Steve S

I'm in the market at the moment for a new Windlass, the one I've got is a Lewmar Ocean 1 (quoted as 700w) it's runs at 18m/min (on no load), which makes for a slow haul from deep water especially with a fair tide, and if you don't get the right position first time... Been looking around and the Lofrans like the Project 1000/1500 or X2 (1000w and up) appear to have a decent retrieve speed at high as 45m/min (they quote!) on no load and some grunt on a 1000w and up models. I had a older 1000w Lofrans on the last boat and it had a decent retrieve speed so they are a contender. I'll be going to the SBS to check out what they have there. Suggestions welcome. Steve

Good tip Paul, thanks. Lloyd the Iphone wielding camera man went flying across the deck after Mrs Ray decided she wanted to kiss, that'll learn him.

Danger, Undulate in the boat... http://youtu.be/coEX4bqmwK8 http://youtu.be/coEX4bqmwK8

Don't worry too much my boat was called...... Calamity Jane! apparently his wife was Jane.... Anyway we had a few problems going round North Wales with it, we couldn't wait to change the name, it was painted on, it took a bit of shifting with acetone, wet and dry and elbow grease until all trace of Calamity was removed. Steve

An Offshore 29, a serious bit of kit that and seems like they can go pretty fast, nice. So you will be able to get exactly what you want and how you want it. You will be welcome on my boat anytime, I'm going to start posting when I have space. Steve

Nice one, good compromise, great view from up top and a plotter up there too! So what's her name? Steve

So, its going to be a bigger boat then Dave Steve

Judging from their popularity - Carp - we even give them names...

Nice one . I saw the hovercraft on Sunday, I haven't seen one on the west arm of the Solent for years no idea what it was doing. The Solent I think would provide fantastic Smut fishing, but about the time they really turn on the weed is in such abundance it makes all but the shallow and minimal tide areas all but unfishable, I haven't worked out a way round it. Steve

Well done Rob, great effort. I'm wondering if that is the first Blue to a club boat? Steve

For regular comedy anchor viewing Newtown IoW on any sunny day in the summer is the place! Too many boats, variable currents, narrow channels and a fair smattering of selfish or hopeless skippers. Just as an example last time I was there for just a short social lunch stop we witnessed an anchor and chain from a yacht picked up by a big Sealine crossing it's bows followed by the said yacht now under unwanted tow colliding with another yacht. Amazingly the chain did not take long to free and the hapless yacht promptly drifted into the one behind it! Meanwhile Mr S*** For Brains Sealine prowled along trying to anchor elsewhere but there was no room, didn't stop him anchoring worryingly not too far from us, the hook was maybe down a couple of minutes before drifting into the adjacent boat, they finally made off. There's more but I'm sure you get the idea. It's not awfully relaxing for the skipper with a boat to protect! Diane's refused to go there any more. Steve

A running survey of the club boats could prove rather interesting and possibly lead to safety/technical areas failure prone and hence worth concentrating on. Eg, suffer some sort of boat problem, fill out a form manly tickbox/drop down lists on the club website examples: Fault: Mechanical type: engine not starting manufacturer: Volvo Fault: Environmental type: rope round prop System: shaft drive Fault: Electronics type: VHF radio fail Nothing too onerous but a worthwhile source of information over time, any thoughts? Steve

I can see it's tough for some.... Yep I agree, seems like the mound was created, it didn't work very well but they used it to make thousands of the things anyway. Gave me backache when I used one. Steve

Sorry to hear Nige, but so good to hear of the great support you got. I hope it's something simple and cheap like the gear actuator arm split pin coming off (happened to me). Steve

Thanks for the update Paul, I'm sure you will get there with the enthusiasm and work you are putting in Steve

Ah, the question....I'm going to leave the answer to that hanging I might open up after a pint or two.

One thing that is rubbish here is the fishing, just small fish, the fish in restaurants are either farmed or not local caught. But there are other diversions here and that's all I'm going to print on the topic! Been here more than 30 times now, I've lost count. Steve

Thanks Guys, I so wish I was up early fishing, the forum is a very pleasant diversion. Unfortunately I'm on business in Shenzhen, China, our company has an office there, I'm here for at least another week. All I could manage was dinner with a couple of the office girls here followed by a Thai massage, just trying to make the best of every situation you understand... The restaurant was rather good, Japanese style, an you can eat and drink for a fixed price. Quality is excellent, a chef is at each table cooking what needs to be cooked on a hot plate. The sushi included Tuna, Salmon and Bass. Shell fish oysters, green lipped mussels. Also Steak, Lamb and other stuff I don't exactly remember. Steve

Good design Brian, looks like it will last many a year. I made my own as well from some PVC sheeting, if I'd known about the macro cutting boards I'd have probably used them. The design is similar except the tool holes are at the back and it fits into one of those round table leg stands in the middle of the cockpit. I couldn't find anything suitable to purchase, much more satisfying frankly, it is just big enough to fillet a 20lb cod. Steve

Update: I got the boat running again on Saturday with no new snags. With some trepidation I opened her up and everything was fine, phew! . SAL did a good and fast if pricey job on the salt water pump, looks like new. Went out fishing on the Sunday with Diane so not an early start... For bait I could only catch big mackerel, every one was eating size and then I made some rather poor choices on where to anchor, too much tide and wind over tide at that so not great but so nice to get out there, fishing for bass on lures didn't throw up much either. My last trip for a while as I'm out of the country on business, a bad time of the year to go with the weather looking pretty good. Fresh mackerel taste so good. Steve

Thanks for the comments guys and also offer of help and the 'inner belt tensioner' Charlie. It's a new problem, not the sender problem I had in Alderney. Basically the water pump started leaking at the seal. Around 3 weeks ago I noticed a build up of salt on the Alternator of the adjacent engine dead opposite the seal, I think it may have been leaking for a while, I just had the seal replaced, whereas I now realise I should have replaced the bearings as well because the nearest one had least had ingested sea water even though it appeared ok. The actual leak was only apparent at speed and who goes at 28 knots or more with the engine hatches open to check the engines! There didn't appear to be build up of water in the bilge. So if you have a similar thing happen remember 'sealed' bearings do not keep out sea water. In future I'll keep a close eye on that seal, the other engine appears to be fine. The pump has been rebuilt now by SAL in Lymington, they did a quick turnround for me as I just presented the pump for them to work on in the workshop, new bearings, water seal and pulley plus labour it wasn't cheap, I'm fitting it back on today. Fingers crossed it all goes fine and I'm trouble free for a while. Steve