Newsletter Page 5

Tired of sailing up and down in the same old boat? Looking for a new thrill? Then how about kitesurfing?

I saw this being demonstrated recently. It involves attaching your feet to a sailboard and your hands to the strings of a very powerful kite and then sailing along and executing jumps that take you ten or fifteen feet up in the air. Surprisingly, to me at any rate, it is possible to tack up wind. I still can't see how this works and why you don't just get dragged downwind by the kite but I'm assured by my son, who has studied more physics than I have, that it doesn't violate any laws of nature

.So, why not give it a go? (no, I didn't)

As our television actually blew up recently with a most satisfying BANG followed by that distinctive electrical burning smell, I have had no excuse not to be getting on with the boat (other than the ever-growing list of jobs to be done around the house). Progress has been good and the hull is now complete.

Having varnished the inside (6 coats) and having put 3 protective coats of varnish on the decking, I have now turned the hull and am in the process of painting, which is very time consuming (but it does hide a multitude of sins). This is particularly true, as I have decided to paint the bottom a different colour to the topsides. This entails much rubbing down and miles of masking tape. It is uncanny how the birds, which nest in our barn, seem to know when I have just put on a fresh coat of paint or varnish on the boat. This seems to be the trigger for 'toilet' training of the fledglings with the resultant mess always on the boat! I will then turn the hull once more and complete the varnishing of the deck (another 3 coats, at least). The plan is to complete the painting and varnishing by the end of May (birds permitting).
The next (and hopefully, final) major woodworking task is to make the masts, booms and gaff (yes masts, as the boat is a yawl). Incidentally, did you know that the difference between a yawl & ketch is that a yawl has its mizzenmast in front of the rudder and a ketch behind?

Mast building is a skill, which I am looking forward to learning. I have now ordered the timber (Sitka Spruce) and await its delivery with interest and anticipation. As the timber will be supplied in square section, much manual planing and work with the spokeshave and sandpaper (and undoubtedly much cursing) will follow as I attempt to make this round (has anybody got a use for wood shavings?). The masts are supposed to be tapered as straight section would be too simple, so this will make the task that much more 'rewarding' and the eventual section should be interesting, to say the least.

I have now ordered the sails (in a fetching shade called Turkey red) and these should be complete by mid June, assuming the sail maker was telling the truth. I have started to acquire the fittings, which will be needed to fit out the finished boat. It is a constant source of surprise, the exorbitant cost of fittings (still it's a well-known fact that all sailors are wealthy, particularly Flying Fifteen owners!) and I dread to think what the final cost will be. However these things have to be done and I (we?) had not planned to go on holiday this year and the replacement television is very low on the list of priorities.

Fitting the fittings (is that grammatically correct?) will I am sure take some time as I agonise over the position of each one. It would be nice to think that I could get them all in the right place first time, however experience has taught me that this is unlikely to be the case. Sailing the boat is the best way to determine positioning and to avoid putting them where the helm sits (crews are meant to suffer), however I don't think it a good idea to have my first sail with them held in place by string and sticky tape.

Talking of first sails, this is likely to be an extremely private affair (invitation only). I once spent many months building a model plane. This fine example of the model maker's art promptly crashed in front of a large and critical audience on its maiden flight, leaving me with a pile of expensive firewood, and a reputation as a failed aeronautical engineer. I would prefer to be able to hide my embarrassment and make what will hopefully be minor adjustments to the boat in private.

Before this happens I will no doubt spend many a happy hour in the garden putting the masts up and seeing if the sails fit and set correctly, all the while dreaming of happy voyages to come.

Llyn Brenig is surrounded by dense forest, which is the natural habitat of bears, so you should take the following advice seriously.

When walking in bear country you should always have small bells attached to your clothing and carry a whistle that you can blow at intervals so that any bears are warned of your approach and can keep away.