There are chandleries to buy boat bits in nearly every port and harbour here, and I love exploring them to see what they have that might be useful. But despite having well ordered aisles, and huge catalogues to take away, they just seem to have a random selection of parts in stock. But no shackle for our Code 0 sail.
We only have one chandlery in Northern Ireland, in a portacabin outside Belfast. It is run by Kirk Robinson and by his father before him. You had hardly get in the door it is so stuffed with stuff. And no matter what it is you need, Kirk can rummage under a pile of more stuff and come up holding it.
So it was that our new crew Breidge took a trip to Down Marine on Thursday and returned with a Selden SBB60 shackle for our Code 0. It is now packed in her luggage and flying out from Dublin today.
Five stars for Down Marine, now shipping to Sweden!
Even my “Magic Bag” would not have helped – I only had a 35mm version in there, and I don’t think that would have gone around the bow fitting….
We miss your magic bag!
I can let you into the secret now…..
It was three bags
1: basic tool set
2: small fittings
3: rope and assorted stuff.
I spent 45 mins last weekend searching for my 3/4″ gorilla tape before I remembered where Id left it.. 🙂