Boat Building -an alternative to watching television.
For many years, I have wanted to build a boat, nothing big you understand, just a dinghy (well to start with any way). However, as is always the way with these things, I had always managed to persuade myself that I didn't have the time, money, skill, or space to do it. Having reached a certain age recently, I realized that I would be able to add OLD AGE to the list of excuses, if I wasn't careful.
So throwing caution to the wind, I purchased a set of plans for a fourteen foot dinghy, and invested heavily in many sheets of marine ply (it doesn't grow on trees, you know) Mahogany, Douglas Fir and various glues and epoxies.
Having received the 5 sheets of plans, I then spent several weeks trying to work out just how to turn the pile of timber into the boat shown. My knowledge of the English language also increased as I learnt the meaning of all the strange terms used in boat building (inwale, hanging knees, floors, beamshelf, strake, etc) I spent the next 3 months producing many, strange shaped pieces of wood (I am sure you realize that there are very few straight lines or right angles in a boat) which if the plans were to be believed would miraculously turn into a boat, over time, although it was some times difficult to imagine how!
Putting the parts together has been an exercise in patience, and ingenuity, as only limited instructions were included with the plans (two A4 sheets, to be precise) but so far it has all worked out reasonably well, with only a few parts discarded (anybody want a 9mm thick transom?), and remade due to incorrect measurements (measure twice & cut once, as my father used to say). Much time has been spent in determining the actual sequence of build, as it would be impossible to fit certain parts if done in the wrong order. My carpentry skills would be best described as basic, but even I have been able to either learn the skills required or adapt DIY techniques to suit the task in hand.
I have now spent over a year working on the boat, and have produced something that at least bears some resemblance to a boat, pointed at the front and blunt at the back. My plan is to have the boat sailing some time this season, but like all the best plans this may be subject to revision, depending upon the unexpected things that life has a habit of throwing up. So far, I have had to stop work for several months to recover from an attempt to cut off my thumb (fortunately I failed) with a band saw and to cope with moving Val's parents from London to North Wales, a house fire, and various DIY projects. Fortunately Val has been extremely tolerant as yet again I disappear into the barn each evening.
I estimate that by the time I have finished I will have spent 600 hrs (that's a hell of a lot of television) and £2500 on the boat
Well every man needs a hobby !!!!!
Mike Hardie
Winter Walk
As we headed into Wales on Sunday January 20th the rain came in from the west to meet us and we thought 'what a good day for a walk', or words to that effect, but undaunted we met up with the other hardy souls at the Loggerheads car park, kitted up in winter weight cagoules, boots etc and set out for the club's annual winter walk under the able leadership of Sherpas Geoff and Bridget Newbold.
The route took us through the grounds of Colmendy Hall, through an incredibly muddy field full of horses, which seemed to want to follow us for the rest of the walk, and on to the lower slopes of Moel Findeg from where we made the ascent (without oxygen) of this major peak.
After pausing to regain our breath and to imagine the extensive view which would have opened up before us if it had been a clearer day we continued on to Maeshafn and then through Big Covert Wood, detouring to inspect Big Covert Cave, before returning to the pub at Loggerheads where we met up with another group led by Geoff Ravenscroft that had done a lower level walk.
Here we had an excellent lunch and thought ahead to the coming
sailing season as the weather reminded us so much of a typical Brenig day!