snug and homely

Well I've been back now for about six weeks and I'm glad I came back a month earlier than first planed. It got down to 0 degrees for a few nights but inside the cabin stayed at about 5 degrees with no heating, and much warmer under the covers. I have now owned Valimk for just over 4 years and have only recently built a proper bunk. This means that I now don't have to assemble and dismantle temporary supports every morning and evening for my bunk. I have also built my Hanging locker (for wet clothes) right beside the main hatch, to limit the amount of water in the cabin. I built a nice sturdy nav table (out of Thick plywood that was being giving away, score) I will be cutting and sinking a bucket into the corner for a sink with a covering top. Nav table/sink, I know it sounds like a messy nav table but, my navigation is messy and so is my cooking, so these two should cancel each other out and make for a smooth clean operation.. right?? well I'll work it out, whats the worst that could happen.. hmmm? I have also built a v berth up front, for crew and storage underneath, with a chain locker also underneath that should fit about 30m of chain and 100m of warp.

I am approaching nearly 2 years full time work on Valmik and she is starting to look very lovely inside. Everything is painted or varnished to an okay standard. I don't care much, for wasting too much time trying to get a perfect paint finish, I can improve on this later at my own leisure. I'm looking forward to replying to people that bring this topic up. I want to go sailing not spend a life time thinking about it!! So I've halted work on the fit out. I will improve as I go when necessary. I still have a big list of things I will do at some time when I've plenty of time.





Funds have hit low again (it didn't take long I know) but I did fork out a bit extra for a really lovely paraffin cooker. I went all over the northern coast of Kent looking for work at docks and marine related businesses. I got a few maybes but nothing solid. So I have decided to replace my whole rig, hand splicing galvanised wire. I tried getting work with some riggers but they had nothing, they very rarely splice wire rope anymore. So I'll have to teach myself again, I've got the book for it and it looks okay so I've ordered the materials. I'm thinking it should take me 3 weeks to have it all done max 4, so it all wire splicing for April.. :-)

"life is too short to splice wire rope"  -Bernard Moitessier,   Circumnavigator and author.

I disagree! I'm looking forward to it, also time is what I do have lots of money is what I don't have.

Why Galvanised??? well for a few reasons, apart from a little stronger and cheaper, If properly looked after it will outlast stainless, and I really like the idea of  parcelling and serving , it will look more traditional and add to my skills , win win in my book.

After that I will definitely need a job to afford some 12 volt electric equipment as well as safety gear and loads of other stuff I will need for the trip. And I will not be able to be as picky. A few months work should cover the essentials (or a donation of over £4000 or a sponsor) and I can order everything and install at nights and on weekends. So that should be all done by end June, but we shall see on that one. I will still have a big wish list of equipment, which will get added to as I get some more funds!

My plan has definitely not changed, I still intend to sail my 25ft folk boat Valmik back to Australia via Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Extensively cruising the coasts of many countries and having no time limit.

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I have added some new pics, of the inside of the cabin, to my public face book page. You don't have to have a face book account to see this, but if you do please LIKE the page while you are there, thanks.

Well that's pretty much it for now.