Sailing Sibongile

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Sailing Sibongile

Sibongile is a good mental health initiative, and it means "We are grateful" in Zulu. Do a little of what you love every day, and Protect Your Happiness !

Skills before Pills 😊
Support us:
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/326296356353
www.ko-fi.com/sailingsibongile

24/09/2025

💥... Reminder...💥
Just a gentle reminder about the two speaker slots I have at the boatfolk stand of the current Southampton International Boat Show
- 2pm on Friday the 26th
- 3pm on Sunday the 28th
I'll be talking about how Sailing Sibongile aims to promote happiness through sailing, promoting good habits, and about how to get involved via the Global Skippers Network.

Please check the events on the Sailing Sibongile page for details, and to let me know you're coming along.

I'll be giving away 20 of the tactical caps (the manufacturer calls them that. I guess because the adjustment clip is indeed 316 stainless steel)., to people who specifically come listen to the talk.
So if you'd like to sport the latest happy-hat in sailing fashion for 2026... 😆... Then pop along to one of the talks.

Ps: if you're one of the international followers, don't worry, as I also have 10 hats (plus what's still available after the show), which we'll be giving away via a prize draw.
💜 ⛵ 🌍 🐬

21/09/2025

🚨... Reminder...🚨
As a reminder, I have a couple of speaker slots at the boatfolk stand of the Southampton International Boat Show. (great location, overlooking the water)
- 2pm on Friday the 26th
- 3pm on Sunday the 28th.
I'll be talking about the work we are doing; promoting happiness, good mental health, and wellbeing.

I'll also be talking about the Global Skippers Network that we have launched, for Skipper-Owners who want to sail under the Sailing Sibongile banner.

Come along for a great day out, and come listen to me yap. 😅😆. 😉

💜 ⛵ 🌍 🐬

17/09/2025

🚨💥... I feel this was the worst kept secret in town, but I didn't know who the buyer would be.
So... boatfolk has been acquired by Premier Marinas. 🤷... "So what!", I hear you ask.
Premier is one of the commercial activities of the Wellcome Trust. (and I didn't know this either till today)

The Wellcome Trust were my very first corporate client when I'd left the army, and moved to the UK, and eventually gotten an internal sales job for a software company. My 'patch' was education, higher education, non-profits, and charities.
But... The Wellcome Trust is a huge researcher into mental health sciences, and for me this is wonderfully poetic.

Anyway, I just thought I'd share this with y'all... 😊... But if you're interested in finding out more about the Wellcome Trust, check them out here:
https://wellcome.org/about-us

💜 ⛵ 🌍 🐬

15/09/2025

Hey Y'all... 🤓... Just a reminder about the two speaker slots I have at the boatfolk stand at this year's Southampton Boat Show.

Friday, 26th September @ 2pm
https://www.facebook.com/share/163pgTdugX/

Sunday, 28th September @ 3pm
https://www.facebook.com/share/17ReC4QXsC/

In addition to the work we do, promoting happiness, mental health & wellbeing, I'll also be talking about the launch of the Global Skippers Network.
It's an affiliate network for skipper-owners who are interested in also taking people out sailing in their own local area, and would like to do it in a way that's aligned with Sailing Sibongile.
No cost involved to become affiliated, just need to have your own boat (in a good condition) and a minimum of Day Skipper (or equivalent).

If you can't make it to the boat show, but are interested in joining the Global Skippers Network program, please use the contact email in the attached photo.

Alternatively, just message me and I'll send it to you 🤠

Happy Sailing 😎
💜 ⛵ 🌍 🐬

14/09/2025

Look what I just found 😎 at the Royal Airforce Yacht Club, on the Hamble.
- Sibongile was originally called Oleander of Kerkyra, but it also seems was intended to be called something else before her launch
- Leven Point was originally called "Culverin", as the original owner was a Naval history buff. She didn't actually make it into that year's Register of Yachts. The page picture is from the 1979 edition.
As with me, both were launched in 1974. These two boats and I are the same age.
- I didn't spot Jon Seagull in the editions here. But I also don't know if she was originally called something else.
💜 ⛵ 🌍 🐬 🤓

12/09/2025

So... We didn't make it to the start line of the Hamble Classics Regatta this past weekend. When I went through the rig, and what needed to be done, there was just a little too much still to be done.
However, young master Reuben and I did go to the dinner after, and were allowed to take part in some of the festivities. One of which was the auction, to raise funds for Wet Wheels, who are a wonderful organisation. They make it possible for disabled people to get out on a boat.
www.facebook.com/wetwheels

We walked away with a cracking deal for a lift and scrub at HYS (Hamble Yacht Services). 😎
We'll probably do that in October or November.

Ps: the picture is courtesy of the Hamble Classics Regatta page. We were on the water to see the boats, but didn't take as beautiful pictures as they did.
💜 ⛵ 🌍 🐬

07/09/2025

Partial Update, Partial Crew Opportunity, Partial Call for Help. 🤷 🙏

For starters, a confession/admission:
The relationship with the rigger we have been using has been an unmitigated disaster.
In spite of the brave face I have been trying to put on, and trying to be positive about it (in the hope that by being nice, it would get everything completed eventually), not a single project has completed on time. Zero! 😔
I was convinced by him (my fault, I guess) to pay for things upfront, and then I was stuck. And still am a bit.
So, I owe y'all an apology if I've given the impression all was hunky-dory. It's been a difficult experience.
We've been trying to rebuild the momentum, however, and so you'll hopefully have seen renewed energy, content, etc, in the last couple of months.

Crew Opportunity: (and hopefully this is a cool one)
I think (🤞) Sibongile is able to sail. She has a lot of stuff still needed to be done, but I'm going to try get her out and get the sails up next weekend (14 months after we acquired her, and Nick and I sailed her over from Dartmouth)(the cover picture).
Does anyone fancy helping me get her sails installed, etc, and see how she feels?
(It'll be neap tide, so less crazy currents)
Probably a couple of hours on Saturday, and then a stint on Southampton Water on Sunday.

Call for Help:
It's still our intention to set up the Global Skippers Network, and also the female-only Sisters of Sibongile.
I could really do with someone to help me manage all the moving parts, on a voluntary basis (costs would be covered, of course).
So if anyone would like to get involved with Sailing Sibongile, as an admin assistant, that'd be great. Please message me. 🙏
Other assistance needed is to help/consultant on the set-up of the Global Skippers Network. Experience of how to write a charter, constitution, codes of conduct, policy stuff, etc, would be great.
Oh, and we're also looking for a female skipper (yachtmaster would be great) to lead the Sisters of Sibongile initiative.
So yes, if you'd like to get involved in this community initiative, then please DM me. 😊

Thanks Y'all. 🤓 ❤️⛵ 🌍 🐬

30/08/2025

😎... 6am start... 10kts - 15kts just aft of the beam, and currently doing 6kts SOG. Expecting to get into Itchen Marine in Southampton between 3pm - 4pm.

Probably going to haul out in the next couple of weeks for a fresh antifouling, if anyone fancies popping down to help?
💛 ⛵

29/08/2025

🤘🤓 ... For those who are interested, young master Reuben got his Stage 2 Dinghy qualification, AND the team head captained won their little race at the end of Day 1. 🏆⛵ 😎

27/08/2025

CREW OPPORTUNITY !
We're taking Jon Seagull back to Itchen Marine in Southampton on Saturday, leaving from Portland at 6am. It will be a spritely passage, with pretty strong winds.
Would anyone like to join the trip as crew?

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