Adventurous Newfie Sailor Alan “Renown and reputation”

Dylan,
You ask why I’d send you six quid, Cdn$10.
Simple; guilt, and envy.
Ten bucks is a little more than I’d spend, at the seniors’ rate,
to go to the local cinema. so, given the amount of time I spend watching
your videos, I’m not paying nearly enough.
There I’ve just talked myself into another small contribution the next
time I go to your website.
But, there’s always a ‘but' isn’t there. But, also by giving you
a small donation I feel entitled to ask you some questions.
You, of course, are entitled not to answer them.
I somewhat understand your need to part company with your latest Centaur,
but why do you say it’s the last one you’ll ever buy. I thought you quite liked the
boat, and it seemed to suit your purposes, so why never again?
I also wonder if you ever considered augmenting your income by having paying
quests join you on some legs of your voyages. I quite like single-handed
sailing and I’m sure you do as well. However, given your cash flow problems,
having a paying guest or two might not be the end of the world. Given
the renown and reputation you have developed through your videos, and the
propensity of North Americans, Yanks especially, to part with their money, you
might be surprise how much you could raise. Promote it as adventure tourism,
or some such thing. No doubt there are a thousands regulations that come into
play once you charge to go to sea. But, if a friend or two joined you for a voyage
or two the regulations likely wouldn't apply. And why would the department of transport
care if they paid for a video of their adventure.
But, what am I talking about, you don’t even have boat anymore, at least not one
big enough for extra bodies.
You ask for a pix of my vessel. Dalliance is an antiquated Pearson 365 ketch. Last
summer we sailed to the south coast of Newfoundland, approx 800 miles round trip
from my home port, Souris, PEI
In the first pix, Dalliance is tied up to the pier in Burgeo, looking every inch the ketch
she is. The second pix was taken four days later in the same harbour and she looks
more like a schooner than a ketch. We were about 12 miles off shore, close hauled in
a 20 knot breeze when the top shroud let go, snapping off the top third of the main mast.
The joys of an older boat. At times like this you do appreciate having an iron
mainsail on board.
Alan H.
This is about Dylan Winter's Blog, Sailing around Britain.

One Response to “Adventurous Newfie Sailor Alan “Renown and reputation””

  1. 27 February, 2017 at 5:47 amdylan winter says:

    Thanks Alan,

    very happy to answer almost any questions.. Tough call on the mast. I had one come down on a 22 foot Sonata once (a common problem with the fractional rig with no backstay). It made one heck of bang. No injuries.

    I doubt that I will ever own another Centaur. I would have held onto Lily M with her perfect engine. With a heater she would have been okay for Scotland and I had planned on keeping her for five years and using her for the Outer Hebs, St Kilda and the Atlantic side of Ireland.

    They are brilliant boats – and I think they can handle almost anything the UK climate can throw at you. Much tougher than the nut on the tiller.

    However, she has gone now. Having spent three summers and two winters sailing in the 100 inches of rain you get in scotland I realised how fighting the damp is such a challenge – the cameras, the bedding and even I all started to slowly rot. Being there with a brilliant sunrise with a duff camera in your hand is right up there on a par with having a mast fall down – less shocking but just as frustrating.

    As for paying guests – as you say horribly illegal. The boat would need to be coded, I would need insurance and qualifications. My boats are insured but only third party. None have been surveyed let alone coded. I used to work in the holidsy industry – at a horse riding place in Waales. 20 new guests each week. I loved the horses but the public on holdiat can be right arses.

    I would also not do that much filming. If you watch the 500 mile trip up the north sea with John and Roger – it was a lot of miles and not much in the can afterwards.

    So that would take me away from filming the videos. Three people in a small boat is also a bit of a crowd.

    Thanks A

    good man

    Dylan

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