Jul. 30, 2008 - We Should be Sailing :-(

Today is the first day of two weeks leave, the weather is fantastic and we should be sailing BUT we have had endless trouble with the goods and service provided by TS Rigging Ltd - still not resolved. Very disappointing.

Jan. 18, 2008 - Back In

It's been a long 8 weeks. Beroe was lifted out on 23rd November, demasted and put into the shed at our local marina. Trev has been working on her more or less 7 days a week since and lost a stone in weight! He has rebuilt the cockpit, complete with lifting floor for easy access, given her a complete sand down and re-paint, taken all the varnish off the mast and oiled it, amongst other things and she also has brand new rigging from TS Rigging Ltd. The weather has been a pain, despite her being in the shed, with the constant rain that we've had it still caused him delays. She went back in early this morning - just needs the rest of the rigging sorted now.  

Oct. 6, 2007 - Yay! We have a boat that moves!!!!!

Two years ago we decided that Beroe should have an engine and, after much blood sweat and tears she now has. At times I thought that Trev would literally explode with frustration but a few weeks ago the engine was fired up for the first time ever and it all works fine. Last weekend Trev decided to test her very quickly near the mooring. I didn't go. I had arranged to be unfaithful by going out on my brother's speedboat while my nephew went wakeboarding which was fantastic. My son captured Beroe's first engine powered trip since the 60s on his mobile for me.

The next morning Trev surprised me by offering me on a longer trip. He wanted to test the engine for a full two hours so we went out on the 10.30 lifting bridge, past the quay and into the harbour for a pootle. Again everything worked perfectly. It was so lovely on the water. I wanted to shout "Yay! We have a boat that moves!!!!" Trev was pleased that it all went well. I just kept thinking how much I admired him for what he'd done. It was a great Sunday morning.

Tomorrow we are getting up early and going out again. What a treat! It will be our last little trip for a bit because the cockpit has to be put back together properly so she'll be out of action for a bit. After that he'll rebuild the galley etc etc then attention needs to be turned to the rigging. The next big milestone is when we go out to sail her..........next summer. Can't wait

May. 18, 2007 - Where do Fibre Glass Boats Go When They Die?

Earlier this evening Trev called out, 'I've got an email that will interest you'. The new owner of Boojum had come across this blog, read about my hankering after her and sent a message! I have often wondered who bought her and where she was. Its kind of nice to know. I follow what's going on with a few boats that I like. Her new owners sound delighted with her and ended the message with 'give us a shout if ever you are in our area'. Its a long way from us but, you never know where you may visit. Of course there is a small risk that if ever I did get to see Boojum, I would refuse to get off, haha!

I came out of hibernation in April due to the gorgeous weather. I love my weekends and living here is like being on holiday. My new weekend job is to sand the varnish off of Beroe's capping rails (I'm not the fastest!). I've really enjoyed being back on the moorings in Poole again after a year in the local marina. Its like coming home. There are always people around, always something going on. Lots of tea breaks. We also see more of the crowd from the MFVs that we met when we got 'Jasmine' and joined them for a great evening BBQ on the quayside followed by a really amusing session at a local pub. Some people can make you laugh so much your sides hurt. The marina was full of rows and rows of boats. Mainly motorboats.Yet the weird thing was that apart from when Beroe was on the dry, we didn't really see many people around. All these boats that seemingly (also) go nowhere. It also got us to thinking just how many fibreglass boats there must be in the world. But where do they all go when they die?

Apr. 22, 2007 - Engine Nearly Sorted

Yey! Trev is on the home run. After more delays and frustrations - the wrong things arriving from suppliers, the right things arriving but the wrong size and so on; the hydraulics are in, the bronze exhaust outlet is done, the shaft and the controllable pitch prop are in place, he's made and fitted in the the hydraulic motor wing mounted beds and now he's just got to sort the water and fuel tanks and rig everything up. The new cockpit frame is in but he's had to stop to help someone refit a boat in Weymouth. 

Nov. 29, 2006 - (Boojum) I Think I Might Love You More

Its happened. Trev told me it would and don't you just hate it when someone gets to say 'I told you so?'. When we sold Jasmine I spent night after night on the PC desperately looking for a new boat. Trev said wait, be patient, the right boat will come up. We agreed that we wanted a boat that didn't need a complete renovation, that we could go away with and ideally had a really nice beam. Anyway,..... Beroe didn't meet any of that criteria!! I've still carried out the odd check up on boats for sale sites and have continually announced to Trev, 'see, nothing has come up!'...until...last week. There it was, the boat that I was really looking for. Called Boojum, a 46ft gaff cutter built by W.E. Thomas in 1909.

I love Beroe but I looked at the pictures and description and realised 'I think I love you more!!' We love the old Bristol Channel Pilot Cutters and she reminds us of them and meets all of our intended requirements and and is (or should I say was) in the price range that we'd been looking at. I reluctantly told Trev who said "Shes lovely. Thats the one. Thats the one that I told you to wait for. I told you, I told you to wait".

What can I say? Why do I keep looking at boats for sale? I do feel very lucky to have the boat they we've got....but perhaps it's because Beroe is still in her engine in project stage so we haven't really used her? I'm sure I'll love her more again when we can have some fun with her!

Aug. 20, 2006 - I Never Did Understand Physics!

The engine was about to be craned into Beroe. Trev seemed upbeat but he'd told me that the worse that could happen is that they'd have to take it straight out if Beroe sinks down too much. He'd figured it all out as best he could and the engine was being put in the best possible position. But she wasn't designed to have an engine, plus her previous refit was also very heavy compared to her original fit out and now this going in? He'd estimated how much higher he thought the new waterline would be but he'd only really know once it was in. A few minutes later the truth was revealed....

It was not at all what was expected. She'd risen up slightly at the bow and down slightly at the stern but so little. Trev couldn't figure it out, nor could Pete, a friend who called by and I never did understand physics. I bought Trev a Guiness, he'd earned it. Beroe has an engine!!! Now it's just the shaft, exhaust, tanks to buy or make and fit and the galley and cockpit to put back together.

I'd half come to terms with the need to sell Beroe once the engine was in but...I'm sure I can learn to remember my knots, understand all the ropes and what they do, know all the meanings for the word 'luff' and learn to feel the wind on my neck just like Brian does and of course overcome the seasickness. I've bought ginger tablets and Trev and Brian say that next time I'm out I need to have jobs to do, be kept busy as it helps. I agree.

Jun. 30, 2006 - A Day on Jacobs Ladder Makes Me Think..For a Bit

Trev seems to have taken a new approach to the project of putting an engine in Beroe. Nothing is going to stress him out. He's had so many obstacles to overcome but it's gradually all coming together. Every now and again he says, 'why did you buy a boat with no engine?' or 'I thought that the idea of this boat was that I wouldn't have much work to do!' but he hasn't said that he loathes me every day which I see as a good sign.

Not able to use Beroe, Brian offers us a days sailing on his yacht, Jacob's Ladder with friends. I took seasickness pills for two days before we went and bought lots of ginger nut biscuits (a tip from someone). Once again the weather was great, the company was good, and as we sailed away Gary made us bacon sandwiches and Emma made tea. I thought 'this is the life'. About an hour later I started to get that queezy feeling but tried to ignore it. Not long after that I was leaning over the back of the yacht being ill. It's not good and it's not like that in any of the boaty pictures I love looking at in the magazines. I decide that when I get off this yacht I'm never, ever going on a boat again and we can sell Beroe too, I really don't care about any of it. Trev says, 'poor thing, you weren't cut out for this'.

Half hour later I'm feeling a little better, the sun comes out, we lay on the deck and though I can't think of joining in with lunch I catch myself thinking...'this is the life!'

Jun. 5, 2006 - I Loathe You Every Day

Trev was less than enthusiastic about putting an engine in Beroe than I'd anticipated. Yes he could do it but it wasn't a simple job because of her counter stern. It wasn't a matter of just get an engine and stick it in, things would have to be specially designed. It would cost a lot. And 'the purists' would hate me. And he might do all that and I might still keep being seasick anyway and so not like sailing.....and he thought I'd said I'd buy a boat that he could enjoy and not have to do much work on...

A quick trip to the bank to sort finances and Trev was able to get going. As I followed his progress I realised how complicated the project was. He knew exactly what was needed but had to spend many hours on the internet and talking to lots of people. This supplier and that supplier, this special part and that special part. Some days I came home from work and things were progressing well, other days had been completely frustrating. One evening after an especially stressy day he told me, 'I loathe you every day when I get to the boat and have to work on this project' but he loves me really and he's doing a great job!!

Sep. 20, 2005 - Suck it and See (Trev's Side of the Story)

Sep. 20, 2005 - Becalmed (Janes Side of the Story)

With Beroe back in Poole I just couldn't wait to put things in all the little cupboards. This strange but compulsive 'wendy house' behaviour must have been a result of all those months owning Jasmine where I had nowhere to put cups and coffee and tea-towels and things as Trev had removed absoltely everything to carry out work. I also rushed out to buy 'Classic Boat' as advised by the previous owners, as Beroe was featured in a dedicated article.

The next thing was to arrange being taken out for the day on my new boat. I wished I knew more, a complete and utter novice, I'd only recently mastered referring to 'heads' instead of toilets and 'galleys' instead of kitchens. I bought a book that sounded just right for me, 'Sailing for Dummies.' I didn't have to read much before it all seemed confusing. Why do words like 'luff' apply to so many different things? I didn't have to wait long before Brian and Trev arranged my first day out. It was a gorgeous morning, we left early, courtesy of our friend 'Andy the Wormer' who gave us a tow. Beroe has no engine, a minor consideration when I bought her...her previous owners had sailed her across the Atlantic with no engine and anyway, I knew that Trev is good at sorting these things if ever we needed one....

Once out of Poole harbour, I was given the job of holding the tiller while Brian and Trev sorted out all the sails. They fiddled around with and argued about the jackyard topsail for ages before they got it right......then... the wind died. Brian told me that this was called being 'becalmed'. No matter, I thought, it was lovely bobbing around. Except that we were drifting towards some rocks....tide really wasn't helping. Trev used an oar to try to turn her. No good. Luckily after a while a cloud came over giving just enought wind to get her moved...then it passed and we started travelling backwards again. Perhaps I should make some lunch? So I went down below but...oh dear...didn't feel quite right, despite the wrist bands and Stugeron....I just managed to throw a few packets of food up to them, not quite the lovely meal I'd planned. To cut a long story short we spent 4 HOURS BECALMED going backwards and forwards and worse, we travelled further backward than forwards. Trev started saying unrepeatable words about me falling in love with a yacht with no engine. I felt seasick the whole time and was thinking I must be mad having a boat at all!

Eventually. the wind picked up and once again we were off. I felt fine once sailing and really enjoyed the rest of the day. Andy met us as arranged and towed us back in. It was a great day but we'd be totally reliant on others being kind enough to give us a tow when we went out. Okay, I knew that when I bought her but what with being becalmed, completely helpless....going backwards and forward for hours...

That night I made a decision. Trev must put an engine in Beroe!

Aug. 23, 2005 - "And so it starts"

Aug. 1, 2005 - How it started

    My ambition was to get a wooden boat capable of supporting my wife and I for life afloat. So our first boat became Jasmine, a 50 year old ex Scottish ring netter built by Nobles of Girvan. She was a good sea boat as we found on the trip back from the Isle of Man down the Irish Sea to Poole on the south coast.

A year of work on her inside and decks to us to the point where we had to take stock and consider if a boat this size, [17m], still needing lots of work, was viable for us. We decided to carry on the refit but see if she would sell if advertised. 3 days later she was sold for a 4k profit. That answered that and we took it as an omen that she was meant to go.
My wife was not happy with us not owning a boat so she stayed up for many nights over the next few weeks searching the Internet for our new boat.
My wifes searches eventually came up with "Beroe", a G.L.Watson designed gaff cutter from 1887. That was it, she was hooked. We made contact and recieved an email of photos of her bilges etc to help us decide if she was worth pursuing. She was.