Lake District Downunder

Living where I do you would think I would have got organised with more real boating activity but I am making steps towards it.  I do a bit of looking at the water even if I am not out on it. A nice walking track is just 5 minutes away beside Narrabeen Lakes.  Here's a pic of the trail I walked this morning taken with my new phone (yes I am slowly climbing into the 21st century).

I though I would have a go at video as well to catch the bird sounds - they were all out this morning, whip birds, owls and others I don't recognise. I captured a few on this video of the vacant launching ramp at the end of the trail awaiting arrival of my yet to build Tom Hill canoe. I thought Dylan Winter might be amused by this one. He's a well known UK sailing blogger who is an expert camerman. When I got home I realised I had taken the video upside down! Well the phone doesn't have a clear Top and Bottom on the case does it? Anyway as luck would have it I was really going to post these pics to talk about the Lakes District Downunder. Whilst it's a mini version compared to the UK lakes district, it hasn't stopped the founding fathers naming nearby streets Windamere, Grassmere etc.  Except for the seagulls dancing on the ceiling you won't notice it's upside down until it gets to the end and the sky and houses come into view - enjoy!  (it's a bit stretch re 16:9 format - I'll improve it later.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_1frYzTf0g

Fetching Overarching Articles in Wooden Boat

The arrival of recent Wooden Boat magazine reminded me of how slack I have been on blogging.  Even more embarrassing I've also just noticed John How is getting close to launching his big Fulmar. So thought I should add a few items, even if the boat building hasn't progressed much.

There is a comprehensive article on Kees Prins cruising conversion of Iain Oughtred's Fulmar from page 38 (see index page below). It refers to plans being available from Kees for the modifications I commissioned him to do for a cruising cutter version of his boat - he refers to this as FarFetch. So if you are inspired to have  ago at the boat I am developing you can get the drawings from Kees at keesprins@gmail.com  You will also need the full plans for Fulmar from Iain Oughtred at iain.oughtred@gmail.com

Also in the same Wooden Boat is a life story of NZ born Arch Davis, now ensconced in Maine - it's a wonderful tale many of us latter day boat fanatics would be envious of. His Penobscot designs are stunning.  I wrote away for his DVD of Building the Penobscot 14 to add to my virtual boatbuilding  school and it has many practical demonstrations - I can recommend it as money well spent if you are starting out like me.