About this site

Piers and Lin du Pré bought their new Fleming 55 / 129, Play d'eau, in 2003.

She was berthed in Beaucette Marina, Guernsey in the Channel Islands at N49° 30’.197 W002° 30’.350 until she was sold in October 2021.

This site charts the thrilling adventures they had in her.

You can contact us here.

Where’s Play d’eau?

If the new owners have the AIS on, you can find where Play d'eau is right now.

Click here.

Zoom in and our position will be shown on a map.

Recent Posts

Quadcopter No2

Cleared for take-off
click to enlarge

Having drowned our first Phantom Vision quadcopter in the most spectacular manner in Beaucette Marina a year ago (please don’t ask…) maybe you can understand my reticence to fly its replacement.

Quadcopter No2

Having carried No2 in Play d’eau’s pilot house ever since but never having had the courage to fly it, it’s been hassling me every day saying, ‘Come on! I want to fly. Are you a pilot or not?’

So with renewed (provoked?) confidence but with great caution and readings of manuals, I’ve been practising and taking pics and videos.

Trials

Ab-initio training started in a park with acres of land and no water. Soon, confidence returned.

Spot landings were on the agenda since I’d be operating either from the aft cockpit of Play d’eau or a pontoon.

Success!

Quad 2, you’re cleared to land…
click to enlarge

Being the quiet and undemonstrative sort of chap that I am, I have to say that it’s been quite successful. I’ve managed some half decent videos and stills as well.

Now I have to learn how to edit and link them to Play d’eau’s website – and can one add music to them?

Helpful advice is really welcome.

Piers
from Play d’eau’s College of Quadcopter Training
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

8 comments to Quadcopter No2

  • Pip Flynn

    The expression “boys with their toys” springs to mind, but glad you have something else to occupy you these days!
    I look forward to seeing the result of your endeavours on your blog in due course.
    Meanwhile enjoy being in control of the cockpit again!
    P&Pxx

    • Oh Pip, you are so spot on with the thought of being back in the cockpit again (not the thought of boys and their toys – heaven forbid…). Spot landings, complex manoeuvres, planned routes and changing altitudes. Lots to master but it’s such fun!

      Good hearing from you.

  • Kim

    For the (royalty free) music try this page which signposts to a bunch of links:

    http://www.adweek.com/socialtimes/royalty-free-music/38475

    We talked about you using Windows Movie Maker but, assuming you can get enough bandwidth to work online from time to time you might want to look at https://www.loopster.com which has lots of online help.

    Oh, and perhaps a quick order to Crewsaver asking if they have a Quadcopter sized lifejacket? 🙂

    ps you are in good company, I have a Phantom 2 that is still awaiting its maiden flight, due to many chicken out factors getting in the way…

    • Brilliant. Thanks Kim. Didn’t know you had a quad! You kept that one quiet. Having spent ages with nose in books, I’ve simplified the operation and can pass some useful(?) info that may make it simpler to fly.

      BTW, Lin says (in woeful deep voice) that the idea of an LJ is too late for quad No1….

  • Dave Birch

    Hey Piers,
    about flammin time!!!!
    Looking forward to seeing some images/video from the copter.
    For editing my stuff I use movie edit pro 2015.
    Cheap and really easy to use.
    You just need to get the hand of flying it whilst being underway at sea!!!
    Safe travels/flying
    Dave

  • Hil

    I think Louis has put music to his quadcopter flights-ask him-but he is in Malasia until mid August. It looks like a sort of moth, but determined. Have fun!

    Lots of love, Hil x x x

  • Picture the scene. Piers asks me if I’d like to see his quadcopter in action. Of course I would.

    We take it out onto the pontoon, Piers fires it up and lo and behold it’s up in the air floating around beautifully. We get the app working, we take some pictures, all great stuff.

    Now if there’s a sailor who is interested in the weather more than Piers, I haven’t met him. Unfortunately, I saw no evidence of the weather being checked for the flying…

    Landing the thing on the pontoon, Piers lowers it down beautifully into the centre of the gangway. It touches down, but there is a slight bounce… followed by a rather large gust of wind.

    The worst thing was the propellors on the top acting as the propulsion to get the ‘copter to drive itself further deep, deep down into the bottom of the marina. Quadcopter number 1, we hardly knew ye.

    Oh dear. And heading towards us was Lin. I wondered if Piers had mentioned to Lin how much the thing had cost?!

    Time to make myself scarce.

    Happy flying with the new one Piers!

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