2007 has seen a huge amount of work done on the boat and if I haven't been at work I have been working on the boat.
The Sponsorship from Oyster Marine has been a great help and Blake's paints have also sponsored us, we have been inside the osmosis shed at Foxes marina since the middle of October.
So far we have had the bottom of the boat peeled and repainted, the top sides have been burnt back all bar the deck and then filled and repainted. The difference in finish when in the warm and dry is amazing as the boat now has visible shine to her.
29th of December has seen her loaded on to a low loader and sheeted up ready for our trip to the London boat show at Excel. We are due in the hall on the 3rd of January to start the rerigging and getting the boat prepared for the show. This has already been a huge job as speed marine has cut down the old mast by 6 feet so we fit in to the hall at excel. So I have had to cut all the rigging down including the shrouds then re-splice and serve them, and at the show will have to make any minor adjustments. For the show I have got the old Stockholm tarred hemp ropes out of storage and will rig the boat as she would have been rigged in her early years. The look is quite striking but anyone that has used tarred ropes will know it gets everywhere.
We have had a huge article in the January issue of Classic boat and also an article in the Oyster news 64 which also has a time line of some of the events that have happened in Boadicea's life time.
If you come to the boat show do drop in and say hello as I will be there for the duration of the show.
The year will continue in a manic fashion as once the boat show is over we will return to foxes for some work on the engine as it is not quite right, and the cabin and hold will be refitted. This is also a task I am not looking forward to as I end up standing on my head to reach many places in the hold and cabin but the effect is superb when the paint is clean and fresh and the varnish is new.
Once again we are looking forward to a full year sailing and this year will be interesting as we have a new mast being made and also a full suit of sails being made so it will be quite different with sails the wind does not go through but has to go round.
February 2008.
The mast is coming on strong and should be finished at the end of February. Classic Marine are making / supplying the iron work for the mast and the old crane is being cut down and re-welded as the new mast is slightly bigger above the hounds than the old one was.
The Sails have now been ordered and should be with us sometime in May/June.
All we are waiting on at the moment is the mast to be finished and then the re-rigging can start, we can get back to sailing and bring her home to Mersea.
I Have also started on a new Trawl for her this year as the old one was starting to look rather tired, so should be a good game finding out if i have cut the shape right once were fishing again.
With the rather full year were having this year i have highlighted in RED the events that we probalbly will not manage to get to due to other commitments or because i have to go to work. (No rest for the wicked).
Events for 2008
London Boat Show 11th - 20th January
Rowhedge Regatta 7th June
Boadicea's 200th Birthday 17th June
Greenwich Yacht Club Centenary 21st June
Old Gaffers Brightlingsea Race 21st June
Heybridge Basin Regatta 5th July
Pin Mill Smack Race 12th July
Two Rivers Race (Stour and Orwell) 26th July
Blackwater smack and barge Match 26th July
Cob Marsh Marathon at West Mersea 9th August
Wivenhoe regatta 9th August
Swale Match 9th August
Myst Classic race should be 16th August
Mersea week 17th -22nd August
West Mersea regatta 23rd August
Colne Smack and Barge Match 6th September
Mersea Dredging Match 7th September
Maldon town regatta 20th September
Tollesbury Smack race 4th October
Whitstable Smack race TBA
Laying Up Race TBA
anyone wishing to come sailing this year on any of the above dates please contact me ASAP.
