Saltimbanque
 
News of Saltimbanque :
- Already some stories to tell !
- What's new
- How does that work ?

 
Already some stories to tell !
Saltimbanque, a Brise de Mer 28, joined us in 2008, right back from a 3 year journey around the Atlantic with his former owners. Together we have already sailed over 20 000 milles, close to 40 000 km, including a trip around the Northern Atlantic in 2011-2012, which you can discover - again - here.

With it we rode various seas and an ocean, touched 3 continents and 20 countries, discovered dream anchorages (and other less sheltered), got anxious in gales and surfed pushed by the trade winds in our spinnaker, sweated in 40°C and spent winters under the snow.

Saltimbanque in Sine Saloum, Senegal, November 2011

Saltimbanque in the middle of the Atlantic, May 2012
We know it by heart, and the reverse is probably true ! It's part of the family and naturally we keep on travelling together, always the extra mile.

Years after years, Saltimbanque hasn't become longer, it's still showing off its 8m50 (28 feet). It has actually little changed since the description we wrote in 2011 here, and is still maintained with a lot of love, a spaner size 12 and some WD40.
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What's new
Back from our long trip, Saltimbanque is doing very well for a 40 year old boat whose hull has sailed the equivalent of 2 round-the-world journeys. A bit of maintenance and some checks are necessary, even though everything is globally all right.

We sandpaper the hull in 2014, down to the Zinc layer locally (the boat is painted with Zinc silicate "inversalu" which works as an anode on the whole surface). Everything looks totally healthy, not a single spot of corrosion. Relieved, we apply our usual painting treatment: 3 layers of epoxy primer then antifouling Trilux from International.


Papersanding the hull, Newhaven in Enland, winter 2014

Our home made stern anchor, compulsory for the Baltic sea.
The damaged parts are replaced as the milage increases:

- The solar panel and its regulator in 2012, as the previous one had died in Ireland (too much sun maybe)
- The engine throttle in 2013
- The main sail in 2014: we loved the old one, but its 4 Atlantic crossings had made it as round as a gennaker... Sanders sailmaker in Lymington (England) made the same for us, but brand new, and we are perfectly happy!
- The engine itself in 2015: we had to get rid of our beloved Nestor, which was still working but was showing advanced signs of corrosion.  After a mourning period we had to welcome Junior onboard ! It is very nice and shiny and already had it first break down, how cute :o)
- The silent blocks and a part of the engine structure in aluminium which was corroding, at the same time in 2015.
- The rudder bearing in 2015 also
- The winch for the main sail halyard in 2015 also
- We sandpapered and painted the fresh water tanks also in 2015 (what a year....)
- The spreader bars, a shroud and the forestay in 2016 following an accident when taking the mast down for wintering....

Plus of course a few layers of paint on the deck and some maintenance of the furniture inside, which is still very cosy and welcoming!

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How does that work ?
Sailing and its associated odd jargon can sound quite mysterious to the beginners onshore. Nothing really complicated actually, here are a few explanations with pictures of the most frequents maneuvres.
Sailing is piece of cake ! In the middle of the equatorial Atlantic ocean..., December 2011

Hop, hands off ! North of Holland, summer 2010
Saltimbanque is a rather simple boat that can be hanlded without problem alone or with two people. Or even by itself when we leave Bob at the driving seat. Bob is our wind vane.
When the wind pushes us, blowing moderately, we set the large spinneaker :o)

Jumping the symmetrical spinneaker

Jumping the asymmetrical spinneaker
We also have an asymetrical spinneaker, slightly smaller, that we can easily fly when the wind is between abeam and reaching.
Everything is ready ? It's time to pick up the mooring lines and leave the harbour.

Leaving Fjällbacka, summer 2017

Simple, isn't it ? Then follow us northwards to hear about our new adventures...

Quite a while since Saint-Martin and its lagoon (April 2012)

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