Today my skipper turned up. I thought I had been abandoned after being taken out most weekends since I've been back in the water and then nothing. Bank holiday came and went and it appeared that this weekend too I would not see anyone.
But skip turned up and tidied up my saloon, had my engine running and gave me a once over.
My wind generator, appears to have been burnt out, according to the manufacturers Marlec and my skipper is struggling to understand how seeing as it was charging my batteries right up until the time I was taken out of the water and the device had to be lowered to enable the sling of the crane to pass over. So currently I have nothing that keeps all of my eight batteries topped up, unless of course I'm taken out with the engine running. Take today for example, skipper had it ticking over at 1200rpm and it was baulk charging at 23amps, with the volts up to 14.4v. He's been in long discussions as to whether the device is fit for purpose, bearing in mind that it's intended for us yachts in all weathers, apparently not according to the manufacturer. If it's too windy, and what level that happens to be has not been stated, my skipper has to climb up the rail to slow or stop it from spinning. Get real. But that does leave me without free electricity. Still with the way the sunshine has been, may be a solar panel or too ?
Both the G2 Gennekar and the Code 0 fit through the door of my starboard rear cabin, so at least there's somewhere to stow the sails when not required. The insulation socks and other bits for my Webasto Oil fired heater, that never seems to get finished, has also been stowed in the starboard rear cabin. Lets hope that I'm not expecting any overnight guests anytime soon then !
I understand that the 1850's house that skip and his crew live in has scaffolding up. so he's taking advantage of the good weather and doing whatever it is he needs to do. I only hope that it doesn't suffocate summer.
Sunday 5 June 2016
When Do the COLREGS Not Apply
I'm doing well. Another weekend and another trip out.
This time I gave my skipper no surprises and behaved all day, although probably a bit better than he did. With the tide coming in, the second of the two high tides as usual I was under engine in a crowded Inner Fairway and was held back slightly to allow the Red Funnel car ferry to get away and I was slotted in to its wake. No my skipper, as always watching the other vessels moving around did not flinch as another yacht was approaching from the east from the small ships channel. In fact he stood ground and made the other alter course to go behind me. This the skipper of the other vessel did not like and shouted across that it was his right of way, my skipper with his arms folded, merely shouted back that he was in the main channel and had right of way.
People that visit Cowes or possibly any other harbour for that matter forget that when entering the jurisdiction of a harbour, port or River. the local authority that has control of the confines of that waterway has powers to make its own rules. Unfortunately in this case my skipper was right and the blue faced man was in the wrong. Lets hope that at some point somebody shows him the local instructions to mariners and he can eat humble pie and toast the skipper who stood his ground !
So today I was taken out in light airs and the skipper had the balance of my sails right again and I ploughed on without the need for the crew to hold the helm. Back and forth I went, a big cloud over the New Forest and I was taken back over to the Island. For a change I was held up just outside of Newtown Creek. It was all a bit weird, the tide running quite strong was still overwhelmed by the wind that blew me away from my anchor. So my anchor was actually behind me ! At least my windlass worked without fault.
After the crew had lunch and anchor stowed back on board, my engine was run all the way back, charging my batteries yet again.
This time I gave my skipper no surprises and behaved all day, although probably a bit better than he did. With the tide coming in, the second of the two high tides as usual I was under engine in a crowded Inner Fairway and was held back slightly to allow the Red Funnel car ferry to get away and I was slotted in to its wake. No my skipper, as always watching the other vessels moving around did not flinch as another yacht was approaching from the east from the small ships channel. In fact he stood ground and made the other alter course to go behind me. This the skipper of the other vessel did not like and shouted across that it was his right of way, my skipper with his arms folded, merely shouted back that he was in the main channel and had right of way.
People that visit Cowes or possibly any other harbour for that matter forget that when entering the jurisdiction of a harbour, port or River. the local authority that has control of the confines of that waterway has powers to make its own rules. Unfortunately in this case my skipper was right and the blue faced man was in the wrong. Lets hope that at some point somebody shows him the local instructions to mariners and he can eat humble pie and toast the skipper who stood his ground !
So today I was taken out in light airs and the skipper had the balance of my sails right again and I ploughed on without the need for the crew to hold the helm. Back and forth I went, a big cloud over the New Forest and I was taken back over to the Island. For a change I was held up just outside of Newtown Creek. It was all a bit weird, the tide running quite strong was still overwhelmed by the wind that blew me away from my anchor. So my anchor was actually behind me ! At least my windlass worked without fault.
After the crew had lunch and anchor stowed back on board, my engine was run all the way back, charging my batteries yet again.
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