Autumn is here - batten down the hatches

I woke this morning and for the first time this year, it felt like a chilly (but nice) Autumn morning. It made me think of those last few weeks of the sailing season where you make the most of the failing light and break out some more layers which you cram on under the oil skins before thinking about moth balling the old girl away for the winter.

On the note of cold weather sailing I recently broke out my old copy of Sea, Ice and Rock by Sir Robin Knox Johnsons and Sir Chris Bonington which is a wonderful account of their Adventures sailing to Greenland and their attempt to climb a virgin peak. There's a short account of it here (http://www.robinknox-johnston.co.uk/da/20087) on RKJs web site. If you can find a copy of it, buy it!

In my current position (financially broke) of looking for a boat to get my own adventure rolling, now would be the best time to start looking for one, but as usual funding means that isn't currently viable. But I'm sure there will be a lot of window shopping going on this winter ;o)

The trouble with sailing is the lack of... TIME

Having read, and enjoyed, Shane Spalls book over my summer holidays I have come to a number of conclusions.

1. As both Tim and Shane enjoy the act of sailing, this makes them very lucky! My partner wouldn't set foot on a boat if she knew I was onboard!
2. A lot of Tims and Shanes time was spent enjoying the local harbours owing to the clarm seas needed by a 35 tonne barge!
3. They also had the luxury of large amounts of time for pottering about at sea (owing to Tims rather amazing job of acting.)
4. Shane and Tim must have spent a fortune in diesel and mooring fees, spending 6 years travelling around the UK!

So what can I take out of this for me?

Well, as I intend to purchase a rather small boat I too will have to pick and choose the right time for sailing or not. a 21ft boat will also need much more favourable weather to that of a 36 footer, and as I will also be sailing mainly short handed then again fair weather will have a major impact on my timescales. So perhaps I need to revisit my 6 to 8 week schedule!?

I also have to take my (young) family into account. With a wife and 2 children under 5 its hard enough to get away for a night at the cinema never mind a week at sea on my own! Careful up front planning is one thing but I can't give 3 months notice to the family and hope that the weather is OK for that given week!

Anyway, details, details, details. I'll worry about that when I have too. For now I need to concentrate on actually being able to afford such a boat first. The logistics of the actual trip can wait for now.

But then perhaps I should just by a long boat instead....

Thanks Shane for a week on board your Princess Matilda.

Lunch Time Day Dream

I've spent the majority of my lunch hour reading over Roger Taylors website. A name I came across while stood in Sainsbury's reading a small article in PBO about a reader who bought a Corribee yacht via ebay (£800 if you like!!) after being inspired by Rogers sailing exploits.
While the website is of the 'home made' variety, the quality of the content and pictures coupled with the details of the voyages he has made is fantastic!
Roger has also produced 2 books. "Voyages of a Simple Sailor" and "Mingming & the Art of Minimal Ocean Sailing" the later being of particular interest to me.
As I'm off on holiday with the family over the next few weeks I've treated myself to a copy of it for sun lounger reading, along with my copy of The Voyages of the Princess Matilda by Shane Spall.
As ever I have been trawling over the pages of ebay as well, but it's a little like staring into a shop window looking at all the things you'd like, as, until I have some money for a yacht, there's very little I can do other than watch the bargains pass me by :o( There's still the planning however and reading up on possible boats so it's not ALL gloom and doom.

Until next time....

PBO Articles - Almost written for me!?

This months PBO sees a number of articles that make my finger itch to get a hold of it! The 2 articles that grabbed my attention on the web site are...

Bargain Hunter:A reader finds a Hunter 19 eBay bargain

'My round Britain adventure':One man and his 17ft boat

While the first article is of massive interest to me, owing to me having a giant number of 'watches' on small craft around the UK currently advertised on ebay the second article I feel may well be based on Dylan Winters slow, but sure, sail around the UK coast link on his Mirror Offshore yacht. But then I thought that was 19'? Either way it'll make good reading... Will a hunter be perhaps a little short for my needs or am I really being picky?

So with these 2 article's in mind, and a keen eye to somehow get more money for the project (suggestions please) I'm off to the news agents to get me a copy. I'll let you know if I find any articles on creating money out of thin air in the name of sailing as and when I find them. 

Inspiration for us ALL to go sailing!

If ever you are short of a little inspiration to get you off your bottom and into your boat then watch this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1KsFzIL2Yk and then go and subscribe to Keep Turning Left!
There's a link on my websites links page if you really are struggling to type in Keep Turning Left into your search engine!

Website and Blogging starts!!

Well, this is my first blog entry to start the launch of my web site and blogging page.

As and when I have more information to post about my long suffering project I will post them.

In the mean time please look over my web site at www.microbudgetsailing.weebly.com which I will also add to as and when I can.