I have just returned with Vagabond, after spending all yesterday at the Swallow Boats boat yard. Please dismiss all romantic thoughts of semi derelict buildings, slipways, cranes, large coils of rope and various old spars and blocks lying around. The boats are assembled in a modern purpose built workshop, with no crane or slipway in sight. Well, I grant you that the building is close to the waters edge (when the tide is full) and on fine days (such was yesterday) the boat builders can bask in the sun during the lunch break, sheltered from the sea breeze from a line of alder bushes. The office has such a magnificent view over the Teifi estuary that I am surprised that Matt can concentrate enough to produce such a range of lovely boat designs.
I digress. During my day I was introduced to Vagabond, trained on the intricacies of her rig, the centre board and the ingenious mechanism that raises and lowers the rudder. With the help of Will, we raised the mast and fitted the main sail. We lowered the mast and fitted the (inboard) outboard engine. The instruments have been mounted on the clever folding panel but I have hesitated to turn them on. I thought I'd wait for the blue smoke to appear when I was safely away in a less public place.
The sun shone and the solar cells appeared to be charging the batteries. A few snags emerged during this handover; as you would expect most were overcome immediately and solutions identified for the remainder.
Vagabond was strapped to her trailer and left for the night out side of the shed where she was built.
This morning, after some electronic banking transactions, I was allowed to bring her home.
After an uneventful journey (the first under tow for both of us!) she now resides in a farm shed, with some cattle for company. I say uneventful but I kept frightening myself when looking at the interior rear view mirror. I discovered that my motorway* driving routine has a sub programme * that goes 'check left rear view mirror, check right rvm, check interior rvm - OMG there's some idiot in a boat right behind me.
Here, she'll be ignored by me for a couple of days whilst I go off to do other stuff (Guiding people round Bletchley Park, looking after the grandchildren and buying the owners agent a good dinner, to name but three of them).
There are a few more jobs to do before she gets taken to the water next week.
*Translations for those on the other side of the Atlintic:
motorway - freeway
sub programme - sub program
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