Calling all boat bimblers! Show us what you've been up to
by The YachtsandYachting.com team 26 Mar 11:30 GMT
'Innuendo' after many layers of varnish © Andrew Wilford
If you have spent the winter engrossed in boat DIY, whether it was small modifications or massive rebuilds, YachtsandYachting.com would love to hear from you. We think it's time to share your story with the world. We'd like to encourage you to submit photos and a few words about what you have been up to in your workshop during the off season. We'd like to publish news of what sailors have been up to.
With racing cancelled, and many of us having time on our hands, it may be that you are just starting to contemplate some work on your pride and joy. Thoughts naturally turn to the boats in our garages, and a few ideas offer themselves up! Please do consider taking some good before-and-after photos, and letting the sailing community know that you've got your hands dirty or how you've solved a problem in a cunning way. It's almost guaranteed you will find a receptive audience at this time.
Your submission can be as simple as a few photos emailed to but ideally we'd love you to write a little about what you've done and the challenges you faced. If writing makes you feel daunted then please leave your phone number so we can have a chat to get some information to accompany your photos.
Videos are always welcomed - it's not a contest to be the fanciest, but it's great to show your hard work from every angle. Or perhaps the photos belie the hard work that was required to get to the end result, so do explain this to us, and we can edit your story if you worry that your writing skills are not immediately publishable.
If you have gone so far as to write your own blog all about your repairs, renovations or inventions, we'd love to see that too. Last year we followed James Sainsbury building his foiling Moth Valkyrie, but you don't have to be getting fancy with carbon fibre to deserve a mention; we'd love to see all levels of work, on all sorts of boats both faster and slower.
If you want to get started on a new project, don't despair at the lack of chandlers open for browsing. Internet orders are still being processed by the main companies you are familiar with, although some have a small delay due to staffing problems.
So, please, email photos/videos/links and a little explanation to and we'd love to share your hard work to the nation.
Get your hands dirty, pimp that ride, and tell us all about it!