Dave email

Dylan,

I have you to thank for reminding me why I loved sailing so much as I grew up, and for lighting a fire under my behind to do something about it. Not to me mention quietly syphoning small quantities of the household budget into a salty slush fund.

I now have a quite spectacularly short fat boat sitting happily on it's rented patch of mud in Chichester harbour. Whilst you are winding your way around the isles I will be doing my very best to navigate the mud banks and sand shoals of the Solent harbours.

Thanks again for the inspiration

Dave

 

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This is about Sailing around Britain.

35 Responses to “Dave email”

  1. 26 April, 2016 at 6:19 pmOwen says:

    I wonder how many of us have the same tale to tell… its down to him that I too have a short fat boat in Chichester Harbour on the mud… we should start a secret society :)

  2. 26 April, 2016 at 8:52 pmApplejack Jim says:

    Our boat and location also fits the description.
    Dylan has soooo much to answer for!
    Will Dylans “Readers Boats” blog be re-instated at some point? If so I may send an image……

  3. 26 April, 2016 at 9:40 pmAndrew w says:

    It’s all your fault Dylan! Locking out of Island Harbour Marina this morning in a hailstorm. Having an exciting time dropping the sails in a late afternoon squall (must save up for furling headsail sail). Plus spent all day yesterday crouched in the cockpit locker fitting a hatch as part of a fridge conversion. That’s why we simply had to get out on the water today. Anyway tonight we have a working fridge so no need to buy bags of ice. All your fault Dylan, but are we having a great time, you bet we are!

  4. 26 April, 2016 at 9:56 pmdylan winter says:

    gratifying…. but…. fridge,,, fridge,,,, fridge

    you make life too complicated

    what is wrong with red wine?

  5. 26 April, 2016 at 10:07 pmSean Fitzpatrick says:

    Well I don’t have a short fat boat on any patch of rented mud,I do have my Fin Keeler in a field beside the Deben.
    The need to go sailing has arrived Dylan,and the duck punt on the Deben,has become dinghy,then a day boat,trailer sailor,Hunter Horizon,Westerly Griffon,Dehler,it has shrunk back to a Medina swift 18,First 18,Shamefully I even looked at a motorboat on Apollo duck.
    We have done Rutland,Hull,South Ferriby, Newark alas not good boat amongst them.
    We have seen twin,keels,fin keels loose keels,trailer wheels
    We have lifted hatches,peered in bilges,poked things pulled stuff,tested bunks alas to no avail.
    We know that dogs can not sail at Rutland,Fossdyke is no place for a fin keeler.
    As a crew we now realise that James needs a flat screen telly and x box,
    Val wants standing head room and a saloon table,and guest cabin .
    I have looked bigger smaller newer,older upped my price,men in suits have shook my hand,but no new boat.
    I have my chart plotter ,compasses,GPS packed ready and waiting!
    Last week my contract looked like ending,so I was headed down to the Deben,to fettle Kiwa for a month.
    Damm,I told somebody,and today they extended it.

  6. 26 April, 2016 at 10:18 pmAndrew w says:

    May as well use the shore power. Thought you would have said what’s wrong with tea lights! All part of keeping Gill happy, and it does mean more space in the cool box for beer, although Gills says she can bring more pre cooked food from home. The red wine is essential.

  7. 26 April, 2016 at 10:28 pmApplejack Jim says:

    I agree with D on the red wine. Needed a double measure (would have been a treble but I was spotted) after this springs full frontal assault on the blessed trailer bearings and brakes. Two jobs left and then we can throw her (I had better add the word boat) in the water!

  8. 26 April, 2016 at 11:37 pmdylan winter says:

    sail the boat you have now rather than dream about the boat you think you need

    By the way – the Centaur ticks most of your boxes

  9. 27 April, 2016 at 8:13 pmBrian says:

    Another Chichester creeky here!
    Mind you at 7 foot 6 inch beam I do not consider myself too fat!
    If we ever get a summer we could arrange to ram the beach and have a barbecue at East Head.
    Mind you I often prefer it there in less Clement weather when you have it pretty much to yourself.

  10. 27 April, 2016 at 8:40 pmdylan winter says:

    Chichester harbour is such a great place for enjoying the mud

  11. 28 April, 2016 at 4:23 amTripper Dave says:

    Perhaps we, the small band of happy followers of KTL need a small, understated burgee to discretely fly from the starboard spreaders to identify us to other M.O.B.’s?

  12. 28 April, 2016 at 9:13 amTed B. (Charging Rhino) says:

    If I remember, the red-and-white burgee that Dylan flies is a good candidate. He once told the story of it, but now I have forgotten other than it’s an accidental reverse.

  13. 28 April, 2016 at 10:08 amJonK says:

    Dylan is also responsible for my own sailing endeavours starting sooner than I had even dreamed. I had bought an overwhelming hulk in a field in Weston-Super-Mare and Dylan convinced me to flog it and get something sail-able now.
    Dylan sent me links to likely boats and we went to see a few of them starting with a £500 Mirror Offshore, Newbridge Navigator Junk, a Galion 22. Throughout this period I bombarded Dylan with newbie questions and his response was almost always instantaneous and informative.
    Eventually we were lucky enough to settle on a Centaur right about the time that Dylan was re-considering a Centaur for the next leg of KTL.
    Even now I am considering moving up to Chichester at his excellent advice and videos of the area and as it happens plan to check out the area in the camper this weekend.

    I’m up for a KTL burgee – perhaps that could be an extra revenue stream Dylan?

    As always – thanks for the inspiration, information and inclusion!

    http://www.sailing-free.co.uk

  14. 28 April, 2016 at 11:08 amjack says:

    KTL Burgee ! Inspired suggestion. Dylan will need to get his creative juices working over a single malt……

    Vexillology experts of this parish, submit.

  15. 28 April, 2016 at 11:52 amdylan winter says:

    well remembered – it cme from the hundred of hoo yacht club

    it is their flag backwards

    they got a batch made up wrong

    it is this flag made wrong

    https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=code+and+answering+pennant&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjtpPL3lLHMAhWCKcAKHQ79AZIQsAQIIw&biw=1600&bih=791

  16. 28 April, 2016 at 2:43 pmStuart says:

    I’ll buy a KTL burgee……

  17. 28 April, 2016 at 4:40 pmOwen says:

    I would fly one for sure, that will go nicely against the RN Sea Scout one :)

  18. 29 April, 2016 at 10:50 amPeter Truelove says:

    …..and so would I. How about it Dylan. P.

  19. 29 April, 2016 at 12:13 pmAlastair says:

    Another one with my first short fat boat in Chichester Harbour. Was seriously swayed by this Blog to stick with a smaller (23ft) and groundable (Cat) boat and am finding out why. Now to just add water… soon!

  20. 29 April, 2016 at 12:48 pmdylan winter says:

    you could make one

    all it needs is

    1/ a flag from here – http://www.hampshireflag.co.uk/Signal-Flags.asp

    2/a dowel from the DIY store

    3/ a length of hose

    4/a pair of washers the same size as the dowel

    5/shove one washer down the dowel – it will be a tight fit and you can push it down with a pair of half open mole grips and a few gentle taps with a hammer

    6/glue the six inches of hose pipe inside the end of the flag to make a bearing

    7/put the dowel through the hose pipe

    8/shove the second washer down over the end of the flag – don’t make it too tight

    Or. I can get the girls at KTL iNC TO make one for you for a mere

    £100

  21. 29 April, 2016 at 3:58 pmGlenn Webster says:

    I would fly one too on my Vivacity 24! Can’t wait to get it back in the river Blackwater this summer!

  22. 29 April, 2016 at 4:02 pmGlenn Webster says:

    Got my new sails coming from Jeckells in early July, I’ve just got to avoid marinas, the V24 does not like manoeuvring in small spaces just won’t turn, those long parallel keels don’t help! As for going astern – forget it! Lovely family cruiser though plenty of space and good sea going qualities.

  23. 30 April, 2016 at 7:56 amTed B. (Charging Rhino) says:

    If you buy the “Answer Code sign flag”, don’t forget to remove the first red-panel at the hoist-end….

    Here in the US it’s more common to fly the burgee from the lower starboard spreader-arm….and the Gin Pennant or signals from the opposite port spreader, like the water taxi pennant. The owner’s private pennant flies on starboard under the burgee or alone if the burgee is on the masthead. Apparently most sailboats’ burgees, signal flags and National/Courtesy flags are undersized(!). It’s recommended that their length be approximately 1/2-inch per foot from the water to the masthead, or the next std. size larger. The National Ensign or Flag on the stern should be 1-inch per the boat’s length, or the next size larger.

    When in foreign waters, once-cleared the visited-Nation’s courtesy flag flies on the starboard spreader, and the burgee shifts to the port or to the masthead.

  24. 30 April, 2016 at 8:41 amdylan winter says:

    flag etiquette – a subject of endless fascination for those with the right mindset

  25. 30 April, 2016 at 6:46 pmTed B. (Charging Rhino) says:

    Every boat should have a Gin pennant.

  26. 30 April, 2016 at 11:01 pmAquaplane says:

    I agree with your general sentiments but red wine doesn’t stop the milk going off. I’m fitting a fridge to our new to us boat but am worried about amps, I don’t want to be a slave to amps.

  27. 1 May, 2016 at 12:37 amdylan winter says:

    learn to love UHT milk?

  28. 1 May, 2016 at 11:12 amMark the Skint Sailor says:

    I’m on the opposite side of Hayling Island to you Chi guys. More workmanlike over here… No expensive gin palaces making huge wakes but you do have the dredgers and only 2 channels up the harbour. We have plenty of mud, but the best bit is the mooring is 5 minutes from the harbour entrance and it’s closer to the Solent.

  29. 1 May, 2016 at 8:02 pmBryan T says:

    It’s all very well having a gin pennant but at least in Scottish waters one should be apropriately dressed. A visit To Islay caol Ila distilary would set the pennant question.

    How about us MOB’s designing something suitable?

  30. 2 May, 2016 at 8:19 amdylan winter says:

    B,

    what is a gin pennant?

    D

  31. 2 May, 2016 at 4:45 pmjack says:

    A Gin Pennant means that the wardroom is inviting officers from ships in company to drinks. The origins of the Gin Pennant are uncertain, but it seems to have been used since the 1940s and probably earlier. Originally it was a small green triangular pennant measuring approximately 18 by 9 inches (460 by 230 mm), defaced with a white wine glass, nowadays the gin pennant is a Starboard pennant defaced with a wine or cocktail glass. Its colour, size and position when hoisted were all significant as the aim was for the pennant to be as inconspicuous as possible, thereby having fewer ships sight it and subsequently accept the invitation for drinks. The Gin Pennant is still in regular use by Commonwealth Navies, such as the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Within the RAN it is common practice, whilst in port, for junior officers of one ship to attempt to raise the Gin Pennant on the halyard of another ship, thereby forcing that ship to put on free drinks for the officers of the ship that managed to raise the pennant. If, however the junior officers are caught raising the pennant, then it is their ship that must put on free drinks within their Wardroom. Usually this practice is restricted to Commonwealth Navies; however, prior to increased force protection, RAN officers have successfully raised the Gin Pennant on a number of units in the USN.

    So wiki says……

  32. 3 May, 2016 at 2:41 amTed B. (Charging Rhino) says:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_Gin A traditional and popular cocktail of the Royal Navy.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gin_and_tonic Only tp prevent Malaria, of-course.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth_Gin 83-proof and 94-proof, Special Royal Navy-strength 114-proof.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gin London Dry Gin 80-proof.

  33. 3 May, 2016 at 10:37 pmJonK says:

    Taking inspiration from the gin pennant:

    http://www.sailing-free.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ktl-burgee.png

    It’s a rough knockup…!

  34. 4 May, 2016 at 8:21 pmdylan winter says:

    very good that looks great

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