Tricks that old racers get up to after retirement

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Originally Posted by fichrman2

I failed you Jackie - sooo sorry. I have a few bagged up and they got shuffled to the back of the workbench :nonod:
I will try and get them out first of the week.

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Not to worry my friend------the road to hell is paved with good intentions! I am as guilty as the next when it comes to procrastination, (that's putting things off) -------I still have to post a concept I did last year to JOHN Schubert, it's been tucked behind the wood lathe since I moved here. Seem to have been up to my fetlocks in one thing and another for the last few months, add to that a butterfly mentality and a lot gets talked about but not much done.
Its a stay at home weekend------all roads around here will be gridlocked, folk scrambling to be near the sea. It's like they all turn into Lemmings every bank holiday.

Grim reaper came by last night, he collected Mike Purdie, 72 years old. Father of Ivan and Mathew (Deceased) and Daughter Catherine.
He was diagnosed with Terminal cancer a couple of months ago.
Blasted disease sweeps all before it.
Time the world stopped fighting with itself and all pulled together to rid the world of that damned hideous disease----------one in three of us will fall to it in the next few years.
Had a god productive day in the shop-------got most of the basic ingredients together in the rough. The three hulls -----three decks-----stairs-----radar arch------helicopter pad-----Mercruiser, its all cobbled together, needs dismantling,fitting and finishing, polishing, mounting-------oh yes, and selling!
Had all the makings of a miserable Easter ------decided to work through it and do something a bit memorable------was all going fine, took some phoggies------went to download them and it told me my I pad is full, no more room for any more pickies -------ah well, some days you eat bear !

Recycling facility was bloody well closed--------what sort of a bloody silly outfit is it that's shuts up shop on Easter Saturday ?
So I came home and got stuck into the latest project. Totally dismantled it all and started again from square. One.
Have no idea when it will get finished-------its a bit like "Topsys Doll" ------from a simple idea, it just grew and grew, it's already way beyond the original conception.

Spent a whole day on the radar arch and ancillary bits for same------does just look the dogs cajones!
Things can only get easier tomorrow--------got the first coat on the three hulls-------Nice !

Decided not to even turn the TV on, I don't want to hear what's going on in the world------same every bank holiday -------every road gridlocked with queues of cars from arsehole to breakfast time, only a question of time before they start shooting each other.
Workshop is the safest place to be, even the hooded old git with the scythe over his shoulder stays well away from there!

Easter Day is here at last. Been a long drawn out weekend so far, but just two days to go before things return to normal.
Weather needs to warm up a bit before I don a pair of shorts-------it's usually June before I let the world see the whiter shade of pale of my foot attachments. Long strides are never put back on until end of August (unless it's cold).
Jilly booked a flight to Montpellier for sometime in September-------just to see some of our old friends in the south of France and maybe do the "Vandage". That's on top of the drive down to Brittany in May.
Then we got the Caribbean cruise in November-------voila, that's another damn year we just whistled through
Will have another crack at super-yacht, see if I can finally nail the Radar system complete with the whirligig and "Fujimo" domes !
You all have a great Easter Day -------get back to you later!

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In progress saturday ------moved on a bit since that piccie!

Nearly there, this is it, the last day of Easter -------I made it through another Easter and survived.
Was a time when I couldn't wait------was the start of club racing at the LMBRC. 1st May was always the 24hours of Rouen, the racing season had started, every weekend from now until November we would pack up the camper van, hitch the boat on the back and we were off on our adventures around the world. Sometimes we travelled with other families, but always the kids were there, even when daughter Sam and son Mark stepped up to the plate and started racing, we went as a family.
Now the tradition is carried on with grandson Craig-------but this time, it's the other side of the pond, there's also rumours that grand daughter Kate is navigating with Craig, --------that I have to see!
Their first outing together should be Sarasota in May in the P1 series--------speeds are around 72/76 mph with some fifteen boats taking part-----if your in the vacinity , drop by and say hi.

Decks are too fat on superyacht ----have to dismantle it, start from scratch , tedious but necessary-------some things about it are ok, but if I ever do another I'll know exactly where I'm going with it.
Wrap around smoked glass, green felt carpets, full leather etc; -----but that's all in the future, for now, the first effort will suffice. Whether it ever finds a home remains to be seen.
If I don't get out from under these sheets, I'll never even get this one finished-------get back to you later!

Well, it's now later and I never got back to you ! Did a full day in the shop. Got off to a cracking start, chopped, reshaped each deck and added a fourth, polished and lowered each deck. Made the mistake of laying carpet on the bottom decks--------ally polishing, dirty hands and felt carpet laying was always going to be a recipe for disaster. Smoked plexiglas wrap around between the decks was a tad ambitious --------was always flirting with the unknown-------used a gas blowtorch to get the curves but was a touch over exuberant---------first effort ----we have "obscure bubbled glass"------found out the hard way the stuffs highly inflammable.
This all took place late afternoon------just as things were going so well, I almost posted a piccie, but it looked like the superyacht had a fire on board. SH-T HAPPENS !
Have given up the idea of cream cowhide upholstery------I know my limitations
Bear had a bloody good feed today-------not to worry, I'll get my own back on the bugger tomorrow .

http://i64.tinypic.com/29yfdcm.jpg

Maybe I should have bought a Piper instead of fooling around with an Enstrom-----
Thats an impressive log you have there Gene, great to know you're still capable of doing distance flying.
At the moment I'm still capable of driving a car, don't know how much longer ------all the faculties are still working fine but the minute there's any sign of incompetence then I shall call on her who shall be obeyed to be my chauffeur and hand in the licence to kill.
Thought long and hard on how to tackle the smoked glass window problem-------had a sudden flash of whatever and the answer came about 3:00 am. So damn simple, wonder why I never thought about it before. Anyway, I'll give it my best shot this morning and see what transpires.
Easter is finally over, next up will be "MAYDAY" bank holiday, Rouen 24 hours, forecast is for two weeks freezing cold weather, then maybe a bit of warm sunshine.
Have a nice day people, I know I will, Lizzie is here for the day?

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Had enough of the superyacht ------so we took Lizzie to the Amberley Chalk pits Museum------it's the place where they shot the Bond film "VIEW TO A KILL". Passed it ten thousand times but never bothered to stop and look around.
They do wood turning courses, walking stick making, sheep hurdle making-------was intrigued with English long bow making, so decided I would take a day out sometime this summer and do their course on the subject.

So, we are having a general election on June 8th this year-------just six weeks from now. We have a stable government with a clear majority --------two more years in total control-----what more could you ask for ? This could backfire and bite them in the buttocks. Once we are rid of the Brussels beurocrats and stop paying them the back breaking tariffs , things should start to level out a bit.

Bad day-----tomorrow can only get better!

Here it is again------Thursday, time for the old routine, car boot sale at Ford airfield.
Not a bad sort of day, but still damn cold for this time of year. Fifty foot high icebergs floating down the river in iceberg alley, frosty mornings . Sun forgot to come out and play, I need some sunshine, fed up of still wearing three cashmeres.
Sorry about lack of correspondence yesterday--------wasn't "in the mood", grim reaper left his trademark and as always happens, a shed load of questions and sadness !
Lets see what today chucks at us, I'm going hunting again!

Spent longer than usual at the boot sale, kept seeing stuff I didn't need or really want, but that little sh-t at the back of my head kept telling me I needed it to go along with the other drawers full of stuff I will never use. E.g., I now have four jumbo sized tins of WD 40, simply cos they were on sale. Another box of M3/4/5/6 taps------(-well I am a bit heavy handed on the odd occasion). Why the hell I keep doing it I will never know.
Finally got to work on the class1 tunnel hull out of solid aluminium with oak sponsons added for good measure-------- it's ok to do these things, but doing them this big means the finished concept on a half decent mount comes out around the 15/20 lb Mark . UPS thinks it's bloody Christmas all over again, shipping items like this to the USA is ridiculous---------it's cheaper to buy a business class ticket with its 4 X 25 kilgm allowance than post items this heavy.
Lifes a giggle if your not careful these days------maybe I should put a condom over my head when I walk down the street---------but some clever bugger would point me out and say " look, that's Jackie in a condom Only him daft enough to dress like that."

This is our 365-days-a-year sunrise Jackie. Not exaggerating one bit. Its the same one your kinfolk see, in Stuart. Wish you were here...http://scerbos.com/i/2017/03/ocean-s...rs-android.jpg