Hunter 19, I wish!!

Hunter 19

Looks like the Hunter 19 is trying to push itself into my mind this week. After seeing a link on Dylan Winters Site (KTL) to a YouTube video of a Shetland - Norway trip, I was inspired by the owners Hunter 19 and how effective she was and also how well maintained!

The genius that I liked was the way the boat had been kitted out with affordable items but offered fantastic functionality. A small wooden plinth has been cut to size to sit in the companion way and then crafted to take a GPS, Plastimo 100 and a Garmin fish finder. The hand held VHF completes the set at the end.

GPS / Compass / Depth / VHF - £350 all in. Genius!

This if definitely on the plans for my boat now!

Blow me down if theirs not a Hunter 19 for sale in NZ on the TradeMe site inviting offers of around NZ$2500, that's about £1250!

If only we were there already I'd have snapped it up!!

Items pre New Zealand

With the move to New Zealand now looming large I've been looking over what is best bought here and taken with me and what I can get out in the Antipodes.

As I already have a number of items it comes down to the usual suspects...

A Hand Held VHF Radio, such as the cheap and cheerful 3 Watt HH125 and perhaps a bulk head compass such as the Mini Contest. But when you start to look into the price of technology via on-line stores you find there's very little difference in price between the 2 countries once you take the exchange rate into account, although Compasses are a little more expensive then here.

So sadly as much as I love to buy kit, I'll wait till we get there.

Updated WebSite

I've managed to get round to updating the look of the web site and slim it down a little.

Updated WebSite Look

Funds are building and we're now waiting on confirmation of a job offer in New Zealand which will have a massive impact on this project.

I just can't to get this project off the ground now, either here or in New Zealand!

GRP Clean Up

As I'll be looking for older boats,which will suffer from Rust stains and the like, www.starbright.com looks like it can help with cleaning up!

I do however think that most of my time will be spent with a jet washer and a paint brush.

New Zealand - Sailing heaven!

So... long time no Blog and all that. Hope people have had a good Christmas and New Year Break, but sadly it back to the thick of it and yet another list of things I'd like to do, but other than winning the Lotto, will perhaps not yet have the chase to fulfil.

That said, there is exciting news that the Sunny shores of New Zealand could well be calling and the back end of 2014 sees us in Auckland! If this is the case then this will only serve to push the sailing project further ahead and base the whole experience from the Southern Hemisphere.

If something does becomeof theis then the website will be revisited with a new twist to it! Fingers crossed this is just the thing needed to spur me on yet again!

Lake Taupo - New Zealand!

Television... some inspiration to get you going?

So... Its been some time since my last update and sadly there's not a lot of movement on the boat front as most of my funds are being ploughed into the family house at the moment and a much needed 2 week break in the South of France for us all!

That said I have been turning to a few TV programmes to help keep me happy in the Spring evenings. Once the kids are to bed and the PBO is read from cover to cover then Monday now finds me watching Channel 5s New Lives in the Wild http://www.channel5.com/shows/ben-fogle-new-lives-in-the-wild 



Ben Fogle -New Lives in the Wild

The 2 shows I've seen so far have made me even keener to get the boat project on the go and a reality!
Nothing much else to add other than its been an inspiration and I really want one of the little inflatable boats that the family and Ben were on! EBay calls!

Till next time, and fingers crossed for the lottery, as at this rate, it'll be the only way I can afford the boat!!

March sees in Spring...

With March being the official start of Spring I've been thinking of the coming year and the hopes of actually being able to purchase a boat at the right price!

I've also been thinking of being able to return to the hills again soon as the clocks come forward. Perhaps the hills and my bike can help me get some of the old fitness back!
A trip to the outdoor shop saw a new pair of boots for taking up Snowdon, and then a lot of activity in the loft while I dug out some of my old kit for the coming Spring.

Walking aside, let's hope 2013 brings me luck and the perfect bilge keeler at a bargain price!