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 |
Never been to Beaulie, really reallymust remedy that... Spent the day/tide sat on sparrow drinking coffee and watching the world go by...
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI loved the Beaulieu Boat Jumble this year - I would definitely recommend going!
ReplyDeleteSteve, it took me a full 2 hours to walk round it all and that wasn't doing much in the way of rummaging. It's huge. The downside is that with higher rates for stalls, some stallholders charge higher prices to compensate, but with so much competition you always find someone with a bargain. The fenders came from a chat with a small stall. The rope came from a stall I tend to always go to at other boat jumbles, with an old lady serving. No-one else seems to be as cheap.
ReplyDeleteOlly, welcome to the blog. I do like Beaulieu, it tends to bring some of the stallholders from further afield, so you get more choice. The downside is my feet ache so much after walking round it all I never go and see the motor museum on the day.
I love your blog - it has inspired me to buy a circa 24 foot yacht when I have left school (I want to be able to do big passages with it as well as exploring tight creeks). It is amazing how cheap you can go sailing for, I can't wait until I can do the same!
DeleteYou've got good ambitions Olly.
DeleteI'd have a Westerly Warwick or a Pageant easily. Small enough to keep bills down (under 24ft), cracking sailors and big enough for extended stays. If you look around an wait long enough, one should come up at the right price.
They're the sort of boat you can have for a long time as they do almost everything you need.
As for cheap sailing, that's what I want to promote, so people that think it's out of reach can actually go sailing. Ben, a lad I've mentioned on the blog a few times was only in his early teens when I met him. He had an 18ft foxcub yacht. He's now progressed onto something a lot bigger, but he raced that foxcub as well as went on adventures with it.
One can do wonders with a little money, a bit of practical knowledge and some common sense. :-)