Small Boat Voyages

Second sail of the year, getting back into the routine after a year out of action. Never been to Derwent before. What I found was an efficiently run sailing club inforporating a substantial boat hire centre, workshops, quayside mooring facilities and assisted launch capabilities. The mooring is limited to stern-to Mediterranean style so a boat Read more

Tarka joined a group gaff rigged traditional wooden boats gathered in the inner dock in Port Dinorwick this weekend. A short break at an OGA organised event including lift in and out, mooring, music, food, drinks, a steam engine and live band entertainment. We moored next to some much larger vessels including one pictured here Read more

This post documents the building of a cradle to support a new second anchor for Tarka. The main anchor is a 7.5 kg bruce pattern attached to 50ft of 8mm chain. The bruce is good for mud and sand. This second anchor, a 10kg admiralty bay palm, will be better for rocky and or weedy situations. Read more

Considering the roughness of the sea at Meols the other day has given me some ideas about adding some extra control to keep the boat oriented in the best way possible. The rear of the trailer has some stout box section that could be used as a fixing point for some vertical guides. I’ve cut Read more

Things are getting back to normal after my gall bladder operation. A week after the op I was up and about, and two weeks later fully fit I was ready for my first sail. The waiting list for that op was nearly a year during which time I had been advised by my doctor to Read more

The engine on Tarka is a small onboard single pot diesel with manual and electric start. It’s not a huge engine and is really only a backup for sail power, that and for manouvering in and out of tight places. There has béen a small crack in the exhaust manifold that has been a problem Read more