Saturday 25 August 2012

Surfboards and Velocettes

Parte The Second.

Had a weeks holiday in Croyde so I thought I'd try surfing (again). I booked two lessons for the Sunday. Sunday morning - basics on the beach then into the water. Got up and rode in after a few goes on the 10ft softboard the surf school gave me. The afternoon was much the same. Not too hard. Every wave I tried for I caught easily.

The next day I could hardly move. Must be getting old.

Later in the week I wheeled out the Down The Line 7-6 minimal I bought last year. Could I catch waves? Only with the greatest difficulty, and standing up was almost impossible. I managed better in bigger waves at Croyde than I did the next day on little'uns at Saunton. Looks like I've got a lot to learn but I'll keep with it. Kernow in September with Bobster should be fun.

My minimal:-


Now I'm back in The Doom and with a wet bank holiday weekend looming, I thought I best get on and repair the paint on the Velocette tank. The tank had split and been welded, fortunately with minimal damage to the paint. Feathered the edges and started on the high build primer coats to make up the depth. Cotswold Night Trail will be here soon enough and the Velo is the only bike I have with lights that work in the dark.

Dye-nasty

Haven't posted for a while so heres a double header.

Parte The Firste - I got a set of 61mm Cortechs offa MAS and thought I'd dye them. Plan was red and lime green like old skool Kryps. Didn't quite turn out that way.

Cortechs:-

This time I suspended them using locking wire and a bit of stainless:-

Then sat them in a heated dye solution for half an hour:-

The result - a lot darker than I was hoping for but as they dried they brighened up a bit:-

Appearing on a stunkplank near you very soon.