Yacht in morning fog,Hout Bay Harbour

The boat is a Dix 43 in wood epoxy,its not from one of our kits but could be as far as the bulkheads are concerned.The time was before 8am,the fog hung in the air making its own light effects and locking out the clutter in the distance.

The dinghy is in GRP but its original wood plug (george meek) was  cold moulded,we have a plan to introduce a similar dinghy kit as a design by Dudley Dix .

Camera is the Canon G11 on an auto setting.

Roy

Charles buys a Sextant!

Ebay is a wonderfull site for buying all sorts of stuff,Charles our intrepid single hander,well he will be one day when he sails off? has just received an amazingly packed packge from a vendor in India,well where else can one buy a hand made bronze metal (new) sextant for R200,about U$140 I think?

Just check the hand stitched packing with sealing wax protection!

The sight was a little loose,so were a few screws,maybe it will work maybe it wont?

Charles does a test sight (yes the suns behind us) even if this little gem does not work,Charles feels its an  ok price just for the talking point when its hanging on his bulkhead.

Gone with the wind but not the charts.

The Russians left on Energy Diet before ten am this morning,I saw them earlier and explained the charts I was giving them would be ready as soon as the copy shop opened at 9am  had done some copies,after which I then single wrapped the charts one by one in clear plastic.

This included a routing chart (from anna) the three charts of the west coast to see them safe to Namibia,a chart of the North East coast of Brasil to Fortezelza,entry information to the harbour at Forteleza and clearing in info, plus todays weather report and synoptic local weather chart.All that lot was done (and paid for) in under  one hour,by which time the nice guys on Energy Diet had just sailed out of Hout Bay Harbour and into the fog,so no picture with this blog.

To the Russians,thanks Guys.

Roy

Ps,does anyone want to buy some charts to cover my outlay?

Storer combines his tallents with a Russian,Perttu Korhonen:

Introduction by Perttu Korhonen:


I like exploring new lakes. I built an OzRacer by Michael Storer and liked its performance and handling. With it I made one overnight trip and that convinced me, that the PDRacer/OzRacer is quite capable for trips like that. During last winter I started to sketch a cruiser version of the OzRacer. I chose that boat because it is light and has good performance. My design uses Michael Storer´s Oz Racers sails, spars and foils - and she can fly!

This summer I made a three day trip with the boat and I found it to be a fun design. I was sleeping inside the cabin and sailing every day like a real sailor! The off center hatch could looks odd, but it´s handy when moving inside the cabin. You can slide your legs under cockpit seats while you are standing on the cabin floor. The boat is meant to be sailed with the hatch shut. If she is capsized, you should have enough time to turn the boat upright again before cabin fills with water, but Pdracers aren´t too easy to capsize!

It proved itself as a such a good working concept that I ended up making plans for it. I have made bigger boats, but small boats have the advantage of being faster to build and maintain in sailing condition. The more timeyou spend building the boat, the more you worry about it when sailing. If the boat is quickly buillt, you can use it harder and build another with less time compared with building one bigger boat.

The plans for Ocean Explorer contain around 95 pages of drawings, photos and text including a plan for the homemade lugsail – the plan is available as a PDF download which you can print on your home computer.

Perttu Korhonen

This is a very different micro craft,suitable for weekenders and flat water type places,find more at http://www.duckworksbbs.com/plans/korhonen/ocean_explorer/index.htm  You can buy the plans and materials from CKD Boats cc,Cape Town,South Africa phone Roy on 021 790-3859

Russki surf ski

Boat designer Mike Storer words:

My favourite Boat Designer, Phil Bolger, has a saying something like "there are two sorts of good boat, ones you live aboard and ones that you stick on the car roof to take home".This might be an oversimplification, but it contains more than a grain of truth.

I have taken it to heart with each of the boats that I have built for myself, "Beth" the 16ft sailing canoe that I can get off the car roof by myself was followed by the Balsa Strip "Wee Lassie" canoe which is 10 1/2' long and weighs in at 12 lbs. Then I designed and built the Wooden Raceboard (racing windsurfer) that, even though weighing in at a "hefty" 12kg (about 3/4 the weight of a carbon fibre production board of the same era) was at least stackable!

To reduce size much beyond these limits starts to strain the definition of what a boat is - is a surfboard a boat? I suspect not - there is the question of using hands for propulsion and the board not supporting the surfer's full weight - both of which are quite unboatlike. Though I did borrow this sailing dinghy once . . .

Move a size up to a surfski and I think you have a real boat - most sizes keep you out of the water most of the time and there is the possibility of moving moderate distances at moderate speeds with the use of the paddle.

Plans are available from CKD Boats cc in Hout Bay,South Africa,phone Roy on 021 790-3859,materials and complete CNC kits are also on offer.

Click here for the full story  http://www.storerboatplans.com/Russki/Russki.html

As small as it gets........The Quick Canoe 155

Written on February 12, 2010 at 8:25 pm by Michael Storer .
New plywood canoe plan builds in 4.5 hours.

Quick Canoe 155 plan info

Length – 4.7m (15ft 6ins)

Beam – 0.83m (33ins)

Hull Weight – 23kg (45lbs)

Draft – 0.100m, (4″)

Three sheets of 6mm (1/4″) Plywood.

The plywood “disposable” canoe  has been renamed the more salubrious “Quick Canoe”. I quite liked the name of “Disposable Canoe” but I agreed with the critique that it hinted at something that was poor quality rather than simple and Easy. It could have been the EasyCanoe, but that name was already taken.

It fills a gap that our classic Eureka plywood Canoe doesn’t cover. The Eureka is a pretty canoe that is easy to build and paddles very nicely. It builds quickly over a couple of weeks if you can work full time, but with the Quick Canoe we were thinking of something possible to whack together in a weekend.

The Quick Canoe series has been designed to be as easy to build as possible while keeping some of the qualities of a good paddling canoe – in particular the ability to track. It is not designed to be the BEST canoe, but the SIMPLEST plywood canoe that was FASTEST to build without being too bad on the water rather than going the best paddling canoe we could do as represented by the Eureka.

QUICK CANOE 155 – A simple plywood canoe – Plans $30  or Rands 248 if your in South Africa and sent to you as a PDF file,we have them here now,a CNC cut kit set on the three sheets of plys is also possible.

All pictures are  from the Mike Storer web site @ http://www.storerboatplans.com/wp/storerboats-old/news/woodworker-puts-plywood-canoe-together-in-4-hours/

Check it out for the full story now.

Roy

Hout Bay (no wind)  021 790-3859 or email me.

The Quick Canoe 155 is easy to paddle (free plans available) or you can fit a small  electric trolling motor with a suitable battery in a secure strap down postition.

The singing Russians

Stop Press News!

Departure is now on hold,please check before going out to see them off.

Roy

Dear Members

On Sunday our intrepid Russian explorers are leaving for Brazil on their amazing inflatable tri-maran! (their presentation last night was quite incredible)

We want to give a great traditional Hout Bay send-off and get our fleet on the water to see them off and wish them well. Bring your boats, flags and whistles, and as many guests as you can find!

 El-Commodore suggests we have a braai on the water to follow – what a great idea – the weather is looking perfect. We can raft up and have a royal picnic!! Dinghies, paddle skis, lilos, marina-boats, tenders also welcome!

See you there. 10:30 on the water. Sunday!

Justin

The HBYC were treated to a one hour presentation by the very slick crew of the trimaran Energey Diet,this included film clips and charts of their previous two trips,plus a background of what the craft is all about.There was also an amazing (truly amazing) eight minute film clip taken as they sailed past Slangkop Light House but not on the outside of the reef,they were inside and sailing over it,straight through the Kelp! The arrival of Station Eights two NSRI boats was a good  idea,disaster was a very possible event,the waves they were in were quite something.

NSRI were in good form too,they went close in with a rubber duck and put a young man on board Energy Diet,the crew knew they were in good hands then,the guy was also given a presentation as recognition of his performance at the time.

Here the boats captain,Anatoly, speaks in Russian,which was then followed by a translation in English by Jack (eugene k),the format was really well thought out and prepared,that one hour went all too fast for me.

To end off the presentation the four crew sang us their ships song,in Russian,the harmony was fantastic!

Thanks guys and have a good trip to Walvis Bay.

Roy

Hout Bay
(bay of winds)

For a better story on Energy Diet have a look at the link below ( thanks karin) 

http://kovalevsky.tomsk.ru/content/view/427/13/

Sailing Ariete (on his own)

Johan was having a great day out in the bay yesterday,the stronger afternoon winds predicted had not arrived,well not untill about 5pm,then is came in with a vengence.From a light breeze to thirty knots in seconds it seemed.

Ariete is a Fred Bingham design in wood strip plank,Johan built her himself and fitted her out with gear he bought from around the world as he traveled on his business trips.

The design is very similar to the Flicka 20,just a little larger.

Even with a fair bit of canvas up,Johan and his boat were quite in control,with the wind now around twenty knots and gusting over thirty,thats quite a craft he has there.

Pictures are from a Canon G11 on telescopic,I m surprised the quality is so good,I was being blown around so much be the winds myself!
Roy
Hout Bay (bay of winds)

Classic car racing down under

Bryson takes start to finish win


Sunday, 30 January 2011

Andrew Bryson and Jason Rowley have led from start to finish to win the Early Classic handicap competition, for cars built prior to 1966, in the third running of Targa Wrest Point.

Driving a 1964 Hillman Imp Rallye, Bryson held a 55 second lead at the end of the first day, and extended that advantage even further on day two to win by over two and a half minutes.
“It’s great to win, as I’ve been trying to for 30 years,” Bryson said. “The car went well, we thrashed it mercilessly and had no problems at all.

“The highlight came on day one, overtaking a Porsche. I’m very much looking forward to the champagne now.”
There was heartbreak for the 1965 Ford Cortina of Peter and Roslyn Killick, who had second place in the bag until mechanical failure one kilometre into the final stage forced their retirement.
This gave Jack Waldron and Vin Gregory second place in their 1955 Fiat Abarth, with Scott and Wayne Kent taking the final spot on the podium in their 1965 Ford Mustang.
Russell and Melanie Clark were fourth in a 1965 Ford Cortina, while David and Deena White rounded out the top five in their 1963 Austin Mini Cooper.

Bryon’s dominance bodes well for the longer Targa Tasmania, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary when it gets underway in early April.

Early Classic handicap results after Day 1

1. Andrew Bryson (UAE) / Jason Rowley (SA), 1964 Hillman Imp Rallye

2. Jack Waldron (VIC) / Vin Gregory (VIC), 1955 FIAT Abarth 750, +2m33s

3. Scott Kent (TAS) / Wayne Kent (TAS), 1965 Ford Mustang, +3m42s

4. Russell Clark (TAS) / Melanie Clark (TAS), 1965 Ford Cortina, +16m27s

5. David White (TAS) / Deena White (TAS), 1963 Austin Mini Cooper, +17m12s

Thanks to Andrew Bain for supplying this.

The Sonnet dinghy,some up to date news

The SA Yachts blog posted a new page on this exciting design,this is its start:

Wednesday, February 2, 2011Sonnet Sailing Dinghy

I have been motivated to do a review on the Sonnet for a number of reasons - (1) a new CNC kit is about to be launched (CKD Boats) (2) the Sonnet Sailing Association has a whole new breath of life and energy (3) Sonnets (along with Dabchicks and Tempos), are the brainchildren of a great dinghy designer, the late Jack Koper, an ex-Capetonian, and (4) I have personally built and owned two Dabchicks and one Sonnet (S269 - which I still own). Very close to home then!

It was these boats, built in 1965-73, that got me hooked on Sailing and Boating, and for which I owe my Dad a whole bunch - we learned carpentry and sailing at the same time back in those years. Dabchicks probably account for more accomplished sailors in SA than any other class to date I reckon!

(writen by Sonnet owner Justin Philips)  http://sayachts.blogspot.com/  open the site to read some refreshing words on the class.

Yesterday we had a meeting which consisted in Bill, a prospective new Sonnet owner from George and Theo,the class technical guy,plus myself,the idea was to find out some common ground on the design as it is now?

I had set out the copies of the original Jack Koper plans on a long table,even Theo had not seen those and the class association had no copies either,this backs up what I had been told a month or two back.What they do have is the class rules and a set of measurements!

Jack Kopers original design has morphed over the years into a more suitable boat for both its builder and its crew,its better suited near the bow for the local breezy conditions and is less liable to dig in or bury its bow.,the seating angles have changed and while its still a Sonnet,its a very much better boat now than when first drawn up by Jack Koper,class development over time and for a reason is good I think?

So we have a class,we have rules but we have no drawings of any sort as those on our table in front of us are in practice out of date and basically useless!

What this means is someone,needs to produce the actual set of drawings to enable the boat to be put into the CNC machine (nigels) and before a boat is cut the drawings need to be certified by the class committe,I will not cut or sell a single kit untill we have this commitment and that the new drawings are accepted as correct.

This brings up a new issue,who will buy the new kit? we have Bill  but just one new buyer will not re launch this exciting class,we need more on board right now and they need to be able to put a deposit down (refundable if we do not produce the kit) the numbers seem to say we need at least three but five sounds much better? a kit cost is now looking like about R7750 plus vat,the deposit,will be R2000.

Note,of the cost, R250 is the payment per each boat we cut to the class association as its royalty fee per each boat.

I think this is where we are for now?

Contact me on 021 790-3859 for banking details etc.

Roy

Hout Bay (windy bay)

The inflateable Trimaran concept

This seems to have very little to do with our selling kit boats,or does it?

From the time I walked back to look at the boat Energy Diet for a second look at its engineering , I am more than certain we can offer these boats and as a catamaran also as kits,instead of being our normal wood and epoxy , they are prefabricated parts and finished Hypalon tubes ready for inflation.

Each kit will contain all that is required to assemble the boat,this will include the floats,tubes,trampoline, nuts and bolts,hand tools,and a repair kit for services.

The design concept drawing,taken from the Energy Diet web site,in practice the actual boat is very close to the actual design as above.

We know size can be eleven meters long as thats how long Energy Diet is,it is eight meters wide,so a square measurement of around eighty eight square meters,there could well be uses in search and rescue or expeditons for such craft world wide.Each craft sold would include a designers fee.

Roy

http://www.ckdboats.com/

The Sonnet Dinghy Class Poster

This selection of pictures says it all,stable and fast sailing even in high winds.

Left click to view in a larger size.

Thanks to Sonnet owner Justin Philips for supplying the above poster,he tells me the Sonnet Dinghy will soon feature in his SA Boat blog.

Sonnet Dinghy kit news

We have firm progress on this idea,my feeling has been that unless we have a buyer to at least one kit and the support of the Sonnet Class Associtaion,there was little point in proceeding with the idea?

What a fantastic screamer of a boat!

I am pleased to report we have these requirements in place now and more news should appear quite soon,the class upgrades will be designed into each kit we cut,the royalty will be pre paid and a sail number will ( i think) be supplied with each kit sold. I am not sure when a first kit will be ready but watch this space or phone me on 021 790-3859 in Hout Bay
(the bay of winds)

Roy

Nissamaran IG 600 invertor gen set for sale

The guys on Energy Diet are shedding some weight,also the incoming funds would go a long way to fund the next two legs of their adventure to Brasil.

Open the box,whats in the box?

They offer what looks to me like a brand new invertor 12volt generator,at 600 watt its powerfull but also really light weight too (only 8kgs) and at a selling price of R3500 its a gift,try U$500 or subject to being unsold by the thursday press conference,when it will go to auction,then you can scrap with the rest of the bidders and pay more!

If it looks brand new I think it is brand new and probably never even had fuel in it.

Perfect for a small or large yacht or camper unit,at 600 watts,its good output but being lightweight there is no penalty on the weight side.

Back in its (new) box with a plastic filler container.make this yours now and phone me on 021 790-3859
Cape Town (hout bay) right now.

Roy

Moving yacht Energy Diet

Stop Press  Message:

Sailing enthusiasts and members of the media are invited to view the boat and attend a presentation on the expedition at the following Venue and Time:

Thursday 3 February 2011 

18:00

Hout Bay Yacht Club - Club House ( inside Hout Bay Harbour) lots of parking available,cash bar too!

For further information contact Karin Solomon: 083 781-2000 or Evgeni Kovalevski: 071 963-7065

For background information on the expedition, visit and run through Google Translate the site:    www.energydiethd.com 

Seen from my Canon G11,the camera views the camera and the yacht on Hout Bays Harbour slip.

As soon as the crewmember taking the video went down to lend a hand,I walked over to keep a watchfull eye on his camera,I am told they have had one stolen in the Seycheles already?

The make is Sony,I dont know what model as yet.

The team of whats posted as Extreme Sportsmen on Energy Diet,no ordinary crew is this,one is an Olympic Gold Medal winner in cycling,I need to find out which one?

The boat in calm waters,not much of that on South Africa coast line!

I shall get the correct names to the four guys later,here some strain was on the control line to the shore.

Big guy,small camera.

Moving a craft thats eleven meters long and eight meters wide on a ski boat trailer is not so simple.

The boat needed a tie down on this side,then they were ready to move to the HBYC boat park.

We do not see many Russian flags in Hout Bay!

The South African national flag with the Sponsers own flag.

The flag says it all,I have not yet tasted this stuff,wonder if the have samples?

Energy Diet is loaded and strapped down on the starboard side,the landrover is Chris Suttons and it was his job to move the boat through the busy harbour at whats rush hour tourist wise,more pics to follow.