Category Archives: Uncategorized

Kiyuna san has been at his eccentric best over the last week or so. He talks to me seriously about the necessity of having an eagle on the boat. His argument is that bad weather at sea is caused by … Continue reading →

Happy New Year everyone! I am afraid this is mostly rambling about boat restoration. We have a picnic on the boat. I go down fairly early to take off the cover and generally clean up. It is the most beautiful … Continue reading →

So Christmas Day is a day like any other in Japan. Everyone goes to work and all the shops and stuff are open. Nonetheless, I celebrate. I go to Hamada san’s shop to get some fine bottles. She gives me … Continue reading →

The next big step before completion of the boat restoration is to install a new jib roller reefing system. This fills me with dread as it involves cutting a steel cable and an aluminum tube to exact lengths and finishing them off … Continue reading →

There has been a lull in the boat refitting. We have decided to restore the horribly split and rotted mast head by filling the damaged area with epoxy mixed with saw dust. Subsequently a stainless steel sleeve is to be … Continue reading →

This post has no story, theme, or anything else. It is just a record of things that I can look back on. The weather has been truly wonderful, warm not hot with beautiful blue skies. One day, surprisingly it rains … Continue reading →

You will remember that, as part of the original restoration, I had a grating handmade from exquisite Okinawan hardwood. It is a very fine grating but also extremely heavy. To remove it I have to lie walrus like on the … Continue reading →

The weather has been excellent – blue skies, sun but cool. In fact it was so cool one day last week that I actually put on a woolen shirt thing. I am invited to a 2 day Forum on Science … Continue reading →

Not much happening really, especially on the boat front. I have to wait until Kamiya san fits the sleeve on the top of the mast before I can rig the halyards, shrouds and forestay. Once that is done I can … Continue reading →

My principal occupation over the last weeks has been trying to please AMFIE, https://www.amfie.org/en This lot look after my pitiful pension from CERN. They are dreadful. Apparently it is time to update my file. They demand a slew of documents … Continue reading →