Handover weekend
May 8, 2005 20:41:00 GMT
Post by jimdew on May 8, 2005 20:41:00 GMT
Well, Friday saw the handover sail and trials for Full Circle, our new Jen SO35. The day was blowy and blustery, and had to be conducted with reefed main and genoa.
Went round in circles in the Crouch: Oi! Why are you going round in circles? Tryin' to teach Ray Marine how to steer the boat! Can't you let him do it in straight lines like normal people? Nah, the little fing on the dash says turn boat, even suggesting which way to turn.... So, gyro compass wound up and calibrated, we find that various lumps of electrickery are not talking to others, GPS to DSC Radio, Radarwhizzer/Chartwotsit to Wind/Log/Depth info. Depth sounder can't decide if its 10.5m deep or 21, so alternates between the two. Wind speed is 7kts, but 20 degrees of heel and a reef tell me something may be up with it. Oh yea, and wind direction is...... about 150 degrees wrong. Spin halyard fouls the roundy roundy sail thing up front. Oops. Can we put the second reef in? Nope, needs slight rigging adjustment , as it has an artistic twist to it. So third reef then? Well no, cos it ain't actually got any string attached. Is that top batten supposed to be an inch out the back of the big white bit? Oh, right, needs cutting down. That noisy thing is quiet though, and shoves us up toward the pub at over 8 knots.Coo.
Returning to the wooden sticky out bit in the puddle with sides on it, we plug in the 240v and fire up the boat as it is supposed to be, a tied up Motorhome without wheels. Here it is fabulous, and very fangled. Central Heating, dry the oilies in the heated wet wardrobe, get the Chicken Tikka Massala on the oven, break open the Chateau Voiliers 2005, and go and sign for the ship as having no visible defects. Fine evening followed, as we discover that the evenings empty entertainment vessels won't all fit in the pathetically inadequate pedal bin.
Fine Full English breakfast aboard on Saturday morning, and await new owner of old boat (Second Chance, our little Jouet 680). Idly standing near moneychangers temple (also known as the Harbourmasters Offfice) around 10am and glance at squiggly doodle of official looking document pinned in view of everyone. Are these people mad? Do they want to put people off sailing? It says F6 North Westerly, gusting F7/8. What twonk is going to set out in a 22 footer in that murky stuff? (answer later). They should whistle up some better weather than that for a Bank Hol weekend. After all, this boating lark ain't cheap.
New owner pitches up 1030am carrying hopeful can of petrol for propulsion purposes. Eyes him with new respect until he announces that it was hanging around at back of garage 'for ages'. This to be sole source releasing us from sticky situations when required. Advised against its use at the moment, and suggest he stores it for later use. Now, bearing in mind that this is F6 NW, and our intended track for the day is NWN, I next find intrepid new owner removing boom cover and eyeing sail underneath as proposed method of proceeding to new home for boat (West Wick). Suggest might be better using engine today. There follows wet, wind over tide (can't someone do something about that?) journey of hour and a half, then turn on indicators for right turn into Marina. It suddenly pipes up to 38-40kts over the deck with spume off the wavelets., and heels poor little Second Chance at 20 degrees with bare poles.. We turned down into the trots, wind up the chuff, and proceed at 5.5 kts on tickover towards impending doom in the shape of pontoon. Full reverse engaged, but hits pontoon at 2 knots. Still, it did stop us. No damage. Retired for well earned pint.
Return to Full Circle by car, and dropped new owner. Faffed about with 'stuff' on the boat, and then tucked into 2 botts of the red, with Sun Dried Tomato and Basil Meat Concoction avec Pasta. Delish. Thanks Lynn.
This morning saw the prep and consumption of another Full English Breakfast, the only noticeable diff being that I was Chef. Even did the washing up.
So, 1st Mate Chris (actually prob only mate Chris) turns up looking very Chay B like, so we prepped the floaty thing for a passage, and set off out the Crouch. More winding of Spin Halyards around furling gizmo, and then off with the wind aft of the beam. Chris told me to write that. Shows a bit of knowledge apparently. About F5 and a bit, one reef, and doing 6.5-8 knots ticking off the buoys as we went out. Tea and wads appear from the Galley area. About 2 hours passes and we have passed some well reefed stuff coming in, one with 3 reefs and a blade 4 looking thing. Well!! We looked behind them , and in front of us. Dark precipitation carrying nastiness lurked ahead, so we tacked round back on ourselves. Lesson: Sail the SO35 upright. Reef again, and down to No2 spot on front roller white bit. Boat handles nicely but gripes up into wind on gusty bits if you dont catch it in time. Not disgraced speed wise, as we hold onto other stuff going home.
Lynn helmed all the way in, and right up to catching the new home, a swinging mooring in the Crouch. Made regal pass at pontoon with Jolly Boat tied up, and awoke Launchman. Made off and caught the mooring first time, lovely Crouch slime and goo on the pristine white decks. while tying up the mooring tails.
Discover that the amazing amount of holes in the boat and the amount of electric storage devices means that it takes 4 times as long to put the boat to bed as previous simple 22 foot device. Also it is about an 18 foot drop over the rail to the launch now, as opposed to equal freeboard on the little one.
All in all a great weekend for us. Lynn has coathanger grin, and I am like a Dog with 2 appendages. Cant wait 'til next weekend now.
3 weekends to Ostend, got to get an ICC organised.
Went round in circles in the Crouch: Oi! Why are you going round in circles? Tryin' to teach Ray Marine how to steer the boat! Can't you let him do it in straight lines like normal people? Nah, the little fing on the dash says turn boat, even suggesting which way to turn.... So, gyro compass wound up and calibrated, we find that various lumps of electrickery are not talking to others, GPS to DSC Radio, Radarwhizzer/Chartwotsit to Wind/Log/Depth info. Depth sounder can't decide if its 10.5m deep or 21, so alternates between the two. Wind speed is 7kts, but 20 degrees of heel and a reef tell me something may be up with it. Oh yea, and wind direction is...... about 150 degrees wrong. Spin halyard fouls the roundy roundy sail thing up front. Oops. Can we put the second reef in? Nope, needs slight rigging adjustment , as it has an artistic twist to it. So third reef then? Well no, cos it ain't actually got any string attached. Is that top batten supposed to be an inch out the back of the big white bit? Oh, right, needs cutting down. That noisy thing is quiet though, and shoves us up toward the pub at over 8 knots.Coo.
Returning to the wooden sticky out bit in the puddle with sides on it, we plug in the 240v and fire up the boat as it is supposed to be, a tied up Motorhome without wheels. Here it is fabulous, and very fangled. Central Heating, dry the oilies in the heated wet wardrobe, get the Chicken Tikka Massala on the oven, break open the Chateau Voiliers 2005, and go and sign for the ship as having no visible defects. Fine evening followed, as we discover that the evenings empty entertainment vessels won't all fit in the pathetically inadequate pedal bin.
Fine Full English breakfast aboard on Saturday morning, and await new owner of old boat (Second Chance, our little Jouet 680). Idly standing near moneychangers temple (also known as the Harbourmasters Offfice) around 10am and glance at squiggly doodle of official looking document pinned in view of everyone. Are these people mad? Do they want to put people off sailing? It says F6 North Westerly, gusting F7/8. What twonk is going to set out in a 22 footer in that murky stuff? (answer later). They should whistle up some better weather than that for a Bank Hol weekend. After all, this boating lark ain't cheap.
New owner pitches up 1030am carrying hopeful can of petrol for propulsion purposes. Eyes him with new respect until he announces that it was hanging around at back of garage 'for ages'. This to be sole source releasing us from sticky situations when required. Advised against its use at the moment, and suggest he stores it for later use. Now, bearing in mind that this is F6 NW, and our intended track for the day is NWN, I next find intrepid new owner removing boom cover and eyeing sail underneath as proposed method of proceeding to new home for boat (West Wick). Suggest might be better using engine today. There follows wet, wind over tide (can't someone do something about that?) journey of hour and a half, then turn on indicators for right turn into Marina. It suddenly pipes up to 38-40kts over the deck with spume off the wavelets., and heels poor little Second Chance at 20 degrees with bare poles.. We turned down into the trots, wind up the chuff, and proceed at 5.5 kts on tickover towards impending doom in the shape of pontoon. Full reverse engaged, but hits pontoon at 2 knots. Still, it did stop us. No damage. Retired for well earned pint.
Return to Full Circle by car, and dropped new owner. Faffed about with 'stuff' on the boat, and then tucked into 2 botts of the red, with Sun Dried Tomato and Basil Meat Concoction avec Pasta. Delish. Thanks Lynn.
This morning saw the prep and consumption of another Full English Breakfast, the only noticeable diff being that I was Chef. Even did the washing up.
So, 1st Mate Chris (actually prob only mate Chris) turns up looking very Chay B like, so we prepped the floaty thing for a passage, and set off out the Crouch. More winding of Spin Halyards around furling gizmo, and then off with the wind aft of the beam. Chris told me to write that. Shows a bit of knowledge apparently. About F5 and a bit, one reef, and doing 6.5-8 knots ticking off the buoys as we went out. Tea and wads appear from the Galley area. About 2 hours passes and we have passed some well reefed stuff coming in, one with 3 reefs and a blade 4 looking thing. Well!! We looked behind them , and in front of us. Dark precipitation carrying nastiness lurked ahead, so we tacked round back on ourselves. Lesson: Sail the SO35 upright. Reef again, and down to No2 spot on front roller white bit. Boat handles nicely but gripes up into wind on gusty bits if you dont catch it in time. Not disgraced speed wise, as we hold onto other stuff going home.
Lynn helmed all the way in, and right up to catching the new home, a swinging mooring in the Crouch. Made regal pass at pontoon with Jolly Boat tied up, and awoke Launchman. Made off and caught the mooring first time, lovely Crouch slime and goo on the pristine white decks. while tying up the mooring tails.
Discover that the amazing amount of holes in the boat and the amount of electric storage devices means that it takes 4 times as long to put the boat to bed as previous simple 22 foot device. Also it is about an 18 foot drop over the rail to the launch now, as opposed to equal freeboard on the little one.
All in all a great weekend for us. Lynn has coathanger grin, and I am like a Dog with 2 appendages. Cant wait 'til next weekend now.
3 weekends to Ostend, got to get an ICC organised.