Tricks that old racers get up to after retirement

[jackiewilson]

Decided I’ve had enough of car boot sales to last me the rest of my life and I no longer have a yen to wander recycling facilities on a Saturday morning either. Tired of being knee deep in iron filings and wood shavings———- in fact, the wood lath has to go. I need an advanced polisher for a start, plus an upgrade on the sanding machine, with the possibility of a a dust extraction unit.
Full of ambition this morning for some strange reason. Realise it’s been a while since I’ve actually talked about boats——— in future, I’ll try not to wander too far off piste———after all, it is a column supposed to be devoted to power boats, don’t want to get hauled over the coals by management and moved down with the lower classes.
Taking my daughter Kim down to the Chichester Yacht Club for lunch today———- it’s not just the fact I get ten per cent off, the foods quite good too, and it’s right on the water. Lovely when the tides in, but tends to stink a tad when the waters low. Still, Kim likes it, that’s all that matters !
Her majesty has finally gone off to do the weekly shop——— F SPORT MIGHTY LEXUS fired up at first time of asking and she was up, up and away by 7:30 am.
Me myself shall prepare to the workshop for the next three or four hours——- if anything sensible occurs I shall inform you, otherwise, sit back and ??????

[jackiewilson]

Distinct lack of information coming out of Miami about anything new from Mercury Marine———- that’s usually the launch pad for anything exciting———- so——— there’s either not much happening or the publicity machine broke.
Terrible, terrible news of the school shootings in Broward county Florida———— as a parent I can only feel for the parents of those kids involved——— just not a damn thing I can say or do will be of any help——- I am just so sorry, once again.
Try and get back to you later——- not the time right now.

[2us70]

I live a mile from this school. My daughter and two of my grandchildren graduated from there. My second grandson was in the school during this horrible incident. The shooter previously lived in the same townhouse complex as my daughter. He was captured right in front of my daughters former residence. To top it all off my wife recognized him this morning from a store she shops in regularly. Way too close for comfort. I am worried about those kids. We will be trying to support our grandson through this terrible time.

[Bob V]

I live a mile from this school. My daughter and two of my grandchildren graduated from there. My second grandson was in the school during this horrible incident. The shooter previously lived in the same townhouse complex as my daughter. He was captured right in front of my daughters former residence. To top it all off my wife recognized him this morning from a store she shops in regularly. Way too close for comfort. I am worried about those kids. We will be trying to support our grandson through this terrible time.

Many of those kids are going to be traumatized for many years to come, if not for life. Putting aside the nightmares that they are going to have, how do they go back into that school and feel safe again? Something like that changes lives forever. I hope you grandson will be able to get through it. It is unimaginable, on Valentine's Day, when many of those parents were planning a night out, that they have to deal with the loss of a child and for no reason at all...

[jackiewilson]

I live a mile from this school. My daughter and two of my grandchildren graduated from there. My second grandson was in the school during this horrible incident. The shooter previously lived in the same townhouse complex as my daughter. He was captured right in front of my daughters former residence. To top it all off my wife recognized him this morning from a store she shops in regularly. Way too close for comfort. I am worried about those kids. We will be trying to support our grandson through this terrible time.

Wondered all day what I could possibly say to you that would make an ounce of sense———truth is, there’s nothing. I’m not a smart or clever person, just a great grandad with grandsons that live in that part of the world that can’t help but worry about a situation that has nothing but everything to do with me. Does no good to get involved in the gun arguments——— nothing will bring those kids back——- nobody can begin to understand the feelings of the parents, relatives and friends affected——— I can’t expres my thoughts in any way that will come out right, best I can do is simply, I AM SO SORRY.

[jackiewilson]

Was a funny old day yesterday——- went to the yacht club with two of my daughters for lunch ( Boo and Kim ) .things started offf badly when I misplaced the workshop keys and they were late getting here,
Lunchtime traffic was manic around Chichester and standard of driving was appalling———- at 86 its my goddam right to comment ——— Boo being a school teacher thinks otherwise and it all erupted into a full blown row out of nothing.
Things didn’t get any better when my yacht club card was swiped and found to be out of date by twenty four hours rendering the cash invalid———- so I had to pay full price for lunch in cash as I didn’t have enough in the current account to renew the membership ———- jolly FECKIN hockey sticks, don’t you just love it when a plan comes together?
Luckily the food was great. Went to bed still thinking of the kids in florida——— the row with my daughter——— the half finished Seebold ——— Farewll to the trusty Lexus today, ——— was deeply engrossed in my own little world, feeling very sorry for myself so I called my son Mark, only to receive a right Royal bollocking for releasing company secrets. Came to bed last night but didn’t sleep——-just dwelt on what the hell I was doing wrong in my life——— maybe you do lose the plot and don’t realise it——— might just have to to stop, take two steps back and have a rethink today.

[ron54]

Chin up old timer..it's not hard for those of us who follow your bits of script to figure out your bout of blueness.

You had that bad wing that lasted a longish spell.

Then your present wife took a tumble.

Next the sweet old Ethel tried to cut the beloved Lexus in half.

You then found yerself inspecting the ground "in close up"

Finally, Lexus mk11 calves down on driveway

And just as you think things can't get any worse..................................

Meanwhile in Florida!

[jackiewilson]

No, things have gone from bad to worse then to total sh-tfaced——— ‘twas the FECKIN Iraqis who came mob handed to collect the trusty Lexus———- all the way from LUTON !!! Honest to bleeding murgatroyd——— not Tolkien, Hemingway, Shakespeare and Mark Twain pulling together as a team in a Pulitzer competition could have dreamed up this particular scenario.
They do TV programs where four very very dark coloured men dressed in black, and track suit bottoms and stinking of patoule that come and take away the trusty Lexus. But it does not happen in real life, not in a sleepy rural village in West Sussex.
PC rears it’s ugly bloody head again——— I am not allowed to tell them to piss off because I don’t like the look of them, and I certainly don’t want them in the house signing documents————-. He’s brought the cash, it’s all good , but wait a minute, he has no I.D. No way is this deal going ahead. Told him he can feck off, his mates step in with their I.D.s
The modern world and modern times via EBay have just paid a visit to a sleepy rural village with a population of less than 500 and brought a taste of political correctness.
I did have the baseball bat down off the hook——- no, I wasn’t afraid, except for her indoors——- my mind went into overdrive and common sense kicked in——— stay cool, low, quiet———- do not give them a reason to return——— ever.
Was with a heavy heart I watched the trusty Lexus go to the last people on earth I would ever wish it to go to———- if that makes me a bad person———- tough sh-t.

[jackiewilson]

Managed a couple of hours on the NGK SEEBOLD yesterday afternoon——— was in deep thunk most of the time, that’s when I’m at my best and the. Good stuff comes forth.
Its also the time Mrs Indecision creeps in———- do I leave it all wood finish——- all gold ———all black ala carbon———— V6 old race lump———- new 2018 new shape ?——— decisions—- decisions—decisions. Going out with friends for lunch at the “LAUGHINGFISH “ AT ISHFIELD today, but tomorrow I intend to have a full day in the shop and try and finish a half tidy full blown concept.
Have a good weekend everyone!

[jackiewilson]

Decided——— I can do polish just as well as Schubert———- can’t do the detail and finish the way he Does!.———— So it’s natural wood, a coat of many colours, just adds to the attraction of the piece.
Got back early, feeling fine, thought I might dismantle the whole shebang and start to finish it nicely nicely Johnson!

[ron54]

Jackie they wore black 'cos they do innit bruv...They came 4 up because they were frightened of what they could likely meet, in this case quite rightly...I'm surprised when you opened the door smothered in bandages and Elastoplast and holding a baseball they didn't leg it back to Luton PDQ anyway!!

What you gonna spend the cash on......Alarm, a PPK. ?......I'm sure they will appreciate the Lexus as much you did....just in a different ahmm kind of way..

[Bob V]

What you gonna spend the cash on......

Perhaps a sizable donation to Caldwell Racing Technology is in order....

[jackiewilson]

Perhaps a sizable donation to Caldwell Racing Technology is in order....

Er——— Surely you mean from Caldwell Bob———- I’m also just a one man operation !with high hopes.

[jackiewilson]

Jackie they wore black 'cos they do innit bruv...They came 4 up because they were frightened of what they could likely meet, in this case quite rightly...I'm surprised when you opened the door smothered in bandages and Elastoplast and holding a baseball they didn't leg it back to Luton PDQ anyway!!

What you gonna spend the cash on......Alarm, a PPK. ?......I'm sure they will appreciate the Lexus as much you did....just in a different ahmm kind of way..

You got it all wrong again Phill——-they wear black cos it matches the intense sunburn they get from that neck of the woods— from whence they came !—— they learn “”innit bruv “ from late night TV shows , Luton, Liverpool and Leicester——-they come 4 up and mob handed and smelling of joss sticks and patoule to put the frighteners on 86 year olds ( which they nearly did ) ——- bandages and Elastoplast are long gone and the baseball bat was barely visible and I never had to call on it even once———— DIALOGUE——- dear boy—— !
In the 1930 There was a dolphin by the name of “PELORUS JACK.” Who used to guide shipping up the St Lawrence Seaway !!!——— my name is Diplomatic Jack——- he never loses sight of the objective

[jackiewilson]

Rare occurrence today,I have nothing on, by that, I mean nothing planned, nobody’s coming to lunch, don’t have to get dressed up in Sunday togs—— it’s just me and my workshop and a head full of ideas.
A body that don’t ache, and it’s sunday. Jump in the new jam jar, collect the papers, kill the crossword over a full English and toddle off into the workshop for just as long as I feel like it.
I finally made the big time —- not a lot of people get to do that ——- were all too busy rushing around disappearing up our own backsides to take two steps back and enjoy life. Well, today’s the day I do simply that !
Will post a piccie before close of play of the pattern Seebold NGK Trophy——- whatever the outcome!
Finished article I’ve decided will be in black but it’s the mount that will be spectacular————got the idea from the Porsche sculptures they have at the Goodwood Festival of Speed every year. They are without a doubt the most stunning displays on show anywhere in the world.
With a bit of luck, hands together ——- doffed cap and on blended knee, I could maybe get Bob V or Fujimo to post a couple of pictures of the aforementioned ?