Tricks that old racers get up to after retirement

[jackiewilson]

Jackie: I would make the front sail hollow like the rear one. More symmetry.
just a thought. might lessen the load on the mast also.

Johno, you should know me by now-----don't do symmetry-----do do trial and error, so when at the first attempt at raising the triple spinnaker and the whole shebang fell onto its nose, I finally got the message that it needed a much heavier base.
Second message to come through to old thicko here was that the mast was totally inadequate for the intended purpose.
After raiding the broom cupboard of the kitchen goddess and knocking the head off the yard broom, I now have a perfectly acceptable mast which is more than adequate for the intended purpose.
I'm fresh out of stainless rod for the mast so when the devil needs and all that, sh-t won't hit the fan till next spring when "Madame " notices there's no handle on the broom.
MMM-------SYMMETRY-----I like it -------just might give it a try someday, mast is already grooved and sanded and painted and strong as Samsons Tallywhacker -----someday ALL Americas cup contenders will sport the triple spinnaker. With a fair wind and no hiccups, should be able to post a piccy of the finished product before it makes the garden shed, I've already been told it's far too big for the house.
Grandson Craig gets to race Miss GIECO this weekend, it's his first full race in the big cat, penny just dropped down there in Jupiter that if ever Scotty B was inconvenienced the boat wouldn't run, so they want Craig to get some time in.
Thats about it for tonight---depressing world news all round so no comments, Sleep tight,MYGGWY J.

[jackiewilson]

Ah that explains it no one in the family drinks scotch although i will enjoy a nice cold Bud while watching lewis go though eau rouge flat
on sunday afternoon cheers

Rob

Forgotton the race was this weekend----that means summers damn near over, regards,J.

[jackiewilson]

Hey Johno------went to sleep last night with "Symmetry " on the brain before it finally dawned on me just where the hell I had that word before ? Then it came to me, can't remember yesterday , but can recall childhood quite clearly-------- "Tiger tiger burning bright, in the forests of the night"--- by William Blake. What immortal hand or eye, could frame thy fearful "SYMMETRY".

[jackie wilson]

Yeah well, shot out to the workshop like a rat up a drain pipe , that was earlier, finished the damned boat type thingy chunk of whatthemecallit and have taken some piccies for you all but can't download them to the apple mac----(me dummy -----kit complicated).
Sister Ange rang to tell me our younger sister Jan was taken by ambulance to the hospital last night, she had been admitted for a throat operation the day before , had it with seemingly no problems and was discharged yesterday, took a turn for the worse in the early hours and was re-admitted. Jan is an i phone fanatic and can't breath properly unless the damn things plugged into her right ear so knew she would have the damn thing hidden in her knickers somewhere, even in hospital, so i rang her an hour ago. She told me she was ok and fixed up with a drip, but need to go pee-pees and would call me back in ten minutes------that was half an hour ago and the reason i am sat in front of the puter so early in the morning.

[jackiewilson]

Jan did not get back to me today so sister Ange went to see her in hospital--nothing to say for a while, maybe later.

Wentback into the shop and finished SAMs trophy, found a magnum of '77 Moët & Chandon to stick in the ice bucket----just adds that opulent finishing touch dontcha think?
Didn't take any notice of Johno about lightning the fore sail---looking at the finished item, on reflection, maybe I should've. It'll wind up in the graveyard with the rest of the nonsense I indulge myself in.
When you get a lot on your mind the workshop can be a safe haven or a lonely place depending on how you feel, today was lonely, so I was kinda glad when Steve next door asked if I would put a new drive belt on his ride on lawn mower, hadn't been touched for five years, he has 13acres of garden and woods, with about 2acres of lawn, so the mower was in dire need of major TLC, blades were down to stubs and would not have cut greasy pussy! Took me a couple of hours to titivate and tart the old girl up a bit. Was way past CC7 time so I called it a day, will fit the deck back on again in the morning.
Feeling all wore out so I need shut eye , MYGGWY.J

[ron54]

Jackie. we all need a shed to spend some time when the sun goes behind a cloud.

Keep up those bits of script, they are like quick trips to a warm fire
on a chilly day........ just the job to warm you up every now and again..

I'm sure the other boys feel the same way........................
P.S.- Just won 1976 POWERBOAT RACING YEARBOOK on E-BAY!
now why do I want that?--just habit I guess.............Phill.

[jackiewilson]

Morning Phil, think I got three or four of those year books, about the size of a paperback----think the '75 edition had the number 6 Martini boat on the front cover, wasn't there a Cosworth in one of them? Like most things about our racing history, "powerboat" went into decline, joined up with the wooden foots, finally folded, and nobody bothers much to remember names like Roz Knott, Titchie boobies but a mile wide smile, was a going concern with Hodges for years,Gillian Anderson, got Mark his first sponsorship deal with ROVERHIRE, Barbara Breakspear, Baverstock and Bulman, that twit of a South African with a double barrel name? Quentin-----????
WHATS THE GOING PRICE THESE DAYS FOR A POWERBOAT YEAR BOOK.

[ron54]

Jackie I was the sole bidder @ 99p...I see a copy Bill Shakespeares book at £159......

Look in your loft!!.......Phill.

[jackie wilson]

[QUOTE=ron54;2674027]Jackie I was the sole bidder @ 99p...I see a copy Bill Shakespeares book at £159......

Look in your loft!!.......Phill.[/QUOTE

Phil If you look closely in there towards the end if memory serves!!!! i had just imported the Torriggia tunnel boat and shakey remarked and i quote-------"I CAN SEE NO FUTURE FOR THIS TYPE OF DESIGN" -------Shakey really crapped out with that remark.

[robert j garner]

I have a copy of that book , i bought a merc 90 fifteen or so years ago from Terry Patch who was bills mechanic while we
were chatting he told me all the close up shots of how to set dwell angles etc they were his hands in the photo's.

Rob

[ron54]

Rob, I don't suppose any modern designers would produce such a book today, giving away "trade secrets" to potential rivals!.....Phill

[jackiewilson]

Rob, I don't suppose any modern designers would produce such a book today, giving away "trade secrets" to potential rivals!.....Phill

Nothing smart or secret in dwell angles Phill, it was in every workshop manual Mercury ever produced, long before the age of the computer.
Shakey Bill and John Merryfield were fanatical rivals, did not even speak to each other.
Terry Patch was Shakeys mechanic --Jack Mountford was Merryfields spanner man,
Both were Mercury dealers---both were boatbuilders.
Merryfield had a Buggatti as a hobby-----Shakey had the Aston Martin that Lol Hopkins tucked him up with. Lol never did a straight deal in his life, he was bent as an eleven sided threepenny bit, and yes I told him that to his face.
Went round to Steves this morning and put the deck back on the mower, fired it up and everything works jest fine JR.
Sister Jan still quite poorly and still in hospital, sent me a one line text "feeling better, when will they let me out". Should know more on Monday .
We got the bank holiday LAMB ROAST tomorrow -----a pair of lambs--double decked over a massive pit for five hours, send you the piccies tomorrow night.
A couple of shots of "the graveyard, really the swim pool room, but now only used as a store room.
Must be fifty pieces chucked in here, ( for safe keeping ), happy bank holiday to one and all, MYGGWY .J.

[jackiewilson]

Hamilton dropped a clanger with cold brakes but he's an animal at spa and the better driver so he should get a result today.

[robert j garner]

should be a great race bet hamilton is in the lead by the end of lap 1. Jackie your pool room looks like tutankhamuns ante room with all
his treasure piled up .
I like Bills book it's the same as Francis Chichesters gypsy moth circles the world you can pick it up open it at any page and it hooks you
within ten words keep meaning to get hold of Tim Biirkins book on the racing bentleys last read that at about twelve years old.

[jackiewilson]

The Berkins Bentley was at Southwater Garage when I bought it ----was owned then by Bill Short who was Bentley race team manager in 1938.