Hopefully the first of a number of posts that will show our progress around the UK under sail in ‘Nellinui’ – assuming I can wrestle the technology into submission. But first…. the boat. If you have a look at some other stuff on the website, you will see that she is entirely home-built. A catamaran of 10m length, 6m beam, … Read More

In the first article I explored some of the differences between multis and monohulls with regard to safety issues. Now we take a look at the worst-nightmare scenario, capsize, on the basis that being prepared for the worst means having confidence when things start to get rough. First the reality check… I do not want this article to give the … Read More

Yves Le Blevec and Jean le Cam capsized their powerful 50ft trimaran, probably after hitting an object in the water an hour after the start of last year’s Transat Jacques Vabre. The crew just waited on top for rescue. Note how high it floats and the escape hatch in the main hull Congratulations on your wise choice of a boat … Read More

Window shape can have a huge effect on the overall appearance of the boat, so I had originally decided to wait until I could see the boat from far enough away to be able to get the perfect shapes with bits of black paper. But as the polytunnel prevents this I thought it might have to be a job postponed … Read More

It is now late May, and I would like to be telling you of how the finishing touches got done very quickly, the whole boat is coming together beautifully, we have organised a smooth move down to the yard at Totnes, and the boat is about to be craned into the water for the first time. Of course, the final … Read More

Not to be put off by the cold weather, I even resorted on a couple of days to skiing up to the workshop, where the heaters were put on overtime! It has been a period of intense work on the interior, much of it working out where everything is going to fit. I envy the production boat people, who can … Read More

“‘Tis the season for excuses, tra-la-la-la-laa…!” There are so many reasons not to be building the boat during the Christmas season it is remarkable that anything has been achieved at all. I have written before about the cold up at the workshop slowing everything down and making short days necessary just so I can get home to thaw out. The … Read More

Well, I didn’t manage to get the boat painted before the cold weather. I had hoped to be applying the Awlgrip during September, which at least gave us some warm and dry days, but events conspired to delay me once more. So the topcoats will have to wait until it warms up again next year, probably April or May. I … Read More

“I’m going to get the boat finished this year” was my resolution back in April when the sanding party was such a success and things seemed to be moving along briskly. Whatever happened to all that spring bravado? No one needs reminding of how poor our summer has been this year, and there is little doubt that the weather affects … Read More

In the last issue of MR I was struck by two starkly contrasting articles, one about the Tin Can Boat relentlessly pursuing originality using modern materials and the other, James Wharram’s latest venture, exploring the gradual evolution of prehistoric double canoes. Reading these articles from the angle of design and construction triggered some questions about the choices I have made, … Read More