Where's the restoration at?

Been so hectic busy with work and arranging events that I have neglected the blog a bit.  New Sailing on Elbow Grease episode is being edited...but till then I can say that the boat does not look like a half eaten fish anymore, but actually resembles a boat...

...aft panels are on, now time to sand and then turn the boat over.

Work in progress

started removing the aft hull panels that was rotten

Or should I actually say, very slow progress due to still working this time of year...hope to pick up speed between Xmas and New Years

Now on youtube

I have started a youtube channel to give some more insight into the restoration process.

Here is the first episode in the series

 

Now Hiring

The Extra dinghy is in the garage, most of the hardware stripped and ready for sanding.  Now I must just follow my own advice...Get Someone Else to Sand

Hired help? YES PLEASE

As I grew older and "wiser", I have learned that sanding can break ones enthusiasm , the momentum of a restoration and even worse ,your back.

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New Projects

I have done quite a few refurb projects over the years, learnt a lot, messed up even more , but in general I grew my skill set.

The last two was in 2013/14, a Fireball and a Mirror

1973 Fireball 7747 - Sold

1972 Mirror 40819 - Sold

Recently I acquired a Flamenca 25 (South African Design) and an Extra Dinghy (South Africa Single Handed Class) for refurb projects for the rest of 2014 and 2015.

Rather than go back and recap on all my previous refurbs, I will try and keep an detailed on to date blog-log of the refurbing/restoration process.

Will keep you posted...


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New Chapter

Been a while since I last wrote a blog...well life sort of changed in a big way two weeks back

World...Meet Jordan

I became a dad and boy do I like it.  I am truly blessed with an amazing wife and awesome little boy.

Catching up on some necessary sleep

For the time being, sanding will replaced by snoring

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The power of ADD

I have been writing a lot about boats and canoes, but not anything related to the blog title: Sailing on Elbow Grease.

But without further delay…

I soon got tired of power boats…well you can’t blame me, a guy with slight ADD.  

With my dad not being a water addict / floating soul like myself, it was hard convincing him that I need a Laser to blast around in.  So what was a guy to do?

Refurb, Restore, Re-Sail - my new motto and only option. The search was on and soon I found a forgotten Sonnet Dinghy and started with an adventure of a different note.

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For the love of...

This love (or some will say obsession) for water and boats, where did it all start?

My wife would love to know the answer to that.

It all started with a young boy lying on his back day dreaming in a canoe…in the middle of a small swimming pool in a semi dessert area in South Africa. 

While drifting off to imagined adventures on the water a seed was sown and a floating soul was born.

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