• Home
    • Recent
    • Calendar
    • Register
    • Login
    Iron Heart Forum
    Iron Heart Forum

    Iron Heart Fall/Winter 2025 Collection Preview - Now Live

    Giles and Paula's Great Retirement Adventure

    Iron Heart Meet Ups & Travel
    84
    1.6k
    390.0k
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • GilesG
      Giles
      IHUK Crew
      Joined:

      Today's project was to start making the travelling mooring lines. We have made fixed dock lines for our home pontoon, but as they stay on the pontoon, we obviously need some to come with us when we go away from home. This is the first, it's a 5 meter stern line made out of a beautifully supple 22 mm double polyester braid, at the main wear-point I have spliced in some 48 strand spectra (that's 96 individual buries, and it is exceeding fucking boring). A few more to make, but I ain't going to be rushing......The yellow whipping at the bitter end is code for "stern", the other lines will have different colour whippings, then all we have to do is remember which colour means what 🙂

      This was not particularly difficult, but it did take a long time, I have another project on the go which is actually bloody hard......

      IMG_9028.JPG

      IMG_9029.JPG

      "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 6
      • motojoboboM
        motojobobo
        啓蒙家
        Joined:

        That looks super cool and an awesome splice job!
        Hmmm, maybe motorcycles also deserve mooring lines?

        The journey is the objective.

        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • ARNCA
          ARNC
          啓蒙家
          Joined:

          @Giles, looks like the orcas have set up a training program!

          https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-66384045

          “Every day that you survive you get a free sunset“

          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • GilesG
            Giles
            IHUK Crew
            Joined:

            hahahahahahaha

            "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • GilesG
              Giles
              IHUK Crew
              Joined:

              All flagged up.....

              IMG_9174.JPG

              IMG_9175.JPG

              "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 7
              • GilesG
                Giles
                IHUK Crew
                Joined:

                30 miles into a 110 mile night crossing to Jersey, Paula is on watch and I'm biding my time, waiting for my turn in about 4 hours....

                "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                last edited by Giles 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                • GilesG
                  Giles
                  IHUK Crew
                  Joined:

                  Paula and I are on our way home after a magical trip to Jersey and Écréhous (if you ever get the chance, go there, it is other-worldly). Currently we are just west of Jersey heading for Big Russel, the channel running between Herm on the west, Brecqhou, and Sark on the east. I reckon we have about 12 hours to go until we get to Gosport. It's fairly lumpy, but I think it will get better once we get out of the islands and into the channel proper.

                  A few (rubbish pics)....

                  IMG_9290.JPG

                  IMG_9305.JPG

                  IMG_9283.JPG

                  IMG_9284.JPG

                  "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 7
                  • louisboscoL
                    louisbosco
                    啓蒙家
                    Joined:

                    damn the camera resolution is pretty decent!

                    "Loyalty is a two way street. If i'm asking for it from you, then you're getting it from me."

                    • Harvey Specter
                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                    • MattM
                      Matt
                      見習いボス
                      Joined:

                      You guys are living the good life, that’s for sure.

                      No one over here ever refers to trips to Jersey as “magical.”

                      last edited by KarolK 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 5
                      • KarolK
                        Karol
                        啓蒙家
                        @Matt
                        Joined:

                        @Matt 🤣🤣🤣

                        Favorite:
                        IH-888S-21 | IH-888-XHSib | IH-805 | IH-729-PUR | IH-555-XHS | IH-555S-25MB
                        IHSH-339-SAX | IHSH-341-BLK | IHSH-293-OD | IHSH-362-BLK | IHSH-409-IB | IHSH-336-OD | IHSB-BIGBUCK-BLK
                        IHV-44-BLK | IHV-02-BLK
                        IHJ-75-BLK | IHJ-79-BLK | IHM-37-ODG

                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • GilesG
                          Giles
                          IHUK Crew
                          Joined:

                          One of my fishing mates was out on his boat as we came into Portsmouth last night, and grabbed a few photos....

                          370715411_1269217840460350_6832739852104494005_n.jpeg

                          371470377_1294369881185404_5421369600409071414_n.jpeg

                          371517349_271371355672143_6442828044504120765_n.jpeg

                          371924366_997377924637671_4476670931269266105_n.jpeg

                          371950638_6750487631661612_3432238420548161509_n.jpeg

                          Which reminded me that I had not taken down the Jersey courtesy flag....

                          "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                          last edited by Giles 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 5
                          • GilesG
                            Giles
                            IHUK Crew
                            Joined:

                            And if you want to know what the Ecrohous look like....The Thompson family hut, which is where we went is in the top middle of the pic(stock photo).....
                            ecrehous.webp

                            And a photo from it at mid-tide.....

                            WhatsApp Image 2023-09-02 at 11.54.17.jpeg

                            And low tide (stock photo)...
                            importedImage257090_5.jpeg

                            "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                            last edited by Giles goosehdG 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 6
                            • goosehdG
                              goosehd
                              Mod Squad
                              @Giles
                              Joined:

                              @Giles That’s rough and I don’t think anyone could live like that…/s

                              "I don't give a shit what anyone else is doing, we will do what is best for us and our customers" - Giles P. :)

                              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • GilesG
                                Giles
                                IHUK Crew
                                Joined:

                                On the way to the island for lunch with @Madame-Buttonfly ....

                                WhatsApp Image 2023-10-10 at 17.24.56.jpeg

                                "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 14
                                • NikN
                                  Nik
                                  Raw and Unwashed
                                  Joined:

                                  Looks pretty blissful

                                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • GilesG
                                    Giles
                                    IHUK Crew
                                    Joined:

                                    We knew that we would need cleats on the swim platform of SAKURA. In the Med, they are not really needed because most mooring is done stern-to. But in northern Europe where we have actual tides, stern-to is not common, and we will normally moor side-to a floating pontoon. So to get access to the boat without tripping over mooring warps, we need them. I had spec'd them to be added on during the build, but for some unfathomable reason, I deleted them.
                                    So we had to get some made, and boy are they things of beauty.

                                    They are going to take ages to fit because we have to add access panels and that creates a series of further complications. Anyway, today, I got the big bolts that will fix the cleats onto the swim-platform deck. They are 316 (or A4) stainless steel and came unpolished, so I have spent an "enjoyable" (actually, sad to say, I do quite enjoy it) hour or two polishing the bit that can be seen (was going to say head, but thought better of it)....

                                    IMG_9886.JPG

                                    IMG_9885.JPG

                                    Backing plate I had made out of 316 plate by a local engineering firm.

                                    IMG_9883.JPG

                                    IMG_9884.jpg

                                    "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                                    last edited by todyT 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 7
                                    • todyT
                                      tody
                                      啓蒙家
                                      @Giles
                                      Joined:

                                      @Giles said in Giles and Paula's Great Retirement Adventure:

                                      They are 316 (or A4) stainless steel and came unpolished, so I have spent an "enjoyable" (actually, sad to say, I do quite enjoy it) hour or two polishing the bit that can be seen (was going to say head, but thought better of it)....

                                      Any fingers that got hurt in the process?

                                      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • GilesG
                                        Giles
                                        IHUK Crew
                                        Joined:

                                        Not this time. Surprisingly, I learned my lesson......

                                        "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • motojoboboM
                                          motojobobo
                                          啓蒙家
                                          Joined:

                                          Your gorgeous splice-jobs will look their utmost best on those mirror-finish cleats!!

                                          The journey is the objective.

                                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • GilesG
                                            Giles
                                            IHUK Crew
                                            Joined:

                                            Thank you 🙂

                                            "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                            • First post
                                              Last post
                                            Copyright Iron Heart 2025.