When my little yacht is on shore I love to watch movies about sailing. These are my personal favourites:

• Maidentrip (2013) / IMDB

14-year-old Laura Dekker sets out on a two-year  voyage in pursuit of her dream to become the youngest person ever to  sail around the world alone.

• All Is Lost (2013) / IMDB

After a collision with a shipping container at sea, a  resourceful sailor finds himself, despite all efforts to the contrary,  staring his mortality in the face.

• Deep Water (2006) / IMDB

A documentary about the disastrous 1968 round-the-world yacht race.

• Kon-Tiki (1950) / IMDB

A documentary about the Kon-Tiki expedition of the Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl.

• The Perfect Storm (2000) / IMDB

An unusually intense storm pattern catches some commercial fishermen unaware and puts them in mortal danger.

• The Dove (1974) / IMDB

The true story of a 16 year old (Robin Lee Graham, played by Joseph  Bottoms) who sailed alone around the world in a 23 foot sloop named "The  Dove". On his journey he meets and falls in love with a young woman  (Patti Ratteree, played by Deborah Raffin) who is also traveling around  the world. The story follows Robin around the world to many beautiful  locals, as he grows from a boy to a man, finds himself, and finds the  love of his life.

So yesterday the hull was sanded and the old name was taken off. It is utterly important not to leave her without a name. I decided to rename her about a year ago, but the time to actually do it arrived today.

I had many ideas for the name, but Aloha won. Capricorn is OK, but it sounds too masculine and she is a pretty, lovely lady. Aloha!

My daughter and son also participated at the ceremony. I wanted to do it properly so I looked it up. I found this text which I read aloud:

Oh mighty and great ruler of the seas and oceans, to whom all  ships and we who venture upon your vast domain are required to pay homage, implore you in your graciousness to expunge for all time from your records and recollection the name Capricorn which has ceased to be an entity in your kingdom. As proof  thereof, we submit this ingot bearing her name to be corrupted through  your powers and forever be purged from the sea. (At this point, the prepared name plate is dropped from the bow of the boat into the trash can.)

In grateful acknowledgment of your munificence and dispensation, we offer these libations to your majesty and your court. (Áron poured at half of the glass of rum onto the ground from East to West. The remainder we drank (meaning Áron drank a sip and the rest I did).

Oh mighty and great ruler of the seas and oceans, to whom all  ships and we who venture upon your vast domain are required to pay  homage, implore you in your graciousness to take unto your records and  recollection this worthy vessel hereafter and for all time known as Aloha, guarding her with your  mighty arm and trident and ensuring her of safe and rapid passage  throughout her journeys within your realm.

In appreciation of your munificence, dispensation and in honor of your greatness, we offer these libations to your majesty and your court. (At this point, Fanni sprinkled rum from West to East.)

Oh mighty rulers of the winds, through whose power our frail  vessels traverse the wild and faceless deep, we implore you to grant this worthy vessel Aloha the benefits and pleasures of your bounty, ensuring us of your gentle ministration according to our needs. (Facing north, I poured a generous libation of Rum into a glass and Fanni put her fingers into the Rum and sprinkled with them to the North as I intoned:) Great Boreas, exalted ruler of the North Wind, grant us permission to use your mighty powers in the pursuit of our lawful endeavors, ever  sparing us the overwhelming scourge of your frigid breath. (Facing west, Fanni spinkled the same amount of Rum to the West while I was intoning:) Great Zephyrus, exalted ruler of the West Wind, grant us permission to use your mighty powers in the pursuit of our lawful endeavors, ever sparing us the overwhelming scourge of your wild breath. (Facing east, Fanni repeated and sprinkled to the East.) Great Eurus, exalted ruler of the East Wind, grant us permission to use your mighty powers in the pursuit of our lawful endeavors, ever sparing us the overwhelming scourge of your mighty breath.

(Facing south, Fanni repeated, sprinkling to the South.) Great Notus, exalted ruler of the South Wind, grant us permission to use your mighty powers in the pursuit of our lawful endeavors, ever sparing us the overwhelming scourge of your scalding breath.

Hello, fellow explorers! I've been gone for a few months now... I had a house to renovate for putting on sale, while I bought a new land where I started to build a new house, so unfortunatelly had no time for sailboat building. This also meant that my previous plan to put the boat on sea this summer has vanished. :-(

Nothing is lost though, I have a new plan and it doesn't include waiting for next spring to sail Croatia. There are bigger waters out there with more to explore. I'm thinking on having the boat next year by the French coasts. There are very beautiful ports and marinas over there! I'm trying to figure out ways to move the boat there. One adventurous way would be sailing all the way! Koper to Perros-Guirec.

For this adventure first of all, I need a well prepared boat.

Yesterday, I got my hands dirty. I removed the old Capricorn name plate by drilling through the rivet nuts. It was easier than I thought.

Surprise, underneath there was a barely visible older name. I might have mentioned in one of my earlier posts that I plan to name the boat Aloha. Guess what: the boat had a different name before! It was Hello. Which is Aloha in Hawaiian! Coincidence? There is no such a thing!

I sanded the entire hull. I filled the holes with glass fibre filler. I taped the waterline with masking tape and painted the keels with black paint against corrosion. I still need to find the antifouling which I bought in the spring. Today rain is coming and cooldown so I might have to wait with painting until weather becomes warmer again.

I noticed that the rudder is also cracked. It needs replacement.

The new name has to be written on the boat, so today we're going to have a naming ceremony! I might have some rum in one of the cupboards.

My sailboat has Bermuda sloop rigging at the moment. Its sail plan looks like this:

As opposed to sloop, junk rig looks like this:

There are pros and cons to each of these rigs. Basically the single one con of junk rig is that it cannot go into the wind as close as the sloop. In meantime, there are a number of pros in favor:

• easy handling
• auto tacking
• simple reffing (just ease the halyard)
• low pressure on the sail, therefore it can be made of cheaper matterial
• there are no stays, so nothing to get in the way while moving around aboard
• there are no jibs to store, handle and to switch when wind picks up
• the mast is more to the front so there is more space in the cockpit and nothing to bump head into
• less rigging and hardware needed, meaning lower cost
• mast is cheap (2mm thick aluminum pole will do)
• it looks good

For more details of a junk rig see the 3D models below:

Animation of reefing with a junk rigged boat

Yeah, only if there was any ice on the lakes. Last winter there were two months of subzero. Then even the lake Balaton froze entirely so you could even walk across.

I hoped, that even if Balaton doesn't freeze, the nearby lake (Csónakázó-tó - Csótó) in Nagykanizsa would. Unfortunately the thickest ice we got this winter was about 3 mm.

I got all parts for the iceboat in the hardware store, and we also bought the wood so whenever the cold and ice arrives we can put it together in no time and be off sailing away. Unfortunatelly this didn't happen this winter, maybe the next.

Anyhow I'll post the parts and my plans:

• New mast - it will be put together of two aluminium poles

source: Alucentrum

• Junk rig
• Electric motor ($140 + delivery)

https://zjhenghai.en.alibaba.com/product/60800236923-801232764/48V_1000W_electric_outboard_motor.html?spm=a2700.8592591.0.0.438410a9WbLQDR

• Cockpit locker lid (£95)

• Mainhatch (£165) + delivery (£40)

• Rudder and skeg

• Paints
  • 320 grit sandpaper
  • Foam brush
  • International Perfection Undercoat
  • Correction paste (Ordered) - https://www.maritimehajosbolt.hu/product/APJ_GELJAV_T3
  • Gelcoat fixer (Ordered) - https://www.maritimehajosbolt.hu/product/APJ_KENOGEL_E1
  • Internation Higító (Ordered) - https://www.maritimehajosbolt.hu/termek/higito-no1-500ml-1-komp-fi-higit-01-2
  • International Toplac (Squall blue 923) (Ordered) - https://www.trinexus.hu/International-Toplac-kek-923-075-l
  • International Danboline - https://www.maritimehajosbolt.hu/termek/danboline-feher-750ml-fi-danbolin-
  • International Interdeck (Non-slippery paint) (Ordered) - https://www.maritimehajosbolt.hu/termek/interdeck-750-ml-001-feher-fi-indeck-116
  • Boatguard 100 750ml black (Ordered) - https://www.maritimehajosbolt.hu/termek/boatguard-100-750ml-fekete-fi-boatguardp11

• Composting toilet (33 GBP for separator, about 50 USD extra for container, tubing, etc.)

https://www.freerangedesigns.co.uk/index.php/urine-separator-for-compost-toilet.html

• Solar panels
• Solar panel frame
• Wind turbine ($321)

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/VAWT-vertical-axis-spiral-wind-turbine-400w-12v-24v-multiple-color-option-with-free-charge-controller/32967456397.html?spm=a2g0s.8937460.0.0.83362e0e5Bx2Tx

• Charge controller ($141)

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1200W-MPPT-Wind-Solar-Hybrid-Controller-12V-24V-for-800W-Wind-600W-Solar-with-Anti-charging/32248057404.html?spm=2114.search0104.3.1.42d46fd4syPsyn&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_8_10065_10068_319_317_10696_10084_453_10083_454_10618_10304_10307_10820_10821_537_10302_536_10902_10059_10884_10887_321_322_10103,searchweb201603_6,ppcSwitch_0&algo_expid=246291a4-29c2-4de2-bae8-c19f56f90df8-0&algo_pvid=246291a4-29c2-4de2-bae8-c19f56f90df8

• Buying self steering wind vane (530 GBP + shipping)

http://www.windvaneselfsteering.co.uk/

http://www.windvaneselfsteering.co.uk/videos-HTML5/video-1/video-1.mp4

• Remove all flooring (done)
• Remove all hardware (done)
• Sanding (done)
• Replace cockpit locker lid (I've received a price quote)
• Replace mattresses (done)

• New windows (ordered)
• Repaint hull and flooring
• Buy VHF radio
• Buy navigation
• New flag
• New flag holder
• New life vests
• Radar reflector

Making renovation plans for Capricorn. The sea awaits!

Building an ice sailboat.

Reading Áron Méder's book.

Got a humpback whale tattoo on my forearm.

2018

Firing a sea distress signal on new years eve which I got signed from Áron Méder.

Joined The Junk Rig Association with plans to upgrade Capricorn with a junk rig.

Started renovating Capricorn.

During the practice sailing on the sea I successfully completed the exam in Sibenik and received my coastal license for sea (20nm).

In October I spent a week on the Adriatic sea learing from Áron Méder.

Fövenyes sailing camp for Fanni and Áron (at Pöff - with Zsuzsi Litkey and Árpi Litkey). I was also renting catamaran twice during the camp and enjoyed sailing it a lot.

Visiting Budapest Boat Show.

2017

For the winter and the following year I took Capricorn home for renewal.

Visiting Balaton Boat Show with Áron (my 11-year-old son) in Balatonkenese.

I was sailing over 60 days on lake Balaton (mostly with my children Fanni and Áron). We were cruising across Balaton and visited most marinas and ports.

Joined Leisure Owners Association.

2016

Buying a Leisure 17 (Capricorn) my first sailboat.

After successful exam getting my international certificate for pleasure craft.

Taking a week long course at FüredYacht in Balatonfüred.

2015

Sailing with Fanni - my 3 year old dauther - on lake Balaton on a tiny sailing dinghy with skipper. Falling in love with sailing.

Today I got my first tattoo at my friend's tattoo parlor. It pictures a humpback whale. There are big changes in my life (including a divorce) and I wanted to have something to remember of the present and a motivation for my future self.

I found a design which resonated with me the most, and this friend of mine is a very good tattoo artist. I trusted her and I think it turned out great.

This year (2017) I finished sanding and repainting the boat after purchase and put it on water in Balatonboglár in May.

We were sailing her for over 60 days and for this our base was Fonyód marina. Fonyód is a very nice place we liked it there. I might write later more about Fonyód in a separate post. Also we were writing sailing log regularly and I might put it online later too.

Here is a video we created about this year:

Fanni, Capricorn and I participated on the Balatonátúszás 2017. You can see us floating on the short film at around 1:46: