1259 arrives - looking like new

[Steve Willis]

Thanks to Steve Sawford for all the help he gave Mark Kempson with the rebuild of 1259.

Mark duly arrived at SSC on Sunday morning and was on the water for the afternoon sailing. First time out on his own.

Nice colours and lines - not to mention the rudders (we'll easily know which one it is when inverted!).

Now Mark's gone and bought another one to do up as well.

Thanks Steve

Steve W

[Andrew Hannah]

Hi Steve,

Has Mr Sawford moved to Seasalter? Is he one of your two SSC members that are looking for projects, and who have the skills to restore old Sprints, like 1259?

[Steve Willis]

Hi Andrew,

No such luck. However Mark lives near Steve and the work was done 'up there'.

The 'project' boat has been sourced as of Saturday. Meanwhile we have another member looking for a 'ready to sail' boat - he's looking at a couple.

That brings us up to 20 maybe 21 (having lost one since last season). Meanwhile the addition of Dart 18 7119 on Saturday sees that fleet up to 10.

Our local ace repair man, Peter Barnard, did the hole I had in the bottom of each of my Sprint hulls during winter 2006/7. I also now have a source for brushing gelcoat (any shade/colour) and gelcoat rubbing compounds (local fibreglass product manufacturers). I refinished both our Sprints and our 18 last spring and they positively gleamed (even the coloured lines).

Unfortunately I now have water getting into the starboard hull but I think it is the hatch cover base which I need to work on. I submarined on Saturday when I got the tiller stuck up under the back of my buoyancy aid as I moved quickly back from the front beam in a strong gust on a run and picked up some more water. We took the 18 out on Sunday.

At last the weather seems to being settling as we have missed 8 sailing days so far. Once the springs are over next week we hope to get the boats on the beach for the summer.

Hope all goes well at Thorpe Bay, you have done extremely well to build up to such a fleet. Well done.

Steve

[Ben]

well ther is always a member up north here that would love to have a project boat as long as the price is right would love a propa bad one to tinker with!

[Steve Willis]

Yep, had you in mind as well. Your father could do with his barn filling up again!

Hope all is well at Uni, sorry we did not get the sail the week after easter.

Steve

[Steve Willis]

Sorry Ben - Joan just pointed out it was 'Yorkshire Ben' not 'Kent Ben'.

Are you still looking for a Sprint then?

Steve

[Ben]

no i have a sprint now and will see you down at your club on the 17th i am always after a nice project though just a cheap boat to renovate would do me fine aint bothered by wat kind of boat either as long as its not a topper or a laser!

[SSCBen]

What? I have competition in the old boat repairing/breaking game? Disgusting. *Quickly goes on ebay search for knackered boats*

Uni goes well, apparently we have some little "tests" coming up but i think it's all smoke and mirrors. The little dinghies get everywhere.

Happy Seasalter sailing to all there. I'm shore-bound for a bit.