The following paper was conceived in the cabin of an Atalanta during the East Coast Cruise in 2021. New owner Jim Sumberg was reviewing the innovations within the Atalanta and its partRead More…
01Mar/26
Oxford to Reading
I left the boat at Bossoms while I went back to work and to buy my time before Trad. It is a nice place to be with good pubs and a fineRead More…
A5 Winter Cover Frame
Title: A5-Winter-CoverCaption: An excellent frame for a winter cover – room to work under, air circulation, keeps water off the whole of the boat. : I confirm that I have rights toRead More…
07Dec/25
2026 Winter Tea Time – The Two Keels Inn (in the Zoom bar)
Take a break from all that sanding and painting, and join fellow Atalantarers for an evening’s chat at The Two Keels. Bring your own food and drink. To get into the ZoomRead More…
05Dec/25
Fairey Atalantas at Historic Greenwich 2026
A casual weekend to meet up and talk Fairey Atalantas against the backdrop of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. We can visit the Cutty Sark, the Royal Observatory, take a rideRead More…
23Nov/25
Teddington to Oxford
To understand why I might want to travel up the Thames you best first read or listen to Three men and a boat. But it is May and wanted to be outsideRead More…
03Nov/25
A169 For Sale – update
A169 Elle is currently ashore (inside) at Dell Quay. Chichester Harbour; 4 x 100ah Lithium batteries for the 48V electric motor have been recently installed – with a back-up reserve of 4Read More…
18Oct/25
St Katherines to Teddington Lock
I had a day in St Kats and as you can see the weather was brilliant. I caught up with a couple of friends and replenished victuals. There is a Waitrose acrossRead More…
20Sep/25
sept 2025
Well I finally had to bite the bullet and fitted the port side keel mech bracket with a 1mm gasket made from Hypalon rubber a tube or so of ARBO br (ButylRead More…
16Sep/25
A100 – Declining health forces sale. £7000 or best offer SOLD
Declining health forces sale. A world of minor adventures for you and your family at a very modest cost. See https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LOrhCb_94MY and the photos. Feel free to chat, come and inspect orRead More…
07Sep/25
Barrier -> St. Katharine Docks
I have kind of left updating this blog for a while <insert excuse here/>. I am somewhat hoping that the photos will remind me but at the time a lot was goingRead More…
23Aug/25
For Sale: Fairey Duckling sailing / rowing dinghy
Excellent condition. Includes: full cover (Jeckells); leathered oars; rowlocks; two flotation bladders; launching trolley; mainsail & jib; dagger board & rudder; fore and aft painters. £850 or best offer. Contact: jim.sumberg atRead More…
23Aug/25
Duckling with New Sails
More ambitions than time/capability! And now deteriorating health preclude restoration by me. I cannot remember when I rescued the Duckling but it remained stored under cover until the Duckling World Championship 2022Read More…
18Aug/25
Full steam ahead
A few niggly jobs that have been bugging me for a while decided to clear these up ..Ply boards for the aft cabin underside of cockpit seats I aquired some plywood seatRead More…
16Aug/25
AOA Secretary visits A38 in Canada
Our Secretary visited Gabby and A38 The Beaver this Summer. The scenery was impressive enough but Steve was really impressed at the beauty of A38. He will be writing up more aboutRead More…
09Aug/25
Back home on the Orwell.
I will give a full rundown of the trip home from Henley. But this just a short message to say we are home safely. We got back Friday 26July at about 8:30pmRead More…
24Jul/25
AOA at Aberdeen Tall Ships 2025
Jonathan and Greg hosted the AOA visit to the Tall Ships in Aberdeen at the beginning of this week. The tall ships 50-or-so vessels taking part presented an amazing spectacle and drewRead More…
16Jul/25
Orwell to Oxford, Benson
A102 at Benson, meeting up with the other Atalanta sailor who happened to be in the pub. Title: IMG_3268Caption: Qheensborough Title: IMG_3301Caption: low tide on still day Title: IMG_3279Caption: Early morning Title:Read More…
14Jul/25
A169 Elle – latest
Here are the latest photos of Elle, moved outside the barn until October. New Ivory upper topsides and blister with “Jotun Hard Top” Under deck covers – awaiting new owner. AlsoRead More…
09Jul/25
A151 Mistura – For Sale for £1
Last sailed from Liverpool to Lymington in 2014, A151 has been stored under cover near Sale, Greater Manchester since. Partial restoration complete. Read More…
27Jun/25
Quick tour
Quick trip down to exmouth today to check on Quinteffence, been on her mooring for a month now. Took some photos and videos to show her details and condition. Title: tempImagewDvg6o Title:Read More…
29May/25
A68 Curlew restoration project – £2750 inc. trailer and engine SOLD
Included in the sale: Like new Nicholson 3500 galvanised 4 wheel trailer valued at £3500 Yanmar 1GM10 engine professionally overhauled and painted worth £2200 Mast, boom, standing and running rigging All theRead More…
Bunting?
What are the rules around swearing at festivals using bunting? : I confirm that I have rights to the material uploaded above and agree that the AOA may use this materialRead More…
17May/25
Curlew and trailer for sale
Bought from a pattern maker (very competent wood worker) 18 months ago as a back to bare restoration project. It has been dry stored in a barn. Has to now be soldRead More…
15May/25
Atalanta 26 Quinteffence with galvanised trailer
After 20 years we have decided to pass on our beloved Atalanta 26. We have collected many memories and had great adventures with our growing family aboard but are now moving on toRead More…
13May/25
Orwell to Oxford, London
Left Queensborough at about 6am. too early. But a lovely morning. Low tide was at 7:30. so I was pushing against the tide. It was not kind to the boat but iRead More…
06May/25
2025 AOA Social Weekend – A Great Success!
The weather continued, kindly, to be unseasonal through the weekend 26th-27th May. Atalanta owners and fans from around the UK enjoyed a glorious sunny weekend exploring history at the Chatham Historic Dockyard,Read More…
05May/25
2025 AGM – Medway Yacht Club
The 2025 AGM venue had perhaps the best views of AGMs in recent years, up and down the River Medway from Lower Upnor. The Medway Yacht Club loaned us their library forRead More…
23Apr/25
A142 Sugar Plum preparing for the amazingly fine Summer
A142 Sugar Plum is preparing for the amazingly fine Summer we are going to have this year.
15Apr/25
Pesky surclip and Shopping Wish-list
Still no further on – can’t get the gearbox from the hyds off yet as there’s a pesky sur clip stopping me. Planning to take the prop off and see if IRead More…
13Apr/25
Orwell to Oxford, To the Medway
i could not miss saturdays weather to make the trip to Tollesbury. i am just hoping for good weather for the next hop to the medway. Title: IMG_3137 Title: IMG_3145 : IRead More…
10Apr/25
Lifting Jacks, RSJ & Trestles – Lifting kit for sale (SOLD)
Offering the lifting kit for sale as I am selling A169 – Comprises 4 Farm Jacks – 2 steel RSJs (approx 10ft) 4 purpose made wood trestles to lift off the trailerRead More…
06Apr/25
Progress
Removable Keel Bolt inspection plates made in A4 stainless steel . Sealed on with Butyl Rubber and Hypalon gaskets. Hopefull sealed Title: 1000006710 : I confirm that I have rights to theRead More…
04Apr/25
A169 – Elle for sale – update
Elle is for sale – currently ashore (inside) at Dell Quay. Lithium battery upgrade for the 48V electric motor (4 x 100a/h) is complete – with a back-up reserve of 4 xRead More…
23Mar/25
Diaphony’s Beta 14 Engine Template
After pumping out most of the hyd/rainwater mix in the bilge, was delightd to see that Simon’s really clever Engine template fitted perfectly onto the engine bay. Simon kindyl spared his timeRead More…
15Mar/25
![IMG_0345[1]](https://atalantaowners.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/IMG_03451-604x270.jpg)
Progress hampered by ‘Notyetretireditis…’
Cracking on with the engine extraction – by a dint of pure luck a crane arrived at my next door neighbours house and the princely sum of £20 and a bit ofRead More…
10Mar/25
A38 The Beaver – News from Canada
Due to my dis-organisation I failed to act on an update from Gabby Budden in Canada. I have now corrected that and been in touch with Gabby. A38 The Beaver was launchedRead More…
02Mar/25
Starting the Mountain of work – hive mind needed!
Getting to grips with taking out the Farymann Hydraulic Engine and preparing for my Beta 14 to go in. I spent the day having a look over what I need to do,Read More…
24Feb/25
Colchide on the Loose – Crew or Skipper Colchide from Oxfordshire to The Humble
From Benson on the Thames to Chatham and then to the Solent. Mid-April through into May A89 Colchide has spent time in Oxfordshire this winter. She plans to return to the HambleRead More…
24Feb/25
2025 East Coast Race – West Mersea Regatta
Join the AOA for the 2020 West Mersea Regatta – socials ashore, a brief good natured race, then some more socialising. 21st-22nd August 2020.
24Feb/25
2025 Laying Up Social – The Two Keels Inn (in the Zoom bar)
A casual get together in the Zoom bar of the ‘Two Keels Inn’. Reflect on the 2025 season and talk boats for an hour or so. To join please click on theRead More…
24Feb/25
Atalanta Folk View the Tall Ships
The Tall Ships will be in the old harbour in the middle of Aberdeen over the weekend of 19th and 20th July. They will sail for Kristiansand on Tuesday 22nd July afterRead More…
22Feb/25
A22m Added to the Register
A22m is a beautiful 1/8 scale model of A22 A22, Mary Jane of Morton, was bought new in 1958 by John Burgess and Doctor Green who both lived in Moreton Oxfordshire, sailingRead More…
05Feb/25
Alternative Rigs
This post is taken from the most recent 2024-25 Annual Bulletin.The article generated some discussion amongst AOA members.It is reproduced here with some of those comments with the hope of encouraging aRead More…
16Jan/25
Reflections on dropping the mast
Thanks to Simon West (A5 Diaphony) for helping – we managed to drop the mast (literally) onto the deck and not into the water (nearly!). Colchide does not have the handy frameRead More…
04Jan/25
Orwell to Oxford
OK lets do this thing…. I have started my preparations by watching tweedy pubs on youtube. So the goal is a pint in the Lamb and Flag with a toast to theRead More…
18Dec/24
Keel mechanics refurbished
Curlews keels and mechanisms have been removed and restored, fortunately a straightforward job as the stirrups had already been upgraded to stainless. The keels are in good condition but have shot blastedRead More…
02Dec/24
Fairey Atalantas at Chatham Historic Dockyard
A casual weekend to meet up and talk Fairey Atalantas against the backdrop of Chatham Historic Dockyard and the River Medway in Kent. Saturday Evening Dinner and Drinks – At Medway YachtRead More…
24Oct/24
Classic Boat
Great article on Fairey plus a bit of Fame for Richard James!! [Webmaster addition: You should be able to read the article in the box on the right. If not you canRead More…
20Oct/24
End of season lift out at Dell Quay
This year I opted for the Dell Quay Sailing Club lift-out instead of recovery on the trailer. Some pictures of Elle being lifted on her own internal strops. The mast was loweredRead More…
16Oct/24
Secret weapon – British Seagull Outboard
Elle has an 8kW Lynch electric motor driving a 13 inch folding prop. The current (no pun intended) battery capacity is 150 amp hours. This is fine for manoeuvres in – outRead More…