Cruising to Greece and back.

After sailing back from Greece to Portishead, in October 2019 Tobin Bronze was transported back to Wadswick for a major re-fit. In July 2022, TB was re-launched into Portishead Marina.

Vessel Name: Tobin Bronze
Vessel Make/Model: 35ft cold moulded plywood sloop
Hailing Port: Bristol
Crew: Peter and Judy Ward
About:
Launched in 1985. After one year sailing in the Bristol Channel, TB has been sailed for 22,500 plus miles by Peter, Judy, Charlotte, Ben and Sofie - firstly based in Dartmouth and then in South Brittany. [...]
24 October 2019 | Portishead Entrance Lock
08 June 2019
27 November 2018
30 June 2018
18 November 2017
03 July 2016 | Agmar Marine Boatyard. Partheni, Island of Leros
30 October 2015
01 October 2014 | Kilada to Orei
25 November 2013
19 July 2013
26 June 2013 | Koilada
01 December 2012
01 November 2012 | Koilada
29 September 2011

Spring re-fit 2009

11 May 2009 | Offshore - Sedco 714
Peter
Judy and I travelled to France on Brittany Ferries "Bretagne", departing from Portsmouth at 20:30hrs on Friday 17 April and arriving in St Malo at 08:15 next morning. We had the usual enjoyable meal on the ferry and caught a few ZZZ's for the rest of the night. It was then only a couple of hours easy drive to Port de Foleux via Rennes and Redon. The car was well loaded down with gear; genoa (which had been valeted), life raft (serviced), life jackets, paint, tools, bedding, new sun awning and so on.

We removed the boat covers and found "TB" in good condition, even after a hard winter. Jean Francois from the yard told us that the temperature had reached -10degC during the winter.

The work list included:- Anti-fouling Re-painting the hull Rigging an inner forestay Fitting electronics Cleaning the cabin and bilges.

We stayed in La Roche Bernard at our usual B&B run by Dani and Ricky who made us very welcome. Sunday was a bit of a disaster. We had parked our car in the middle of La Roche Bernard and on Sunday there was a huge car boot sale going on all around it. When I tried to open the car, the bloody car alarm would not stop. Very embarrassing!!! Eventually, I had to drive the car away with the alarm sounding continuously and park it in a less populated car park down by the marina. I still couldn't get the alarm to stop. Port de Foleux is about 10km from La Roche Bernard; so we didn't do any work on the boat on Sunday. On Monday, we dumped the car (alarm still sounding) with a motor engineer who eventually disabled the alarm at a cost of 180Euros. But at least we could drive the bloody thing without disturbing everybody within a 500 metre radius.

Ricky from the B&B kindly drove us to Foleux and picked us up in the evening. Next morning Ricky again drove me to the boat while Judy sorted out the car.

Fortunately, the weather was warm and sunny (for the time of the year) and we managed to get all the work done in spite of losing a day.

"TB" was lifted into the water on Thursday afternoon.

Judy "volunteered" to go up the mast in the bosun's chair to attach the inner forestay and feed through an additional halyard. She admitted to being a bit apprehensive but of course she could not resist the challenge. I think her biggest fear was that I would "expire" while winching her up. I will confess to raising a bit of a sweat!

We had planned to go down the Villaine to the marina in La Roche Bernard on Friday afternoon but the very helpful lady in the Capitaineire at Port de Foleux advised us that La Roche Bernard was full as there was a classic boat regatta going on there over the weekend. So we left "TB" in Foleux and drove down to La Roche Bernard in the evening for a meal at our favourite restaurant there, the La Corunna. We have been going there for 5 or 6 years and this was the first time that we were the only customers. Usually it is very popular. Madame Caroline, the young co-owner, told us that they were finding it very difficult. Definitely an indication of the effect of the current economic crises.

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On Saturday, we entertained Sylvia and Frank plus their two children. Sylvia worked for us as an Au Pair about twenty years ago and she and Judy have kept in touch. They live about an hour and a half away to the south near the Loire River. After they left, we moored fore and aft to a couple of buoys belonging to Port de Foleux

Next day, we left "TM" at 05:30hrs before daylight on a misty damp morning and returned home via the Roscoff-Plymouth ferry. Judy and Sofie prepared a meal Sunday evening in Ben's honour. He was off to Cambridge Massachusetts on Monday for two years on a research project at the MIT
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Tobin Bronze's Photos - Main
Photos 1 to 3 of 3
1
Tobin Bronze going out in the 1967 Melbourne Cup.
 
1
A relaxed summer in the Bristol Channel.
11 Photos
Created 15 January 2023
A 34 year old Tobin Bronze was badly in need of an extended boat yard visit to undergo some serious maintenance.
10 Photos
Created 31 October 2022
Last leg along west coast of France, across the Channel, around Lands End and into the Bristol Channel
18 Photos
Created 23 June 2021
Last leg in the Med.
12 Photos
Created 23 June 2021
From Bonefacio up the west coast to Calvi
12 Photos
Created 23 June 2021
From Cagliari up the west coast to Strait of Bonifacio
15 Photos
Created 22 June 2021
Ragusa to Trapani including road trip to Mt Etna
46 Photos
Created 19 June 2021
Malta to Sicily May 2019
11 Photos
Created 15 May 2019
Leros to Malta. 30 Aug to 25 Sep 2018.
39 Photos
Created 19 November 2018
22 May to 19 June 2018
30 Photos
Created 29 July 2018
Sept 2017. Dodecanese Islands
20 Photos
Created 20 October 2017
Dodecanese Islands
23 Photos
Created 24 June 2017
Cruising from Orei. Evia to Leros in the Dodcanese in May, June
18 Photos
Created 30 October 2016
Launch from Orei, sail north to Thessaloniki, around the Khalkidhiki paninsula and Mt Athos to Nea Peramos.
17 Photos
Created 14 December 2015
22 Photos
Created 15 October 2014
Re-launch in Kilada to Orei, Evia in early July
16 Photos
Created 22 July 2014
13 Photos
Created 18 May 2014
A late summer cruise to the northern Cyclades
18 Photos
Created 20 January 2014
Cruise to Crete
11 Photos
Created 19 July 2013
Visits to Koilada May & june 2013
11 Photos
Created 9 June 2013
From Kalamata to the Argolic Gulf in July 2012
57 Photos
Created 12 January 2013
From Messolonghi to Kalamata May 2012
45 Photos
Created 10 January 2013
Italy to Zakinthos and Messolonghi
15 Photos
Created 24 November 2011
Lipari, Vulcano and Stromboli - three of the Aeolian Islands
30 Photos
Created 24 November 2011
Sardinia and Sicily Sept 2011
19 Photos
Created 24 November 2011
Sailing from Cartagena to Sardinia
24 Photos
Created 24 November 2011
Sailing TB from Faro to Cartagena in June and July 2011
64 Photos
Created 9 August 2011
Sailing on John's boat 'Derby Lass'
20 Photos
Created 6 August 2011
Delivery trip with Woody from Vigo to Lisbon when John Q. met us. Then to Ohao where Judy replaced John for a trip up the Guardina River.
41 Photos
Created 1 October 2010
June - July in the Rias Baixas, Galicia
26 Photos
Created 8 August 2010
Six days on the "Dunmow Flitch" between Braunston and Market Harborough in April 2010.
26 Photos
Created 1 June 2010
Lay up for winter in Cangas
17 Photos
Created 27 October 2009
Newport R.I.,Cuttyhunk Island, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket
48 Photos
Created 17 September 2009
Highlights of the trip from Viveiro to Ria de Vigo.
34 Photos
Created 2 August 2009
Hugh pod of dolphins encountered 10:30hrs 04 June at approx 44º24'N; 006º32'W
18 Photos
Created 23 June 2009
Between 02 June and 04 June 2009 from La Roche Bernard to Ribadeo in Galicia, Spain
11 Photos | 1 Sub-Album
Created 18 June 2009
Port de Foleux is about 15 miles up the Villaine River, 6 miles upstream from La Roche Bernard
4 Photos
Created 18 June 2009