My dad and bro- gone yottie

My Father and Brother Gone Yachtie

Since the end of summer, a simmering idea

My dad Tez and brother Pete have been sailing around the Corio Bay area for a couple of years now with Pete's friend Larry. The other year dad and Larry were in a race, using whiz bang technology to steer around the lanes... Notice, not navigate... They laughed at some other yotties that were aground. Griinnnnd. They joined the club. This last year Pete has nearly fallen off when larry's boat was in a squall. Please note, this is second hand news...

But, somehow or other, an idea was simmering between them. 

Dad has a quiet life, kids all gone, [for now], twentyfour/seven looking after my wheelchair-bound but bright as a button mum. He does not get out of the house long enough to relax, unless we gang up and pitch in to help out as often as six siblings can manage. A golf round does not count, nor does a quick fishing trip down the street with the mad as a black hatter smarty bum Labrador "Lockie". A night or two away from it. Last time was working on my sister's farmlet three hours away to the north. What does happen pretty regularly is that the weekend ends up rained out...

pete is becoming an empty nester. I think. Four kids out on the loose, either working or studying or planniong on a trip overseas. He and wife Weez are now on nearly up to ten years of running a finger food catering company west of the Big Smoke in the former gold mining district- now a great boutique wine region. And he has been sailing with Larry...

Autumn

"been looking at coutta boats" was a new telephone talking point as summer ran into autumn when ever news was exchanged and then the inevitable "what's new?" came up. 

Port Phillip bay- thanks NASA-
Corio Bay in the SE, just cut out the mooring area,
The Big Smoke up the top of the Bay,
but this pic misses The Heads, captured in last pic below.

masted Couta Boats

These coutta motorised boats were designed for the bay fishing industry, or close enough, not ocean going. Usually with a sail in the old days and wide. Typically kept moored in the little ports sprinkled along the shores of Port Phillip Bay. These days as the fishing has gone quiet the boats are making a come back for recreational sailors as weekend racers or cruisers. But pretty expensive. 

At the end of Autumn, they found a yacht instead.

Winter

A proud dad

The yacht they found was for sale, and up on the wharf being micro detailed by the owner. The hull is of solid gum [eucalyptus], a draught of about 5 or 6 feet, a keel, not a centreboard contraption like AustraliaII for these guys! The design is of British origin, and well known as a great sailing vessel. The one the boys were looking at had been up and down the east coast, across to Tassie and island hopping Bass Strait too. Forty years of sailing, and in great shape, hardly a pint of dirty water in the bilge dad reckoned. The mast was being refitted/renewed on a shed when I visited early June.

Te Boyz

The other week the mast was restepped. The sails have been given a clean up, the insides tidied and the technology up to date. And the fellas are eager to go.

File pic...

My preferred sailing either

or

The first overnighter for dad and pete planned for Spring is around to Portarlington. So far.

First overnighter- around the lower headland, The Heads is the NoGo area to the right...

Looking forward to going out with My dad and bro- going yotting.