Messing about on the River

I was lucky enough to be invited out on the water on Bank Holiday Monday. Although it was an incredibly early start and I did have second thoughts about the whole thing when my alarm was going off.

The invite was from my Uncle, who along with my Granddad make regular trips out onto the Solent in their Fishing Boat from their idyllic mooring on the Beaulieu River, just next to Exbury Gardens.

Both have had close affiliations with the water throughout their lives, my Granddad having served in the Navy and my Uncle having worked in the Marine industry for the past 40 years. My future Brother-in-law had also been invited out for his first foray into the black art of sea fishing. This was my second such trip out, and I was positive of beating my tally of zero from the previous voyage!

The weather was beautiful, a nice cool breeze and beaming sunshine. After the mistakes of my last voyage i'd remembered to pack sun block, baseball cap (Knackered Sailor edition, Captain was snapped up quickly) and sunglasses. Sun burnt is not my idea of fun.

Before the fishing was an early morning breakfast of bacon rolls and a cup of tea, prepared on the inboard hob & cooker, which is an absolute must if you can afford the space and cost. And not forgetting the classic stainless steel kettle. Also a new product we've got in for carrying an array of mugs without spilling hot drinks all over the decks is the Muggi. Well worth a look.

We boarded the Sea Otter and embarked up the river towards the Solent. It takes roughly 30 minutes to go from the mooring at Exbury to the mouth of the River and your entrance into the Solent. It's a truly fascinating journey as well, as you're surrounded not only by some beautiful yachts and motor cruisers, but, dotted on the banks of the River are some huge houses as well. Two of which had helicopter pads!

By the time we reached my Uncle's fishing spot (sworn to secrecy on the location) I was raring to go, he'd talked up the possibility of Bass and Pollocks and how they'd be practically leaping into the boat!

We setup our rods and bait and began to wait...

3 minutes in and my future brother in law caught a smooth hound (a small one that in know way resembled a shark).

5 minutes in my Granddad caught a Pollock

20 minutes in my Granddad caught another Pollock

30 minutes in my Granddad caught a dogfish...

And so it went on for the next 3 hours.

My Uncle wasn't fishing so his tally of zero is understandable, my brother in law finished on 1, and my Granddad ended proceedings with 10, and he lost a further 4!

I once again ended the trip on 0, much to the amusement of everyone else. I did however hook and retrieve more rocks than anybody else.

If you get the chance to visit Beaulieu River it really is a great spot, Bucklers Hard, Exbury and Beaulieu are great spots to visit by boat.

Items i'd recommend taking on a fishing trip:

• Fishing Rod
• Bait
• Extra Line
• Hooks
• Day pack
• Hat
• Sunglasses
• Sun block
• Seasick band (Fishing boats are generally small and can get knocked about in the wash)

Happy Sailing,

Captain Loz

Suited and Booted for the New Sailing Season

Well it's official the warm weather is here and the new season has begun!

And on Saturday morning I took full advantage of it by going out for a cycle down to the waterfront. Lee-On-Solent and Hill head to be precise.

It was beautiful, glorious sunshine and a relatively strong breeze all lent themselves to fantastic sailing conditions. And not only were there yachts out and about on the water, there were plenty of Jet-ski's & RIBs whizzing around close to the shore, wind surfers, kite surfers, and crazy people swimming (far too cold for that)! It's fantastic to see so many people making the most of their days off and enjoying the weather. I rewarded myself with a 99 ice cream.

Now hopefully it won't be long until you'll all be wanting to get out onto the water this year, so it's worth knowing that apart all the latest and greatest chandlery we sell, we're also very well stocked for what to wear whilst out on the water this year.

In fact our New 2011 Sailing Clothing Catalogue has just hit the shelves of our shops, and we've got all the latest sailing clothing innovations from Gill, Henri Lloyd and Musto.

The catalogue is full of Offers, exclusive products and colour ways. And as always it's completely FREE! You can either drop in and pick one up, or you can apply for a free copy by clicking here.

The 2011 Clothing Catalogue now has complete sections for; Casual wear, Inshore sailing, Coastal Sailing, Offshore and Ocean Sailing, Racing, Dinghy wear, Base Layers, Mid Layers, Wetsuits & drysuits, Children's sailing clothing, Boat shoes, sailing boots, Sailing gloves, holdalls, sunglasses and other accessories!

PLUS!

Are you close to Swanwick? If so you've got to see the shop changes we've made, it really is a sailing clothing megastore, with all the best brands, AND new ranges that aren't in our catalogue from the likes of Helly Hansen, Holebrook, Gul, Musto, Henri Lloyd, Dubarry and Gill.

Give them a call or visit them today! Click here for Force 4 Sailing Clothing Swanwick shop details.

Happy Sailing!

Captain Loz

Are you prepared? Ship's grab bag checklist

Hello fellow boaters, well the weather certainly seems to be improving day by day in the Hamble. Which is fantastic news for all us fair-weather sailors!

Just to say we spotted a good article in the April edition of Yachting Monthly, it's all about creating a ship's grab bag checklist. They've split the list into the Most Important and General items, and then whether they're essential or optional for Coastal and Offshore sailing. A really handy guide, and a good read.

So we've been inspired to write up a list of products we think you should consider for your ship's grab bag (Prices are correct at time of blog being published 25/03/2011).

Important Items to consider for your Ship's Grab Bag:

EPIRB/PLB (GPS enabled are best) - We'd consider:

• Mcmurdo Fastfind 210 PLB with GPS (RRP £269.95 - Save £50.00 - Only £219.95)
• ACR Aqualink GPS 406 PLB - (RRP £399.95 - Save £50.00 - Only £349.95)
• ACR Satellite 3 406 EPIRB Cat ii - (RRP £375.00 - Save £50.05 - Only £324.95)

Hand-held GPS + Spare Batteries - We'd consider:

• Garmin eTrex H Handheld GPS - (RRP £89.99 - Save £6.04 - Only £83.95)
• Duracell Pack of 4 AA Batteries - (Only £2.95)

Hand-held VHF radio + Spare Batteries - We'd consider:

• Cobra HH325 Waterproof VHF Handheld Radio - (RRP £99.99 - Save £6.04 - Only £94.95)

First Aid Kit - We'd consider:

• Crewmedic First Aid Kit 60 - (Only £28.95)
• Crewmedic First aid kit 180 - (Only £54.95)
• Cat C First Aid Kit - Soft Bag - (Only £59.95)

General Items to consider for your ship's grab bag:

Communications - We'd consider:

• ACR C-Strobe lifejacket light - (Only £29.95)
• Waterproof Notebook - (Only £3.99)
• Write anywhere pen - (Only £17.95)
• Seamark Dye marker - (Only £14.95)
• Inshore Flare Pack - (RRP £61.50 - Save £11.55 - Only £49.95)
• Coastal Flare Pack - (RRP £121.95 - Save £25.00 - Only £96.95)
• Plastimo Iris 50 Compass - (RRP £63.85 - Save £27.90 - Only £35.95)
• ACR Hotshot Mirror - (Only £11.95)
• MSA Lifejacket Whistle - (Only £1.50)
• Powertraveller Solar Monkey - (Only £34.95)

First Aid - We'd consider:

• SPF 50 Lipscreen with UV Indicator Cap - (Only £5.95)
• Panama Jack Sunblock Lotion SPF 35 - (Only £6.95)
• Gill Floatable Classic Sunglasses - (Only £39.95)
• Survival blanket - (Only £8.95)

Survival Equipment - We'd consider:

• Fladen Fishing Hand line, Pirk and feathers - (Only £8.95)
• Adult mask & Snorkel Set - (Only £17.95)
• Aquamate Solar Still - (Only £122.95)

Extra Rations - We'd consider:

• Ocean Safety Water rations - (Only £9.95)
• Wayfarer pre-cooked meals - (Only £3.95)

Tools - We'd consider:

• Plastimo Bailer - (RRP £4.35 - Save £1.40 - Only £2.95)
• Light sticks - Pack of 5 colours - (Only £9.95)
• Duct Tape 50mm x 50m - (Only £13.95)
• Grab Bag Emergency torch - (RRP £12.95 - Save £3.00 - Only £9.95)
• Glotorch LED Torch - (Only £14.95)
• Duracell Pack of 4 AA Batteries - (Only £2.95)
• Sea anchor 65x75cm - (Only £18.95)
• Liros Floating 8 Plait Rope 8mm yellow per meter - (Only £1.20)
• Jumbo synthetic sponge - (Only £2.25)
• Race rescue knife hook tip - (Only £39.95)
• Gerber Suspension Multi tool - (RRP £39.95 - Save £4.00 - Only £35.95)
• Floating safety knife - (Only £12.95)
• Pack of 4 sailing needles - (Only £3.95)
• 30gm Reel sewing thread - (£6.95)
• Waterproof matches - (Only £2.95)

Additional products we'd consider:

• Aquapac jumbo carry case - (Only £29.95)
• Windward grab bag - (Only £19.95)
• ACR Rapid ditch bag - (RRP £69.95 - Save £5.00 - Only £64.95)
• Thermal protective aid - (Only £14.95)
• Plastic mouth fog horn - (Only £6.95)
• Ocean Safety Solas 2 Card - (Only £3.95)
• Sealskinz waterproof mitten - (Only £29.95)
• SealSkinz waterproof beanie hat - (Only £24.95)

Remember to check out the full list of essential grab bag items broken down by coastal and ocean sailing, it's a good read, and a good place to start building your own check list.

Click here to go to Yachting Monthly's website.

Have a good weekend everyone, we hope you can stop by to visit us in one of our chandlery shops, and we hope you can get out on the water.

Happy Sailing,

Captain Loz

London Let Down - PBO Letters

We saw this letter in the April 2011 issue of PBO magazine, and thought it may be of interest:

"I went to the London Boat Show with a list of things I wanted to buy, thinking I could have a look at all the chandlery stands and take my pick. I came home with most of the list intact and very little in the bag.

The journey up was horrible. I went by coach to save money, and wished I hadn't - ExCel compared to Earls Court [previous home of the show - Ed] for travel is a pain.

I was astonished by the lack of visitors on the Tuesday I went. The show itself has either been abandoned by many of the small boat exhibitors and chandlers or has priced itself out of their market.

If I had a million or two to spend I'd be OK, but there were few small boats. Once stand I visited, instead of the nice display they have at Southampton, had a corner plot, a desk and their products on simple display stands. It looked bare and unwelcoming.

All-in-all a dissappointment. I came home and got what I wanted at Force 4 Chandlery in Poole, who run a sale while the boat show is on.

Roll on Southampton. Even though I hail from London and love the city, I won't be in a hurry to go again."

David Butcher

Bournemouth, Dorset

We'd love to hear your thoughts on the London & Southampton Boat Shows and our London Boat Show SALE, feel free to comment on this blog or leave a message on our Facebook Fan Site by clicking here.

Happy Sailing,

Captain Loz

Warsash Spring Series 2011 Sailing

This Sunday, March 13th, is the first race of the Warsash Spring Series 2011. The series runs over six weekends and includes a two weekend chamionship for both the White fleet and Black fleet. As in the past our Force 4 shop at Port Hamble marina will be open from 7.30am until 4pm on Sundays for the duration of the series to accomodate any last minute purchases before leaving the dock. We'll also be here until 4pm after you finish racing and should you have any rigging needs just drop it in to us after sailing and our riggers should have it back within the week. Call us to reserve class flags etc on 02380 454858

PLUS!!!

2011 Winning Tides Buoy Racer are now in stock at Port Hamble and other Force 4 Shops, hurry stocks are moving fast! Also they have the new race marks for the Solent and are the same price as last year £9.90.

Happy Sailing,

Admiral Athena

Top Tips for Preparing to Antifoul your boat

It's that time of year, and all around the marinas you'll start to see boats being readied for the new sailing season ahead.

Probably the most common bit of boat maintenance at this time of year is antifouling. It's a good idea to remember that to prevent an excessive amount of build up of barnacles and other marine growth you should consider antifouling your boat once a year (if it stays in the water!).

You shouldn't be scared of antifouling your boat, and if you have the time and the right tools it's a great way to save some money on the up keep of your boat.

Some useful tips for preparing to antifoul your boat:

1. Get the correct paint. Different types of sailing, coupled with different types of berths require a certain type of antifoul. You can read our guide to choosing the correct antifoul by clicking here.
2. Get the correct tools. We'll generally supply people with; Paint roller and tray, replacement rollers that are suitable for the paint, several pairs of disposable gloves, goggles, dust mask, wet-and-dry sanding paper, a small selection of differing sized paint brushes, masking tape, and the all important disposable suit. A good place to start is our paint protection kit (now reduced from £10.95 to £6.95)
3. Get covered up. Make sure you don't get any of the old antifoul on you or the new antifoul on you. The tools mentioned above will help.
4. Remove growths & barnacles. The hard part is rubbing down the hull and removing any rubbish. Make sure you rub down with wet sanding paper to avoid blistering. Seek an experts advice if you do see blistering.
5. Don't let it peel. When you start going over the hull below the waterline make sure to check for peeling paint, and if necessary re-prime those areas.
6. Damaged Gel Coat. Remember to fix chips in the gel coat, this can be repaired with an epoxy filler.
7. Wash down. Power washers make this bit a lot easier!

Remember our shops are filled with experts, so if you get stuck you can always ask for advice. Chances are they've come across the same problem.

Now we've got even more shops, so you can buy the kit from them and grab advise at the same time:

• Bristol
• Cardiff
• Chichester
• Deacons (Bursledon)
• Hamble (Hamble Point Marina)
• Hamble (Port Hamble Marina)
• Hamble (Mercury Marina)
• Lymington
• Poole
• Swanwick (Southampton)

NEW! Check out Price Cuts on Antifouling Paint by clicking here.

Happy Sailing!

Captain Loz

Foxer Dinghy Sailing

Whilst out cycling on Sunday we detoured to the shore of the River Hamble, for one it’s a beautiful place to visit and two it’s good to get a feel for who’s about, are our shops busy, and what’s going on on the water.

I’m pleased to say that the river looked quite busy, lots of people on board their yachts and motor boats, and plenty of people going up and down the river.

What was really nice to see though was the competition between a fleet of Foxer dinghies. These are single handed dinghies, that I’ve subsequently been informed can be rowed, motorized or as I saw sailed. They looked very agile out on the water and tremendous fun.

I was also informed by our head Rigger that it’s not just youngsters who are competing in these dinghies, in fact far from it, they’ve been embraced by an older generation of sailors, who find them easy to maintain, a quick way to get on the water, and are so closely matched that tactics and blind luck can play a real part!

You can read more about the Foxer dinghy by clicking here:

If you’re interested in getting the correct gear for Foxer dinghy sailing check out some of these products that may come in handy:

Oars & Rowlocks suitable for dinghies

Boat covers, and other useful dinghy sailing accessories

NEW! Dinghy Sailing Clothing ranges for 2011

Plus coming soon, we've got a whole new dinghy range in our Swanwick branch, this will include Marlow ropes dinghy sailing specific hardware, and of course the best dinghy sailing clothing from Gill, Henri Lloyd, Musto and Helly Hansen.

Happy Sailing!

Captain Loz