VICTORIA'S SECRET

NAME

Victorias Secret

MATERIALS SOURCED

56º23'49.49"N, 5º30'36.98"W

Oban Kerrera ferry slip, Argyll, Scotland

25th July 2010

VITAL STATISTICS

Hull plastic bottles, 1 x 1.5ltr, 2 x 500ml

Deck wheel from push chair

Mast plastic coat hanger

Bow sprit wire

Sail lining from Victorias Secrets hand bag

Keel slate

Rudder top from Nescafe

Jib tack assorted nylon string

Mainsail sheet assorted nylon string

LAUNCH SITE

56º23'49.49"N, 5º30'36.98"W

Oban Kerrera ferry slip, Argyll, Scotland

25th July 2010

FLOTSAM PERCENTAGE

0%

JETSAM PERCENTAGE

100%

PERFORMANCE

8/10

She sailed perfectly. My poor daughter was a little shock to discover the main principle was to let the successful vessel sail away. She asked me to take my trousers off and go and get it! At this point it was already 200 metres away from the ferry slip.

CONTACT INCLUDED

No

THE FLOTSAM FILOSOPHY

ROCKNROLLA

NAME

RocknRolla

MATERIALS SOURCED

55º50'55.37"N, 3º07'42.81"W

Portobello beach, Midlothian, Scotland

20th July 2009

VITAL STATISTICS

Hull - 1 x litre fizzy pop bottle

Outriggers - 2 x 50 ml mineral water bottles

Deck - plywood part of guitar body

Mast - wood beading form window frame

Boom - plastic stick from balloon

Sail - heavy duty rip stop tarpaulin

Gaff - drinking straw

Binding - assorted nylon string

LAUNCH SITE

55º50'55.37"N, 3º07'42.81"W

Portobello beach, Midlothian, Scotland

23rd July 2009

FLOTSAM PERCENTAGE

0%

JETSAM PERCENTAGE

100%

PERFORMANCE

6/10

I have to admit I pulled her out for minor modifications. I should know better by now, water mustn't be used as ballast alone. Water is useful to reduce bouyancy or provide some volume but in conjunction with more stable ballasting. I replaced the water with damp sand. She sailed along the shore managing to hold her own against the waves but without a rudder she was inclined to inch up into the wind.

CONTACT INCLUDED

No

THE FLOTSAM FILOSOPHY

MINUTEMAN

NAME

Minuteman

MATERIALS SOURCED

55º58'57.06"N, 3º11'47.15"W

Newhaven Harbour, Mid Lothian, Scotland

10:12 24th June 2009

VITAL STATISTICS

Hull - expanded foam

Sail - feather

Keel - glass

Skipper - spray can top

LAUNCH SITE

55º58'57.06"N, 3º11'47.15"W

Newhaven Harbour, Mid Lothian, Scotland

10:17 24th June 2009

FLOTSAM PERCENTAGE

25%

JETSAM PERCENTAGE

75%

PERFORMANCE

8/10

Sailed incredibly well as it wound it's way out past the weeds. I chose a feather for the tack she was to sail on. Bird feathers generate a huge amount of power so under sizing is the key. Expanded foam is very common and can have components pushed in very easily. Minuteman took a 'minute' and sailed against the tide and on a broad reach.

CONTACT INCLUDED

No

THE FLOTSAM FILOSOPHY

A THONG AND A PRAYER

NAME

A Thong and a Prayer

MATERIALS SOURCED

Unknown (had the materials lying around in a bag so long I have forgot where it came from)

VITAL STATISTICS

Hull - flip flop (thong)

Mast - plastic tube, maybe fishing rod

Sail - heavy plastic feed bag

Keel - yellow plastic from box

Shrouds - electrical wire sheathing

Outriggers - flip flop (thong)

Outrigger spars - stick from firework rocket

Rudder - half of a protective goggles lens

Tiller - black plastic, source unknown

LAUNCH SITE

56º17'43.91"N, 5º39'15.64"W

Easdale, Argyll, Scotland

7th June 2009

FLOTSAM PERCENTAGE

0%

JETSAM PERCENTAGE

100%

PERFORMANCE

8/10

Due to light winds a wake wasn’t created but ATAAP did travel on a broad reach against the tide.

CONTACT INCLUDED

No

A speck in the sea as ATAAP heads towards the gap between Colonsay and Mull and out into the Atlantic

THE FLOTSAM FILOSOPHY

BLACK FIN

NAME

Black Fin

MATERIALS SOURCED

55°58'51.02"N, 3°17'22.17"W

Links next to beach on East side of breakwater

Lothian, Edinburgh

Autumn 2007

VITAL STATISTICS

Hull - Poly styrene

Mast - Cut from black plastic crate

Boom - Cut from black plastic crate

Sail - Clear plastic polythene sheet

Keel - Cut from black plastic crate, ‘torpedo’ white and orange screw top container.

Standing rigging - Assorted nylon string from fishermans nets

LAUNCH SITE

55°58'54.85"N, 3°13'02.10"W

Granton East Pier, Edinburgh, Scotland

9th June 2008

FLOTSAM PERCENTAGE

0%

JETSAM PERCENTAGE

100%

PERFORMANCE

6/10

The black fin worked very well. I could have used even heavier ballast inside container rather than sand, perhaps rocks. Directional steerage was a failure. A rudder or staysail would have fixed this.

CONTACT INCLUDED

No

THE FLOTSAM FILOSOPHY

CRAMOND BRIG

NAME

Cramond Brig

MATERIALS SOURCED

Cramond, Edinburgh, Scotland

55º58'50.93"N, 3º17'48.95"W

December 2007

VITAL STATISTICS

Hull - 1 x litre soft drink bottle

Deck - plywood

Mast - light sabre

Shrouds - electrical wire

Sail - expanded foam insulation panel

Ballast - 1 x small soft drink bottle filled with water

Keel - plastic tube

Binding - assorted nylon string

LAUNCH SITE

Cramond, Edinburgh, Scotland

55º58'50.93"N, 3º17'48.95"W

13th January 2008

FLOTSAM PERCENTAGE

0%

JETSAM PERCENTAGE

100%

PERFORMANCE

0/10

This was an experiment with bottles. I was wondering how to use some of the thousands of plastic bottles that are thrown and washed into our seas. Away from the great keel supply area of the Slate Isles of Argyll, I would be need to find an alternative ballasting system. But, I had completely miss understood the science of using water as ballast. Of course it was going to end up on it’s side! The water in the bottle becomes neutral when the boat is afloat. The only ballast was being provided by the plastic tube and the small bottle, probably only adding up to a few ounces! Next time fill with sand!

Although I did think she looked good with the cambered sail and cylindrical keel.

CONTACT INCLUDED

Yes

THE FLOTSAM FILOSOPHY

G'DAY

NAME

G’Day

MATERIALS SOURCED

55º45'29.54"N, 1º59'17.43"W

Spittal Beach, Berwick upon Tweed, England

27th November 2007

VITAL STATISTICS

Hull - 2 x plastic soft drink bottle

Deck - polystrene

Mast - rocket launching tube

Bowsprit - fishing float

Sail - assorted fireworks bag

Boom - wire

Ballast - small plastic soft drink bottle

Tiller - rocket launching tube

Rudder - fosters larger can

LAUNCH SITE

55º57'37.36"N, 3º7'14.19"W

Portobello, Edinburgh, Scotland

3rd December 2007

FLOTSAM PERCENTAGE

0%

JETSAM PERCENTAGE

100%

PERFORMANCE

8/10

Made with cast offs from bonfire night, maybe used on the beach, but found in the high water mark so I have decided they’re allowable. Not the prettiest vessel, and not as ridgidly built as others. Eventually launched over the border in Edinburgh, at Portobello beach. Cast off into the cruiser yacht equivalent size of 8 metre high breakers. G’Day powered her way through, the flexiability of it’s construction helping it to absorb the blows. With no keel and flimsy build I was pleasantly surprised.

CONTACT INCLUDED

Yes

THE FLOTSAM FILOSOPHY