Friday, September 25, 2020

 Hello Everyone,

 

After 22 months, the High Court of St. Lucia has ruled that Roy's Fleet can be transferred to new ownership.  We are delighted to report that both yachts now have new owners.


Manuel Puente Casal is the new Skipper/Owner of Apollo of Brough, currently berthed at I.G.Y. Rodney Bay Marina, St. Lucia. Manuel says he will be happy to meet any of Roy’s followers on his way.

 

Guiding Light is now safe in the tender loving care of Alasdair and Gill MacLean, who are intending to restore this old lady to her former glory.  Guiding Light is currently also at I.G.Y. Marina, St Lucia. 


Alasdair welcomes all who would like to follow Guiding Light’s progress, restoration and further adventures to look out for his up-dates on Guiding Light’s FaceBook  page:-  


Link: Guiding Light Facebook Page

 

We think Roy would be very happy to know that both of his beloved yachts are in good hands; we wish them all happy sailing and fair winds.


Lynne and Janet. 




Friday, November 15, 2019

Loving memories of our Dear Brother Roy. 
Went missing at sea a year ago today. 

Lynne & Janet

Thursday, July 25, 2019

July 2019 Update

Hello Everyone.

At present, with no date yet for the Coroner’s High Court Hearing in St Lucia, we are concentrating our efforts on trying to find potential future owners for Roy’s boats.

Guiding Light and Apollo pictured in August 2018 with Roy in the Marina at Rodney Bay.
For Guiding Light, we hope to find someone who will love this historic old boat enough to be able to repair her keel leak while she is out of the water, then recaulk before her relaunch.

To this end, Classic Boat Magazine is going to publish a feature about Guiding Light in their September 2019 Issue. (Out early August).

We wanted Roy’s blog followers to have the information first, in case anyone knows of a person with genuine interest, who has access to the skills required to bring GL back to her former glory again. She is being maintained on the hard in Rodney Bay Marina, but is looking rather tired, needs plenty of T.L.C. If anyone wants to reply via the blog comments we’ll give you more details.

Apollo is also needing a new owner – as you know from Roy’s blog posts and pictures from August 2018, he had just finished giving this lovely fibreglass yacht a complete electrical overhaul and generally getting her ready for his next adventure, cruising her in Caribbean waters. Roy was just about to begin the necessary work to sort out Guiding Light’s problems when he went missing.

Roy had Apollo’s last Survey from 2015, and was delighted with her condition – he had sorted a few minor details and given her a new coat of varnish. He was also thrilled by the ease with which he could sail her. He spoke of enjoying a ‘magic’ sail from where she was berthed in Antigua to Falmouth Harbour; he then went on to sail her single-handed to Rodney Bay , St Lucia. On the blog there are more photos of his ‘fleet’ as he referred to the boats, moored together on the same finger in the marina. Apollo is still in very good condition, being maintained and berthed in Rodney Bay Marina.

Again, if anyone has a serious interest in this ‘ready to cruise’ yacht, please get in touch for further details.

Other News

We have details about the tributes and ‘Celebrations of Roy’s Life’ that have taken place in various places.

Lynne and Janet and the rest of Roy’s family have been very grateful for all the expressions of sympathy that have been sent , and by the high regard shown by many people for him.

At the Antigua Classic Regatta the family were touched by the Tribute published in the programme. (reproduced here with kind permission)




The photos which follow here show the Memorial Service held in St Lucia in the Boardwalk Bar last March, when Roy had been missing for 3 months. Photos are from Juliet Sutherland.




The following is from the ‘Celebration of Roy’s Life’ held at Beaumaris on April 6th 2019.

A short ceremony was held on the pontoon at Beaumaris Pier, when a wreath was cast into the water, in sight of the house Roy had owned on the front and Guiding Light’s mooring buoy. A sad moment, but it helped us to move forward again.

Wreath
If you look carefully, Roy's old house is circled.
Gathered on the pontoon at the end of the pier at Beaumaris

Afterwards, about 80 family and friends from far and wide remembered Roy’s eventful life in a variety of ways, with the music he loved and with the ‘Yarn of Roy’s Life’, the tribute from Roy’s family.

Many of the model boats Roy loved to build were on display, plus lots of memorabilia from his life at sea and the boats he sailed in – from huge tankers and cargo ships to luxury yachts and of course the boats he sailed as Skipper/Owner.

The Service Sheet



The video (by Susan) which began the service can be seen on YouTube: - Song of the Ocean Charlie Landsborough

The Yarn of Roy’s Life – the tribute to Roy by his family.


Nick
The Yarn of Roy’s life is our tribute to Roy by his family. (You may think this is long, but to do justice to his achievements we need a week so you’re getting off lightly!)

Lynne
We are holding this service of thanksgiving for Roy’s life without his body, but with the memories of him so strong among us here that his presence is tangible.

If only, like Mark Twain, Roy would walk in here and say, ‘ The rumours of my death have been highly exaggerated’.

All of us have had the greatest difficulty in coping with the fact that he’s not here any more. Roy was a legend in the Caribbean, universally known as the Skipper of ‘Guiding Light’, and as an ‘Old Salt’ who loved to tell his (often long!) but hugely entertaining yarns from his many adventures and times at sea.

Roy cheated death on numerous occasions, having survived electrocution off the coast of Miami, muggings in Odessa, a machete attack in China, and near drowning (by his mates!) when they threw him into a Southampton dock in freezing conditions fully clothed. Roy should have sailed on HMS Derbyshire in 1980, but asked for compassionate leave as our mother had died. Sadly that ship sank with great loss of life, including the Electrical Officer who took Roy’s place.

From an ordinary background he became a Master Mariner, having been a Skipper and Skipper/Owner, a qualified Marine Electrical Engineer and a Marine Diagnostic Engineering Consultant.

His friends remember him as a calm sailor, who loved the exhilaration of racing at a huge rate of knots, always full of joie de vivre, gregarious, up for any fun and ready for a good laugh; always true to himself and willing to stand up for what he believed to be right.

While his family too, fondly remembers him in this way, Roy also used to drive us to distraction, as he worked to tide times and had little idea how we land-lubbers operate our schedules, necessary rules and home maintenance! Although he thought he did!

Karen
Uncle Roy was also very unconventional – my daughters, who are Roy’s grand-nieces, Marie and Cede, remember very vividly that he always kept his lovely BMW motorbike in the hall of his home at Beaumaris, and that they were sometimes allowed to sit on it! I took the girls on board Guiding Light in Liverpool Marina during one of Roy’s trips there.

My brother Rob’s memories are that Uncle Roy was always his ‘cool’ uncle. Rob recalls how he made cool models of boats and engines, some just for show but the ones that were working models were always the most fascinating to him. Rob says, “Uncle Roy used to take me for rides around Liverpool and show me the sights, Show me around the docks, Knotty Ash and tell tales of Jam Butty Mines. He used to give us rides on the back of his motorcycle even though there was only one helmet to use with instructions to hop off and hide if the police ever saw us. We used to go and visit him when he was in Beaumaris and the highlight would be going out with him sailing on his Boats and Yachts, fishing and learning how to get your sea legs.”

My own memories include the time Uncle Roy taught me to play the riff from The Logical Song by ‘Supertramp’ on the guitar – he loved all sorts of music, particularly Rock ‘n Roll and the Beatles, and since being in the Caribbean, added a love of reggae and steel bands. His playlist lasts for 28 days!

Katie
Uncle Roy was also my Godfather. I don’t think he had any choice in the matter, and was somewhat reluctant at first: he told me several times that he kept being given me to hold during the christening, and was terrified he was going to drop me! But much later, he chose to accept that role. On the day of Dad’s funeral, he told me that if I ever had a big decision and wanted Dad’s opinion, I could ask him instead. “I might not give the same answer as your Dad would have done because we’re different people, but I’ll tell you what I think would be best”. Of course whenever I did want an opinion he was at the other side of the world somewhere, but it was good to know that the possibility was there. My brother Steven remembers as a little boy having a sail in a blue boat (Hindel B) down the Menai Straits. Steven has very happy memories of his stay overnight on board Guiding Light in Liverpool Marina. This was after visiting several hostelries during the evening before Uncle Roy and his friends sailed to Holyhead on the first leg of their voyage to New Zealand.

Janet
In Roy’s house at Beaumaris was an indoor workshop full of sawdust and tools of every shape and size. Here Roy also enjoyed his lifelong hobby - model boat building. He was extremely skilled at this, just loved building them; from the age of 14 Roy had built steam engines and radio controlled boats; he sailed the boats with other enthusiasts on Walton Hall Park Lake in Liverpool.

I remember Roy constructing a steam driven pulley system out of my bedroom window into the garden, on which he transported various bits ‘n pieces back and forth. He also used to enjoy putting a poker in our open fire until white hot, then tempering it in the kitchen sink while supposedly baby-sitting his little sister!

You can ask Lynne later on why she never eats cream doughnuts and what connection this has to Roy... In later years, he built a fantastic Steam Tug, 1:10 scale, a Yamaha sailing yacht and his favourite – a scale model of Guiding Light with radio controls that operated the sails.

The model was built with the same materials as GL which Roy had used when he was rebuilding her. He was a very skilled craftsman with wood and metal, and could make electrical motors from scratch. Beaumaris has a permanent memorial of his woodworking craftsmanship at 2 Alma Street. He needed a new front door, so designed and made one for himself out of beautiful teak with a genuine ship’s porthole. Glad to say the current owners like it too!

Lynne 
Roy was born in Whiston, Liverpool in 1947, on 7th April, (the same day as his first cousin once removed Beryl. There are still a few people around who remember Roy as a small mischievous scamp of a boy with scant regard for how he looked – to our Mum’s despair his preferred style made him look like a ragamuffin! A dare-devil, into all sorts of scrapes, our Mum reckoned that Alder Hey Hospital had Xrays of every part of his body...

Roy served a six year marine electrical engineering apprenticeship before he went to sea in 1968 at 21 as an Electrical Engineering Officer with Cunard Steamship Company in the Merchant Navy. Roy was very proud of his home city of Liverpool, and was often called the ‘scouse lekky’.

Lunchtimes during Roy’s early apprentice years as an armature winder in the early 60’s were often spent running down the Dock Road in Liverpool up to ‘The Cavern’ where he would listen to the Beatles perform before they became famous.

Ken 
I’ve known Roy since he was 10, and already mad on boats. At age 16 Lynne and I took him with us on a Norfolk Broads Cabin Cruiser holiday – this ignited his determination and dream to own his own boat one day.

When he finally began to earn a bit of money Roy did buy his first boat - an empty hull! All he could afford! His plan was to make a cabin cruiser out of it. However, as he then went away to sea, it never happened!

It must be said that Roy knew, more than most, the risks he took. He was a sailor with the greatest respect for the sea, tides and unpredictable weather, but was willing to engage with all of this to pursue his dream. During his later years at sea with Guiding Light Roy told us many times that we shouldn’t worry about him, he was doing what he had always wanted to do – and loved doing it. The relaxed and laid-back surroundings of the yachting community in the Caribbean exactly suited him, with the bonus of stunning scenery and beautiful weather.

Janet
In the early 70’s Roy bought a cabin cruiser from Mr Barnes moored in Abersoch called ‘Senrab’. This was a converted lifeboat from the ‘Empress of France’ which needed a refit.

On Roy’s first voyage in Senrab, sailing towards Liverpool the engine failed just outside Bangor. Dickies Boatyard gave him a tow, and Roy ended up on the Point at Beaumaris as the best place to repair and store Senrab while he was away at sea.

Our Mum and Dad went to visit the boat, as caretakers while Roy was away. They spent many happy times there, using it as a holiday home for a number of years.

It was during these years, during his leave times that Roy got to know so many friends and felt Beaumaris was his own special place.

Karen
Roy bought ‘Hindel B’, named in memory of his Mum, our Grandma, and in 1982 bought the house in Alma Street with his Dad and Pete Randall. Pete was an ‘Old Salt’ who lived on his boat in the summer and maintained the moorings at Beaumaris in the winter. Eventually Roy bought them out to own the house himself and lived in beautiful Beaumaris for 30 years. When on leave he used to love sail his boat and his house was the place for many good times and parties with his friends

‘Hindel B’ was a beautiful Cornish Shrimper and a very speedy vessel. The members of the Royal Anglesey Yacht Club were very intrigued by Roy’s sailing competence and his lovely boat. During his long career at sea he sailed with Cunard, the Bibby Line, then in many foreign flag ships, including large container vessels.

Roy then became Electrical Engineer on board a luxury yacht, ‘Midnight Saga’ owned by Mr Petter Sundt, the Chairman of Bergesens Norwegian shipyard.

Still on the lookout for his dream boat, in late 1993 he saw a beautiful old wooden historic boat badly in need of restoration – built in 1936, her name was Guiding Light, and Roy fell in love with her. He sold Hindel B, bought Guiding Light, then during a lengthy spell ashore in Southampton in 1994 restored her to sailing condition and sailed her back to Beaumaris.

Nick
Later, he served on ‘Midnight Saga II’ as Skipper/Engineer. On one occasion Roy sailed down the Menai Straits, Anglesey, to show Mr Sundt where he lived, and moored just off the Pier.

After this he spent a few years in Holland as a Marine Electrical Engineer and Commissioning Engineer working on the construction of a number of beautiful yachts including one of his favourites, the ILONA. YanTei in China was where he worked again as the Marine Engineering Consultant, for 3 years commissioning the yacht ‘Nero’ and supervising modifications after the sea trial.

In between his times at sea, he always returned to Beaumaris and set up his own Marine Diagnostic Company, ‘Boatwise’.

He completed the restoration of Guiding Light and really enjoyed sailing her. When in Beaumaris he loved sailing the Straits, competing and winning trophies in local and the Conway River Festival Regattas, and sailing to Ireland, Isle of Man and Liverpool for the fun of it.

Lynne
In 2008 Roy decided now was the time to have an adventure with Guiding Light. So, as is now recorded in his Blog, he set off in May 2009, age 62, to sail to New Zealand to see how far it was. The rest of Roy’s story is told in his own words in his Blog – something our family will always treasure. It’s open for all to read at his Blog address.

It tells the story of how amazing his adventure turned out to be - with enormous highs and totally devastating lows - and many hilarious moments too. (Such as when he tried to make fishcakes out of the flying fish that landed on deck in the middle of the Atlantic!)

The worst moment, of course, was when Guiding Light went on the reef and for two days looked as if she would be lost. His adventures included visiting the wonderful islands of the Caribbean, entering (and often winning) the many regattas in Antigua, St Maarten, St Kitts & Nevis, Martinique, St Thomas, B.V.I’s, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Trinidad and more; but St Lucia remained very special to him.

The highlight of Roy’s adventure came in 2010, after sailing single-handed across the Atlantic in Guiding Light when he went on to win the Vintage Class of the Classic Regatta in Antigua; together with the Concors d’Elegance in the Vintage Personally Maintained Yachts category. Roy himself was awarded the Arnie Fritzel prize, for sailing Guiding Light single handed across the Atlantic, displaying exemplary seamanship under adverse circumstances: the committee citing Guiding Light a sound vessel for strength and safety at sea.

This was the moment when Roy with Guiding Light completely fulfilled his dream; he owned this sweet old wooden boat that had responded to his seamanship by winning the Classic in such a spectacular way. And although his adventures have ended, there are not many people who have had their dream come true in such a wonderful way – and this is a great comfort to us.

Last Words Rev’d Alan Leach 

Let the last words be Roy’s own. From the interview he gave to Classic Boat Magazine after his wonderful win Roy is quoted as saying,

“This venue is a fantasy dream that you never think you’d be able to achieve. But you never know where life is going to lead you, and here I am.

I think The Beatles, my favourite band in the 70’s said it best – ‘It’s a magical mystery tour’ that’s what life is.

Just look at what we’ve done...to have crossed the Atlantic with this boat alone was a dream come true. Then to achieve this is ...well magical”.

Blessing - Rev. Alan Leach 

So, farewell Roy.

Go gently on your voyage Slip away with the ebb tide

Rejoice in the new sunrise

May the moon make a path across the sea for you

The Son provide a welcome

May the sea receive you as you go from our love into the presence of love’s completeness. 

April, 2019.

Memories of Roy from friends and family

These have been scanned from written comments at the celebration














Posted by Lynne and Janet - July 2019

Saturday, January 26, 2019

Hello everyone who is visiting Roy’s Blog.

As promised, we are letting you know how things are proceeding.

Sadly, we are now certain that Roy has been lost at sea.

In St. Lucia and in Beaumaris there will be a ‘Celebration of Roy’s Life’.

In St. Lucia this is to take place on Friday, February 15th at 7.00pm onwards at the Boardwalk Bar, Rodney Bay Marina.  This will be the 3 month anniversary of Roy’s disappearance.

In Beaumaris, UK, this is to take place on Saturday, April 6th, from 12.30pm - 5.00pm at Beaumaris Leisure Centre ( Canolfan Beaumaris) Rating Row, Beaumaris, LL58 8AL North Wales. This is the day before what would have been Roy’s 72nd birthday. It will be an informal service followed by a Buffet.

On both occasions we hope everyone will find comfort in sharing their memories of Roy, and remembering all the fun, the yarns and happy times we spent with him.

We still have no time scale at all for the High Court Hearing in St. Lucia; the legal aspects regarding missing people take a very long period of time to proceed. Until this has taken place we are not able to publish an obituary; but we are working on an article to give to the local newspapers to acknowledge Roy’s life and achievements.

In the UK the British Maritime Foundation keep a Memorial Book for seafarers in  ‘All Hallows by the Tower’ in Central London, for all who have been lost at sea with no known grave. They have a Service of Remembrance every year in October.  We intend to put Roy’s name in the Book, which is also in digital form. The on-line version has a photo with the entry too. We will be putting the photo of Roy with Guiding Light in the on-line book as soon as we have had the High Court Hearing and our loss is legally recognised. Again, we will publish the link and details of this on the Blog and Guiding Light Facebook pages.

Lynne and Janet,  Roy’s sisters.


Monday, December 24, 2018

Christmas Up-date

Hello everyone,

Our latest news is that there is still not much more to tell you.

It’s the most difficult part, the not knowing what happened to Roy. All we know is that sadly, the Coastguard and Royal Marine Police of St Lucia have concluded their searches and investigations after six weeks. They and the Foreign Office believe from all their investigations that Roy and his dinghy are lost at sea. So now it really seems that Roy’s wonderful adventures with Guiding Light have ended.

There is to be a High Court Hearing in St Lucia at a date to be arranged sometime in the future, but we have no time scale for that. Until then, we have arranged for Roy’s boats to be maintained and looked after while these necessary legal processes proceed.

To those of Roy’s friends and neighbours in Beaumaris, the family hope to have a service to celebrate Roy’s life and achievements in February/March. Details will be posted here.

After the hearing in St Lucia we will perhaps arrange a similar service for those who knew Roy in his life in the Caribbean. We will then also be making a statement to the press, but as we have no more information at present, all we can say is a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to everyone who has supported and helped us during this traumatic time.

Roy wouldn’t want these events to cast gloom over everyone at this time of year, so hope you will all remember past happy times with him very fondly and enjoy the Christmas and New Year festivities in your usual way.

Friday, December 7, 2018

A message from Roy's sisters

This is a message from Roy’s sisters Lynne and Janet.

Hi everyone who is visiting this blog



While still hoping that Roy will turn up with a really amazing yarn, sadly there is still no news of him; he remains missing.

We would like to thank everyone for their messages of love and support, it is a difficult time for us all. We know that Roy meant a great deal to lots of people.

We will update this site immediately should we receive any information from the Marine Police, our Solicitor and contacts in St. Lucia should there be any further news of him.

In the meantime, please be assured that we are in the process of arranging a maintenance programme for both boats, thus ensuring Guiding Light and Apollo are being cared for as safely as Roy would wish.

Anyone with any further information should contact the Royal St. Lucia Marine Police, or the UK Foreign Office. You can also leave a comment on this blog - click the title of this post to open it in a new page, and enter your comment in the box at the bottom.

Please note: comments will not be published unless the family can reply personally, through the Administrator, which means a return email address is required.

Love Lynne, Janet and Roy’s family.

Sunday, November 25, 2018

Roy missing from Rodney Bay anchorage, St Lucia

Roy Boughton, Guiding Light

Roy Boughton, the author of this blog, went missing on 15th November 2018. This is a message from his sister Lynne:
For all Roy's friends who may visit this page:-
Thank you for asking sailors far and wide to look out for Roy and for your concern. As yet there is still no news or sightings, the coastguard have had an air and sea search going on today. 
We hope and pray for a happy outcome. Will post any further news here as well as contacting others. Lynne, Roy's sister. 22 November 2018
Anyone with any information should contact the Coastguard or the UK Foreign Office. You can also leave a comment on this blog - click the title of this post to open it in a new page, and enter your comment in the box at the bottom.

This message was posted by his concerned friends in Beaumaris, Anglesey, which Roy called home for 30 years.


Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Hi Everyone,
No Pics today cos left the camera on the boat!
Update
Have just about finished tidying up Apollo after giving a lot of the wood a fresh coat of varnish, She is looking good now. Have been moving my clothes  to Apollo via 'Suds' laundry as it's nice and dry there, make a change from wearing damp T shirts.
St Lucia is now in the rainy season and we have been getting a lot of it. Trinidad got it very bad and had lots of flooding.
Boats are both at anchor, I do have some pics to post next time I come into the marina, I have been toying with the idea of filming the journey from the fleet to the internet place and show some of the scenery on the way so look out for that later. will also post the pics of Apollo when I have all the jobs done.
So will sign off now, being a long way outside, I have to choose the right time to get ashore, need at least 1 hour!

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

St Lucia Update

Hi Everyone!
Well here I am in IGY Marina Rodney Bay, and at last they have fixed the internet service, its only  taken six years to happen !!! So this Post has pictures as well !!!

First three pics were taken after buying Apollo and antifouling the bottom ready for the launch No other work required.





I hope the plum bow shows up ok.
Next job was to take her round to Falmouth Harbour from the boat yard  North Sound Marina.
After launching Guiding light I took her round from the Slipway boat yard and anchored her just off the Sailing Academy dock in Falmouth.
So then went up to North Sound with Susie (Spirited Lady) and her crew James who had volunteered to help with the fist sail. We had already put the sails on ready.
So Apollo was launched and we has a magic sail around the coast to Falmouth, it was a long journey, it took 4 hours and having launched a bit late we just made it to the dock before it went pitch black.
Next morning I moved her off and anchored next to Guiding Light



 I then did a full survey of her to find everything, I hadn't found all the batteries even. Afterwards I found the engine batteries were dead, I had to go and buy 2 new ones, The reason for this was an incorrect voltage SSB transceiver had been fitted ! ie 12 volts DC instead of 24 volts DC which is the fitted system aboard, To get 12v whoever did it connected the negative wire to the centre strap of the 2 engine start batts, this then fried both 12v batts with 24 volts ! being a lecky I fixed this buy completely removing the equipment and selling it to Ian on Salima, he had helped me in Antigua when my last engine blew up a couple of years ago, its on the blog, 2015 I think. During this I found the service batteries, they are 2 banks of 2 batts each giving 24v, but they had been paralleled, not good ! Having no shore power or charger they relied on running the main engine to charge them up, being large capacity ie 460 amp hours in total the engine could not achieve this, so that was a future job when I had the boat down In St Lucia. Meanwhile my friend Renford helped sand and varnish seal the cockpit sole and the shower grating.




It was then time to move both boats, First to go was Apollo, she has no dinghy as yet so I coulden't take GLs and would have to go into the Marina when I arrived. This journey was my first in Apollo on my own, putting sails up sailing and so on which was all new to me. I had an amazing sail in high winds, leaving on Sunday late afternoon and arriving in Rodney Bay early Tuesday morning....But it was blowing a hooligan, 32 knots and now I had to drop the sails. Genoa is a furling one so that was dead easy, Main however was becoming a pain as being much lighter than GL I couldn't manage to keep her head to windward, I had fitted Lazy Jacks in Falmouth so.....I took the engine out of gear and drifted with the wind (all done in the shelter of the cockpit) loosed the main-sheet then when the boat seemed calm enough still blowing 32 knts I just let go the haliyard, I couldn't see the sail from where I was, but did hear it coming down swoosh, looking out the sail had flaked itself perfect on the boom and with just 2 sail ties I secured the sail and went into a berth in the Marina !!! Magic !!
I then attended to the Batteries, drew out a connection diagram bought a couple of switches and wired them up properly. Couldn't find a Battery charger but the engine could now do a better Job
4x 115 amp hour service batts under the port bunk in the saloon
 
Engine Batts under the floor Aft

I had to wait till the next Tuesday for a flight back to Antigua to get Guiding Light. Arrived there then because no one had one in Antigua I tried to get one sent to St Lucia first, from Island Water World and having it sent to St Lucia,  that got very complicated so canceled that one after ordering and paying for it. They wanted 180 US $ delivery charge from St Maarten, a similar story from Budget Marine store and that was me Failed. So decided to sail to St Lucia Via St Maarten and get it myself. This I did, took only 1 night to cross between Island stayed 3 days getting all the bis successfully then left St Maarten for St Lucia.

As a little note I had met a friend in Antigua 'Kevin Gray' who told me of the disastrous effects of the Hurricanes last year !! he himself had been wiped out with his boat sunk and no clothes losing everything he had. He introduced me to a new weather site that he claimed was so accurate as to be scary. His boat wasn't to blame for it sinking as he had known and prepared for it, unfortunately a huge steel boat like 80 foot had broken free and sank on top of his boat in Road Town Tortola. 235 mile an hour sustained winds for over 20 minutes !! I can not imagine what that must have been like.

So before leaving St Maarten I checked out the forecast on the site, I had a 2 day weather window or have to wait more than a week before the tropical wave coming had passed. This meant leaving Friday late afternoon, and had to get to Dominica late Sat but before Sunday otherwise it would get me !!!
I trusted the info and left, I was able to watch as the storm approached and engulf Guadalupe and Dominica Saturday night sailed all day Sunday with it behind me and arrived in Rodney Bay Monday morning at 0700hrs journey taking only 50 hrs in calm weather. Site is called Passagemaker.com . and IS accurate !!
Following are a few Pics of what I've been up too



new fresh water tank lid fitted as found to be leaking




empty engine batt box




painted bilge underneath shower grating



following 2 pics = going round to Jolly Harbour to clear customs and be legally entitled to leave Antigua with minimum cost !  very scary two days. After being threatened with paying 18 months of cruising charges which I wasn't about to do,  I waited the weekend and went again on Monday morning, they went through all my documents and came up with the cost as only 20 EC$ that's about £5.00, and now legal with no worries

2 pics towing dinghy round to clear customs in Jolly Harbour




Shore connection fitted and power cable connected in St Lucia



double 13 amp socket fitted by chart table, charger fitted underneath chart table



2 New change over control switches fitted

 Next pics are of me and my fleet along side the same finger in Rodney Bay Marina !! this may never happen again
















So that is me all up to date, Apollo has now been moved to anchor GL next but have a few items to attend to first

Roy





Saturday, August 4, 2018

GL is on her way.

Hi Everyone,
Well GL is now ready to go, first to Jolly harbour for shopping and clearing customs , and then a small change to plan 'A' I will go to St Maarten first, this is to pick up a 24 volt DC charger for Apollo. I failed to get one sent to me in Antigua, so.... it will also give me a chance to get 2 spare parts for Guiding Light, and have them sent there from the states. Not worried about Apollo as on the dock. So next post should be from St Maarten.
have fun everyone.
A very special get well soon wish goes to Jayne Mac. had a very mild attack similar this year so have a slight knowledge of what its like.

More coming
Roy

Wednesday, August 1, 2018

Udate of Apollo and Guiding Light

Hi everyone
Arrived in St Lucia week ago today at 08:30hrs, very strong winds for the whole trip, wind was then up to 32 Knots !! in Rodney Bay.
I was worried about getting the sail down, not having done that yet.
I couldn't keep the bow into the wind so stopped the eng. and waited for Apollo to stop, then whilst still in the cockpit I just let the main halyard go ! The sail came down perfectly folding itself up on the boom, wow I was impressed. I went out and put 3 ties round the sail and then went to a berth in the Marina.
Yesterday I flew back to Antigua  and I am now aboard GL again, couple of jobs to to then I'll do the same trip again in GL.
Apollo behaved very well and is seriously a very good sea boat, I would have no qualms on taking her out on the Ocean. didn't even get wet in the white out rain that came down on us ! I do get wet on GL as nowhere to hide. 
So amazingly everything went to plan, lets hope the next installment has the same result
More coming
Roy

Monday, July 23, 2018

Sy Lucia here I come

Hi Everyone have cleared customs and now legal to take Apollo anywhere.
Leaving right now for Falmouth then St Lucia.
Roy

Friday, July 20, 2018

Apollo First

I am ready now to move, I am starting with Apollo tomorrow move to customs and clear out then off to St Lucia, Have a weather window. Arrive there clear in go to pub, book flight back to Antigua and bring Guiding light there. Next bit down to Carriacou I will need someone to take Apollo there, have a good way of getting someone by offering them Apollo to take part in the regatta there in 2 weeks time no Charge.
But this is boats and it can all change at the drop of your hat overboard !!!!
More coming
Roy

Thursday, July 12, 2018

Hi ALL,
Getting the new boat ship shape and Bristol Fashion.
it has taken longer than I thought it would, but nearly ready now, Anyone fancying a Grenadian winter sailing holiday this year? I am taking orders now, giggle giggle. Could even include doing the Grenada Sailing Festival Racing !!! She is a fast boat and a comfy ride ! Sailing in the Tobago Cay's is a Joy you can't imagine till you've done it.
More about Guiding Light later.
Roy


Tuesday, June 5, 2018

Intro to Apollo

Hi Everyone,

Well lots of unexpected work to the boat when all I wanted to do was fit the new echo transducer.
After all the bad weather from November last and no extra leaks or other issues it was a big and scary surprise for me.
photos following are some not all of the classics, my repair of the lead to wooden keel and finally fitting the transducer. I am now antifouling the bottom, and of course my first photo of Apollo on the hard in North Sound Marina Antigua, That was checked this Monday with friends and all was in serious good condition. I am trying to upload some pics now.



















these last 2 pics are me lining up the sounder horizontal, port, starb., fwd and aft before welding it all together, all now done

Roy