Taking the installation down Chris Bodle September 25, 2025 The last time opening the big coach gates at the far end of Salthouse Fields as the sail was finally taken down and its different...

Exhibition at Weston Museum Chris Bodle September 20, 2025 4:17 pm I was contacted by Weston Museum and invited to put on a small exhibition about Flotilla....

After the storm September 16, 2025 Chris Bodle The mainsail was ripped from the top of the mast during the 55 mph winds blowing in from the Bristol Channel I received texts and calls...

Marking water levels with coloured ribbons September 8, 2025 Chris Bodle Perched on a high stepladder I tied coloured ribbons around the mast as various specific heights according recorded...

Rigging the sails July 18, 2025 Chris Bodle A clear part cloudy day with light winds was the perfect conditions to attach the timber booms to the mast, install the rigging and raise the...

Sail painting – Day 3 July 12, 2025 Chris Bodle Finished painting the sails in the nick of time on the final day of the studio space rental. Rigging the sails is due in less than...

Installing the mast July 9, 2025 Chris Bodle After a full-on day in the heat and no end of challenges, the mast was eventually raised up and installed in the ground so that it could eventually...

Sail painting – Day 2 July 5, 2025 Chris Bodle On the second day of painting, Sam and I managed to complete one side of the sail. There were hurdles but more manageable this time....

Fitting the steel brackets to the mast June 23, 2025 Chris Bodle Tom Mansfield, who fabricated the steelwork for the sails structure, and I successfully installed the critical components...

The mast arrived June 23, 2025 Chris Bodle The 15m long Scots Pine untreated pole arrived at Salthouse Fields today but there are issues! I arrived early morning at Salthouse Fields open...

Sail painting – Day 1 June 19, 2025 Chris Bodle The first day of painting the sails had its challenges. From bleeding ink to projected outlines we could barely see Picked up the sails...

The sailmaker June 19, 2025 Chris Bodle Marcus Davies at Bristol Sails created the sails for this project. His sail workshop is based on Bristol’s historic Harbourside and is a continuation of a centuries old tradition of sailmaking and boatbuilding in this location. The...

Colour tests on the sailcloth June 14, 2025 Chris Bodle After a lot of research and experimentation, I found the right materials needed to create a permanent, waterproof and richly coloured...

Making a terrain map with LiDAR data May 28, 2025 4:38 pm Chris Bodle Using free digital height data to work out where to locate the sail and explore the topography...

The rigging workshop February 25, 2025 Chris Bodle Establishing a plan for rigging the sail structure, down on Bristol’s historic harbour. A location close to the turn of the turn...