ATHENA's Travels

27' Whaler

2011-07-22T17:47:00.001+01:00

Rowed(helped) one several times but only ever one short sail, in 1970, lovely memories.......

GONE....to new home Maldon

2011-03-21T14:40:00.000Z

Yes Athena has moved onto Maldon to newer or is that older pastures. Getting ready fot the new owner, who'll take posseion once the engine is up & running.

Memories

2011-03-15T11:43:00.000Z

St David's Day

2011-03-01T12:19:00.002Z

Athena's Inventory
Engine 7hp
Taylors 028
Paraffin Lamps
Mast
Rigging
Spinnaker Pole
Jockey Pole
Pole for goose winging
Brooms
Boat Hook
Boom
Spare tiller
Anchor
liferaft
Covers
Sails
Sheets & Ropes
Winch handles
Original Blackwater Sailing Club Burgee
Red Ensign
Courtessey Flags
Cushions
Crockery
Spare tiller
Bilge pumps x2 rebuilt & installed
Electronics
GPS
Radio
Water Bottle
Petrol Can
Main Tank
Tender
Oars
Miscellaneous
Athena's Jacobs Cradle

Think that's it, Athena is ready to go to her new home, just got to take the tent down now.
I guess this blog is going to stop in about 3 weeks.......

Re-built the Water Gushers Yesterday

2011-03-01T11:39:00.001Z

Finally after just servicing them, I had two years ago bought the bits to rebuild them, yesterday they both went back in rebuilt, The Whale was always over due, it never was 100%. Like everything on a boat, it requires a regular look @! That phrase if it ain't broke.....,is crap! It's taken me nearly ten yrs to get the better of this whale, diff. cause this one is extinct. Well I did get the kit to rebuild. & now it's so good it pumps air. I tried it in a bucket before putting it back in, yes you can guess what the bloody thing did to me. The whale lives like the big ones lives in the depths of Athena.

& yes it's also taken me nearly ten years to get the tools to do these tricky jobs, so having a very good socket set is just so relaxing now, I don't think I swore once.

SOLD

2011-02-25T07:13:00.001Z

Yes Athena is going home, back to the Blackwater Sailing Club,

I'm being relieved of her caretaker-ship in about a months time.

This is good news for both parties, I have had some tremendous sailing experiences, they were not part of the sale, but in many ways are included anyway.

Good Luck to the new owner.

Internals

2011-02-23T07:13:00.002Z

Crickey, I see a lot of jobs I wish I had done,

Athena is in much better shape now.

Love that bucket, & the main cabin seems look a lot bigger in reality

Athena is for Sale with M J Lewis & Sons Ltd Maldon

2011-02-16T08:50:00.000Z

http://www.mjlewisboatsales.com/?strBoatId=4397

Final Position of Cooker is on Port

Tender Snugly on Deck & giving extra protection on long trips

Some Inside

2011-01-23T14:35:00.000Z

The Cabin in the Bow

Yep this is big enough to store 2 & a lot of stores

1 1/2 Keel Bronze Keel Bolts

& a replacement kit for gudgeon pin, after 60 years still not required

The Counter, showing Rudder Tube with Greaser & the exhaust.

Athena is for Sale

2011-01-14T11:01:00.001Z

ATHENA

Yacht

Builder: Dan Web & Fessey Maldon

Auxillary Sloop, Fractional rig

Built in 1950, launched march 1951

25 feet long, 7.62m

7 feet wide 2.1m

Draft: 3feet 900mm/ 4’6” 1.37m Drop plate down

Fuel Two stroke.

Mast height 10m deck stepped

Located Hereford, will deliver anywhere.

Construction:

Carvel, with with teak boards

Description:

This includes everything you need to go sailing, very good sails and a well maintained yacht, the price is negotiable, she has had a lot of tlc during the last 6 seasons that I have looked after her, after 60 years nearly she rearly is still a new boat, this is due to several reasons, Dan Web and Fessey the builders, Norman Dallimore the designer, and all the owners who have looked after her. The other major reason(s) are the materials she is constructed from Teak on Rock Elm frames with English Elm being used around the rudder & keel. I personally have stripped her bottom back to bare wood, 4 years ago, It was so good, I wish I didn't have to repaint her, the wood was so beautiful, the agony was well worth the effort. Her Vire 7 engine will effectively be new again with SS bearings this time. It’s rebuilt by the marine engineer at Frank Hall & Sons, Gerry Blake, a chap who understands marine two-strokes.

The Sails were made & hand finished in New Zealand, by a lovely chap, Bud Nadler who has made classic sails most of his life following in his fathers footsteps. The sails are all cream, Apart from the spinnaker which is Lilac. With all the sails it’s possible to sail Athena solo, reef and jibe even with the spinnaker up on ones own. Of course its easier with more crew.

Athena is really an east coast rivers boat, However she has been as far North as Anstruther in Scotland, South as far as Douarnez in France, to Holland in the East, and Ile de Molene in the West off Britanny(Atlantic). The favourite journey was to sail most of the way up to Snape on the Ore & Alde on one tide from Walton on the Naze & still arrive for a pint at lunch-time. Not mentioning how many times we met with the mud, very sticky stuff!

Accomodation is pretty amazing in that there are 4 berths, at 5’9” I’ve slept in them all but prefer the starboard main cabin berth. A Taylors cooker has been installed, this is also great for warming the cabin under not so warm conditions. So yes no gas on Athena. The toilet is a black bucket, & is attached to a lanyard for flushing. Athena would love a self draining cockpit, this will have to be the next custodians task. Athena has two depths 3’ & 46” because she has a 200lb bronze drop plate, which is great on the wind but can be lift-up for off the wind. Athena carries a lot of sail and one thing I’m guilty of is carrying too much sail, Athena carries it, but would be happier with less.

The extra bit include a life raft, a beautiful tender(original), a canvas cover & if you wish a boat storage tent from Denmark, with two covers. The original drawings can be seen, very good digital copies too.

The one who becomes the next custodian of Athena will have a great time, where this godess will look after you, and make you happy with all the great journeys you’ll make with her. She is a special small yacht with a lot to give.

Athena's Tender

2010-12-23T05:43:00.003Z

This pram has won races, ie it's not a slow pram @ all.

Ile de Sein (30th June 2008)

2010-12-13T10:30:00.000Z

Ile de Sein, remember throwing the anchor overboard, not really testing it, ie putting Athena in reverse, just pleased to know it was over the side, & yes as luck we drifted all over the place, in the night, With a bit more luck all we did was pick up others lines, as we were to find out the following morn, took a bit of time to unravel the knitting! Anchoring in Kelp is not easy......

Spitfire on Order

2010-12-06T11:33:00.001Z

Yes finally given an order for this very small jib, don't think you can even blow your nose with it, it's that small. Funny really because if it needs to be put on it's highly likely one wont go anywhere near the bow to actually clip/hank it on. It's likely to be a big sea, & therefore quite scary as there is no guard rail & one just hangs onto the forestay & toe-rail. So it's a crawling around on hands & knees job.

There have been times when one has been sailing with 2 reefs in main & a no.2 jib, when we could have done with a little less power; I'm think Athena needs to be more reefed in the main, something we have been reluctant to do. Basically when when Athena has too much sail up she goes into weather helm mode. So will have to look to up-grade the roller-reefing, I not to go to go to slab reefing, only because of all the extra ropes around the mast & boom, more clutter. Just would like to keep things simple.

1st December - Memories of 2008

2010-12-01T12:45:00.000Z

In the Solent in 2008, fighting the tide, 10miles to Yarmouth

taking 6hours, we had just covered nearly 200miles in less

than 30hours, It's actually even quicker than you think because

of the first few hours motor sailing hard on the wind, out into the

North Sea to catch the powerful tide south, we were well reefed

for a 1 1/2 days & then everything up once insight of the Solent.

It was great to give the royal signal as Athena went past Cowes,

sadly then the big lilac sail had to come down. It was a long haul

to Yarmouth with the wind on the nose & blowing a hoolee, We

found a berth in pitch darkness, & headed for our bunks for some

much needed sleep to catch the first ferry in the morning to begin the

trip back home for a week, & then the channel crossing to Piampol.

Things One Gets up to When It's Snowing

2010-11-30T17:13:00.000Z

Finally worked out how to remove the background & place on another photo. As you guess I love this photograph. Athena in the Atlantic off Brest going like the clappers, very naughty with everything up, we could have reefed a little and probably gone quicker. We didn't get too wet as you may be able to make-out, that I'm not fully in wet gear & Athena's tender is providing a bit of protection too.

Time Stands Still for no One!

2010-11-16T20:52:00.002Z

Athena is look'n good inside the tent, nice & dry, even if its freezing here, 2 good frost in a row with snow forecast for tomorrow. Only half the floor down, should finish tomorrow.

September Time Get on with Maintenance

2010-11-05T08:19:00.000Z

Gosh, so many projects on the go,
I am going to have to write them down. In no apparent order of course:
Sand, paint Athena
Create a wild/natural meadow for my Bees
Set-up for Bait hives for next Spring
Create Wild Flower Meadow for Bees

(first job- lifting 100's & 100's of docks)

Ploughing a strip in field, preparing & reseeding with wild seed before Build more Beehives

101 jobs around the house.

UPDATE: 5th November 2010
Well the first part: sand paint has not started.
Good side.

Field has now got little wild meadow grass seedlings appearing, think I may have winged it despite the endeavors of my local rabbit population. I'll get the bastards one day.

Complete Floor Today

2010-11-05T08:14:00.000Z

Must take a pic or 2
Athena is looking a bit dry, there bits of paint missing.

Not sure whether I got any primacon, going to need some.

My big goal is to get on with the interior, since starting to be the care taker of Athena, apart from ripping out the gas & cooker & putting a Taylors in, nothing has been done or touched. I don't feel too guilty as nothing really required doing anyway, but now it could do with a good varnish and paint job.
The ceiling is looking a bit sooty from all the lovely meals that have been cooked over the last few years.

So here goes the maintenance is finally starting........

Putting Floor in Tent

2010-11-04T12:34:00.000Z

Yeah, I got some scrap wood/boarding, which I'm putting on ground so I can walk on during the winter, This will stop the nettles growing up like triffids. Of course I'm putting a membrane down first.

The nasty people on my previous post opened up my parcel of 'paint' for Athena, thankfully they left it, it's several hundred of £'s. Yipee!!

Been Burgled

2010-11-04T12:23:00.000Z

It happened a couple of weeks ago.
It's strange because its really upset me.

They took all my electrical hand-tools, about 20, air rifle, generator, cultery set.
value about £7K

There's no real damage, apart from my pride.
It could have been a lot worse.

I guess what is upsetting me most is that who ever they are, I don't know, but they know me & as sure as hell they will be back. I herd them leaving @ 5am.

Athena is safe & not touched.
Not sure how I stop being upset, time I guess!

New Home is UP! & covered

2010-04-21T09:40:00.000+01:00

Yes a friend was passing yesterday, we pulled the cover over & then it's a process of adjusting to get the wrinkles out.

Surprisingly Cool too. So will keep a check on how good this will be for a 60yr old wooden boat.

Photos to follow........

Athena is getting a new home, but she's not moving.

2010-04-19T09:23:00.002+01:00

Have decided I & Athena are going to miss yet another years sailing,

Have bought a tent from Denmark (well actually China), So it's going up slowly, The drawings are very unclear.I guess this tent is going to be like a poly-tunnel which is about the worst thing for a wooden boat, so I'm going to have to invent some clever ways of keeping her cool, rather than too dry. Any ideas?

So although Athena is in pretty good nick, we' going to spend time on her interior. Sorting her cooker out, is a must! @ present it looks as if it's just stuck in there. It does work & makes a lovely fry-up with real coffee afterwards.

Must get back up the ladder & do some more balancing & hanging-on like a mad-man!

Hopefully the cover will go on tomorrow?

Painting/Varnishing

2010-02-27T13:06:00.001Z

Not sure why but Athena is painted primarily with International Paints & varnish. However I don't like their deck paint so I try to use Blakes. Painting the deck is horrible and very fiddly, I never make a good job. I guess it's practice makes.......

I will leave the antifouling after she has travelled her 280+ miles via Guilford.

So now it's a bit warmer it's time to prepare for all those coats.........

2010 Plans - lots of maintenance first.

2010-01-08T18:19:00.006Z

Jobs List:

CABIN
1. Clean cabin space (scrub, sand, wash, etc) Jan
2. Paint Cabin Feb/March
3. Sand/Varnish Cabin Beams & Paneling Jan/March
4. Complete Cooker Installation. Jan/March

OUTSIDE
1. Sand all varnish, begin build-up, back to 10 coats. Jan-March
2. Sand Top-sides, repaint Jan/Feb/March
3. Sand Anti-foul March
4. Find nice deck paint & repaint. March

It's great putting times against the jobs because you soon realize it's mission impossible.

Boat Show

2010-01-08T18:12:00.003Z

Do I Go - Do I Not Go!

Well this is a difficult Qu., There's snow about, so driving is not really a possibility!
Going by train is a possibility, so one day next week might be a possibility.
Do I need to go, In all honesty probably not!
Yes I need a New Reeds & I can get it cheaper there,
then I've got to carry the thing home! So I go thru' the process of self- convincing, quite pathetic really!

Last of 2009 & Plans for 2010

2009-12-29T16:41:00.018Z

Sometimes you cannot get enough of the same picture

These pics were taken a few years ago, in Northumberland.

After a quiet year & a bit, Athena is, all being well going to be on her travels in 2010. Where she'll end up who knows. The plan is to get to France; Brittany & then back to the Chanel Islands, namely Sark, which is where we were heading last time, but the engine gave up, so we crossed the channel under sail & prayers.

We like to go to festivals & enjoy other peoples sailing craft. So those are the dreams. Firstly we have a lot of maintenance to do together. Hope to spruce up the interior as this has not been done since I bought he apart from putting a Taylor's cooker in. So there's painting & varnishing to do. When Athena's Teak is newly varnished she looks a milllion dollars, the only delema then is the varnish is very soft for about a year. Ive purchased a hot-air gun so should be able to take the old off very easily, tis time as last time It was all scraped off in the middle of winter in the open, the only good thing was that it was great to keep warm, it was great exercise too.

So she will get her 'new' engine with shaft(apparently its always been bent). So the engine will get properly aligned.

2009-09-28T17:27:00.003+01:00

St David's Day (no not me) & Dallimore Bows

2009-03-01T20:58:00.004Z

Well, we're into March, have been putting in trees today, however I did go aboard Athena today to retrieve a hammer to wack some nails in, tacks for the chicken wire. So hoping to buy some wacky hens, they are going in the orchard with access on good days to the woods. So finally started planting the hornbeam hedge @ last, it's curved like a Dallimore Bow. Love curves, so there are not going to be many straight lines in this garden. Well Athena was smelling just great when I went aboard, not bad smells. a lovely day so could have sat there all afternoon. I do love these wonderful spring days, with a gorgeous setting this evening with a bright red glow silhouetting the skyline.

Athena's Vire 7 to be rebuilt

2009-02-06T23:27:00.003Z

Crickey, after all the problems of the last year or so with the engine, have decided to rebuild it. Have Jerry Blake to do this job of Walton on the Naze. He will probably make it better than New. It will mean Athena is a bit under powered but not over weight, Need to loo @ the power useage from the GPS as this may be of some concern as the dynostart wasn't recharging the battery, why?, I hope we find out! At least we will have a functioning engine again. It was a toss-up to getting a new Beta, have chosen an 'economical' option.
Maybe spend money in other places. The Cabin still needs an upkeep of repainting, something has been on the job list for the last 2 or so years.

Yes if someone came along and wanted to buy Athena, I would sell her, only if someone falls in love with her, they can sail her more sedately than she has for the last 6 years. There is one thing about Athena is she revels in being sailed well. The value of Athena is that for her size she gives great value for the money spent, & the payback is just amazing experiences that stay with you for ever. Being on a pefect point of sail, last for ever. She looks after you.

RBYC last Saturday night, Dinner & Talk

2009-02-01T17:42:00.003Z

It was a great evening, enjoyed doing the talk, lot of people came up & thanked me, it was great to tal for the first time in front of a crowd 34 plus hangers on. Great to see lots of people including new faces to me. Seems a few have knowledge of this blog too.

This is the skipper having a great time with Nico & Elyn in Brest, having a Tuna Barbe & a glass of French Red, a great lunch thanks N & E.

Memories are wonderful, & takes some lovely people to be part of them.

It's Pissing Down

2009-01-30T06:40:00.002Z

Gosh should have got more jobs done this week. Now I'm upagainst it!
Sadly had to put a friends dog down this week & bury it. We had a beer to celebrate, her life.
First time I've seen anything die. There was beauty in it, very peaceful. Even Audrey is missing her too.

Engine Out

2009-01-28T15:27:00.002Z

Yes it came out easy, Monday was a good day in Hereford, now ready for transporting to Walton on the Naze. Have to make a copy of electrical diagram of dynostart so I can get it all back together again. It a lovely space again with no engine, it's very enticing to no put an engine back in, trouble is I tink some electrics is a good idea. so that says it all I guess, damm.

Athena to Brest & Back 2008, the Slide show/Talk

2009-01-26T08:14:00.004Z

Below is an outline of Athena's trip, hoping to talk about the people we met, along the way, the good, the bad, & yes them too. The best thing about this trip is there are more lovely people than anything else, even the man in Brest who went to go & get my tickets for me. I had tried but couldn't find the place, it was about a mile away from where we were on the pontoon. I was in tears & exhausted. I was close to leaving! He was very kind & came back with my 'Brest' bag. Even more funny was was that Nico & Elyn found Athena without even knowing in Brest where we were.......knocking on the cabin with me still in my bunk.......we had an excellent Saturday @ Brest.

The outline of my slide show broken down into 23 headings,
@ RBYC next Saturday 31st January

1. Depart Titctmarsh Marina(the yard lads)

2. Aground & Again(halls)
3.Rebuild Engine(Gerry)
4. Set-Off Again to Brightligsea(Sue)
5. Brightlingsea to Yarmouth, via pit stop in Brighton(Steve)
6. Yarmouth to Alderney(the marina people)
7. Alderney to Paimpol(the bb man)
8. Paimpol to Triguier (pontoon)(John Lui)(& tourist office girls)
9. Triguier to Tregestal (anchor/Mooring)(John Lui)
10. Tregestal to L'Aber Wrac'h (Mooring)(man black knickers)
11. L'Aber Wrac'h to Cameret(not eng. chap advise catch tide)
12. Cameret To Douarnrnez(tourist office girls)
13.Dournenez to Cameret(no one)
14. Cameret to Ille De Sein(Quentin)
15. Ile De Sein to Cameret(the Irish mermaid/ lady)
16. Cameret to Ile de Molene(Chaps on pontoon)
17. Ile de Molene to Cameret(french family from Dijon)
18. Cameret to Port Launay(Hilyard skiper)
19. Port Launay to Brest(Pete Goss's boat builder & family)
20. Brest to Cameret(Nico & Elyn)
21. Cameret to L'Aber Wrac'h(the chap who exchange money for petrol)
22. L'Aber Wrac'h to Falmouth(the harbourmaster)
23. Falmouth to Hereford(Garry)

Started to get Engine Out

2009-01-23T20:19:00.003Z

Yes I have less than a week to get the Engine out of Athena. One thing is that usually once I have stripped the bit like heat exchanger, dynostart that I can lift the engine out, my back is bad @ present so may ask for some help. This week While stripping dropped, actually kicked my socket set to the bottom of the bilges, oh dear, those little sockets in the bilges, there was a little water and it was freezing, and then to start work, with freezing fingers, ow. Well got the propeller off, & prop shaft out.

I must admit I wish I was a good enough sailor not to need an engine. Think of that dead weight you carry around when you are sailing in a wonderful sailing breeze. like pulling you anchor thru' the water.

Just hope those 4 nuts that bolt the engine down are not frozen(rusted) to thread. Crikey it already seem a long time since Athena & I last sailed, it was early July after 3 months exploring Brittany.

Athena to Brest & Back 2008, the Slide show/Talk

2009-01-23T05:44:00.012Z

The outline of my slide show broken down into 23 headings,
@ RBYC next Saturday 31st January

1. Depart Titctmarsh Marina

2. Aground & Again
3.Rebuild Engine
4. Set-Off Again to Brightligsea
5. Brightlingsea to Yarmouth, via pit stop in Brighton
6. Yarmouth to Alderney
7. Alderney to Paimpol
8. Paimpol to Triguier (pontoon)
9. Triguier to Tregestal (anchor/Mooring)
10. Tregestal to L'Aber Wrac'h (Mooring)
11. L'Aber Wrac'h to Cameret
12. Cameret To Douarnrnez
13.Dournenez to Cameret
14. Cameret to Ille De Sein
15. Ile De Sein to Cameret
16. Cameret to Ile de Molene
17. Ile de Molene to Cameret
18. Cameret to Port Launay
19. Port Launay to Brest
20. Brest to Cameret
21. Cameret to L'Aber Wrac'h
22. L'Aber Wrac'h to Falmouth
23. Falmouth to Hereford

Pure Self-Indulgence

2009-01-12T11:04:00.022Z

One can look @ a bigger versions of these pictures by clicking on it.
As a bit of reassurance I wasn't wearing foulies & wasn't getting wet
either(well not much), hiding behind the tender!
Yes it was blow'n F5-6, maybe a litle more @ times.

Had a great chat with son of original owner on Sat

2009-01-12T08:34:00.003Z

Had a good chat on Sat morning with the son of the original owner, David, was great because the last time we spoke I was about to leave on my Brest trip under a very apprehensive cloud not really feeling up to the task, and then within 12hours to go aground twice, in Walton Backwaters. His answer to that was:' Well it's a good place to do it'. Real Swallow & Amazons stuff I suppose, only 1000miles to go. Also original owner is 93 and is aware of the blog & Athena's Travels, no pressure!! David was 4 when Athena was launched, and was able to run from the cockpit to the foc'sle without bumping his head, I'm on all fours.

We after nearly 5 years haven't yet met; have an anniversary on 27th Jan as I will have 'owned' Athena 5 years with '09 being her 6th season with me. She is coming up to 60yrs old in March 2011 which is when she was launched.

Happy New Year 2009

2009-01-07T09:39:00.002Z

Hope it's going to be a good one for everyone.

Not much sailing planned for '09
@ Present in the throws of preparing the talk @ RBYC,
trying to include the people that helped & didn't help,
& just amazing experiences, reliving it all again.

Giving a Talk/Picture Show 31st Jan '09 ........... Athena to Brest & Back

2008-12-21T13:42:00.010Z

(an email from Will Dallimore)

Dear all,

Apologies for the mass email but I wanted to catch as many classic boat lovers as possible!

For those of you who have not attended a Dalli-dinner before; each year we arrange a gathering for those who have an interest in boats designed by my Grandfather, Norman E. Dallimore – please visit www.dallimoredesigns.nl to find out more about his work.

We will be gathering at the Royal Burnham Yacht Club for an informal dinner on 31 January 2009. Recently refurbished accommodation is available in the Club and should be booked in good time for those wishing to stay the night in Burnham. The rooms are of an excellent standard and prices range from £25 per person per night for a place in the bunk room to £70 per night for a double. Other rooms are available and full details can be obtained from Clea (please see below). For those travelling from afar you may wish to make a weekend of the visit.

For this event in January we will have two fascinating presentations:-

David Kuegler’s epic voyage in ATHENA to Brittany and back http://athena1950.blogspot.com/

Nico and Elyn’s adventures on the West Coast of the USA on board MANGAREVA

The dinner will be a delicious 3 course meal of traditional food (veggie option available but please advise at time of booking) for £22 per head.

This will be a very pleasant way to emerge from the festive hangovers - please book in through the club if you would like to join in.
Please contact:-
Clea Rawinsky
Royal Burnham Yacht Club
The Quay
Burnham-on-Crouch
Essex CM0 8AU Tel: 01621 782044 Fax: 01621 784779
Email: info@rbyc.org.uk
Hope to see you there and best wishes for a merry Christmas and a very happy, safe and successful New Year.

Will Dallimore

Sailing might be over for the year, somethings are always a priority

2008-11-23T15:28:00.007Z

Lovely Bacon with fresh Bread, just the ticket, with an egg on one

The proof is in the eating,
and how far you have to walk afterwards,
to recover from such a delicious breakfast

2008-11-10T09:47:00.000Z

Athena with a bit much sail up

2008-10-30T19:22:00.020Z

one never "owns" her as you know!!

2008-10-04T21:52:00.005+01:00

Yes I got reminded of this today, yes I'm only the caretaker, I knew I was, but sometimes I forget.
Yes I'm n touch with a previous owner, not sure I'm able to say on this blog who he is, lets just say he own her for about 3- 4 years but sailed on her before that too, with the original family, who owned her. So where as I thought I was about the 3rd or 4th owner, ooops caretaker, apparently I'm well down the list, a couple of others have come out of the wood work. This has come about thru' reading this blog.

Emily helming (Tallships Tyemouth 2006 & Dallimore Drawings

2008-10-04T09:45:00.019+01:00

Emily my eldest daughter is helming Athena, she past three
others on the way to the start of the Tallships race. We should
have been reefed but we were showing off, conditions weren't
to clever & many of the TS were to retire on this leg,
we got back safely.

Bilges all Clean & Dry

2008-09-25T11:01:00.005+01:00

Yesterday took remainder of 'gear' off,
cleaned & dried the bilges,
so they are gleaming again.
She had no condensation,
better now as she is open all the way thru'.
next it's a frame for the cover,
engine & shaft out !!
Athena needs a new shaft

Athena's in a field in Herefordshire

2008-09-19T10:57:00.005+01:00

Yes that's right she's out of the water.
Looking forward to doing a few jobs too

L'Aber Wrac'h to Falmouth

2008-07-18T10:24:00.002+01:00

@ the last minute decided to change passage plan from heading back to Paimpol & the channel Islands and directly to Falmouth, The winds were to be F4-5 SW going west so thought keeping on west of track would be best, it was going to be cloudy. This was a bit forced upon me by the fact the engine wouldn't start.

I had to sail off the pontoon, got a bit of help then the harbour master gave us a push, into the river, off Athena & I went with next stop Falmouth. 24-30+ passage we were to basically get there very quickly, @ 0530 we were off Falmouth with just a few miles to go with zero wind, with a 5 hour wait for any breeze to come with an out going tide to boot.

Ile de Molene to Camaret in F6+

2008-07-06T20:01:00.000+01:00

Well What a trip, very fast, well reefed with 2 reefs & No.2 jib.

This trip islike most trips where the conditions change a lot during the 20 miles, they're never constant, the waves, height, swell, the good thing is Athena has not had to bang into waves. Today there was a lot of surfing, and was great to catch waves by climbing the back of waves on the angle then bearing away, then whoosh you're off on a screamer @ 8+, sometimes 10+kts.

Getting into the Rad de Brest was a bit too exciting with some 20' scary, I was too scared too look. Got Athena side on to a couple, not good.

She is a joy to sail, and she does look after me. Not sure I could have done 8 hours of today, requires a lot of attention & there is not time to eat or drink, a bit silly on my part, I guess.

The thing that makes the day a lot easier is the little 276C Garmin gps plotter, as altough its always hard to hold your course, you can appreciate the leeway that happens in these conditions. In fact I would not have set out today. It's very easy to drift towards the rocks without realising it. I guess its a bit of a cheat really, but it does enable me to sail single handed in these conditions.

Getting off the mooring today was interesting in itself, waiting for no pressure on the warps and with the correct angle in order to drift away in the right direction, it worked well, lucky, nearly didn't leave as was chacing gettingg close to the end of the tide of the Chanel de Four.

Oh those waves in the Rad de Brest

Ile De Molene

2008-07-05T13:02:00.003+01:00

Lovely place to be, peolpe, place, Athena hanging on by a thread in these strong winds. Yes Athena is on a mooring, hanging on with a bit of string, not ideal, will try to check this afternoon, mleans rowing out to her in tender & getting back safely.

Fell ot of tender on my first approach, got side onto wave & the rest is history as they say................... I was lucky enough to meet a French family who were very kind & lent me some fresh clothes, & ate with them to boot. A bottle of wine was procured from a neighbour, @ this stage I didn't know they were from Rhone, friends for life.

Visiting the Drummond Castle exhibition while waiting for wind to drop below above F6, the Chanel de Dour is not to be messed around with so hopefully Athena & I will be on tomorrows afternoon tide.

Ile De Sein

2008-07-01T19:53:00.001+01:00

Finally a sail in what seemed like a week or 2 of not sailing.

On Sunday finally set off - to Ile de Sein, like all these passages the execution is easier than the the studying of the charts, sailing directions & getting local knowledge. Yes the French can be very helpful, they tell you things that really only become understandable after you have arrived, like find the 'black stripe on the building', will find out when i get to Brest what he actually meant as I found when I went for a brisk walk around the village.

Sailing across to Ile de Sein was interesting, trusting the technology & not listening to my brain which was saying go further south. Yes you lok @ the chart & you would not go there, it just looks to dangerous & I guess in a big sea from the N it would be to much to handle for me & Athena. It was still 20 miles of open atlantic, and even then there are rock to avoid.

Have an earthing problem with the engine, only seems to happen during trying to stop the engine & after periods of idling, not end of trouble. so I've been blowing fuses, like there is no tomorrow, had a word with engine man Nick, he says it's a bad earth, so I have rebed it and it seems to be much better.

Engines I hate them, maybe if I loved them they would love me back.

I'm trying to go to Il de Molene tomorrow will see if weath allows as I hope to come back friday as there are free moorings. The tides will be stong so i'm planning to get there around high tide as one needs the stream to take you north. so leave just after lunch. it'sonly 16miles so not far.

It will surpase yseterdays westerly 4° 50.5' to 4° 57.3', not trying to go west, just herd the Mules on Molene are pretty good.

Douarnenz Splendor

2008-06-21T09:31:00.007+01:00

This is what I am doing this trip for, & to see with sails,
& would be great to be on board too

The New & the Old both Beautiful

Athena's French Ports

2008-06-20T15:42:00.005+01:00

Athena in Pimpol

Athena, Russel & me set off from Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight on Saturday 31st May 2008. We got up with fog so went back to bed for another hour or so, we motored out to the Needles with the tide against us, so we hugged the shore to stay out of the tide. The early morning sun was giving my first view of the Needles. There wasn't a lot of breeze, we tried sailing, it was going to be a long drift to Alderney or France.

The night was full of a thousand stars, quiet amazing, and always good when the is no moon.
The night tide was taking us in the direction of America with us not a lot we could do about it. We had to conserve enough fuel for our dash into Alderney, to pick more fuel - 5 gals. We nearly missed as the Swinge nearly took us onward, we got in and the locals organised best bacon buttey ever, more fuel, fuses, and a good general welcome. It was a pleasure to be on Alderney. We got back the Swinge with 2 hours left, we cut a corner & gave ourselves a 'moment', thankfully shortlived. Up with the spinnaker @ 11am which was to last another 12hours, until the night weather meant it had to come down. It seemed to take too many hours to get away from the clutches of Gurnesey & the Big Russel.

Went to bed with lots of rain about, almost beginning our approach to Paimpol. We new we had missed getting into Paimpol HT, a shame with all the effort, it was so missurable with rain wind and very confussed sea, decided to make a go for the wall @ Paimpol, we made with seconds to spare. got tided up to the wall, found breakfast wearing our wet weather gear, went back to sleep only to find fishermen retying because we were about to go over the wall, withe the rising tied. It was time to go into the lock to finally find a berth.

Paimpol was to prove very friendly, seemed to be a switched on place. Russel was leaving on the early train on Tuesday so a good meal to celebrate the crossing, & say thanks for his help in getting Athena to France.

I was to stay in Paimpol till Saturday, mainly recovering, & buying French Charts for onward journey to Brest, They are hard to resist, very detail & beautiful.

4 days of rest for Athena & me

Douarnenez to Camaret

2008-06-20T12:17:00.002+01:00

Athena leaving Douarnenez, lovely sunny morning shortly
to be contrasted with lots of wind, F5 West to South-West

Athena steaming along,we got up to 8kts on some of
these waves with the tide giving a bit of help

Team T-Shirts

2008-05-27T21:43:00.003+01:00

Yeah we have our T-shirts c/o Tom who produced a design,
got printed in a day excellent

Everyone who helps get Athena to Brest will be lucky enough to wear one

Audrey seems to approve too

Audrey's Trip

2008-05-24T09:53:00.008+01:00

Well Audrey, had an interesting trip, she tried many positions on Athena
to find comfort & enjoyment.

When times were comfortable Audrey would explore,
She has tried just about every spot on Athena.

It was Audrey's first major trip, 190miles was probably a big ask,
there were many reasons why is was a success is that Aud had
spent a lot of time on Athena getting to know her & had slept
just about everywhere, so basically she knew the boat, her surroundings.

Probably the major reason is Audrey has a 'master' & she enjoys
being around or nearby, and if the master is enjoying it then she will as well.

It was great to see her enjoying her new experiences, smells, birds, waves,
wind, sleeping on a wobbly bed.

She was a great crew member, sadly she is going no further on this trip to Brest,
the risk of loosing her to 6 months guaranteeing are very high if traveling
on a yacht & visiting the Channel Islands & France.

Athena's in Yarmouth

2008-05-22T13:16:00.002+01:00

Well, we are in Yarmouth, no bangs or crashes, stopped in Brighlingsea 12hours, Brighton 5 hours, were averaging 6.2knots till we got to solent, very tired, will post again soon. Great to have Athena in the Solent & once the shipping had stopped trying to take us out it was a delight.

Walton on The Naze - Brightlingsea 4hours

B - Brighton 21 hours

B - Yarmouth 13 hours

Tides & Wind allowed us high speeds 7 - 8 - 9 kts
& interestingling no mad sailing or hairy experiences,

One reef & No.1 most of the time,
with Spinnaker in the Solent for 6 hours

A great time, & thanks to Steve Hart for the Passage Planning,
Company, & helping to restore my confidence again.

Athena was enjoying catching and surfing on all those waves.

Brest 2008 . . . here we come

2008-05-12T07:40:00.000+01:00

Tomorrow morn is the off,
0400 leaving Walton Back Waters with first stop Dover.

First Sail of Season 2008

2008-05-12T07:25:00.000+01:00

Well it was good to go for a sail on Friday,
Walton Back Waters out towards Harwich,
Test the Wind Vane, & give Audrey her first ever sail,

All pasted with flying colours

Audrey eventually got on deck & wandered
about smelling the smells she has never done before.
She is lovely but very timid, so was real joy.

Wind vane WORKS, going to need understanding setting it up,
It held a course fine, thats all is needed.

Athena, well she just loves sailing, so that was joy in itself.

Spent Saturday tiding & loading, & unloading,
she is low in the water already.

Lots of jobs still to do, nearly ready

So hope to be leaving Tuesday 13th @ 0400,
first leg towards Brest, if wind holds will make Dover,
a 60+ mile first leg.

Water is Good

2008-05-01T20:36:00.000+01:00

Nearly ready for going back in, if you get your boat looking ready to go in they put you in @ Titchmarsh, I turned blinked and I missed her going in
The New Wind Vane, I hit my head on that lump of lead going up the ladder a few times
The two new crew ready to take Athena back to her berth
Athena has a beautiful rear end
Slept on the hard, it was blowing a holey she had a horrible motion, not much good sleep was has, was good to have a few nights on the water again, gosh April is a windy month, hoping May will be a bit kinder for going south & west, to get to the I.O.W. first.

Athena's back in the water

2008-04-30T21:30:00.000+01:00

It's all go now, Athena back in the water with wind vane getting lots of attention, pleased I spent a lot of time making it 'fit Athena', lots of jobs to do, its great to be wallowing again, even started the process of stowing stuff for the trip.

Thank you Roach & Mirelle as I got Art Butler(Deben Marine) to do some wiring on Athena, there have never been any fuses, there are now, what a lovely person, and we had a lovely time, his son walked Audrey while I goffered, it didn't rain. Yes he's the sort of person who will do whats required and properly, and think about the whole picture.
I thought I could be up for a rewire, all very reassuring.

I begin my passage in just over a week, with still lots to do.

Back 2 Athena

2008-04-16T07:50:00.000+01:00

The last slog - oh it's going to be cold & wet!!

Fit new part-seat/cupd etc. & chart table.
Painting, & Varnishing - lots (nearly all top to bottom)
Mounting Wind Vane & tuning, Stow new CQR chain & warp 200'
Rewire as necessary. new gps/chartplotter
Begin the stowage,

launch 28/29th April?

4 Dallimores @ Walton on the Naze

2008-04-09T06:52:00.000+01:00

Yes there are 4 Dallimores @ w-o-t-n, together Callidus, Athena, Doralind,
& Lady Anne under re-build,a lot of work is being done by Richard with Callidus,
all paint below waterline stripped off & re-caulked.

Lady Anne has new frames all Laminated looking very beautiful,
nearly ready for re-planking.

Doralind is going back in the water soon as ready.

I think Athena will (hopefully)
have left for Brest by the time the others are in the water.
Varnishing this week on the new bits & pieces.
& organising the final push to get Athena finished.

Retreated to Base Camp

2008-04-07T19:25:00.000+01:00

Yes the Snow got me, got throughly damp & cold, thankfully the showers @ Titchmarsh thawed me out before the drive back to Durham. My reconstruction of my cockpit seat is going well now, a project that is taken me 5 years to get on with, will put first coat of varnish on tomorrow.

I have refurbished my bilge pump a 1950/60's Gilmore, absolutely amazing as you can still buy servicing kits, thanks to Moray @ Classic Marine, for the details, they should arrive in a few days.

Worked out how to store my CQR on deck, now will just wait for sheets to find their way to being cqr'd.

Have got new anchor light very posh I must say, but will do the job nicely.also got Brass Tiley Lamp @ £9.

Athena has also got a liferaft, hopefully only be used as move-able ballast.

Will make another attempt next week. Paining & more painting. ... . . . . .

Athena's New Wind Vane (Tiller-Vane)

2008-03-13T20:43:00.000Z

Well this Wind Vane, has taken along time to make, It seems ages since work started on it. A major part of making it is understanding how it actually works. I thought long and hard about how is was going to fit on the aft deck of Athena, first I thought like others before me is that it can go anywhere, well I thought about & came to the conclusion that it will work best if it is in the center of the boat, basically because when on the opposite tacks there will be different response, therefore the center-line will make it equal. This was a bit awkward on Athena with the back-stay on the center-line, so it was decided to make the support with the back-stay going thru' the middle, which means the back-stay needs to be disconnected, to install/uninstall. At present, the Vane has not been tested for real, this will have to wait till April/May. The mechanic of the vane seem to be work OK, the vane is almost perfectly balanced and swings with ease. The only qualm I may have is that the top pulley may not be big enough, it just make work better if pulley was bigger, I always wanted to make 2 vanes, as I feel this vane may get damaged with use. The Vane will be fitted on April 1st, cannot wait, and the follows @ least a week of on boat maintennace, with Athena finally coming out of the water.

Winter Jobs

2008-02-01T08:39:00.000Z

Roach's Drawings for tiller vane arrived yesterday, wow , another job to add to the list.
I'm going to try & make it all in wood - Teak including vane, vacuming !!
It's very simple, tried finding out more about QME but pretty much failed
not sure about copyright
Fitting to aft deck may be interesting, It has to be able to be taken off, yet not move about when being used.

Trouble with Athena is you have to do something the matches what Dallimore & Dan Webb did all those years ago -1950.

I have to make 2 lead balancing weights, any ideas, as i personally don't want to make them myself.?!?

Spliced up yesterday the kit to lift dinghy off athena, (& get tender back on),
a serier of pulleys, preventers, Tender has two sets of rowlocks, so i think it will/hope balance there.

I am trying to have no 'tying on', just snap shackles, making easier to pick-up & release, so yes pretty much dedicated gear.
Always fun to be doing some splicing again!!!
Tender sits on deck upside down, thought of using a bunk mattress to roll tender over?

First test run soon!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008

2008-01-11T08:58:00.000Z

Happy New Year 2008

Athena has a new crew Audrey she's got four legs
and is fast(& beautiful),
she's yet to see a yacht.

We are slowly getting into preparation for the big trip to Brest

1. Buy Charts 1. 40' extra chain
2. Plot course(s) on GPS 2. New handheld GPS with map
3. Read as much on Sailing Directions
4. Finish Cockpit fitting out
5. Re-build bilge pumps
6. Re-place cleats 3no. on deck, make spares 6no.
7. Make folding chart Table/Board
8. Re-build cooker - maintenance.
9. Re-build spare elements
10. Paint interior of Cabin - White
11. Varnish interior
12. Put tell-tales on main
13. Check all sheets-make spares
14. Wip forestays
15. Extra cleats to mast x2 for spinanaker
16.

Purchase:
1. 40' anchor Chain
2. Purchase Handheld GPS with Map
3. Purchase Charts for Brest trip

Tender to Athena

2007-12-02T20:55:00.000Z

On the River Butley, tributary to the Ore and Alde

Athena's First Launch March 1951

2007-12-02T17:58:00.001Z

Athena was launched in March 1951
@ Maldon Essex on the river Blackwater,by Dan Webb & Feesey, this photograph was given to Athena by John Yardley who was to work on Athena as his first job as an apprentice in 1950, one of his jobs was to plane the lead keel, & like the rest of her hull is very fair. Other shipwrites who worked on Athena were J. Barbrook, C.Freeman, C.Barbrook,

Dallimore Autumn Party @ Faversham November 2007

2007-12-02T09:20:00.001Z

a good turnout, many dutch, a kiwi, and yes a few poms.
An enjoyable evening, not sure whether it turned out to be a pre-planning for Brest 2008, there could be anywhere between 1 and 6 yachts, Athena needs crew for some of the time, anything from a day to a week. A most enjoyable evening, and athena wasn't even drinking, thank you Alan and Maud for organising a most enjoyable evening.

A trip for F&C in 2005, from Cullercoats, a lovely little harbour

2007-11-29T08:49:00.001Z

Celebrating Dallimores

2007-11-29T08:32:00.001Z

Celebrating a 75 year old Priscilla, with Betty Dallimore
on leftme Alan Stately, The Bagnalls, & Maud

Preparing to say goodbye @ the end of the Dalli-Rally
(we are both in our 50's)

BONDICAR RACE 2003

2007-11-28T16:55:00.000Z

Bondicar Race 2003

We did this race, it was great fun, a little sun,
but not a huge amount of wind, we came 1st in our class.
the race is about 7-8hours for Athena,
The race is from Blyth to Cocquet Island & back, about 30 miles,
2 years later we should have won it, we were second overall.

2007-11-28T12:31:00.001Z

2007-11-28T00:12:00.000Z

Athena's Drawings

2007-11-27T17:41:00.003Z

Athena exiting Blyth Harbour Northumberland UK & Sunset @ Walton on the Naze

2007-11-27T08:50:00.000Z