It's Official !

I'm to be taken out of the water to be put back on the hard at the Yacht Haven from December 9th.

It's my turn.  With the crews house taking precedent during the later half of the year leaving me home and dry for 6 months, I'll be home, of sorts, and dry again for another 3 !

Clearly my skipper will be keen to see the state of my new prop having been under water now for almost a year and how the sacrificial anodes have fared with the third 'manual' one having been in use for sometime now.  Also the covering of my sail drive with a resin based product, how has that fared. Following negotiations with Marlec the new Rutland 1200 Windcharger has been delivered since the Southampton boat show and is waiting to be assembled in place of the burnt out model.  Apparently this is more powerful than the previous model, lets hope it doesn't suffer the same problems and has an overheat cut out switch.  My batteries will soon be back up to full strength and it may be a case of leaving a system or two on so as to keep a constant flow of electrical current.  This wont be fitted till after I'm back in the water, given what happened last year to the bearings of the old one.

I note that some of the insulated ducting for the Webasto heater has been readied, so hopefully this will be one of those jobs that will actually be completed.  The skippers idea is to add an in line fan with a variable speed diode to draw the hot air to my master cabin that's been devoid of heat since I was launched.  Despite the reservations of the manufacturers, skip feels that his idea will work and if the in line fan gets anywhere near as hot as the manufacturer suggests then the cabin will have reached a temperature such that the system will be shut down by the crew who will be too hot !

My engine should get a service too, new fuel & oil filters, new oil & antifreeze, new impeller.  It's like going to the Hygienist at the dentist, you don't notice any plaque build up, it's a messy job, but you can feel the difference once its done.

I'm not sure if my sails will be sent for servicing & cleaning this year, they've not seen much use.

So I'll let you know how things are going but for now here's a picture of the crews other project, compare this against the one I posted earlier, there's a huge difference and no wonder it took time.

                               Check the previous - see the difference

Twidelling Spreaders

I know my crew is busy with their house, but I've not been anywhere since I returned from the summer cruise.  The weather has been exceptional and all I've done is watch both my neighbours come and go, in fact one has headed off to the Canary Islands for the winter.

Me well, my skipper hasn't even removed the courtesy flags from Dorset to the Scilly's and the wind un-picked my Devon flag and sent down the river.  Still I am still the pretty boy, the work my skipper put in scrubbing my decks is still plane to see.  Yet I'm a sailing yacht and sailing is what I yearn to do, but currently my presence remains on the pontoon.

My crew did turn up the other day to show me off to some friends, the flags came down.  I also know that they did go to the boat show and I've got some new bits that my skipper will either fit or store on board in readiness for next year, s I'm to be stored back on the hard at the Yacht Haven once more.  My Gel coat is still in a shinny state after the skipper spent virtually three months, cutting back the grime and polishing me up, but I bet I get another going over.

Works to the ducting and my Webasto heater will no doubt get sorted this year too, which will, if successful, enable my crew to enjoy some early season sails and still be cosy & warm below once light fails.  I understand that the latest model of wind generator from Marlec has been delivered ready to fit once I'm back in the water.  This is supposedly more powerful at lower wind strengths, quieter than my old model.  This will keep all my batteries more then topped up.

So I wait here patiently, it'll be my time soon.  I'm glad they're having a purge on the house as once finished it's my turn.

                         My skipper working on the scaffold after cutting a
                                            hole in the gable wall

Summer Cruise

After all this time of in activity and this years summer cruise started early !

Three days early, but I understand that my crew had to ensure that the works ongoing at their house had reached a stage that could be left.  And so my skipper arrived with bags of provisions and bags of clothes and on the Wednesday my lines were cast and I slipped in to the Medina and headed out.  At last I was out and it was of no great surprise when my bow was pointed in to Totland Bay, where I anchored for the night.  Not having been out on many occasions this year meant that the majority of my pulley's needed attention and to remind my skipper of this fact I kept him awake most of the night with creaks and groans.

And so it was that on the second night we stopped off at Studland Bay, at least this time it wasn't full of oiks and the skipper had heeded my advice on the pulley's and applied plenty of lubricant.  So he was rewarded with a quieter night although I know the fact that his lack of sea time over the summer would still play on his mind keeping him awake.  A state he would remain in until he'd got back in to the rhythm of the sea.

From Studland we were well received in Portland marina, where the staff remember my name and still think my lines strikes the best look in the marina.  With the tidal information assessed we left the following day and just caught the start of the races East of Portland Bill but soon were heading West and the promised wind never came.  It wasn't till a few miles out of Babacombe Bay that the wind filled in and my crew had me unravelled and sailed me in.  Picking a buoy closer in supplied by The Carey Arms.  A lunch within with just one half of their friends paid for the mooring and the owner said that she'd watched my come serenely in under sail and also loved my lines.

Me in Babacombe Bay

A quiet night on the buoy and we rounded the point and headed to Salcombe.  My skipper had a 'post it' note stuck on my Nav table with dates of all the regatta's so as to miss them !  The wind picked up and I was slamming on a buoy in the river, my crew not having the most comfortable of nights.  Once the wind had abated, we headed to Sutton Harbour within the heart of Plymouth.  This enabled my crew to meet up with her friend as they tend to do each year when possible and so this year a meal was had on board, they then disappeared for a night cap on shore.  My skipper wandered off to the Marine Bizzare to buy a few bits and eventually the whole crew went walkies in search of a Gaz bottle as one of mine was empty, but more importantly the suppliers had been having issues and so the UK was suffering with depleted stocks.  Whilst I carry two and one usually lasts me for their summer break, they have fitted a new oven in my galley with a grill and meals were being prepared most evenings on board.

The Helford River was my next stop and I was taken to my usual spot to anchor, beautiful as it is, it's becoming busy, although the photo below doesn't show all the moorings & anchorages.  As is always the steady wind that had taken me there became awkward as my attitude changed and the crew had to fight to get my sails down, from what had been a fairly innocuous day.

Pretty Helford River

From my anchorage we headed around the Lizard to Newlyn.  The wind was such that we went quite south of the Lizard and eventually the wind died, the skipper spent at least a good 30 mins trying to fill my sails and get me moving in the direction we wanted to go.   Alas in the end the engine had to go back on.

Newlyn is a special place for my crew.  Not for any emotional reason, just that this is a real working port.  Doesn't matter what the clock says, if fishing crew come in then the harbour awakens. Oddly despite the noises my crew sleep soundly in between.  It is here that my skipper is studying the weather forecasts and evaluating whether or not this is the end of their cruise or whether the Atlantic and Azores High is going to give them enough window to head further West and make the Scilly Isles.  Again this year there was a break and so the 6 degrees 50 minutes West longitude was made and I was once again anchored close to Hangman's Island.  Not that this was straight forward, it took three attempts within New Grimsby Sound to anchor away from others in a busy place.  The wind around F6 keeping me pinned against the rock.

The gruel some Hangman's Island

With crew keeping any eye on the weather as you have to in this place, they went off and toured the Abbey Gardens on Tresco, a place that last time they didn't appreciate existed.  Set in 17 acres of land the former owner had the gardens laid out to support and reflect the areas that the plants came from.  A well worth visit including the Red Squirrel's that adorn my crew's homeland.

With the skipper noting that an Atlantic low was coming in and the fact that the strong winds had abated. Causing an 0600 meeting with the French mid stream, it was decided that a move back to the mainland sooner rather than later was on the cards. The wind however was not playing ball and despite trying to sail twice the swell knocked off any speed the sails could muster.  Fog or mist was never very far away and with my engine running skipper decided to take the opportunity to have radar practise.  Rounding Lands Ends 3nm off no shore line could be seen, even my close proximity alarm went off (0.5nm) but yet my crew couldn't see any vessel and so they creeped back in to Newlyn.

Sure enough the weather changed and the winds increased.  This gave my skipper time to replace the stereo radio he managed to blow up in Plymouth, when washing down my decks and a bucket of water entered an open hatch to soak the system, plus source a new aluminium step ladder having lost the original off Gorran Haven with a gust.

Once the weather had abated the journey East commenced.  Five days in Newlyn was not an issue but meant that to make ground East longer passages would need to be made. So we set off for Falmouth or rather Pendennis marina next to the British Maritime museum, wind was south westerly and we were making good progress with the tide too, but then came the Lizard as serene as anything on the way but this was something else.  I'd say worse than the Portland Bill we faced a couple of years ago, short steep waves built and whilst I had 6 knots of boat speed I only had 1.5 knots SOG (speed over the ground)  and so I became held up.  The waves crashed occasionally on my stern and tried to turn me, all my skippers senses where put to use including his ears which listened out to the oncoming beasts from behind.  We seemed to clear one area when a steeper section took hold, other, mainly motor boats where like trawlers, bows out of the wave and crashing down in to the trough behind.  Eventually the waves eased and my skipper was able to hand over the helm to his crew, after a long two & a half hour session.

The following day, day 28 we left a quiet Falmouth and headed for Fowey, the wind had also left and at under 10 knots my engine was back on once more.  It took 3 attempts to connect with mooring buoy S7, due to a malfunctioning mooring mate.  My skipper almost went over board trying to loop the ring leaning over my port side.  Never a good idea, so high is my free board.

The following day was again a mixture of wind conditions and as such my crew had me catching and passing others.  Thor the 170msq G2 Gennekar was out for a while,  We were naking such good progress that a change of course was made, but yet again the iron sail, the engine came on, to make our final destination.  Skipper, in front of the harbour master had me serenely reverse in to my allocated spot with ease.  Dartmouth had its regatta but we had a place for the night.

                                                                 Thor in the Sunshine

Lyme Bay was in the Doldrums on the way west, would it be the same going home ?  The simple answer was yes, with the added condition of fog.  Skipper played with my radar system again and responded to a Naval warship Southerland that was about to fire a few live rounds, fortunately it was confirmed that I was to continue my passage on the chosen course, to my allotted conclusion Portland.  The question was inner or outer route, this depended on what time we arrived.  As it was the sea was calm but soon evident that the boiling waters wasn't far away.  The surface of the otherwise benign sea soon had ripples and the swirls of the current deep beneath appeared on the surface. By 1800 my skipper had approval to enter the East ship channel, twenty minutes later I was secured on Tango pontoon.

Here I took on 170 lts of diesel with a touch of diesel bug inhibitor as always during a major refuel, prior to setting of once more.  The East channel was approved proving I had cleared the entrance as traffic was expected.  This came in the form of a cruise liner, wind under 10 knots and from the south west, Thor once more was hoisted this time without the main being up, instantly I picked up speed and headed for Anvil point and the overfalls that we've encountered many times before.  A gust of wind had me headed and my crew worked quickly to drop the sail and hoist the whites.  This may have been a tad over reacting but the exercise was completed quickly and I was back under sail quickly.  Again the overfalls weren't of significance and progress was very good, another race ensued.  However Studland was full of, well others that spoiled a place of natural beauty, ski boats, jet ski's, speed boats, all making life unpleasant. with a quick check on the tidal calculations the Skipper suggested that there was two hours maximum to get through the Needles and anchor in Totland Bay.  With some wind, I was motor sailed at around 7.0 knots, we approached the Shingles Bank buoy just as the tide turned, keeping to the island side picking up a slight eddy, anchoring further in Totland Bay than I've been before.  Once settled diner was on the go and a fleet of racing yachts took advantage of the ebbing tide to sail to St Peter's Port for their weekend race.  Their tricolours gently waving at the end of their masts as they silently past me.

Day 32 was not a very nice day, overcast with the threatening rain.  My crew motored me back to my home pontoon another summer cruise complete and I returned to Cowes in a better condition than when I left.  Lets hope that I don't have to wait to long before my next outing.

Fast approaching

All summer, if that's what it's been, I've been sitting on my mooring waiting.  All the hard work over winter may not have been that worthwhile if I'm not out showing it off.  Yet I know my skipper & crew have been working hard on their other project the house.

So August is fast approaching and it should be my time, yet I've not seen anyone, although skipper did turn up briefly to write down what stores I have on board, a sign I'll take as a positive one.

Still no word or signs of my wind generator being replaced, so I wait to find out what's happening on that score. In the meantime keep checking not only the blog site but Marine Traffic to find out where I am. Although the system isn't hard wired properly yet, I'm sure skip will transmit at least once a day so you can follow my progress, when I do eventually get away.

So hopfully better news soon, keep in touxh

RIR but not as it ought to be !

It's been nearly a month since I've seen my skipper, but as thought the scaffolding around his house has meant his attentions have been on Dagmar House and not me.

This weekend was this years Round the Island Race, but I knew something wasn't usual as I had no visitors leading up to the weekend or on the Friday before the race itself.  However on Saturday I heard the Yamaha outboard heading my way will the skipper on board, bu the didn't set about fitting the AIS properly nor getting the Webasto heater ducting sorted out, but he was preparing me for sail. Then it hit me, the river taxi pulled up near by and off loaded six other people including a small child.  The wind fairly strong didn't take long to blow me off the pontoon once the guests had been put through the safety talk and had warm tea inside them.  It was quiet out in the Solent but the wind blew quite hard from the West.

My engine was left on tick over but in gear and the Jib was unfurled but reefed slightly to prevent a roll developing making the newcomers from feeling the effects.  With the wind refusing to ease, I was guided over to Osborne Bay where my anchor came out.  Skipper realising that the further East I went the further they'd have to endure the effects of a head on wind.  Incredibly as lunch was being prepared, Pheado 3 a trimaran was heading for the finish followed shortly afterwards by Leopard a huge mono hull.  There was a lot of activity on CH16 as boats broke, people went over board and even one sank, wind increased if anything, but following lunch the opinion was to return home under the lee of the island to keep out of the waves as best as possible.  The new prop biting hard in to the water maintained a healthy 5.1 knots despite 27 knots of actual and 32 of apparent wind speed.

Skip knows his stuff and the pontoon was clear of Polly & Craftmans Art, probably still the other side of the island, so had a free run back to the pontoon against the wind.  With another brew on go until the allocated free ferry time had surpassed allowing the crew to disembark, then Skip tidied me up.  I'm pleased to report that no hick up occurred, everything that work before worked now.

That didn't include the Marlec wind generator, whose absence is still felt since I've been back in the water.  I think that one's going to end up in court.  Still the alternator and intelligent regulator had been running all afternoon and so my batteries had been replenished.

So it's now July and thoughts must be focused on the one purpose I have.  That is to take my regular crew away for August and provide them with a stress free time.  Although I think Skip still likes to clean here and there, or tweak something, as he has the time to just wallow in self indulgence whilst on board. I'm also of the belief that we'll be leaving a week early.  I'm so looking forward to being out, away from the confines of the muddy Medina river, that tries to blemish all the hard work my Skipper did to my hull over winter and give something back.

Bank Holiday but no show ?

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.

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.