Stoppress 2026

I have got the same great deal on antifouling again, now called EU45, (as it was years back) identical to the old Marclear, made by the same man... Bill Robinson. For high strength navy blue, mid blue, red, black, grey and white Antifouling. (Workboat red has become just red!)

Ring the free phone number above and quote EOG. Bill will make a donation to the EOG as a result of owners buying...

Now the paint is being supplied as 2.5 litres in 3 litre size cans, so it is easier to stir. Discount price to members. £89.00

Members if you would like it delivered all you have to do is ring the free-phone number to speak to Bill and quote 'Eventide Owners Group' If you are not enrolled join first or we will know and you will not get the discount.

You pay him direct by card, or bank transfer it will come direct to you within 48 hours!

March 2026 Update. Just heard that because of EU legislation this is now banned from carriers in the EU, so cannot be delivered inside EU, now only to the UK!

John

Scroll down for 2026 Stoppress pages...

So latest update at the top, under this header, earlier entries below.

Thursday 16th April 2026.

Yesterday handed the keys to 'Fiddlers Green' over to George, seen here in the middle.

Standa his friend and crew, is the computer whizz that did this, Standa on the left.

I appear to have been elevated to rank of Admiral!

Though Georg, (Jiri), is from the Czech republic, F.G. is now registered in Poland as Czech is land locked!

Eventide News:-

Meant to say last week the mystery boat at Conyer was instantly recognised by Stewart as 'Idle Duck' , she has a chapter in 'Sixty years a yacht designer', very traditional.

Thanks to Stewart we were able to send Ian in Chile an old survey report on the GH he has just bought unseen on eBay.

Welcome to Karl in Liskeard, he is looking for an MG. preference is a bilge keel Barbican, these are scarce, but a great version of the design. Or it could be a GH31.

Still nothing from the lady in Portugal, odd.

Which reminds me I have a set of Eventide 26 sails for sale here, must drag them out and photograph them as it is dry, no wait a mo, its raining again... April showers... Got to post them on the pages.

Also have a E26 transom hung rudder....

With the madness in the Straits of Hormuz creating most of the headlines at the moment, Ukraine is taking a back page in the news, but I learn from some of the people I follow on 'Mastodon' that things are changing for the better out there. Ruzzian terrorists getting a good beating... They still need our assistance though and very pleased to see the UK is stepping up with a massive donation of much needed supplies. Nice to see our taxes spent on good causes!

https://donation.dec.org.uk/ukraine-humanitarian-appeal

The sun is back out and its warm, 19C here, hope you are afloat...

John

Thursday 9th April 2026

With the world in turmoil over the action taken by USA, here is a different type of oil to buy!

We may be able to afford this!

Eventide news.

Had Keir, a Golden Hind owner and member asking about size and shape of bilge keels last week and we were able to send him loads that we had on them, that we were sent some years back, from Mark. He has now got what he needs to remake them.

Another GH owner came back regarding the request from the lady in Portugal re sails on a GH. I have replied to her with Stewarts details but as yet nothing heard?? Are you out there Sandra??

Today we had an enrolment from Ian in Chile. He has taken a real chance on the GH 'Kamaran' seen on Bay. No inspection.... Will look forward to hearing more about this soon.

Yesterday I had an early morning call, asking me to get to the marina quick, as they could launch 'Fiddler's Green'. It was low water and we were the only shallow draft boat, so they could float us! Keith and I were planning to be down the marina at 1000 for a different reason.... But first FG was lifted back into the water. All went smoothly but it was a bit tight getting her off the hard standing, that travel lift takes up a lot of space, there was only 3" between it and next door boats!

So here she is, all polished and painted, ready for whatever awaits her on her travels.

I will be going down later today, when the tide is high and the brow level, to load on sails and other heavy gear. Inflatable etc.

Whilst there launching FG, my brother in law Keith who there at the same time, for a different reason, assisted berthing FG.

I then turned to the 'Dark Side' and become a stink boat man!

So it was that Keith towed my newly acquired 'picnic' boat, away from the marina and into our garden. I shall be working on several parts of the ship getting her converted to my needs. She has already had a large chunk cut out of the bow, and a bow thruster fitted. That alone gives me justification to change the name, so 'Fiddlers Three' she will be from now on. Keith and I crawled over her yesterday and found a few items to sort, nothing major thankfully.

'Fiddlers Three' safely deposited in our garden. A few weeks of alterations and upgrades now, to get her converted into our picnic boat!

The fantastic warm weather over the last few days is a real reprieve, and we hope it will last, though we are told it is getting cooler in a few days, let's hope this was not our summer.

Hope the fitting out done and you are afloat.

See you out there.

John

Wednesday 1st April 2026.

Its No Joke!

I have a confession. In May last year I was approached by a global circumnavigator from the Czech Republic, He was looking for an Eventide fit to continue his adventures. I pointed him to the few for sale on the website. However all of these would have needed considerable work before they were ready to sail off into the sunset and were not suitable. I did suggest that as I was feeling the effects of age (fast approaching 80), maybe he should speak to me again in the autumn when I might be considering selling. (Shock horror!!).

To my surprise, he did and I had by then come to the conclusion it was probably time to pass my beloved creation on. If I did not feel safe aboard, how could I manage the safety of my crew??

As none of my family were in a position to take care of her, I realised I would be rather proud to be able to watch her progress around the world in the hands of a very competent sailor. Georg (not his real name but as close as we can get in English),has written books about his voyages and has an online log, that he promises to continue and translate into English.

So it was that last September Georg, arrived and after a very brief inspection shook my hand. He had done his research and had read my ‘Fiddling Around’ logs and all the preparation logs, so knew what to expect.

Selling created a few issues transferring pennies, but eventually it was done. She is now registered in the port of Trebez in Poland, as the Czech Republic is land locked of course!

I was to remain ‘custodian’ until he returns in mid-April 2026 to sail her away. I continued to use FG and maintain her. (I am presently antifouling her for Georg.) I will be sailing her in April and May to assist Georg get the hang of her quirks!

I have to admit I am left rather dazed. I started building her in 1983 (after owning and restoring an E 24 for 10 years) and launched Fiddler’s Green in 1990. She has carried me and my family and friends safely for over 35 years and over 4,000 logged miles, visiting France, Belgium and the Netherlands and visited Ireland, carrying me all round most of the UK. ( I missed the very top of Scotland).

I straightway offered my resignation to the Steering Group. I asked for a volunteer to take over my duties.

After some very considered discussion, the Steering Group came up with this.

I was to be a Full Member for life and given the title ‘Founding Director’.

So unless the membership decides to vote to overrule that, I am willing to carry on as Website Coordinator and Fund Manager.

I will continue to give advice, when asked, based on my building and sailing experience, gained over the last 53 years.

I will no longer to be a sailor, but a boater, as we have acquired a small 18ft motor boat to use as a ‘picnic’ boat on the Blackwater.

You may find us creeping about the creeks locally in ‘Fiddler’s Three’. (A nod to Old King Cole there!).

John

Sunday 29th March 2026.

Only found out today that the clocks change today in Ukraine, same as here!

Don't know if you have seen, with all the other craziness going on, but Ukraine is pushing back!

Eventide News:

No new enrolments and we have not heard from the owner of the Golden Hind that wanted info f their boat, who we requested to enroll. ??

Nor have we heard back from the club in Kent wanting to advertise the GH31 they had there, maybe they found a new owner??

Had a mail from a member regarding a Maurice Griffiths boat he has spotted on the net, advertised in Conyer Creek, Kent. I cannot place the design, a 32ft Centre board boat. It is very different with no guard rails or seemingly modern features, a 1960's time machine!

See the link:

https://www.networkyachtbrokerskent.co.uk/boats_for_sale/Maurice_Griffiths_One_Off_Traditional_Built_Wooden_Sailing_Yacht-38678.html/

It is listed as a 'one off', so may not be a known design, too long to be a Barcarole, aTringa or a Cockler, anyone got any idea?

Nice looking boat but with a hefty £18,500 price tag!

After that spell of warm weather I was all geared up to antifoul this weekend, but as John Stevens always reminds me, the Swedes have a saying, wait till after the 'Back Winter' and that arrived a few days back with gales and temperatures below 10 and with wind chill, below zero! Today is is 12C, but rain later. I may wait till Wednesday when it looks fair and 14C forecast again. In the meantime I have groveled under F.G. in the cold, and attacked any loose and flaky antifouling. Warm work! Removed a lot. Methinks next winter she will need the bottom scraped off clean.

In a few days I will be writing and publishing the annual report on the Members only pages, suffice to say we are still solvent, just. Good for a year or two yet!

We have not sold that many burgees over the last year and only a few sets of drawings, these items are the normal source of income, but we have been supported by a few generous members donating to keep us solvent, our thanks to them.

Hopefully the weather will buck up and the boatyards and marinas will be abuzz with activity next week, I feel the call of the sea!

Just hope I can afford to buy the fuel to get out of the marina! Thanks to the orange clown....

John

Post Script:- The Annual Report is now published on the Members page of the forum.

Tuesday 17th March 2026.

Happy St. Patrick's day, wherever you are!

While the world is trying to make sense of the madness in the Gulf, it just appears to be getting more and more dangerous.

Hope the wheel does not come off completely and sanity is restored, so we can carry on as normal here???

Have my doubts.....

Eventide News: Had an enquiry regarding a Golden Hind, the owner was preparing it for a trans Atlantic. He requested info about former owner, but as I explained, we will not pass other peoples info on to others. Asked if he would like to enroll and then maybe I could pass his request to the last mail address we had for the previous owner. Sadly not heard back from him....?? If you are out there Campbell do get in touch. We are not being awkward, just complying to the data protection act.

Anther mail in from Joe, who is renovating 'Jua' up in Preston. He is clearing out all the wet and sodden gear inside and gradually getting her ready to paint and restore internally.

Not masses of progress but 90% of her loose goods like spare sails etc. have now been removed. Tip items have been disposed of like old food, oils and clothes and about half a million mouldy books.

My next job is to strip her interior wood, Insulation, and then the engine to lift out. I continue to pump the water out. I must of removed a good 300L from her this far and then have to pressure wash her inside and out and start the refit of new bulkheads and resealing all her fittings.

A few spots need welding and some metalwork needs attention/modifications. Her rudder is seized from the skeg area, so that's going to have to be dismantled. One thing I am pondering about, is why they bolted her lower rudder mount instead of welding? I can understand from a quick maintenance perspective but for strength in bad weather I would say different.

Some good news on parts of the vessel, her stern anchor locker is immaculate. I've never seen a 28 year old locker so shiny, all the paint is immaculate as well as under most of the insulation in there, that is in good shape. She's got a cover on her cockpit area, to slow the ingress of water it hopes it helps her out, all ratchet strapped down.

The best news I have to consider, to somehow to figure it out, I've got a Laser stripping company going to her in June/July to strip her entire hull to the gunwales so she can be prepped for 2 pack epoxy and a new 2 pack topcoat of British racing green

Joe.

More power to the elbow Joe, you have an epic task on, but I feel the work will be well rewarded! Like the choice of colour!

Jua.

Joe queried why the bottom bearing on the rudder would be bolted, adding that the rudder had seized solid. Well guessing it is going to make it a heck of a lot easier to remove all the rudder assembly and to renovate it as has been bolted, and with no loss of strength.

A lot of boat to sort, but she was a beauty, and I hope she will once again grace the water!

Had a mail from the sailing club commodore of Gillingham marina boat club, in Kent. The club has taken possession of a 31ft GRP Golden Hind abandoned there after the owner passed away. They have just had it ashore and pressure washed the bottom and re launched. (Not sure if they antifouled her or not), but the inboard diesel started on the button and they say the rig and sails are all good. I responded but sadly again have not heard back. hoping to get more info and contact details.

However if anyone is interested just mail me and I will pass on what I have. No mention of a price?? enquiries@eventides.org.uk

Little snippet of information came my way today. I like many others installed a 'Speedseal' 'run dry' cover on the Jabsco of my Beta marine and I am pretty sure that has saved the pump impeller a couple of times recently. The Blackwater, over the last three seasons has been clogged with floating weed. A real menace and many boats have suffered the same as me, with clogged intakes and overheating engines. I even fitted an exhaust temperature alarm to warn me. (That works! ) I was considering a replacement 'run dry' kit to store aboard, but found some time ago the firm had closed. The owner and inventor, had retired and could not find anyone to take it on. As the replacement cover plates were such a great idea with large finger tight screws making replacing impellers an easy to do job in an emergency I pondered on what to do.

Well the firm is back, a company of marine spares dealers and engineers have taken it on, they have even updated and improved the design so now all covers come as 'dry run' as a matter of course and have increased the size of the 'o' ring seal and the like as well.

So if you are looking to make your Jabsco or Johnson pump easier to maintain and want to protect your impeller in case the intake gets blocked, try

https://speedseal.com/ Only downside is they do not have repair kits for the old versions, but they can sell you the new improved cover! If and when I need to replace my 'run dry' parts, the ptfe bearing does wear slightly with use, so I will be opting for the newer version!

Spring does appear to have returned, so I am making plans here! Thursday the covers come off! If all goes well the antifouling will go on next!

Roll on summer!

John

Wednesday 12th March 2026

Dragon Sails for The Med!

Sadly no one in the press or public seems to grasp how long it takes a ship to load fuel, water, munitions and provisions.

We personally know that the crew have been working flat out for a week or more to prepare her.

Different years ago when the navy had the support of the government and were allowed to be fully prepared to deploy at a moments notice.

Maybe the events in the Gulf might make politicians think... no, probably not.

Ukraine earning brownie points by offering to take down the drones in the Gulf, no one has more experience!

Eventide News:

No new enrolments this last week.

Not one e-mail either, apart from general ones between members of the Steering group and myself.

Very quiet out there... Unlike the weather. After a week of balmy sunshine, daffodils everywhere and the general feeling of spring in the air, today brings gales and threats of snow from the midlands northwards.

The wind has caused a problem near here and the power is out. High voltage cable damaged somewhere. So running on generator at the moment! Sadly with what's going on in the Gulf, the cost of generator fuel is also sky rocketing. Bet when, and if, all gets back to some sort of normality, if that can ever happen in a world seemingly governed by clowns, bet the price won't come down as quick as it went up!

I said last week I had a trip to Somerset. Came across a members boat whilst I was there, in Portishead marina.

The Eventide 24 'Niarbyl'.

Brother in law and crew Keith, who was with me tells me it is the name of a tiny harbour on the Isle of Man, I had no idea.

The Eventide is one that the owner, Nigel, had built to replace his original Eventide when it developed serious rot. He got a set of updated plans from us. The hull and superstructure were built professionally in the west country. He transferred many of the fixtures and fitting to the new hull. The build story featured in Classic Boat. A modern classic! Looking good still! Like the colour!

At the moment I am renovating my 6 wheel Eventide trailer to do a 400 mile round trip, checking wheels and tyres and bearings etc. more on the trip later.

I will be down the Fiddler's Green again after this blow, to double check the ties on the covers. So far we have only had one or two fray and part, easily rectified. The covers have so many tie eyes and I have a sack full of lengths parachute cord to secure it all. These very good quality covers, that I invested in 4 years back, I think they should do me another year or two yet! Well worth it.

That's all for now. I am hoping to get my covers off next week and start cleaning and polishing the paintwork, then applying the Marclear antifouling! More power to the elbow, fitting out time is here.

John

Friday 27th February 2026.

OK its not till Sunday, but its close!

Gives me an excuse to show the Grandson's ship. HMS Dragon.

Chances are she will soon be hunting ruzzians!

Congrats to UK Gov. for donating the new 'British made' missiles to Ukraine!

Eventide News:- Again no new enrolments, but we have had a request for a set of Eventide drawings. Paid us via our PayPal link and DVD of drawings on the way!

I have been busy with 'Fiddler's Green', collecting bits and checking covers. Amazingly the temperature has suddenly risen to 18C here and the marina is abuzz with activity. I am still not rushing to remove the covers as the severe snow storm that hit New York could still make it here! The grandson will be on leave from HMS Dragon in a month, before they deploy, and is coming to assist me with the removal of covers and preparing her for fitting out! Antifouling ready to go.

A lot happening here, lots of preparations.. Will be able to tell you all more at the end of next month!

Getting ready for one last 'Hurrah'!

My Niece Esmée has a hidden talent. She has written a poem and set it to a film on uTube. Here is a link for you..

https://m.youtube.com/shorts/9e_XRqlRGME

I was impressed. Esmée is my late brother in law Barry's girl. Barry created this site and my Seagull site. These are two of the first ever websites and the originals are preserved on a server somewhere in America, with the first 1000 ever published. He was a sailor and a Sea Cadet officer. See the tribute to him on the home page. The love of the sea has rubbed off on Esmée.

Have to finish on a sad note. Had a message from Mike Field in Australia. Mike was a keen sailor, and 3Tonner owner, had a wooden boat shop in Australia selling useful bits for traditional boats. Long retired. He came to the UK some years ago and stayed with us, with his wife 'Jenn'. We all got on so well.

He tells me his Jenn was suddenly taken from him with a brain embolism. He has sent details of the memorial service, if anyone would like to tune in.

From Mike_ Things are all at sixes and sevens here, and this message might not turn out as coherently as I could wish, but here goes.

My other and better half, Jenn, passed away unexpectedly but peacefully, last month. She had suffered what the ED medical staff at Campbelltown Hospital assumed was a ruptured aneurism followed by massive brain bleeding. The damage was not diagnosable, treatable, and terminal, and she died late on Monday evening, 12^th January.

Even though there’s obviously nothing to be done I thought you might like to know.

We’re having a Celebration of Life service for Jenn next Wednesday.

Details –

DATE: Wed 4 March 2026

TIME: 1:00 pm

PLACE: Gold Creek Station, Victoria St, Hall ACT

The service will be live-streamed on https://attnd.com.au/jennifer-bedlington , and will also later be available for downloading. (You might be interested to hear that there’ll be a slide-show of pictures from Jenn’s life, and one of the shots will be of the interior of your kitchen...)

There’s an obituary on the Tender Funerals website at https://tenderfunerals.com.au/canberra/funeral-notices/

__________________

So there we are – the end of an era.

Sad to hear this news. She had an amazing life. Our condolences to Mike.

John

Wednesday 17th February 2026.

We missed Valentines Day!

Hope you and yours celebrated!

Eventide News. No sooner I said nothing had happened last week, we got a new enrolment! Welcome to Sandra in Portugal with the 1979 built, timber and glass sheathed Golden Hind 31 'Almitra' ex 'Gabriel'.

(Hope you removed a bit of the old boat and replaced it with new before renaming!).

Sandra has her in dry dock for a few weeks and is wanting to inspect keel bolts. She cannot work out what thread was used?? Whitworth, UNC, or Metric.

Does anyone with a timber Golden Hind 31, who has of course inspected their keel bolts, know...?? Most common thread used for keel bolts here for decades was Whitworth, but I have no idea what Terry used. Can anyone help??

The boat is cutter rigged and Sandra was looking for advice on the sails. Not sure as yet if it has the short bowsprit, nor what the sail set up is. Most popular today is the roller reefing genoa and small staysail. Some later boats could have had the taller 'Light airs rig'.

We are waiting on photos.

Still had nothing from Jason, wanting to sell his Eventide. Bit of a project I understand. Hope he is OK, he was poorly.

I visited Tollesbury yesterday and looked at another Eventide project there. 'Glass Tide' is laid up ashore there and gathering lichen! She is in desperate need of a new pair of hands to bring her back. The basic structure is unique in our circles, as she is GRP. Properly laid up with a GRP deck and cabin top too. At the moment she looks terrible, but a couple of hours with a pressure washer would make her look nearly 100%. The external timber on the gunwales and toe tails needs replacing, then the modified bilge keels and tabernacle, the mast and rigging, the reconditioned GM10 motor 'just' need to go back on her. Any takers.. See her on our For Sale page.

Were I 10 years younger I would have leapt at the chance. Here is an Eventide that I know sails very well and with no danger of wood rot ending her days, what's not to like??

I was browsing through some of the paperwork relating to building Fiddler's Green the other day, when a slip of paper fell out.

It had been cut from an advert in one of the sailing magazines of the day. I remembered. I had left my building notes book on the table in the canteen years back and one of my wag mates altered the Hagar cartoon. I had kept it. Still think it as valid today as back then when I first launched her.

Click to enlarge!

Here in Essex the weather has not been half as damp as elsewhere, but today it has turned really cold. There is an artic NE blowing here fit to bust, just destroyed the Boss's twirly washing line! Suspect it is going to get a lot colder yet, so check those covers, you do not want snow blowing under the covers!

Ever the optimist I am still hoping the latter part of March will be warm and dry, antifouling weather.

We will see,

John

Tuesday 10th February 2026.

Eventide News. Not had a single mail nor an enrolment this week. Come to the conclusion that boat owners are hibernating!

The incessant rain has meant extra trips to the boat to check the covers, glad to report all good. I did have a conversation with John Stevens the Database Manager about covers, he needs to recover his. False economy using those cheap woven poly covers, they shred in weeks. I wasted a lot of money on those! I eventually found an agricultural supplier that sold super heavy covers, Black one side, silver the other. Over winter black side out, in summer silver side out!

The covers on FG have been on her for 4 winters and apart from a couple of small holes that I had to repair with gaffer tape, all good. But then I pad every sharp bit with old carpet. As the mast is up this time that means I use the boom as a ridge pole and have to pad the winch, the cleats and the reefing point attachments. Easy enough to do. I have a big plastic storage box full of carpet off cuts and string. Takes myself and a helper an hour to pad everything. The guardrails are padded with that split pipe insulation for 1/2 inch copper pipe. That has worked.

Check out the firm I found, highly recommend their heavy duty ones:- https://tarpaulinsdirect.co.uk/farming/tarps/topgrade-tarpaulin-200gsm/

The BBC have gone to lengths explaining why the rain has not stopped. The Scandinavian high pressure stopping the low pressure moving away, but to most people it is just extremely wet weather! Here in our little bit of east Essex we do have large puddles in fields, ditches full, but nowhere near the amount of rain other parts of the country have had. But then where we are is the driest part of the country, by far. Apparently some parts of the Sahara get more rain than here! Which is probably why Beth Chatto created her award winning 'Dry Garden' not far away.

Told the reservoirs need more rain here!!

We have seen encouraging signs of spring already. The snow drops are out in full flower, as are some of the daffodils and crocus. Our resident black Headed Gull is beginning to get his glossy black plumage, and that to me is the best sign Spring is on the way, that and the smell of cans of antifouling being opened at the boat yards!

Winter colours...

Seen here is full summer plumage.

Looking forward to getting back on one of my motorbikes when it does dry up, June maybe?

Stay dry.

John

Tuesday 3rd February 2026.

Devastation in Ukraine, and now the damned ruzzians are freezing the population to death, and hardly a word in the press???

I despair. How can anyone do this....?

Eventide News:- No new enrolments this week.

Local news from the Blackwater area. I caught a snippet on the BBC news last week, about a number of ex Thames lighters being sunk, full of mud and gravel, to build a refuge for wading birds and protect the eastern end of Northey Island from further erosion. Something to watch out for come spring. Then I wondered... I bet I have stood on the decks of all those barges! In my days on the London river there were fewer and fewer Thames lighters about, they were being shipped to all corners of the globe to help build new harbour facilities and pontoons, some even as bases for houseboats. The remaining few hundred were moored and most days we would board them, walk over them and check and re-secure the mooring warps. It was a lot easier to do this than catch one when it went adrift and tow it back to a place of safety! So I can almost guarantee I have been aboard these in another life!

See this link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg5zw5l42xo

At the same time another BBC article caught my attention, again about the Blackwater area. Dredging's from Felixstowe docks were again being used to protect the saltings, but I was surprised to see the amount of spoil that has been dumped this time, encroaching on several of the navigable channels Bet the approaches to Mersea and Tollesbury silt up sharply as a result. No more creeping behind the Nass sands near low water!

See this link:- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yxvrj5enjo?app-referrer=webview

Had another mail in from Dick and updates to his East Coast pilot.

Latest News and Updates from East Coast Pilot

January 2026

Dear Subscriber

Welcome to all our subscribers, including those who have recently signed up to these very occasional newsletters.

This time can we just call your attention to the News and Updates sections of our website, highlighting more recent additions since our last newsletter.

Latest News Headlines - go HERE for details -

Yacht Wreck off the Deben

Fox's Marina announcement

Approaches to Lowestoft

Yantlet Secondary Channel extended

New Survey of the Spitway

Thames Barrier Test Closures

Use of the Black Deep

Book Updates - go HERE for details -

New Rolling Road diagrams for Lowestoft approaches - available to print.

Ferry Boat Inn phone number.

Waldringfield moorings.

Royal Harwich YC details.

Walton and Frinton YC details.

Black Deep navigation - details.

We continue to update the website as usual all year round. And these days we also use our Facebook page to tell those of our readers who read social media - we used to use Twitter, now X, but the Facebook page has attracted a far bigger following, now with over 3,300 followers. But our website remains the ultimate and complete source of any new information - we encourage you to look at it regularly to see anything new.

Our next newsletter will probably be sent out around Easter time to announce the publication of updated chartlets for the Deben and Ore entrances. These chartlets are the result of a unique agreement brokered some years ago between Trinity House, Imrays and ourselves, and indeed we understand that these are the only minor river entrances surveyed by Trinity House on such a frequent basis. We sincerely hope that Trinity House will feel able to carry on with the arrangement into the future, it being of immense value to the leisure boating community. And of course Imrays, now 'FB Imray' since their merge with an Austrian mapping and charting company, will continue to support this.

We do welcome any news of changes in the area that we may not yet have heard about. It's easy to email us via the website (or PM me via Facebook) and you will always get a prompt reply.

And so it's back to our boat maintenance, and looking forward to some warmer and drier weather!

Kindest regards,

Dick Holness

Co-author and webmaster

East Coast Pilot.

Header photo - Pin Mill, the classic location on the Orwell.

If you no longer wish to receive our newsletters you can

unsubscribe using the link below.

Well that's about all for this week, I continue to gather gear ready to launch FG this spring. Covers checked OK again and just as well as it is tipping it down! I am still pretty sure we are gong to get another cold snap, and I bet we are not going to be so lucky in avoiding the white stuff this time, remember the 'Beast from the East' a few years back. brr

But not as cold as Ukraine right now, and we have power and heat.....

John

Tuesday 27th January 2026.

It should never happen again.

But...... it is....

Eventide News. No new enrolments but an enquiry about how to seal keel bolts...

Nigel had removed a bolt as there was a slight weep. and is now replacing it. I suggested:-

With yours I would suggest greasing the length of the bolt but then using Sikaflex on the head and yes you could add a ring of caulking cotton and Sikaflex under any washer on the bolt head, as it will be underwater.

On the inside, just grease on the top thread, as no water should come up the bolt holes, if the keel bedded on sealant.

I remove a different Keel bolt every 5 years for my 5 yearly survey. So far every one has been as shiny as the day I put them in there!

Anyone else this rigorous? Lets have your stories.

Still not heard from Jason, hope he has not got WhuFlu, some of my family are down with it again, not funny.

Took delivery of a new SD card for the Lowrance plotter the other day, cheap at £50.00 I thought. It's for all of UK and Ireland and near continent. When was yours last updated? If you do not have an up today paper chart on the chart table, it should be renewed. I will be ordering a new Small Craft chart folio shortly, do not want to be too previous, or I bet they bring out a new one and the corrections for the old one cease!

Tip here, download and print out the corrections often! It's Free. Then when they bring out the new one, at least your old one can be corrected to that date!

Little else to report except the weather! Gales and very heavy rain over a lot of the country, hope your covers are intact. Checked mine Sunday, all good. Hoping we get a warm March so I can get the covers off and antifoul, want to be in early....

To finish off, I saw a few good cartoons about Trump and his zany threats and actions. Disgusted by his assertion that our servicemen kept away from the action... over 450 returned in coffins! He has to go.

Was he never told to engage brain before mouth?

John

Monday 19th January 2026.

The madness gets worse!

You really could not make this sort of story up!

If this sort of silliness is not stopped, none of us will be enjoying our boats soon, clouds are gathering!

Eventide News.

After my mention of the Cole and Wiggins boatyard, Chris in the Netherlands came up trumps....

(Oh dear that is now an unfortunate turn of phrase!!)

Chris sent in a couple of links to assist Sue.

https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Cole_and_Wiggins

and

https://krakenyachts.com/still-sailing-after-all-these-years/

Seems one of our own, friend of the group Dick Durham (M.G. biographer), is the owner of one of the boats, info that Sue did not have.

Here is Betty II launching at the Cole and Wiggins Yard at Leigh on Sea.

Acknowledgements to the Kraken boats site for this pic!

Other news. Heard from Jason with the Eventide 'Ermintrude', sadly he has been laid low with a bout of Flu. There is a lot of it about. Hoping he will get back to us with up to date photos so we can offer it for sale, when he is able to get down to the boat.

Me, I keep checking the covers on F.G. as I am certain winter is not done with us by a long chalk. Covers holding out well, this their 4th year!! Pleased to say though they slapped a darn great cruiser right in front of me, my winter solar panels have been 'just' in the sunshine, every sunny day that I have been there. So batteries getting that trickle charge. And every day the sun climbs a little higher now, so all good.

Heard from a couple of boat yards that the number of abandoned boats is increasing daily. Recall from one of our members in Gweek creek, where he runs a boatbuilding business now, that the creeks are becoming dumping grounds. Old GRP boats are being stripped of gear then towed out and abandoned. Getting to be a real problem. Sort of reminds me of 50 years ago when first sailing the Lower Thames and the Medway, the number of old barges and fishing boats in creeks rotting away. Essex creeks were the same... Most of them are nothing but a memory now, but the GRP boats are going to be a problem. Would be better to sink them in an area as an artificial reef... Home for fishes. But that costs money.

All for now, enjoy the warmer temperatures for the week, than watch out for a return of the white stuff!

John

P.S. I have just found and added a raft of photos to the WW page of the gallery, sorry for the delay Sandy. Wonder if anyone knows where 'Burnewin' is now. J

Sunday 11th January 2026.

Hoping for a lasting peace in 2026.

As the world seems to have gone crackers, I do not hold out much hope, sadly.

Eventide news. One new enrollment, the first this year. Mrs. McCall has joined as the grand daughter of a 1920's boat builder, who built a few M.G. designs. She is trying to trace them. The only one I have so far is 'Maris', a 25ft centreboard sloop, built 1929. Believed a MG design. Anyone know her? Boat builders were Cole and Wiggins, not sure where they were based. Awaiting more info.

Not heard anymore from Jason with 'Ermintrude', he was wanting to sell. (At a bargain price!!).

The recent cold snap has called for more often visits to FG to check covers, but fortunately all securing cords have survived intact, and we escaped the snow.

With the colder weather ensuring I have retreat into the warm. I have spent a little time researching and buying updated Navionics SD cards for my Lowrance Plotter. The charts on it were 2018, so a long way out of date. A full set of UK Ireland and other side of the channel for approx. £50.00.

I do not rely on the Plotter for 'real' navigation, but on proper paper charts. The plotter is great for instant pilotage in the cockpit, especially if I have pre marked the days course on it so any of my crew can instantly see if I have strayed too far from the planned course. I shall be visiting the Maldon chandlery in spring to get an updated set of charts. I have been using the SC series Admiralty charts. (Small Craft). They are ideal as they fit neatly on my half Admiralty chart size chart table. They also have pertinent info for us leisure boaters!

Fortunately I do not have much to do before launching. I have already checked under the waterline, the rudder bearings and prop shaft bearings, no play! The Anodes have already been wire brushed and are good to go as is the prop, already cleaned and prepared, waiting for my final polishing with the little electric polishing mop! Like to think it will be mirror finished before we pop her back in.

On board the only job is an engine service. I have the replacement filters and oils all waiting. I had one little job to do in my workshop, that is to refurbish a pair of old brass screw in anode holders for the heat exchanger, and fit lengths of new zinc anode. Far cheaper to do that every year than buy new brass screw in holders already fitted with zinc, and so easy to do. All you need is a cheap pillar drill and a small bench grinder to shape the end of the anode so it can be hammered in to the plug.

Sails are all checked OK and stored, warps all OK, sheets washed and stored ready to refit.

Roll on fit out! Aiming to be afloat by 1st April.

John

Thursday 1st January 2026.

Support Ukraine!

Honestly I feel if we do not support them, we should be learning ruzzian!

The world seems to be an ever more dangerous place these days...

https://donation.dec.org.uk/ukraine-humanitarian-appeal

Tower bridge and fireworks, my old 'patch'.

Happy New Year, Eventiders, here comes 2026! Hope it brings peace in Ukraine and happiness to all.

*******************

Eventide News. As is normal over the Christmas period it has been quiet, but we have had one enrolment, from someone whose grandfather built at least one MG design. More details when I get to find more time to reply.

Apart from being away for the Christmas period I have been busy elsewhere, slowly catching up. All takes so much longer to do as you get older!

Today I took the opportunity to get under the bonnet of our car and replace a headlamp bulb that blew yesterday, before it got too cold and wet!

Really you need to be double jointed to get to headlamp bulbs! Like a good boy scout I keep a box of spares on board. But why do they always blow when it is freezing cold?

As it was not too cold, only 3 C, Brr, I also managed to remove all the garden Christmas lights too. Later this week we have snow forecast and minus temperatures.

Tomorrow I will be nipping down to the boat to check the covers. Snow is the worst thing to get on your decks! It gets everywhere if windblown and then thaws and refreezes, causing all sorts of mayhem with wooden boats!

So today I am busy in the warm, updating the pages of the website, opening a new Stoppress year and archiving and indexing. always good fun. And only last week Keith, my brother in law and crew spotted something I had not noticed all year. When you clicked onto the link for the Stoppress on the home page the last word did not take you to the correct page, but an archived one! How did I miss that....

Here is to a peaceful, happy and healthy 2025. Hoping we all get to spend more time afloat this year

John

Remember the Jumper I got for Fathers Day?

Look what I got at Christmas.

(Sadly one cat recently left us, she was over 18. So only 3 new kits now.)