Helen B Mk11 Silhouette

SOIA East Coast Spring Cruise 2009

2009-05-04T08:53:00.000-07:00

I have just returned from the SOIA's East Coast Spring Cruise, the weather was very good for three day's but then we had high winds and rain forcast so we decided to pull out and come home.

Pictures: from the bottom up -

Halfpenny pier, Harwich looking over to Felixtowe's Trinity Container Terminal.

Rafted up at Halfpenny Pier.

Calm seas across to Port of Felixstowe beach.

Wadgate Ledge across to Felixstowe town.

Ramsholt Quay and The Ramsholt pub on the River Deben.

Ramsholt moorings (Helen B is in the centre).

The pub beer garden looking back down the Deben with some of the SOIA members.

Woodbridge on the Deben at high water. Silhouettes Polly and Blessim.

Woodbridge at low water. Silhouettes Polly and Blessim.

Silhouette MK3 Arabella didn't have a very comfortable night!

Pin Mill on the River Orwell.

Silhouette MK2 Polly at Pin Mill with the boat houses in the distance.

Silhouette MK3 Blessim at Pin Mill.

Helen B back on the trailer.

SOIA Broads Rally 2008

2008-09-18T11:36:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

I've just returned from The Norfolk Broads where the SOIA hold their September rally each year. The Broads are a collection of old peat diggings that have flooded and which are interconnected by an assortment of rivers and channels, this may not sound very nice but I can assure you that the area is very beautiful and full of a wide range of wildlife. The weather was very kind to us this last weekend so the sailing was great and the pubs were even better!

We had 9 boats in all attend so we tended to fill most of the moorings when we stopped, we even managed to coerce the guide at Horsey staithe to open up the old wind pump for us to have a look around!

SOIA Rutland Rally 2008

2008-07-16T03:28:00.000-07:00

The SOIA hold their AGM at Rutland Water every June, there are a few races and social activities making it a very pleasant weekend! The rally was well attended with over 15 boats, I shall have to get the wife to take a few pictures of Helen B out on the water next time out! Here are a few I managed to take whilst ashore.

Our next trip is to the Norfolk Broads in September but the SOIA has another two outings before then! See the website www.soia.org.uk

SOIA Windermere rally 2008

2008-05-14T10:29:00.000-07:00

I have just got back from a rally at Lake Windermere! The Silhouette Owners International Association run a rally there each May. Here are a few pictures!

New trailer under construction

2008-05-02T00:07:00.000-07:00

I bought an old roller trailer and have had this frame made to fit it, it should make loading the boat much easier!

In her element!

2008-04-08T11:54:00.001-07:00

Helen B resides at Carsington Water on her trailer, we occasionally allow her a little freedom.

Swabbing the decks!!

2008-04-08T11:51:00.000-07:00

Keith checking my paintwork!

Topcoat.

2008-04-08T11:49:00.001-07:00

Topcoats on both the deck and topsides.

Painting.

2008-04-08T11:46:00.001-07:00

I used Jotun boat paint. This is the undercoat or should I say third coat of!

Rebuilding the external.

2008-04-08T11:42:00.000-07:00

The old bilge keels were replaced with new ones and glassed onto the hull.

Rebuilding the internals.

2008-04-08T11:33:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately I did'nt take any photos during the reconstruction but this is the nearly finished article.

Before the reconstruction.

2008-04-08T11:30:00.000-07:00

This was as she was bought and on her original trailer.

External metalwork

2008-04-08T11:26:00.000-07:00

External metalwork was not much better than the internal stuff!

Removing the rot.

2008-04-08T11:19:00.001-07:00

All the internal woodwork was removed along with a few bits of steel.

In the beginning

2008-04-08T11:04:00.000-07:00

Most of the internal woodwork was rotten, along with some of the metalwork!