"Papillon" is a Robert Tucker designed 'Fantasie 19' and my first boat.. I've been sailing since the age of 15 (when I did my RYA Part 1 and 2 at Emsworth Sailing School) so I've been on the water (but more in it) for going on 30+ years now... this blog is about our adventures together - they may be small one's (because despite the years I have little experience in boats - I was mostly windsurfing!), but they are adventures none the less..

Friday 13 March 2009

It's a bit quiet round here...

Lest anyone think that I have shuffled off this mortal coil I am here to report that all is well, it's just too damn busy to be posting...

What has taken all my time is the following:



...I've had sailing as a hobby since the days of short school trousers and caps (and that dates me) - I think my first ever time on the water was an RYA sailing course when I was 15... after that however, I then spent an unfeasibly long time sailing and racing windsurfers before finally coming to my senses (bad back and advancing age) four or five years ago when I decided it was time to return to sailing in the sitting down position....

"Papillon" is my first ever boat, only 19 foot long though she does have a cabin. She came with an outboard to get me out of trouble, and all the necessary pieces of kit, and since the picture (which was taken the day I bought her) she has now been anti-fouled and cleaned inside and out within an inch of her life... Not being too cheesy about it all, she is a bit of a lifetime ambition - I've wanted a boat ever since I did that sailing course, but money, family, time, work and a host of other commitments and obstacles mean that it's only now that I can really devote the time and money... either way - now I have one, and I ain't half looking forward to the summer!