We arrived at the Gold Coast this morning at 12.30 am. A long sail from the Clarence River. 15 hours at sea. The sun is setting here so early. Dark by 5.30. So lots of hours sailing in darkness. No moon, cloudy sky, pitch black. We crossed the Gold Coast Seaway bar in darkness and… Read More: Half way! »
We have been anchored here in the Clarence River – Iluka for three nights now. Beautiful! It’s such a great place to stop before reaching Qld. The facilities for the yachties are great. Mostly the flat water! And we were ready for some quiet times. A few days earlier, we had pulled up anchor at… Read More: Plans drawn in the sand … »
We arrived in Camden Haven yesterday afternoon after a long motor. Easy Tiger also sailing with us. Lovely sunny day so no one was complaining about no wind. We dropped anchor just off the Laurieston public jetty in flat but tidal waters. Cruising can be a lonely experience. Out at sea during the day and… Read More: The people we meet »
Time to catch our breath. After a few days in the picturesque Hawkesbury River area, we sailed on to Newcastle, then to Port Stephens the following day. Caught up with brother Brad then an early morning departure for Forster-Tuncurry this morning. Forster-Tuncurry is a pretty spot. So good that we think we’ll stay a few… Read More: Great sailing! »
We have spent two nights in the Hawkesbury River and Cowan Creek. How cold those nights have been! It was freezing this morning. The little bay we were in was beautiful and cosy. Steep embankments covered with gums and rock, the Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park, but no early sun! Thank god for our terracotta pot!… Read More: Muffins a must! »
Here we are at the CYC (Cruising Yacht Club) in Sydney … again! Way way way back in 1985 we were here on our first yacht, a 23 foot trailer-sailer. Many memories. I ‘flash backed’ today to a few memorable moments … Singing along to a new Pretenders tape (yes a cassette tape in my… Read More: 1985 … wow that’s 30 years ago!! »
After 70 hours and 38 minutes we’re tied up safely at the Cruising Yacht Club in Sydney Harbour! What started as a hairy trip to Eden then turned in to quite a comfortable journey into Sydney. Over the trip we averaged 5.4kn, hitting a max of 14.7kn! Going against the tides at stages meant the 374.8nm… Read More: Hello Sydney! »
After a very uncomfortable overnighter from Lakes Entrance to Eden, but we are now in flat water and calm seas. At this pace maybe only 24 hours from Sydney heads. Bickies and cheese passing Conran, autopilot doing all the work. One reef in for the night as a precaution. Turned out to be a very… Read More: 24 hours from Sydney »
Bossa Nova crossed the Lakes Entrance bar at 11.45 am today. Excitement and nerves all rolled in to one. With crew on board – Steve and John – we have headed for Sydney. Making 6.5 – 7 knots with main and jib.
Bossa Nova is heading north … very soon. Lots of planning happening now (we are good at planning … and lists). Three years building our Fusion, 18 months of ‘playing’, 12 months of building a new home (yes, we are crazy), now its time to head north and find some sunny weather. We recently met… Read More: Going North »
Those long long days of grinding, sanding and building our catamaran have well and truly been forgotten but the jobs never really end. We still adding and changing things, but we are on the water! We spent most of January around Port Phillip Bay, between Docklands in Melbourne and Martha Cove on the Mornington Peninsula. … Read More: 6 months on the water! »
It’s been a while since our last post. Apart from enjoying Bossa Nova (& cleaning up the 3 years of boat building in our paddock), we have had to squeeze in selling a house & packing to move and selling a business. Hence, we haven’t been on the water as much as we would have… Read More: Yes, we are sailing! »
Nothing could equal the excitement of the launch but it was still great to fit the mast, all 17.6 metres of it. As the base is about 1.8 metres above water we are going to need some pretty high bridges in order to fit under! The first fitting allowed the rigging to be marked for… Read More: Mast & boom on »
Here’s some pics … (video soon … when we catch our breath!) Shortly after 6 pm Thursday 7/11/13, Bossa Nova was launched. What a journey. The weather was kind, our last-minute helpers out in full force (thankyou John, Tim, Tony and Chris) and Mick our crane drive gently lowered Bossa Nova in to the water… Read More: Safe In The Harbour at last! »
We can’t believe it, the day has finally come when we launch Bossa Nova. Fingers crossed and our rig will be on as well. After a few false starts this week beyond our control, our crane man is booked for late this afternoon. What a journey this has been and while keeping this blog up… Read More: The day has come! »
I suppose the video tells half the story, so I wil try and fill in the blanks. This trip had been long anticipated and very much planned for. We had selected Glen from Oversize Transport Service to do the job and what a good choice that turned out to be. From the moment he… Read More: Talk About A Road Trip! »
Well the day finally came, after almost 3 years, Bossa Nova had to finally leave it’s nest in our paddock and journey down the road to the Yaringa Marina, ready for its launch in a few days…
A few pics … Neville is still on a high from the buzz of this morning (and now organising the tender), so his thoughts will follow.
Wow … a few BIG days … intra-protect (can someone please spill that tin) seemed t go on forever, then we did three coats of anti-foul . What better way to pass the time with songs that captured the mood!! Thank you Andree, JA & Tim who helped.
After some fairly ordinary weather, the sun was shining, and our truck came.
Waiting for the truck … write a post, visit the dentist … we are ready.
After rain last week we decided to postpone the launch. Main concern was getting the intraprotect & antifoul on in the dry. Not to be. Gives is breathing space to do all those little things … and even oil the cockpit teak? Two thoughts on this, we will see!
Last Sunday we had 30 degrees here. Come Monday, it had all changed. Rain, wind, hail and cold! Delaying things by a week isn’t really that bad in a 3 year project. So, the countdown is on! We have days of sunny forecast late next week (at last) which is just what we need to… Read More: So close now! »
So close now. Spent the weekend pulling out all the old boat gear, sorting new boat gear, and all those jobs that just don’t seem to go away. Great weather, ground dry and great for washing the decks. Our new rib arrived. No one was allowed to touch it, Tim’s job. Set it up on… Read More: The heat is on! »
Lots of things to do but the list is shrinking and not too fat now. Today was spent ‘tweeking’ the cupboard doors, polishing & cleaning inside AND watching our boat finally be given its name!! Very exciting. After a false start on Friday our signwriter Shane revisited this morning. (Thousands of trips up and down… Read More: Jobs Jobs … and more jobs but … »
The weather …. we have had rain, then hail, then sunshine today. We don’t want rain … our paddock exit is near!
We can feel the ‘end’ now. A rather disconcerting feeling really. This project has been a huge part of our lives for so long and the thought of it finishing is rather sad … can’t believe I’ve said that!! No more dirty fingernails or permanently bruised knees, no more aching fingers and sore backs …… Read More: So close … all a bit scarey! »
Wow … our floors are sealed! Lots of sanding, taping and then our oil sealer. With the bathroom floor sealed with a polyurethane because it’s in a ‘wet’ area, we decided on an oil product for the main floors. Easy to put on (one coat), and easy to maintain and recoat if we need to. … Read More: Before and After! »
We do feel we are close now. Meeting with our transport man today, signwriter yesterday & shower screen fitted yesterday as well. A few days of ‘finishing’ inside and we’ll be ready to seal the inside teak floors. They have been sanded so ready to go. We have even put a mattress in! Not an… Read More: It’s getting close now! »
It really struck home today … the end is near! We have our table in place, ready for bolts through the bridge deck … and we have started sanding the floors! Starting with the main bathroom and port hull, floors are sanded AND we have our first coat on our bathroom floor. Looks brilliant! Just… Read More: An exciting finish to the day »
Good to be back on deck with a few days of uninterrupted boat work. With a break in the weather we ‘fixed’ the main-track and placed the helm seat pedestal. A bit of thought needs to go in to this one as the seat has to be strong and secure. We figure when you are… Read More: Toilet-roll holder on! »
The tender!! We visited the Sydney Boat Show last year and one of the items on our ‘shopping list’ was a tender. Well, our ‘research list’ I mean. After listening to all the usual players sprout their stuff on the pros and cons of hypalon versus PVC, aluminium versus fibreglass bottom etc etc … and… Read More: A pig in mud!! »
While the momentum seems to have wavered lately due to work commitments getting in the way, we are hoping we have picked it up again this last week. With rig here now and all other parts, it’s back to us. The weather is crappy with an excessive amount of rain over the last few weeks,… Read More: Few ‘little’ jobs »
Why on earth would you want to go and collect your own rig from Sydney on a very, very long trailer! My only defence is to say that it seemed like a good idea at the time! However, a 12 metre long borrowed trailer does not mix with Melbourne or Sydney traffic that well and… Read More: Collecting my rig! »
After many months of researching, Neville decided on a Seldon rig. He left at 5.30 am yesterday on a road trip with his friend JA to Sydney, to collect his rig. A very very long trailer in tow!
Sorry no posts lately. Work commitments have overtaken boat building the last month or so. We just today revisited the boat … had to reconnect to ‘where we were at’ … not easy! Just as well we had some lists. Hopefully more posts soon!!
Of course Amanda takes most of the photos so obviously doesn’t appear in many. Here are a couple of telling snaps from my phone, and I should add that anyone out there thinking of a project like ours, find a partner up for this type of work if you can! Apart from the stanley knife… Read More: Armed & Dangerous!! »
Winter is here, but with a few sunny dry days on the radar and a long weekend, we have managed to squeeze in a few boat working days. So outside jobs it is! Neville worked on the cabin roof solar panels and then installed the safety rail on the port side. Hoping this rail does… Read More: Squeezing in a few boat days … »
Work? A priority at the moment so going very slow on the boat unfortunately … so close! Back full on in July we hope. Winter weather not too exciting anyway. Did manage to squeeze in the engine hatch handles & hinges in our teak cockpit floor. Real test will be testing that they are waterproof. … Read More: Going slow! »
We have just had a run of unseasonal May warm weather which ended yesterday. After 25 degrees, today we had hail and 13 degrees!
A big few days! Sanding our cockpit teak was a big job. We had a run of fine weather s outside jobs became a priority. Looks fantastic!!
Doors … what a royal PAIN!! I think today was taken up with doors and only doors … do they fit, will they shut properly, do they hit the bench, do they hit the bench when the handle is down, does the handle stick out too far, shit … the light switch is behind the… Read More: Doors … !!!!!! »
How many door frames do you want to see? We keep trying to photograph new and interesting things , but some days are just “more of the same”. There are six internal aluminium door frames, so whilst the first is exciting, you can’t say the same for the other five! At least the bifolds are… Read More: More doors on! »
One of the worst things about building a boat is that you listen to the radio a lot … and we listen to AFL football … and we barrack for the Demons … arrrrrghhhh!!!! … and guys like pies … only a matter of time before the real sauce bottle got confused with the acetone… Read More: One of the worst things … »
I think it has been “4 weeks” for several weeks now. Big week last week. Our teak floors are completed (sanding and sealing to come), door frames and doors started to be hung, battery box complete, ceiling panels all up including trim kits, teak shelf edges organised, cockpit hatches hinged and the list goes on,… Read More: 4 Weeks »
It’s great that people are following our journey … we know they are because we have been reminded we are sacking off with the updates! has been a few weeks. So here we are … Everyone is asking, “when are launching?” We don’t know, but it IS close. All the jobs we are doing now… Read More: Yes … we are still here! »
Easter is here and work is continuing… Our teak cockpit floor is well on the way, fridge has had it’s final fit, floors prepared for carpet in the cabins, engine hatches being fitted and cabins getting their final-fit-out with ceiling panels, bed-head, hatch trims and lights. Oh so satisfying! All those months of designing, building… Read More: The Boss …. a …. »
It is very worthwhile checking out other boats. There’s lots of decisions along the way but it can be the simple things that become important because they are critical to how you sail and use your boat. Placement of cleats, rope organisers, rope bags, cockpit drains and bbqs, all are important to get right. Thankyou… Read More: City visit … »
Early finish … off to visit a Fusion 40 called ‘Ohmless’ who are visiting Docklands/Melbourne for a week.
Aghhhh …. Every bone in my body aches! I love the ‘stand-up’ jobs, the low, tight ones, not so much. I’ve never seen so many bruises on my legs and knees. Yesterday was a big day, started at 8.30 and finished at 8.30pm. Washed the decks and scrubbed the cockpit. It had become the sawmill… Read More: The things we do! »