Hi Pete,
Yes I've noticed some peculiar anomalies with the vids, photos, and Blogs as well I think🤔
The so called Avatar is the pic / photo you added to your Profile, instead of the grey ghost!
Can be one of your boats, or your boating lake (as in your case) instead of an ugly phizog like mine😁
Cheers, Doug 😎

Hi Doug, many thanks for the kind words, I have a problem with my points tally. I have posted a few videos, but no points added, also, quite a few photo's but only points for ONE, btw what is an Avatar?
I got 10 points for it, I have sent Stephen a message, but no reply.😐

Remember Nerys, age is just a number...😐

WO Rooky, You'll get there soon enough👍
Capturing a few ships for your Harbour would put you in good favour with the Admiralty.
To that end you are herewith Granted a Privateers Charter.
Just don't tangle with the Munich Fleet - we'd blow you outta the water😀
😎
PS just noticed that Sub Lt Dodgy is creeping about somewhere - you know he's been detached to Black Ops - so keep your head down Warrant.

Everything comes to he or she who waits Midshipman er Midshipwoman!?
Shiver me timbers, what's happening to This Man's Navy? 😁

Thank you Rooky, I'm sure we will be congratulating you quite soon. I still don't like having to wait until I'm 86 to become a middy. I've never met one over about 22.

Nerys

Congratulations Midshipman Nerys, that didn't take long from WO, you'll be after Fleet position soon, will have to work harder to catch you.😐

Rooky😊

There were some excellent books written about round the world voyaging, some single handed, in the years post Slocum. The voyage of the Tilikum by Captain Voss comes to mind then there were Alain Gerbault's two books about his voyages in Firecrest. The first was 'Fight of the Firecrest' about his initial voyage across the Atlantic from the South of France. I cannot remember the title of the second but that was mainly about the South Pacific. Sailing all Seas in the Idle Hour, believe that was by Dwight D Long, was another. Sit and think for a while and they'll come back to me. It's years since I read any of them.

Hi Nerys - think you are right about the spelling - years afterwards Harry sent Dad a signed copy of his book with greetings to his old friend. Unfortunately an unscrupulous book dealer filched it from my collection - although I have managed to find a paperback copy its not the same thing - Harrys boat was a Tom Day designed ketch - called it Islander. An interesting read about a different world.

Harry Pigeon, if I remember correctly, the second person to sail around the world after Joshua Slocum. Boat called Islander. I read the book many years ago.
Through my father, I learnt about the sea and ships. He taught me all the basic knots and splices by the time I was six. I learnt semaphore and morse. Favoured reading was 'Manual of Seamanship Vols. 1 and 2) when I wasn't reading 'Swallows and Amazons'. But my passion was for small sailing boats and Thames Sailing Barges were the pinnacle.

Nerys

Seems like we all owe something to our fathers for the interest in boats. Dad was with SAN-VR during the war but he was really a lawyer with a passion for boats. He befriended Harry Pidgeon (another round the world sailor like Slocum)- and they often sailed together at the Cape.
He owned a 27footer before I was born - sold because of a growing family and thereafter dinghys and finally a free sailing model scow dug out of a huge Meranti plank . About 15"beam 35"long..... Sailed well.

Thank you kind sir. Never thought I'd have to wait until I was 86 to become a Snotty. Mainbrace duly spliced. Sub Lieutenant next goal, I'll study hard.

Cheers,
Nerys

Congrats on your promotion Midshipman Nerys 😊
Splice the mainbrace!👍🎈🎈🎈
😎

Hi Colin,
I was the same, my father was often away at sea for a year or eighteen months at a time. I had never seen him at Christmas until the first year of the war. There were periods when he'd be at home studying for his Mate's and Master's tickets at the Sea School in Cardiff, That was when I learnt such things as the Rule of the Road at Sea and the handling of various cargoes. I always say that I won a scholarship to the Grammar School by writing an essay on Handling Coal Cargoes. One could say that I had a nautical upbringing.

Nerys

Hi Nerys, yes the worst part about it was only seeing him for about 6 to 8 weeks a year, till I was 14 years old. Mind you for my 12 birthday I was given an Austin Ruby(from the scrapyard) with a toolkit and manual and told to strip it all clean everything and then put it together again, took me and my best mate 18 months.
When dad came home on leave he bought a battery and petrol and told us if we had done it to the book it would go, if we did it right he would teach us to drive it. Success it went, so dad took us to an old disused airfield and taught us to drive.
That was the best time of our young lives.
Nerys I thank you for stirring my old heart with such memories.
Cheers Colin.
PS on babysitting duty today.

Thanks for the weather forecast Doug. Do hope it's good particularly as Cwmbran are holding their Open Day. They supported both the open days at our lake, Cold Knap where there was lovely weather so I'd like them to be as lucky.
The sausage roll ingredients are in the freezer!

Nerys

What excellent qualifications, Master's ticket as well as Chief Engineer. Obviously much of a lifetime at sea if he made CPO in the RN as well. Do admire your mother though WRNS Commander.Good seagoing family, not many like that.

Cheers,
Nerys

Hi Nerys, dad was a cpo first class in rn and then cheif engineer in the merch. He also held a masters ticket, but went back to civvy St. as an engineer at Rolls Royce.
Cheers Colin.

Looks like you should be OK Nerys.
Cool but sunny, light wind ca 7mph, max 10% chance of precipitation. 🤞
Have fun, but don't forget the rausage solls 😋😋😉
or the video camera please👍
Cheers, Doug 😎

Thank you Ken, I'd love to see her afloat. Let's hope for good weather both days especially as we are going to Cwmbran Open Day on Sunday.

Colin, All power to your mother outranking your Dad but you say he was a Chief Engineer. Does that put him in the Merchant Navy?

Nerys

I get too involved in the building to get round to doing photos or writing reports. I might mention what's happening as time goes on, but I like to show the finished article in it's true element. For instance, my motor barge 'Nellie' is sitting on the table, was going to launch her last weekend but it was far too wet, windy and wavey on the lake, so it's postponed until, hopefully, this weekend. Any luck, photos at the weekend.

Nerys

"Nice boat, I built one from a kit last year."
How come we didn't receive Construction and Trials Reports Warrant?😉
Saw the Harbour entry though, nice build👍
😎

Hi Colin,
Nothing wrong with another Sea Commander. Nice boat, I built one from a kit last year. Very pleased with it, copes with rough conditions on our lake very well. Quite fast too, in fact a bit too fast for me. Good luck with it.

Nerys

Shed extensions I like it LOL!

Martin555.

Just build another shed Colin!

Hi Nerys, just another sea commander.
Must stop answering emails offering old model boats, I'm running short of space, but I love the vintage boats.
Cheers Colin.

Yes, and the best bit is she outranked my dad, he only made chief engineer. But a great dad and best fishing mate I ever had.
Cheers Colin.

Morning Colin,

Very pleased to hear she is alright.

What sort of model have you collected now?

Cheers,
Nerys

"She's a tough old cookie, typical ex wren officer (commander)"
Aha! So that's where your foible for Sea Commanders comes from Colin😁😁
😎

"Be Careful these things can cook!"
Like I said Ian,
Great for making the bacon sarnies😋😁
Totally agree with your comments 👍
Cheers, Doug 😎

Be Careful these things can cook! its even older than a Bobs Board and I haven't seen those in years. Also this type of controller can cause interference with a propo radio. This was more than likely a galloping ghost type radio set up

Good morning Nerys,
Thank you for your concern, she is fine now just a bit bruised, my sister has now taken over the care and I delivered her to my sisters house in Luckington, near Bath yesterday evening. She's a tough old cookie, typical ex wren officer (commander). Still likes to get out to sea whenever she can find someone to take her.
She'll probably outlive me, most of the women in the family have lived to 100+ sadly most of the men have passed on before 85.
Must try and get back to my models now. Got to go fetch another one today that I should have collected yesterday.
Thank you for your concern Colin.

Colin, forgetting the boaty, motory things for a moment. How's your mother?

Nerys

Also doubles as toaster and grill for the bacon sarnies Martin 😋😁
😎

Hi Jb,
That was originally designed for the hardened model boat enthusiasts.
You know the type,the one that goes out in the middle of winter.
The coils start glowing and he warms his hands up.
And if the boat catches fire the rest of the club members all huddle around to get warm LOL!

Martin555.

RE Hi all, I went bargain hunting for modelling bits.
Hi Colin, nice find! I have an even more dangerous one. No Idea of the make but I've had it working and like yours, it gets pretty warm when in use. The contacts on the coils are adjustable for max/min forward and rev. Came with my 'bin find' Fairacre along with an old Graupner momoperm motor. probably 60s?
JB

After looking at the map I wondered if you might do that Colin.
Not much of a detour,and anyway, which of us big kids can wait to pick up our new toys!😁
Safe journey👍

Thanks Doug and Martin,
Seems like I have the 'A' team on my side, so should be a breeze.
Got at least a dozen old servos that I can utilise if they are suitable.
Doug I have decided to pick up my new commander on the way home tomorrow evening.
If all goes smoothly I will be able to check my box of parts on Wednesday and give you the details.
Good night guys, thanks for the help, cheers Colin.

Yes no problem Admiral sir.

Martin555.

Okey dokey Martin,
But share it with the rest of us please👍
Doug 😎

Doug,
I can take Colin through it step by step and show him photos.
I have an old standard servo that I have to strip anyway.

Martin555.

Sounds good Colin👍
Give us the type names / numbers (for the motor as well), maybe we can find the specs for them (no, not goggles😁).
Be useful to know the dimensions and probable weight of the ship and size of the thruster prop as well.
We will bate our breff until you get home.😮
Cheers, Doug 😎

Hi Doug, I have a box of old big servos at home, I'll have to have a look when I get home.
Cheers Colin.

Thanks Martin, when I get back home later this week I'll have a look at my thruster motor and let you and the fountain of knowledge, Doug, put us on the right track.
Cheers Colin.

Thanks Doug.
I was thinking of a standard servo.

Martin555.

"Would it be possible for Colin to use the PCB from a striped down servo to control his Bowthruster ?"

It might Martin, IF it's a fairly meaty servo, the tiddlers aren't usually rated for more that 500mA or so. So the servo might cost as much or more than a little ESC.
Also it's not very easy to do for a novice, although there are several instructions (of varying quality🙄) on the web.
Doug 😎
PS Don't think just putting stripes down it would help a lot Martin! Sorry 😌

Hi Colin,
I could take you through it bit by bit but I am not sure that the PCB would will be up to it .
I am waiting to hear form the Admiral as he is a knowledge guy when it comes to this sort of things.
If he thinks it ok then I can explain it all to you.

Martin555.

Heartily agree John👍
Reckon Colin'd be better of using it as a Smoker Heater!!
Excellent ESC suggestion.
The warning about Johnson suddenly looked very familiar!
Doug😎

Hi Martin,
It needs to be simple, or a good picture to explain how to do it.
I'm willing to have a go at it if I knew what to do.
Cheers Colin.