Australia " FB page invited all comers to a raid nearby and I'm keen to join in. Unfortunately because it starts on the last day of the holidays I'll miss most of it. But, what I plan to do is begin cruising a few days beforehand and then catch the start of the raid. The Myall Lakes, where the ra...

   Tilman and I had our first, albeit tiny, sail on Newcastle harbour on Sunday. The day was almost filled with domestic and family stuff, but at around 3 pm we were liberated and the harbour was the nearest patch of water.    I'd not launched there before but was pleased to find a perfect little beach near the boat ramp proper and chose to kick off there. With a Land Rover tow vehicle, it was easy. We sailed off a windward shore in 5 knots and after 100 yards had our most difficult manoeuvre of the day to negotiate; a low bridge. I was certain the yard would not fit, so I sailed parallel to the underside of the bridge to see if the mast would go clear. Yes! So I loosed the main halyard and dipped the main, or momentum carried us on through.    Passing the main marina for the city was a visual feast, with many large yachts hanging out, few with people attached though. One sleek cat caught my eye, Fantastique , designed by a real sailor for sailing. Sleek...

We wake this morning to learn that Tony Bullimore has passed away from cancer, aged 79 years. He tugged at the heart strings of many Australians as we learned that his yacht had turned turtle in the Southern Ocean and that his nearest rescuer was 2,500 k away and would take four days sailing to reach home, if he could last.   He did and we all watched the footage of him swimming by his overturned yacht, him being dragged aboard a Zodiac and kissing his rescuer.    There was a collective warmth across the nation that our penny-pinching governments had done something generous and successful for a boat-person (they were mistreating refugees and still do). We kind of feel in love with Tony, so well prepared, professional, humble and appreciative. I recall seeing him reunited with his wife, not a fair-skinned English woman, but a dark skinned gregarious woman with a thick Caribbean accent. I remember thinking, "not what I expected", but hey that's cool, this guy just gets be...

An internet search revealed a brand new 1.25 sq.m storm jib in 6 oz. cloth for $213 from Rolly Tasker Sails here in Australia.

Shaping a new tiller for Misty  has taken my attention these passed few days. Initially wandering in the bush to select a suitable piece of wood with a natural bend. Then sculpting away to reveal a suitable shape. I wanted fat  and I got it.    Daughter said it looked "like a tusk off something bigger than an elephant ". I'll take that as a compliment.    It compares favourably to the original and has more character and I know it's provenance having grown here on our land for may be a hundred years.

   the last day of the school holidays was spent improving our storm sailing credentials. what presented as the worst sail in my life actually developed into one of the most instructive day on the water ever. clearly, it was a day of extremes.    a strong wind warning had been issued for 20 to 30 knots, I'd run out of tomorrows with my son, so today we had to sail. he was keen but knew little what 30 knots did to a small sailboat, but he would soon learn more than he wanted to about heavy weather sailing.    the launch ramp was only partly protected, there was limited wave action but the W was closing the shore side on, making conditions busy rather than dangerous. all but for a small improvement I'd made the previous week we'd probably have made a clean escape from the shore. three times as we headed for open water after I'd lowered the outboard Misty screwed sharply to port sending us careening up the bank, before I realised that the engine lanyard was ...

   Before I begin my Sailing Report for today I wish to pay my respects to the Worimi People, the traditional inhabitants of the land. Port Stephens was sighted by Captain James Cook in May, 1770 who named it after Philip Stephens, secretary of the Admiralty. He observed smoke from Worimi campfires. The Tea Gardens and more so neighbouring Hawks Nest townships on the north side of the port have been colonised only relatively recently. In colonial times the picturesque Little Jimmy's Camp east of HN was one of the best known corroboree camps on the east coast of Australia. And through the early 1900's a group of 400 Aboriginal people camped near a timber mill, also near HN. Since then European settlers have transformed (exploited) the landscape by logging, sand mining and fishing. In recent times those industries have been exhausted and less destructive activities has prevailed. The principle attractions being the easy-paced lifestyle around the Myall river and beaches, do...

This guy is Ashley Coulston and I met him in Newcastle Harbourin the late 1980's when he was about to attempt a solo TransTasman crossing in his 2.4m egg boat. 1988 was a crazy year in Australia, being its bicentennial year there were gala events going on everywhere all year long. So, apart from the minute size of his boat, I didn't anything out of place with this as just another festive sailing event. I probably said "wow ... cute boat ... good luck". There was no way of going below for a peak because it was miniscule and with two onboard there wouldn't be anywhere to move. Nothing strange so far hey?    I did keep an ear out for any news and was disappointed to hear that "G'day88" was lifted aboard a freighter in cyclonic conditions.A bit sad, but these things do happen, nothing strange yet.     Today I learned two things: the first being that Coulston refitted "G'day88" and made a second attempt on the Tasman and was success...

"Yankee Girl" 10' long, homebuilt and sailed by Gerry Speiss across both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. A search on Google will provide a copy of the book which describes the design, build, test sailing and Atlantic crossing: "Alone Across the Atlantic". I borrowed a copy from Archive.org. It's the best read I've had in a while.

   The wise among us have an admirable attitude towards weather forecasts.They appear to discount them entirely, but are rarely caught out in severe weather. How do they do it?    Today's forecast was 10-15 knot NW going SW in the afternoon. So I was surprised to find only 5 knots when I launched out across the passage. I was nonplussed to be almost becalmed 15 minutes later. It got so light that we couldn't hold course in the early flood tide and we did a big swerving reach across current onto a small deserted beach to wait for wind.    As often happens on beaches with no footprints, the time ashore was really peaceful. On a mangrove lined island, there was no-one about to annoy us or interrupt my marine meditations. The Mirror' s transom made lapping sounds on the flood tide, the eyes feasted on virgin white sand, sunbleached and decaying mangrove roots and various bits of vegetative flotsam on the high tide lines. The winter sun shone brightly for th...

   Before a Chinese sail can be fitted the old Bermudan rig must be removed. Not just may, rigging and sails, but deck fittings too; jib sheet tracks, mainsheet traveller, winches and chocolates. On the Hunter 19, the chainplates protrude from the middle of the already narrow side decks. Anyone going forward in a hurry runs the risk of stubbing a toe and/or going overboard, so I was happy to see the back of them.    Probably, equally important beneficial is the potential to fill more than fifty holes in the deck. Each jib sheet track alone has a dozen bolt holes. Each one has the potential to leak. In the least this could lead to dampness below decks, even corrosion of electrical hardware. But worse still it could weaken the deck. This typically remains hidden until exposed by heavy weather; with potentially disastrous consequences. One potential defect caused by leaky deck fittings is corrosion. I discovered this by accident with a Folkboat I owned a few years ago....

   I do like to tease northern hemisphere small boat sailors that it never gets cold Downunder, but it does. For what seems like weeks we've been inundated with rain and bashed by strong winds. Most days this week the temperature has not risen above the high teens (Celsius), while the winds have more than doubled that (in kph).    But while Tilman has been idle, I haven't. I've been busting myself with my largest sailboat, a Hunter 19 aka Europa 19 or for many UK sailors "the Squib with a lid". For some time designer Oliver Lee had an open boat design called the Squib which was avidly raced and cruised in the UK and beyond. In response to a public need, he designed a deck for the same fin keel hull and called it the Hunter. It became known as the Europa 19 in the 1980s, I think.    My boat is Australian built with the difference being that she is a drop keel design. This technically allows to be popped in and out of the water as one might desire. But as I...

I got out for another sail today. As a stiff southeasterly had been blowing for severs  days, the ocean swells were up and sailing conditions remained fairly lively. When I told my barriers I was off sailing, he mumbled something about the wet weather and looked at me like I was slightly crazy ... but "I drink coffee and go sailing to sustain my sanity" I pleaded fruitlessly.    Never one to be put off, I monitored to a launching place, slightly sheltered and to  windward of a large bay. It's a great place, an ex WWII Catalina base on Lake Macquarie. No  surprises, I had the place t  myself. I toyed with the idea of hoisting the main alone, but being a thrillseeker, I gave it everything ensuring everything was set fairly flat.   I initially bore off downwind, I'm a sucker for anchored yachts, there were three in that direction and as I squirted past, I got some waves from those onboard tucked in behind their spray dodgers.  I was little bothered...

While towing Tilman to our favourite sailing grounds on Friday, I was being tortured by guilt. I should be parenting, working, cleaning house etc. My ex-wife played no small part in making me feel ashamed of sailing, it's something I feel guilty over letting her get away with.    Anyway, the Dalai Llama offers me excellent guidance:

   In middle age my penchant for finding a personal philosophy of life is bearing fruit.    I've long been reflecting on the positive emotional benefits of work. Not work one does as an employee necessarily, just that work that has meaning or purpose for the worker themselves. I developed the notion that "through work we gain freedom". For me it captured an idea that through work we gain confidence, maintain health and provide for our individual needs. Just recently I read the following in Tilman's Greenland book: "Strenuousness is the immortal path and sloth is the way of death". Slightly more dramatic than my own, but apt if we define death broadly as personal esteem, life-purpose and personal motivation and our creative being.   Now I am working on an observation of the ways in which people claim moral worth to justify their actions. I note a speech by Northern Territory's ex-Chief Minister Clair Martin, justifying changing laws to allow Xstrata Min...

    Working up stream Downwind, light air Finished for the day Friday I had Tilligerry Creek to explore. In favourable conditions, f2 x SE and ebb flow of 2 knots, we headed upstream a ways. On the wind watching the sails, the geology of the shoreline and moored craft was both relaxing and enjoyable.   This creek is reputed to be polluted by PFAS chemicals from the local RAAF base, but there was plenty of oyster farming and fishing going on so perhaps there will be many cancers down the track.    Oystercatchers, osprey and game if not tame pelicans were seen. And a sailor working on his cruising yacht said lovely things about Tilman under sail.