Flotsam & Jetsam

Your letters and such...

Here’s the latest postcard from contributors, Gary and Karen Sack:

Last week I alluded to something in Cherborg France:

A really big old building in a cow pasture

I walked in to this stunning diorama trying to look at the WW 1 blimp behind. But the real story is the little one in front.

Ae'roplume !

West from Cherborg we stopped at the channel island of Alderney where I had visions that St Anne would be quiet and quaint: it isn’t. It’s been found by the jetsetters. The harbor was full, the moorings were full and we anchored out, rolling in the swell. Leaving at 4 am for Plymouth, we arrived late afternoon and stayed at the Mayflower Marina.

Plymouth Rock

Southwest, past the lizard and land’s end we came up to the delightful village of St Ives.

Our children knew this:

At low tide, St Ives has no water! But they have a special mooring for bilge keels. The real boats must moor a mile away and have to swim to town. We took our shoes off and walked on the firm sand.

St Ives at sunset

We leave for Ireland tomorrow.

---

Our own Resourceful Sailor, Joshua Wheeler will be presenting at the upcoming Wooden Boat Festival. Details below:

Preparing a small boat for big adventures takes creativity. Joshua Wheeler shares practical, sometimes unorthodox solutions he used to ready his Flicka 20 for offshore cruising—offering thoughtful, outside-the-box, and affordable approaches to keep you sailing.

I also expect to emphasize these ideas:

• I am The Resourceful Sailor, not The Resourceful Shipwright, to be clear and to identify with the audience and that I am a sailor foremost

• self-empowerment

• creative thinking

• engagement

• personal satisfaction

• expanding your knowledge

• available resources

• following your own path

The Resourceful Sailor Presenting at the 2026 Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival

There will be two chances to catch The Resourceful Sailor at this year’s Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival:

Friday, Sept.11th, 1 PM, at the Innovation Stage – https://woodenboatfestival2026.sched.com/event/2NIxG/the-resourceful-sailor-creative-solutions-to-boat-modifications-and-repairs

Sunday, Sept. 13th, 1PM at the Boatyard Stage – https://woodenboatfestival2026.sched.com/event/2NJ8F/the-resourceful-sailor-creative-solutions-to-boat-modifications-and-repairs

---

We asked builders what they were building and got some sleek and salty entries:

Bill Koral writes:

Thought I pass along a couple pics of my Bill Garden Eel, my 5^th boat that has been stalled for years but that I plan on getting back to very soon.

The hull is 4 layers of 1/8” yellow cedar, glassed inside and out, and with the exception of the main mast, all spars are made.

Reader Joel Fuster writes:

I am building my first boat with help from my son. It's a B&B Yacht Designs Spindrift 10 from a kit. I think we've made every mistake one can make with epoxy and fiberglass but we're learning a lot and finally getting close to the finish line!

Longtime reader Dan Taylor shares his latest creation:

Recently completed a Viola 14 with mini-outriggers. It is my approach to keep sailing while growing older. Ultimate goal was to have it on a cart which I could pull with a bicycle when I am no longer driving, which may be next year. Meanwhile I am still car topping it and working out the bugs. For example, the sail is not hoisted to its full height in the picture, my hold down for the dagger board was inadequate, and I had no way to secure the tiller stick in neutral while trying to do other things with my hands.

The Viola 14, designed by Michael Storer who also designed the mini-outriggers, was designed as a high performance sailing canoe also capable of being paddled so it could perform well in European Raids. I use it as a sit-in cruising boat with the outriggers for security and an EPCarry for propulsion when there is no wind. The sail is 4.7 square meters and has one reef—the smallest sail of the options offered.

The hulls are 4mm ply with 2 oz. fiberglass cloth used on the seams, and the bottom and bilge panels on the outside. The result is the main hull only weighs 70 lbs. I use lashing to fasten the crossarm, and motorboard and bungees and cleats for the amas, rather than bolting things into place as designed.

I consider it a success, though there are lots of bits and pieces to haul from car to beach, and to assemble.

If, and when, I build a better cart and get a more powerful E-bike to pull it up the hill to my house from the water, I will submit an article on one approach to the aging problem.

Speaking of builds, there are now 26 builds up at the new Boatbuilder Logbook page—with many active builds being updated weekly. Follow along or add your own build to the archives.

---

Reader Kees van Weel is looking to get some sort of a book exchange going. He writes:

A while back I suggested getting a book exchange going. I don’t have the get-up-and-go to list all of them, but I have just finished Riverhorse, by William Least Heat-Moon and will gladly mail it off to whomever wants it. All I ask is that they pass it on, or do the same with another small craft boating book when they are done with this one. Will that work for you, and how do we get the word out to other SCA readers?

---

Mystery Girl boat cabincruiser with wheels

Click here for more information.

Classified ads tomorrow! —•SCA•

###