Maintenance
As the weather seemed to be set fair when we left the boat in early September, it looked like there would be time for another trip before laying up . . . but another project took priority given the weather was so good!
Read more “Laying up”
Sail, oar & paddle
Before the trip to Dunkirk this year, there was quite a bit of thought about replacing the rather elderly rubber dinghy on ‘Cachalot’. We also needed a new outboard . . .
Read more “Outboard, dinghies and paddling”
Sail, oar & paddle
Sadly, the new van can’t have a towbar fitted and having sold the Freelander we can’t take ‘Cachalette’ to events in other parts of the country . . . however, at the end of this season we enjoyed sailing on Ullswater and the Norfolk Broads.
Read more “Sailing a Gaffling & a Norfolk Wherry”
Sailing
This year, ‘Cachalot’ joined more than 30 boats and over 55 people for the East Coast OGA Summer Cruise with the planned start for the Cruise in the River Ore being Sunday 27 July, 2025.
Read more “OGA Summer Cruise, 2025”
History
Classic Boat Magazine, July 2025 has selected ‘Cachalot’ as the cover story! The new Editor, Carl Richardson met up with us in Ramsgate as we prepared to leave with the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships on the Return to Dunkirk.
Read more “Cover story: Classic Boat Magazine!”
History
It became clear during Thursday that the fleet may be delayed on their return to Ramsgate. Perusing all the forecasts and taking advice from the Royal Navy it seemed possible there was a brief weather window on Friday, 23 May. 21 boats including ‘Cachalot’, decided to go.
Read more “Stormbound & departure for Ramsgate, May 2025”
History
“Good morning everyone and I hope you slept well. Dunkirk Little Ships we are a green for go this morning.” The fleet had been preparing yesterday evening and since dawn on Wednesday 21 May, 2025, waiting for the official ‘go, no go’ order which arrived at 0600.
Read more “85th Anniversary Return to Dunkirk, 2025”
History
On Sunday 18 May, ‘Cachalot’ arrived in Ramsgate to join the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships as they gather for the 85th Anniversary Return to Dunkirk this week.
Read more “ADLS fleet gathers in Ramsgate”
Sailing
Steve spent a final week making sure ‘Cachalot’ was ready for her passage to Dunkirk with the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships before setting off from the Tidemill Yacht Harbour on Friday 16 May, 2025.
Read more “Depart Woodbridge for ADLS Return”
Maintenance
This year marks the 85th anniversary of ‘Operation Dynamo’ and we plan to take ‘Cachalot’ on the ADLS Commemorative Return 21 – 26 May.
Read more “Preparation for Return to Dunkirk, 2025”
History
We visited les Sables d’Olonne in January 2025, watched two participants in the Vendee Globe finish and then crossed the Gironde Estuary from Royan to le Verdon-sur-Mer by ferry, retracing part of the passage of ‘Cachalot’ in 1955.
Read more “Sables d’Olonne & Gironde Estuary: 70 years on”
Maintenance
Steve had been doing some research, talking with James and Jim, about how to fix the engine. He returned to Suffolk in the Freelander on 13 September, then drove down to join Peter at the Southampton Boat Show.
Read more “Laying up: engine repairs & the dinghy”
Sailing
Catch up with what we did on the OGA Summer Cruise, 2024. There are also two posts telling the whole story in words and pictures.
Read more “OGA Summer Cruise, 2024: the movie”
Sailing
The second part of the Summer Cruise involved a couple of days exploring Walton-on-the Naze followed by a night at Stone Point, the Pennyhole Bay Race and a couple of days in the River Orwell. Find out what we did in the first part of the week here.
Read more “OGA Summer Cruise, 2024: Walton to Woodbridge”
Sailing
Given our late start to the sailing season, it was good news that the Cruise started later this year. We met the Gaffers for a couple of days in the Deben and sailed down to Walton for gin-tasting at the Sailing Club.
Read more “OGA Summer Cruise, 2024: Woodbridge to Walton”
Sailing
Once back in her berth, it was time to bend on the sails and the sun had started to shine at last! With help from Rick, Steve got the mainsail on, checked out the reefing lines and we consulted the weather forecasts and tide tables.
Read more “Out of the Marina at last!”
Maintenance
Bev realised she’d forgotten to book a survey on receipt of the insurance renewal this month. A condition is for an out of the water survey every seven years – it really is that long since the launch in 2017!
Read more “Bowsprit and a survey”
Sail, oar & paddle
We decided to join the OGA Rally at Southwold Sailing Club at the end of June, 2024, taking ‘Cachalette’ and the kayak.
Read more “Southwold Rally and a lost outboard”
Maintenance
Once again, Steve was thwarted in getting as much done as he’d hoped, dodging showers and rainstorms forcing breaks in varnishing the spars. At last the storms have abated and the mast was re-stepped on 25 June, 2024.
Read more “Mast, spars and brightwork”
Sail, oar & paddle
As Steve was restoring ‘Cachalot’, he was already thinking about a tender, so why not build one with similarly elegant lines?
Read more “‘Cachalette’: aka ‘the little boat’”