We took independent film maker Huw Wahl sailing on Wednesday to give him a taste of barging in preparation for his making of a film about engineless sailing to be titled ‘Wind, Tide and Oar.’
Nick Ardley pictured presenting the lamp from sailing barge May Flower, on which he grew up, to Richard Titchener.
Click to enlarge
Sea-Change Sailing Trust has just completed its carbon offset with Yacht Carbon Offset, making us the first to support their blue carbon project, Mikoko Pamoja, which helps us to achieve our high environmental operating standard.
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Alanna applying Stockholm tar and boiled linseed oil to the rolling vangs.
We decided to rig as usual this month so as to be ready for whatever the forthcoming season brings. Last week Oli did a myriad of mainly little jobs aboard; everything from cleaning through and touching up some varnish and paintwork to putting washed cushion covers back on. He found some leaks in pipework we will need to sort before charters and spent an unpleasant few hours chipping and painting rust in the forecastle bilge finding his covid mask the best protection against fumes. Quite a bit of touching up was done on deck too between showers. On Thursday David Ogg inspected and certified the gas installation and on Friday Brian Kennell came to measure up for some shelving for the ship’s library and cupboard storage. Then on Friday we used the foresail halliard and winches to lift the sails out of the forehold ready for lowering down this week. It saves a lot of grunting and heaving for a small crew if the sails, especially the mainsail, are in the right place for attachment before the gear comes down. (more…)
15th March: Yacht Carbon Offset have again mentioned us in their newsletter, the latest of which is available here.
We have been proud of our association with Yacht Carbon Offset for some years. They have been kind enough to offset our carbon emissions which have varied from vessel to vessel and never been large; most of our work involves sailing. With Blue Mermaid, emissions are even smaller as there is no auxiliary engine or generator installation. We rely mainly on solar panels but do use a bit of carbon fuel for the outboard motor, cooking and heating, so even an engineless vessel has an issue. We are delighted to be counted among partners to be found here on their website: Partner Projects – Yacht Carbon Offset (more…)