Wednesday, December 4, 2024

New to me, Welsford Walkabout

I'm the new custodian of a Welsford Walkabout built by Anthony. When I picked it up, the hull was mostly finished but the sail rig had never been completed. I've been slowly getting the boat ready:

  • storage cover
  • daggerboard
  • trailer modifications
  • sail rigging 
The sails are beautifully crafted out of traditional materials - cotton and hemp. I love the look and feel of them, but I'm not sure how practical they will turn out to be.

Storage cover







Daggerboard
















Sails and Rigging








Sunday, December 11, 2022

San Juan Island's Cruise May 2022

In May 2022 we spent two weeks in the San Juan Islands of Puget Sound. New for this trip:

  • 100 Amp-hour electrical system with a 50 Watt solar panel charging system,
  • Garmin chart plotter with depth gauge
  • ePropulsion outboard motor
  • Alpacka Oryx packraft dinghy
  • Cut-down cockpit coaming and outboard oarlocks for better rowing ergonomics
It was a great trip. Windless days, a gale, and everything in between. We hiked at most anchorages, and rented bikes on Lopez Is and San Juan Is. Statistics:
  • 62 mi biking
  • 56 mi sailing
  • 39 mi hiking
  • 12 mi rowing
  • 11 mi motoring (electric)































Columbia River Cruise May 2021

In may 2021 we did a five day cruise in the Lower Columbia River with our friend Bruce. He wrote about it in Small Boats Monthly: A Quiet Time in a Big Estuary

New for this trip:

  • prototype cruising tent made of polytarp (loved it!)
  • new carbon fiber oars from Ductworks (loved them!)