Dale Maben

A week back Tom came around to tell us the very sad news that Dale had passed away the week before, a minor opperation that went wrong, he asked could we join he and his two sons and some friends at a Wake in memory of Dale yesterday evening.

Tom and Dale in the cockpit of Amazing Grace in 2009, this was just before Tom set off single handed to Grenada.

The original idea was that around forty may arrive, a quick check and the list soon went past 120 and looking at the long line of cars parked outside the Mabens home when we left last night, it will have been many more.

Tom had married Dale some fifty four years back, they had the two sons, lived on a beach in Mozambique for a few years when the sons were small. Then at their Sandton home, built the Endurance 37 you see in the photo above. They later sailed off with one of the sons and went cruising for a while.

The event last night was a toast to Dale, our friend of many years, there were tears all round but as the tears came so did the smiles. Dale may be gone but she will never be forgotton.

Roy and Jean McBride

Shipping the Fraser replica Imp to Scotland

This is no fast fix, first we need to get the licence department to issue the forms to allow the export of the car, next we need the police to check that the numbers all match. In this case the 1966 Singer Chamois Sport engine number and Vin (body) plate do match but there are complications.

Inside the Stickland Police clearance department, the picture was taken with permision from the police.

The use of a four wheel trailer (thanks John) means I could move the Singer Sport in safety. At this stage I am about half way through a five hour process and the jobs not signed of yet.

This is Clive of the Stickland Police Car Inspection Department, he is recording the chassis and engine numbers. They will be sent to Pretoria for final clearance.

Back on the road again.

Off loading at the trucking company who will handle the export.

Safe inside, at this time we now wait for the papers from Pretoria Police dept.

This was the following day, I wanted to remove the cars engine, that will be staying in South Africa.

The car is being pushed outside so I can work on the car.

Sebastiaan is helped by his assistant.

The Sport engine as removed, in this case a fast job.

The helpfull guys at Robecks Trucking, thanks a stack guys!

Roy

Yaesu - Musen UK

Just when hope for the new part was past and the Yaesu FRG7700 had come back to life anyway, an email arrives from Sam at Yaesu UK.


Hi Roy

Apologies for the long delay in replying  to your e-mail.

I have tracked one down.

Please see quote below.

"Standard Spares Quote

 We have the spare part(s) you requested in stock; the Yaesu part number and cost are below.

part= 1 off J62800049   TONE/AF POT FRG7700    11.44  UK pounds
including order processing, packing, ordinary post to South Africa and VAT.

Such a small item but without which the sound has no control.

This is not the same pot, its the fine tune one, which will only work when you have the optional memory pack installed, I do have that, does anyone have the VHF pack for me?

 Its working!

Look hard, can you hear the BBC World service!

I phoned Yaesu and Sam in the UK told me they have a re structured company and have changed the name back to Yaesu - Musen again. He also told me that a South African had just been supplied spares by them and they were quite happy to supply others.

 Sam tells me his first communications receiver was the FRG7, which was the first one I ever used back in 1967 on yacht Brer Terrapin at the RCYC, Cape Town, after which I have been hooked on radio ever since.

I am hoping I can get this rather good news onto the SARL news bulletin board.

How hard can that be Justin?

Roy

Yaesu VHF  The Yaesu FRV-7700 VHF Converter was designed to work the Yaesu FRG-7700. It came in six versions: 

There are six types, I need the version that will handle marine traffic,which will be type F.

F: 118-130, 150-160, 160-170 MHz.

This external VHF converter connected simply to the back of the radio with the supplied cable. The FRV-7700 may be wired simultaniously with the FRT-7700 tuner using the supplied hard-wire cables.

Hout Bay Harbour scene

As of yesterday and with one of the harbours fishing boats returning to her home port.

Singer Chamois at the HBYC

This was an attempt to get the guy and the car in the same photo, I sort of did but its not a quality composition.

 The camera is the Canon G11, I picked up some reflections?

The car is a 1967 model, yes its now 45 years old, it runs like a clock!

Roy

Building the Proteus 106

This build is in Caracas, Venezuela, we shipped a kit there some while back.

The first thing to notice is the boat is built the right way up, thats a great idea and
means the dreaded turn over phase is removed, thats a time and a cost saver too.

Building this way up makes life easy, you can get into your boat and walk around right away. I personally would fit all the joinery cleats while the bulkheads are on the bench, then its all set out for you when your doing the fitting out,saves lots of time!

 My thanks to Erminio who supplied the pictures of his kit in build.

We supply all the panels pre cut, its about 130 sheets of board, plus the epoxies, glass tapes and meranti wood for the stringers.

If I wanted a catarmaran, this would be my choice.

Roy

The Proteus 106 revisited

The Proteus 106 is a full offshore cruising style yacht with no fancy toys, not even inboard engines, those just add weight and of course cost. At 35 feet long the designer says this boat is the ultimate bare bones cat that will sail well and go offshore in safety.

There are a few options, which admittedly will take away the boats performance but possibly it is a worthwhile option. The headroom in the saloon center is 2mtrs, this dips to 1.75mtrs at the sides where we drop down into the hulls, the over all height can be raised, say 100mm this allows just that much more head room for the larger size crew.

 This boat has some of the options as mentioned in this blog.

The transoms can also be extended, they then mean there will be rudders under the boat, rather than hanging off the back, some will see the orginal idea as the more simple, it will be cheaper.

Then there can be a canopy over the outside bridge deck, not what the designer intened but this has been done on the first boat launched in Thailand.

Another option is a similar looking boat but with a re design to make the size at 38feet, the volume doubles, so does the cost but the boat can carry far more and of course the larger size may suit some.

Roy

A new take on fenders by Wayne

This man has brains, why use a common type when just about anything on deck will work too!
or is he just cleaning out the lazerette?

 

An R McBride photo.

The interesting collection is supported by a clever long line on the deck, which in effect

works just like a shock absorber, nice one!

The boat is a Van Der Stadt Dogger, unusual in that it has a steel hull and deck, with a wood coach roof. The boat is under restoration.

Roy

Todays weather in Hout Bay

This is a file photo but the SW has just rolled in the fog as is in the picture below!

At least we will all cool down a bit now.

Roy

Rudders and Foils from CKD Boats

Made to order and often as extras to the boats base kit, we can supply foils in a basic CNC shape format or fully finished and ready to fit.

These are to the Didi Mini Transat ( mini 650) one rudder is on the bench.

We can supply to other boat designs, such as the Irwin 54, Holiday 23, Didi 26, Sadler 34 and others.

Talasin

Lyn and Larry Pardey sailing in Table Bay a few years back, the event was the TBA Easter Regatta, they took the top prize too!

A Roy McBride photograph, taken with a Canon film camera, this was a long while before we had digital the camera.