A183 – Fairey Marine Atalanta Owners Association Website

Bluster

CLASS/SAIL
DATE BUILT
HULL NUMBER

Atalanta A183
November 1966
196

LAST NOTIFIED INFORMATION (to 2024) /

- Other names	Thursday's Child
- Condition	Restoring
- Location	Aberdeenshire
- Engine	Yanmar 1GM
- Rig	Masthead, metal

Comments: Owned by same family for over 45 years. Cruised actively and extensively every year until recently. Now undergoing very thorough restoration.
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Browse the archive for this boat below.
o Gallery - photos through the years
o Blog and Forum Topics - contributed photographs and commentary
o Register - key changes through the years
o Press Appearances - AOA Bulletin and public media articles
o AOA Trophies and Awards

Gallery

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Contributed Blog

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	Cockpit Corner Reinforcement and Repairs to Aft Bulkhead 2021 August - Bluster has guard rail stanchions at the aft end of the cockpit. These were bolted through the stringer and the deck with a block beneath and above. Unfortunately, after being pushed around a bit, the water had got in and rotted the deck, so the plan was to insert a more substantial block to take ... Comments:
	Repairing the Split in the Topsides 2021 July - As reported in Bluster’s last blog post, there was a worrying split in the topsides at the starboard aft end of the cockpit where the aft deck moulding is joined to the one at the side of the cockpit. To repair it, the laminates were stripped back to good wood, leaving approximately one inch overlaps ... Comments:
	Repairs around the rubbing strake 2021 June - The hot sunny weather we are having in Scotland at the moment is ideal for wood repairs as the exposed laminates are nice and dry before being sealed in with epoxy. Water collecting behind the rubbing strake where it was not well glued to the hull had got into the hull and deck laminates and caused ... Comments:
	Bluster Progress – Removing Rusty Iron and Making Good 2021 May - Work on Bluster has continued in April and early May. Much of April was spent removing rusty bolts from the engine bay area and rudder skeg. The keel stops were removed without difficulty, the bolt heads and nuts just fell off when hit with a spanner. Only one of the eight bolts securing them had ... Comments:
	Bluster’s Keels and Steelwork Removed 2021 March - After much prevaricating, Bluster’s trailer was removed and the keels lowered to the ground. The supporting steelwork was then also removed for inspection. Before removing the trailer, I cut off most of the keel band. This was rusty, but still had quire a bit of steel left. However, some of the securing screws were broken and ... Comments:
	Steering Gear Wear and Corrosion 2021 February - With the snow melting and the weather warmed up (relatively), work on Bluster has resumed with the stripping out of the steering mechanism. The whipstaff bearing had a bit of play, but I wanted to take it out to inspect it. This was easier said than done because the square bushing on the cockpit side had ... Comments:
	Engine Bearers and Thrust Bearing 2021 February - The weather continues to be very cold this winter in Aberdeenshire, and now we also have 20 cm of snow. Consequently, not so much work has been done on Bluster. After much work with angle grinder, lump hammer, punches, spanners and pipe wrench , the engine bearers, and the bolts supporting them, have all been removed. ... Comments:
	Bluster’s 1GM10 Serviced and painted 2021 January - Bluster’s engine was winterised, but otherwise in reasonable working order. It was badly rusted in places, the fuel and oil pipes were beginning to rust, and the paint was peeling off much of the lower half, so it needed a partial strip-down, clean up and repaint. Most of the bits that could be removed without ... Comments:
	Getting Bluster’s Engine Out 2020 December - Bluster currently has a Yanmar 1GM10 diesel engine, a replacement for the Volvo Penta that she previously had. It has been fairly reliable, but the paint was peeling off the lower half due to excessive amounts of bilge water at times, one of the rubber mounts needed replacing, and the water pump needed rebuilding. The ... Comments:
	Repairs to Bluster’s Bow 2020 November - Work has continued on repairing the bow area of Bluster. The deck area had some rot wherever it had been penetrated by a screw or bolt, allowing water to get into the end grain of the laminates. The king plank was full of holes from alterations to the stem fitting, but was not rotten, so ... Comments:
	Bluster’s Foredeck Repairs 2020 September - The foredeck from the cockpit to the forehatch has now been repaired and just needs fairing and some longitudinal slats replacing. The top laminate repairs on the bubble have now been faired and a start made to placing an additional lamination on top of it to replace thickness lost due to sanding in the past sometime. ... Comments:
	Cockpit Restoration 2020 July - I am now restoring Bluster’s cockpit at deck level. Getting the jib sheet tracks off (all four of them) was a struggle as many of the brass bolts were corroded into the wood, sheared off, and had to be drilled out. The curved pieces of deck at the aft end of the cockpit are also in ... Comments:
	Bluster Refit Progress 2020 July - Making the most of the warm weather and Covid19 lockdown to work on repairing the deck laminations and replace the rotten frame tops. Progress is slow, but steady. Comments:
	Side Deck Strengthening 2020 June - On Bluster, between the companionway bulkhead and the main bulkhead the side deck and blister were joined without any reinforcement other than the quarter round on the outside. This led to separation, water ingress, rot, and my son putting his foot through the deck, It was patched up and reinforced with a steel bar under ... Comments:
	Diesel Bug in Fuel Tank 2019 July - Why you should always add a biocide to your diesel fuel (see photographs)! The algal gloop formed a mat lying on the bottom of the tank. As there was a 3 cm gap below the fuel pickup to the flat bottom of the tank, the fuel siphoned out of the tank was clean. Removing the tank ... Comments:
	Bluster in two big bits (and many small bits) 2019 June - Bluster is now under an all-weather cover so it is possible to work on her even when the weather is not as fine as it should be. Many of the fittings have been stripped off, and today the coachroof was separated from the deck. This was quite a job, but needed doing as she had developed ... Comments:
	Refit of Bluster Started 2019 April - Work has started on Bluster’s major refit, now that the weather is warmer and dryer. I am starting to strip off the bits that have not been off for a long time, if ever, to expose what lies beneath and repair it if necessary, starting with the deck as many of the known soft and ... Comments:
	Bluster arrives in Scotland, from Suffolk 2018 August - After many years of being based at Ramsholt on the Deben and sailing the Thames Estuary with forays to Holland, France and Scotland (by trailer), Bluster has now moved to Scotland where she will undergo a refit before hopefully cruising the east, north and west coasts. [EDITOR Note: See also the post from the AOA Forum ... Comments:
	The Best Laid Plans-A183 Bluster’s log-July/August 2012 2013 February - The best laid plans …… Or an enjoyable alternative“Where are you going for your summer cruise Jane?” ”Hopefully West, but if that Comments:

References in Forum Topics

(Based on contributors tagging their posts with the sail number e.g. A71, 31/3)

'; None

Register

Ownership history is available only to members of the AOA
or by exception in response to an enquiry through the Contact Us link at the foot of this page.

Sail_No	Year	BoatName	Owner	HomePort	Condition	Rig	Engine	Notable EVENT
A183	2020		Stearn, Jonathan					Thorough restoration being documented on the website. Blister-off repairs to deck.
A183	2018			Aberdeenshire	Restoring			Jonathan Stearn takes over care of boat. After a prolific series of race wins, extensive cruising and many years of DIY maintenance, Jane swallows the Atalanta Anchor.
A183	1996		Stearn, Jane					Ted Stearn dies
A183	1992						Yanmar 1GM
A183	1975	Bluster	Stearn, Ted & Jane	Ramsholt, Suffolk				New owner runs Brooksby Hall agricultural college.
A183	1966	Thursday's Child	Cox	Cox, JW	Sailing	Masthead, metal	Volvo MB 10A

AOA Bulletin and Press Appearances

ArchID	Type	AClass	Category	Ref	Page No	Title	ABoat	ABoat_Name	Author	APages	APrice	Link
280	Bulletin	26, T,F,31	j. Interior - Mods, Equipment & Gadgetry	1976-77	7	Modifications to Bluster. 1 Modification, Back Rests, Lee Boards, Fender Board, Gang Plank.	A183	Bluster	Stearn, EFR & MH	0	2	Link
279	Bulletin	26, T,F,31	k. Exterior - Mods, Equipment & Gadgetry	1976-77	7	Modifications to Bluster. 1 Modification, 4 Uses: Bow-Roller Pawl, Fender Board, Gang Plank.	A183	Bluster	Stearn, EFR & MH	0	2	Link
282	Bulletin	26, T,F,31	m. Cruises & Cruising	1976-77	12	An Eastcoaster Goes West	A183	Bluster	Stearn J.S.	1	2	Link
297	Bulletin	26, T,F,31	n. AOA Events	1977-78	17	Atalanta Race 1977 at West Mersea	A183	Bluster	Stearn M.H.	1	2	Link
310	Bulletin	26, T,F,31	n. AOA Events	1979-80	3	Annual Atalanta Race	A183	Bluster	Stearn E.	1	1	Link
354	Bulletin	26, T,F,31	l. History	1981-82	24	Atalanta	A183	Bluster	Stearn S.	1	1	Link
378	Bulletin	26, T,F,31	f. Keel Gear	1983-84	22	Routine Care of Atalanta Keel Mechanism.	A183	Bluster	Stearn, JS & E	0	1	Link
388	Bulletin	26, T,F,31	m. Cruises & Cruising	1984-85	21	La Liaison Manche - Ocean, A Breton Canal	A183	Bluster	Stearn J.S.	3	1	Link
438	Bulletin	26, T,F,31	n. AOA Events	1990-91	2	West Mersea Rally.	A183	Bluster	Stearn E	2	2	Link
448	Bulletin	26, T,F,31	n. AOA Events	1991-92	2	West Mersea Rally.	A183	Bluster	Stearn E	2	3	Link
493	Bulletin	26, T,F,31	o. General	1995-96	0	Cover - A183 Bluster at Aldeburgh	A183	Bluster		1	1	Link
561	Bulletin	26, T,F,31	n. AOA Events	2002-03	8	West Mersea Rally	A183	Bluster	Stearn J	1	1	Link
590	Bulletin	26, T,F,31	m. Cruises & Cruising	2005-06	15	The AOA Rally	A183	Bluster	Stearn J	2	1	Link
617	Bulletin	26, T,F,31	n. AOA Events	2008-09	8	East Coast Rally	A183	Bluster	Stearn J	2	0	Link
669	Bulletin	26, T,F,31	o. General	2011-12	0	Cover - A183 Bluster at anchor in the sunset	A183	Bluster		1	1	Link
693	Bulletin	26, T,F,31	m. Cruises & Cruising	2012-13	42	Woodbridge to Conyer	A183	Bluster	Stearn J	5	1	Link
689	Bulletin	26, T,F,31	n. AOA Events	2012-13	38	East Coast Rally	A183	Bluster	Stearn J	1	1	Link
695	Bulletin	26, T,F,31	n. AOA Events	2013-14	23	East Coast Rally	A183	Bluster	Stearn J	1	1	Link
708	Bulletin	26, T,F,31	m. Cruises & Cruising	2014-15	48	Channel crossings and cruising up the Thames	A183	Bluster	Stearn J	4	2	Link

Trophies

wdt_ID	trophy	year	awardedto	sailno	boatname	award
wdt_ID	trophy	year	awardedto	sailno	boatname	award
11	Coupe Bernard	1989	T & J Stearn	A183	Bluster	Race from Rye to Boulogne - abandoned
53	Atalanta	1977	E. F. R. Stearn	A183	Bluster	Winner East Coast Race (West Mersea)
55	Atalanta	1979	E. F. R. Stearn	A183	Bluster	Winner East Coast Race (West Mersea)
61	Atalanta	1985	T. & J. Stearn	A183	Bluster	Winner East Coast Race (West Mersea)
63	Atalanta	1987	T. & J. Stearn	A183	Bluster	Winner East Coast Race (West Mersea)
66	Atalanta	1990	T. & J. Stearn	A183	Bluster	Winner East Coast Race (West Mersea)
67	Atalanta	1991	T. & J. Stearn	A183	Bluster	Winner East Coast Race (West Mersea)
82	Atalanta	2006	J. Stearn	A183	Bluster	Winner East Coast Race (West Mersea)
84	Atalanta	2008	J. Stearn	A183	Bluster	Winner East Coast Race (West Mersea)
87	Atalanta	2011	J. Stearn	A183	Bluster	Winner East Coast Race (West Mersea)
88	Atalanta	2012	J. Stearn	A183	Bluster	Winner East Coast Race (West Mersea)
89	Atalanta	2013	J. Stearn	A183	Bluster	Winner East Coast Race (West Mersea)