Which one is Gijs?

Just in case you were wondering who's who ...

WinDesign Optimist sail for Gijs

It was just as well that OptiTeam member Gijs brought a friend along when he came to collect his new Windesign Speed Sail Uno; the box was more than two metres long.

We'll be watching Gijs closely this coming weekend at the Combi in Grou. He already has a fifth and a sixth in the Optimist C in the first two Combis and now with a new sail there'll be no stopping him.

De Mark is gone

Last week we had Bouke alongside with his klipper 'De Mark'. He brought the mast tabernacle we had been working on together for the last three years It was now ready to be placed on the foredeck.

Now the welding has been done and Bouke has sailed back to Schouwerzijl. Still lots to do before the mast can stand though.

Arma cupboards

A row of cupboards in the cabin on board the 'Arma'.

Now Peter can take over with his maple framework.

Team Kwark base camp

Claudia and OptiTeam mascot Polo keep an eye out for storm clouds during this weeks Combi on the Belterwiede.

OptiTeam

This weekend the OptiTeam were in action on the Belterwiede. Here they show off their new sweatshirts - well done Richard [and the other sponsor :) ]

We had marvellous weather but not enough wind. In tough conditions the team put on a good show.

Em, though struggling with the light and shifty wind, never gave up and was rewarded with a sixth place overall. 

Em does it again

It was a tired Em that rigged her Optimist on Saturday morning for the first of four Combi Noord weekends. Fortunately it was a home game at the DTP so we didn't have to get up ridiculously early.

Saturday promised wind, steadily increasing during the day and Em's results did the same - 6, 4 then a first in the 17 knots of the final race left her in first place overnight.

Sunday was much quieter and the wind was shifting all over the place. After a 15th in race four and a two hour wait on the water while the RC tried to set a fair start line the final race was going to be exciting. 

Em's start was dreadful but she clawed her way doggedly past 13 boats to finish tenth, giving her first overall by one point.

A year ago she might have given up after such a bad start, now she has learnt that it isn't over 'till it's over. A sailing lesson for life.

Greek for a day

The fifth classes of the Vrije School in the North of Holland got together for an Olympic Camp last Thursday and Friday. A great couple of days of fun and sport. 

Em made it into the finals of the javelin and won by more than a metre. 

She doesn't want to swap sailing for athletics though - phew!

Ceiling coming along

Birgit wanted a ceiling made from planks of different widths from the word go. We made our own T&G planking on the router table and I started random planking last week. I think it is a great success and we are sure we'll do it again. It would be nice to do the floor the same way too, but that would take us over budget.

Maple curves

We glued the solid maple bed frame up, with air vents along the side. Looking forward to seeing it with the matress in place.

A hole in my bathroom

Not the nicest of jobs, a 110 mm hole in 5 mm steel for the shower drain. Without cooling oil too or the epoxy won't stick. But ... it was the final job in the Arma bathroom, so now that's done and it's time to put the ceiling planking up.

What if ...

If the BP oil 'spill' had happened in our Waddensee this is how big the spill would be.

Big.

Thanks to Tillerman for passing this site on.

It doesn't get much better than this

We visited our old neighbours Wim and Jans in Gouda this weekend. We slept in a wooden hut at the end of the garden, with an outdoor toilet and sink. Em could clean her teeth while watching the rabbits, her idea of heaven.

Bathroom ready for epoxy

The bathroom is ready for its epoxy and glass mat finishing layer. Another job for Gerrit Heerema.

All I have to do is drill a large hole for the shower drain through the new 5 mm steel floor. 

Procrastination is the order of the day.

Make your bed

Peter has glued up the qurter-round corners and the bed is ready for filling, sanding and painting. Now he'll go to work on the solid maple details.

51 today and still learning

I spent a large part of this weekend's regatta perfectly placed to watch Jelmer van Beek sailing. [Ahum!]

Jelmer is a member of our club and probably Holland's fastest Laser 4.7 sailor. He's now moving up the Radial and is going to be one to watch.

There is so much to learn from watching someone that good - Jelmer trains four days a week and that is evident as you watch him move around the boat. Thanks for the lessons, Jelmer. 

[and Hans Praat for the photo].