Beaulieu Boat Jumble

I went to Beaulieu today, not with the intention of buying anything specific, just to have a nose around.

Thanks the two weeks of good weather, the attendance was high:

That's just one half. The other half was like this:

One thing you do notice with Beaulieu is an overwhelming interest in supplying you with the means to spend as much as you can. Even supplying a mobile cash dispenser:

Not enough cash for that widget you need? Beaulieu has a solution for that 

In the end I only got a few bits. Some more rope (you can never have enough - £15), an epoxy repair kit (handy to have around for er, repair - £10) and 4 new fenders (because mine are pretty shot and grotty). The fenders were £10 each for brand new Marjoni ones with spliced line. Which isn't bad when you consider that's what some of the stalls sell used ones for. Should save me the shame when mooring up at Marinas. ;-)

My boot-sale booty

Some Work Done at Last.

Finally, I've been able to get on board and get something done.

Last year was a bit of a washout, with weddings, holidays and the rest getting in the way of spending time on the boat.

About a year ago I put a new locker top on one of the lockers, then the other top has been waiting in the boat ever since.

This year I'm determined to get stuff done. To that end, this weekend I've fitted the other locker top. Plus I've given both tops a couple of coats of paint.

The cockpit finally looks good and the locker tops are waterproof. I can finally leave the cockpit cover off over the Summer.

Also, since the unwelcome visitor the other week, I've been thinking about strengthening the washboards even more. So the lower board got some strengthening:

I've fitted a hardwood batten to the back of the board. It provides strength in the middle of the boards, probably the most vulnerable part.

Two jobs done in one weekend. Not bad.

Unwelcome Visitor

Got on board the boat this weekend to be greeted by the sight of a pile of mud on the transom. It looks like someone has been mad enough to walk out to Sprite and get on board. Luckily no damage apart from the mud everywhere.

No attempt was made to enter. Maybe the steel reinforcing of the washboards put them off. I fitted that the last time a bunch of boats were walked out to and broken into. It looks like they are back with the same m.o.

The thing that gets me is what this person did is hugely dangerous. The mud is a couple of feet deep a Sprite's keels go into the mud and she settles on the hull. This person could quite easily have become stuck.

Unbelievable someone would take the risk. I take all the electronics off the boat in the winter so theres nothing easily removed and sold on  board. So a huge risk for nothing.