Happy New Year

Looking forward  to  a fantastic  New Year. Now just got to get up and get going. So many idea's. Just got to start.

Osborne Bay.

I went sailing  yesterday  on my friends Steve's yacht.  What a fantastic  day sailing.  Anchored  at Osborne  bay on the island.  Chilled out completely .Then a good sail back.
Practiced MOB with my hat. It survived, and off to the pub for a pint.
Great day

Wow

Wow.  Moved 24 boats in one day. Towing and driving. Great  fun at work.

Kent 31

Drove this in the dock today a new one for me. Small. a little noisy . But handles like a dream . Twin engines and a thruster. Cool.

Boat helm

The dock looks a bit small from here. Where's Wally when you need him.

Bow thrusters

Today i helmed a sunseeker 52 manhatten. A really nice boat. When coming out of the berth it al went a bit wierd. The bow thruster came on intermitantly . I turned it off and backed it out into the river with the tide still flooding [ not very wise ] . Then tried the thruster again  and it worked fine. Eventually got it in the dock with a nice force 5 cross wind. Turned the engines off and all of a sudden the bow thruster came on by itself the unit had already been turned off . I had to run and turn off the main batteries. Not good when the boats worth a million sqid. Had to take it back an hour later. But we turned off the bow thruster breaker. No bow thruster no stern thruster and a cross wind. Thankgod for big fenders. I Love sternthrusters and big  fenders.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow i might be driving a sunseeker 73. I must admit im a little nervous. But hopefully i'll be ok ish.

Nelson

I just drove a nelson from the dock to its berth in a force 9 .It went really well . Had to hold too the wind for 5 min just to get the nerve to go in the berth. Owner watching with a new paint job. I need a beer.

Moody 64

I had a fun time the other day. I had to put this Moody 64 in the dock stern first. We had about 10" each side. The tide was moving faster than i thought, but all went ok.

Rotating saildrive

Well today i drove a 45 ft yacht with a rotating 360° saildrive, controled by a joystick , that also controled the bow thruster at the same time.
Well i had about 3 mins to practise then had to drive it in the dock. Not long to learn but did ok.
Twist  the joystick left or right and the rear of the boat goes that way . Push the joystick left or right and the bow thruster comes on.
Pushing the joystick forward or back and the boat moves in that direction.
I can put a yacht anywhere with a rudder and bow thruster. But this new device take all the fun out of driving . Next they will have it on remote.
I have driven motor boats with this fitted and it does make things alot more easy. Well we have to wait and see if this catchs on.

Motor boat training

Today , I had motorboat training. What a great day .Driving around Portsmouth harbour for 6 hours. Having a packed lunch tied up to a bouy with a great view. Needed the training because the boats at work are getting quite big. Princess 23 mtr the other day.
Got called a true pro. Not sure about that. But feel alot more confident. Its ok now we'll give it a bash.

Crane job

Had to sit in the crane for an hour this morning, holding a mast up, while they changed / turned a chainplate round. The wallys put it on backward. O dear never mind. The things we have to do.

First day back

wow, I said i wanted some fresh air after Christmas holidays, but did it have to be Gale force winds and rain. Only had to drive in a 45 with outdrives, luck had it the wind died down just as we went in the dock. Now got to go home and fix the broken fence.

No Boat

The day after Boxing day and another big meal, to much food and not enough fresh air.

 I haven't driven or been on a boat for a whole week. This old pirate needs the gentle rocking of a boat under his feet. I sold Limpet my little Orkney Strike liner and i'm looking for something bigger alot bigger..
The boat in the pic is a Princess V78, we lifted it just before Christmas. No that's not me, that's my mate Wally. Hope you all having a nice Xmas and have a great New Year.

Hello World

I'm going to try blogging. I just want to put it all down some where. Me what i do, why. Why do people do things the hard way. I watch and think Wow that was close. Boats, i love watching people driving boats.
 I drive boats, its what i do, sometimes it goes well and the odd time it doesn't .
I get to drive other people boats, all different types, from old folk boats to Swan 65. From small fishing boats upto Princess 23 mtr and large Sunseekers.
I'm very lucky, i have a great Wife, two fab kids, boy and girl and a really old house and a 20 year DIY plan.
I want to buy an old fishing boat hull and fit it out.

Today's 32 ton Swan 65 and that's me driving. Totally confident and a little nervous.