Tag: Steve Hall

Sail Repairs

Steve Hall sailmaker

Steve Hall sailmaker

Our mainsail, which just about fitted into the back of an enormous Japanese 4 wheel drive (someone was actually wondering whether we might be able to wangle some sponsorship out of Mitsubishi for the pictures!) has now made it as far as our sailmaker, Steve Hall of North Sea Sails, Tollesbury, for some repairs. Readers will know that the sails were originally made there using the mainly traditional methods by Steve. They were unfortunately damaged last winter by some sparks thrown up by the injudicious use of an angle grinder on the quayside by a contractor working for the landlord, cutting off old mooring rings.

 

There is a lovely series of pictures of the sailmaker at work, taken by Maggs Casey-Kelly and posted on our group page on Facebook. Thanks for those, Maggie. I reproduce one here just for the non-FB folks to give a flavour.

Master Class

Sail-maker Steve Hall helps rig the Cambria March 2013

Sail-maker Steve Hall helps rig the Cambria March 2013

The Cambria team were treated to a real master class in rigging over the weekend. The tops’l had been damaged at some point while the gear was down by, we believe, some careless use of an angle grinder by a quayside contractor using an angle grinder to cut away (perfectly useful!) old mooring chains. The shower of sparks had burned small holes in the sail cloth. With our gear still down, our Sail Maker, Steve Hall from North Sea Sails (Tollesbury) was booked to come down to patch a repair into the sails prior to heaving up.

 

Driving all the way from Essex, Steve decided to bring friend and fellow sail-maker, Jim Lawrence down to help him. I apologise for the pictures which make these barge-world VIPs look like soggy scarecrows, dressed as they were in wet weather gear as befit the day, but apparently they all had a brilliant time and were treated to a master class in rigging, sail repairing and heaving up by the visitors. Jim apparently kept up his usual flow of anecdotes and chatter, both the guys were stitching at one stage and we even had Jim on the windlass helping to heave up. We are honoured humbled and delighted.

 

Thank you Jimmy and Steve, Thank You Skipper Ian Ruffles and Mate Denis Johnson, and I have also seen Basil in other pictures from this set which were taken by (Thank You, too) Dave Brooks.

 

Former Barge Skipper Jimmy Lawrence aboard Cambria

Former Barge Skipper Jimmy Lawrence aboard Cambria

Re Rigging

I am happy to report that the winter refit is now nearing completion and we are in the re-rigging phase. Dave Brooks sent the following report via e-mail.

Re-rigging Cambria in March 2013. Photo by Dave Brooks

Re-rigging Cambria in March 2013. With Ian, Reggie & Mark. Photo by Dave Brooks

“By now Cambria should be back at Standard Quay Faversham. It has been a frustrating period of time at Oare with the weather against us all the way. However Richard Weekes has done an amazing job and got paint on the entire hull below the covering boards. Also the shipwrights have been busy with the all important anti-fouling completed and the cabin and heating system well on the way. There are still jobs they need to complete which will be done at the quay.

We have very little time now before the barge goes on her first charter.

This weekend (16th and 17th March) we will continue with the re-rigging, mains’l and tops’l already bent on. It will be an interesting weekend as our sail-maker and Steve Hall and the famed Jimmy Lawrence are going to be down stitching the tiny burn holes in the mains’l as the mast is being raised. It is also planned to bend on the fores’l as the gear goes up. The weather isn’t expected to be great but there is still a lot of sanding down and painting to be done in the next fortnight. Also down below will need a lot of work sweeping up and washing down and possibly even some painting. The new cabin will require some paint.

Next weekend the mizzen will be re-instated which will leave the main hold free of her winter clutter. which means we will be able to have a good sort out down below. We are hoping to provide a chilli and rice meal as a Thank You for anybody who is able to turn up and help with the final push so that our barge goes out looking relatively ship shape.

Any time between now and the barge leaving that you can spare will be greatly appreciated”.

Meanwhile, from me, Happy Saint Patrick’s Day (Beannachtai na Féile Pádraig) and I will post some pictures of Jimmy and Steve at work as I get them from Dave.

 

 

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