Malanka

Well wow we are both overwhelmed thank you for such a marvellous welcome ( back). Thank you for the compliment Tim we do try. Malanka Tales will be restored as soon as we get to float. The journey from from home to boat is now just over 1200 km so not quite as easy. We use the stena ferry to ensure we get an early start, but the drive to the Hook of Holland is 9 hrs. I'm used to it now I just break it up into three hour blocks and just drive. We enjoy a nice meal on the ship and get off at seven ish in Harwich so we avoid weekend holiday traffic too.

We decided to come as we are tired of being shouted at that we are "going the wrong way" as we head back north after our august visit. Unfortunately our youngest restarts school on the mid week with the show at the end. This year he is 16 and can go to school and stay home with his sister back from uni to prevent too much partying. So we will be there and "dressed to the nines " , flags lights you name it. Hopefully I will have spent some time earlier in the season polishing all the Chrome work ( 33 individual pieces) so she will be all shiny too. We are really looking forward to it and thanks for squeezing us in. M&F

Hello everyone. Just thought we would start a topic on the hole in the water that is Malanka and her continuing journey to restore her to her former glory. I'm not going to list what has been done already as I don't really want to remind myself but we will start here with what is left to do. we won't be out and about until after Easter as Malanka has an appointment with a huge crane at Moonfleet. She is being lifted for the fist time since the Hull planking two seasons ago and now requires a fresh bottom scrape and tar wash. She is due to have her drive shaft bearings replaced at the same time and some minor dinks and scrapes sorted out at the same time as finishing off the planking as it has now fully expanded contracted and settled down. This season we are having new canvases throughout. The guys at Jeckells came up with some great ideas and we can't wait to see the New Look Malanka. The guys are also fitting new seats in the cockpit and aft well as the old ones had really come to the end of their days. We are also toying with the idea of some new lightweight cockpit flooring and more modern soundproofing. Lifting the floor is an Olympic event and best done rarely or in extremis. I will keep everyone updated as the work progresses. Happy Easter to everyone. M&F

Hello to everyone on the NBN Fiona and I took a long break from posting on Fora about our travails with our lovely old lady. Some may remember the Malanka Tales from another place. For those folks who don't know us we are Fiona, Martin and Boris the Airedale ( and offspring when they can drag themselves away with mum and dad ) The old Lady is Malanka a 1953 Broom Commander that we have been custodians of since 2010. We live in Switzerland at the moment having lived in Germany and Belgium for differing lengths of time since 2003. Please feel free to come say hello and enjoy some Malankan hospitality. To those who already know us ( yes you know who you are) thank you for giving us the push we required to rejoin the community at large and to those who don't yet know us we don't bite (Boris too) so come say hi. M&F