Spaghetti Junction

4:13 PM - Aug. 18, 2008 - comments {0} - post comment

'Twas a bit windy

After such a rubbish few weeks of weather I was keen to go sailing again, as were a couple of families in the village. Organised the week before with no forecast, Sunday was to be the day, if the weather was nice. Dire warnings of " We're only fair weather sailors, James" were issued and hence by Friday night it was all looking very uncertain.

The BBC however, considered that Ipswich would be dry, sunny, although a tad on the windy side. So orders were issued. 10:30 Sunday, SYH, bring a picnic. Oh and your teenage daughters, otherwise my crew E and M will rebel.

SW 5-7 decreasing 4-5 later. Could be worse, it could be raining as well!

Down to the boat in good time, inflatable in the water, outboard on, very small crew in attendance, others yet to arrive. 11:00 all present and accounted for. Off to get the boat and then all aboard and away.

New reefing kit put into action, 2 reefs in the main, and the yankee half unrolled. Still plenty of sail. Whoops of delight from all, quiet consideration of all the risks by the skipper! Head up the Orwell towards the club for lunch, lee rail under, pinch round the marks a Pin Mill, bear away up the river for the club, sheets out.

Not enough! Lee rail under, rounding up hard, stanchions under, water lapping the cockpit coamings,  main let go, hold course. Hmm. Better pay more attention to the sails from now on.

Thanks to a younger crew member for this one, who, quite unperturbed by the angle, snapped the picture only moments after almost getting wet.

Alongside for the bar and lunch, and then on to the Orwell bridge and a dash back down the river, with the girls slyly on Pimms, while the lads completely failed to remember to get into the beer. Good sailing is rather distracting!

8:13 PM - Aug. 11, 2008 - comments {0} - post comment

All work and no play makes for a frustrated owner

10:53 PM - Aug. 4, 2008 - comments {0} - post comment

A little sailing and a bit more work.

Following on from Pirates, E at least was keen to go to the boat again, despite the bumps last time, and we all set off the following Friday for 3 nights on board. Weather, near perfect, rain fading away, neap tides and lightish winds. SWMBO droppped me off at SYH and I took the boat upto RHYC to meet them all and transfer all aboard. Down the river on Saturday to creep into the Backwaters and anchor in Hamford, for a quiet night. Lots of birds, and a bit of breeze. Sunday saw us round to Stone Point for some beach time, and an afternoon roast. SWMBO was getting restless afterwards, so I suggested she sailed the dinghy. Nervous looks. Last time she went sailing it was a bit breezy and despite the dinghy being very forgiving, she though she was close to capsize. But this evening was milder, no ships to play with like the Orwell, and so we rigged and launched. Very successful and enjoyed sail.

Brief beach excursion on Monday morning before a brisk sail back to SYH with a reef and the yankee. Even enjoyed by E and possibly M...

2:42 PM - Jul. 16, 2008 - comments {0} - post comment

Pirates and Gales

Listening to the forecast over breakfast I decided that this was not the weekend to go to the boat with the children. Saturday was looking marginal and Sunday was worse (SW 5-6, occ 7). The pirate weekend at Stone point would be delayed until next year, and I would keep schtum to E, who had been looking forward to it.

09:15.

E: Its the Pirate weekend!

Me: Do you really want to go? The weather's not very nice.

E: Yes, I want to see the pirates!

Me: OKaaay.

Then a desperate scramble to get everything together, food, clothes, pirate costumes, boat stuff and off in the car, and now a push to catch a tide. Excitement all round!

At the marina with M clinging on to me at every opportunity, inflatable up, tide just peaked, time to get aboard, get E and M fed, put M  in his bunk, get under way, have enough tide to get into the Twizzle, plug down under power into a Southerly 6.

At least the cockpit was dry, even if we did pitch enough to get spray on deck forward. M slept all the way despite the fact he must have been near airborne at times in the forecastle, and E held my had and watched the big "bumps" go past, finally collapsing asleep on the cockpit seat, just as we came into the more sheltered Hamford Water. Snuck into the Twizzle with a fast ebbing tide and a couple of feet under the keel, not a good time to ground, and then a couple of attempts at anchoring and not being blown aground on Stone Point. Jolly Roger aloft!

More than a dozen other pirate cutters in the cove, and we raided the shore. Tricorns and frockcoats, stripy tops and breeches, cutlasses and pistols were everywhere. And mud of course. E charged round like mad firing pistols and waving swords at other pirates and general pirate revelry ensued. With CdG lying almost aground at low tide E and M were dropped back aboard for milk and bed, and then I was back ashore for the bonfire and sausages. With the odd walk back to the stern to carefully listen on board, there was no sound from the crew and while the wind blew, the pirates partied.

The forecast for Sunday had degenerated. Now SW 5-7 occ 8! Can’t leave early because there isn’t enough water, don’t want to stay another day lest cabin fever set in. Titchmarsh? Or just to brave it all. Leave it to lunch.

Lunch consumed, weather no better, but not raining as yet. M to bunk, and E given the option, cockpit with me or into my bunk for a rest? My bunk won out, and that was a good choice. Engine on, and a hard workout on the windlass to get the anchor home and then we were away. Heavy rain pelted down, the boat chugged and wallowed and according to E later she was rolled over in her bunk! Back on the mooring with little trouble, and a cheeky faced appeared at the porthole in the doghouse. Are we there yet?

We were a bit wet, a bit tired, but a thoroughly good weekend. Thanks Morgana!

9:10 AM - Jul. 8, 2008 - comments {0} - post comment

At home on the mooring

Dived down last night after work to try and fit the ice box, made up at home before hand, and insulated with left over Celotex from the house. Successful to the extent that the insulation was cut and fitted and the box cut down to size.

Less succesful was the failure of the outboard gearbox casing leaving me with almost no power to get to and from the boat. A new casing is about 40% the cost of a new outbaord.  Hmmm. So we have a damaged transom, a broken skylight and now the outboard. Surely that's all!

A photo finally on the mooring.

9:21 PM - Jun. 26, 2008 - comments {0} - post comment

Oh, Bother.

We've now been in the water four weeks, I've had 3 weekends on board, the kids for two of them and depsite a few teething problems the boat is good. No, I must correct myself, the boat is bloody brilliant.

So we came alongside at the club this weekend singlehanded, well single large handed, and 2 extra pairs of hands which were only really useful for smearing chocolate over everything. But that washes off. I disgress.

We came alongside the club, for a quiet weekend of sorting, tidying, a spot of painting if the weather was up to it, and some time for the children to play. Unbeknown to me, there was a regatta on at the club, with a rather large attendance of very small people, and facilities to entertain. Now last time the children were on board they were tempted by beaches and castles (real ones that is) and so this time I felt with some trepidation that there was certain standard up to which to live. The club provided unexpectedly. There was a castle (a bouncy one), and a sand pit (in a boat) and a beach (although pretty rubbish) when the tide went out. So everyone was happy, I think.

However while we played on the shoreline, someone got their marina departure a bit wrong in the tide and gave us a whack across the transom. We lost a bit of the railcap, and split some ends of the transom planks. Oh, bother. We've only been in the water 4 weeks! They were very apologetic, and we exchanged details, all to be sorted out on his insurance. Although the damage is small to CdG, I don't have the time, or inclination to spend a couple of weekends fixing it all after just spending the last six months working on her, so it will be into SYH, I suspect. It has also given me some faith in the strength of CdG's build. The other boat, a Rassy,  hit us broadside across the transom, and he smashed up his toerail rather more badly. Now if we had been lying the other way, the likely damage from our bow and anchor doesn't really bear thinking about.

Then to wrap up Sunday, a cold change came through that was rather more brisk than forecast and we went back down the river in a NW6 by my estimate. Picking up the mooring went well enough, slack tide, very windy, first two lines on fine. Getting the main strop on was rather more time consuming, but with one little one asleep, and the other watching me work all was well on board.

Departure was more fraught. With the tide now ebbing hard, and the wind helping it downstream, the dinghy was getting sheets of spray over it just lying alongside. The smallest was still asleep, no doubt helped by the gentle rocking, and the elder desperate to get ashore for an iced lolly. Normally, given the conditions, I would have settled down, had a cup of tea, played for a while, had dinner and waited for it all to calm down in the evening. However, SWMBO was flying home from Italy to see them for a couple of days before she had to return, and a family evening at home had been planned. Sailing and dealines don't mix well, I know, but there you are.

The dinghy was set up with a quick slip line and then loaded with tools, leftover food, bags of cloths, plastics bags of valuables (cuddly toys and a sleeping bag), then me, with two rather less happy children standing on the side deck. The smaller was grabbed and plumped screaming into the bottom, and the second plucked off the deck, and line slipped. Calm desended almost immediately as the wind shot us off down tide, and down wave, water stopped coming over the bow, and outboard started making "bubbles". It's just as well that home was down wind, otherwise, that family dinner probably was not going to happen!

So after that long waffle, for the reader who is still with me, I await a call from SYH about a few repairs....

Oh and some more photos will appear, when the weather makes it suitable to actually get the camera out again!

9:38 AM - Jun. 23, 2008 - comments {0} - post comment

Afloat!

Finally, after a desperate 6 months of work we squeezed out of the grain store and loaded onto the truck ready to go down the the sea again, to the lonely sea and the sky... And so we did.

The preparation for launch went well enough, even if we did have to go in twice. The first time in, we checked the bilge and found that the bung, put in late the night before, was leaking, and although leaking planks were likely to take up, a leaking bronze bung was not. We hauled her up in the slings, got under her in a launch, removed, resealed and replaced and relaunched. All fine.

Warped her across to a berth beside an old 12 metre, and as we were surrounded by big Oysters, we felt rather small!

I must say at this point that Foxes Marina, would have to be to the most helpful bunch of people I have ever dealt with during a boat luanch. That is not to say others have been unhelpful, just that Foxes went out of their way to assist. Including staying an hour late to see us launched successfully. The harbour master has also been a star. And while I am singing praises, Peter Downes Transport has also given superb service.

Photos below sum up the launch day and the following weekend on board with the children while we sorted bits and pieces out. I couldn't believe how keen my daughter was to go to bed, even though she was clearly not that tired!

Firstly, on the truck.

Then there is how you use a cowl vent as a plaster cast..

And finally the dinghy on board in its proper place. Although I haven't decided whether to stowe it inverted or not as yet. I suspect the staysail may foul it like this, but it is easier to rig and launch this way up.

11:04 AM - Jun. 5, 2008 - comments {3} - post comment

Counting days now, not weeks!

And at least some progress is actually begining to show, the latest 3 photos as of tonight. Two more coats of varnish required on the mast, 4 more on the bulkwarks and hatches, and a few odds and sods to do when the final parts arrive. We now have the new bow rollers and mast deck plate, although not yet in, and wait on a seacock, some gold cove line and another 5 litre tin of varnish. But progress to date is:

She has her name on her new topsides paint.

She has a fresh looking saloon.

And she has a new painted and varnished galley.

10:25 PM - May. 20, 2008 - comments {0} - post comment

3 weeks to go!

We're committed now. I booked the cranes and truck to go back into the water on the 30th, and then had the truck say he couldn't make the 30th, and could we do the 29th! I said yes.

Well, the decks are done. Just a few fittings to go on to finish them all. The new oak round the cockpit is all fitted and screwed, but to be glued tomorrow and then slapped up with some paint.

Mast to varnish, hull to paint, chart table to sort out if we get time, bow rollers to fit. Few odds and sods below deck (must fit that ball valve before it's too late!), then bunk cushions and anchors and sails and warps and charts and...

The loft will seem quite empty, although somehow I doubt all the junk that has accumulated in the shed is likely to disappear, might have to get a skip.

2:02 PM - May. 9, 2008 - comments {0} - post comment

Rot, Skinned Knuckles, Broken Blades and More Rot.

As one may gather from the title, it has not been the most rewarding week of boat work.

Firstly, while the Fein Multimaster is brilliant for cutting out the old sealant, the blades need to be regarded as a disposable item, We have just ordered a sixth, which means we have now spent more on the cutting blades than on the tool itself. Even so, it has paid for itself in the time saved.

Secondly, we started to look at the soft timber round the shaft log, and found a heavy steel strap over the top the of the floors supporting the bronze log. Electro chemical decay was well away in half the floor and the shaft log, so we cut all that out, and are halfway through fitting the new timber. So far so good. Part of the access process to the shaft involved removing the aft bulkhead from the doghouse, which showed some "interesting" features. Most notably was yet another heavy steel strap running across the front of the cockpit, only visible from inside. It lies about 6 inches in front of the compass… I did wonder why some of the buoys weren’t quite coming up where expected on the way home from Dunkerque! Moving the compass around yesterday showed some 25-30 degrees of variation. So that steel strap has been pulled out, to reveal that it replaced the main deck beam that ran across the boat in front of the cockpit. The remains of that deck beam, when investigated showed lots more rot, in both the beam and the carlins running forward round the doghouse and aft round the cockpit. So we cut them out too.

Now at this stage, you, the reader is wondering if there is any structural integrity left in the boat. Well, nothing moved or pinged, and the doghouse side are tied into everything else and are 2 inch solid teak… So I think we are OK on that front, while she is sitting happily in the shed. New oak will start going in this week.

So, with 5 and bit weeks to the proposed launch, we are now really hard up against the wall to get her complete. I can see some late nights coming on.

Oh and the skinned knuckles? Swinging a mallet and chisel, while lying on your back, in a quarter berth, with rotten oak falling in your face, makes for some inaccurate swings.

10:46 AM - Apr. 21, 2008 - comments {0} - post comment

New Interior and New Tools

Its been a bit of a while, but thing have progessed. The interior nears completion. The galley is complete, and the forecastle has been built, stripped, new floors fitted and the cabinetry refitted.

We also bought a  Fein Mutltimaster which is a bit of a special piece of kit. Despite rave reviews on various forums, I was a bit sceptical about it, until we started playing with it. It cuts out bulkheads with ease (tested) it cleans out deck seams (tested) it cuts out old sealant to release deck fittings (tested) it cuts off old nails and screws (tested), and should save huge amounts of time in re-caulking the decks.

We also squeezed CdG into the barn, so now she is completely undercover. Squeezed being the operative word. She was actually about 15 mm too high to get in, but as the main hatch slides slipped under the door lintel and the bottom of the cradle dragged along the ground, the barn was forced to lift just enough to gain admittance.

There should be no stopping us completing the tasks in time!

3:16 PM - Apr. 2, 2008 - comments {2} - post comment

The Work Continues

So the target is Brest 2008. We may have some crew, we do have a work plan, and things are progressing as well as can be expected. There was extra rot in the stem which we didn't know about  but did suspect. We've pulled the rotten frames, the rusted floors and all the cabinetry, and replaced a good deal of it. We also found a bargin on getting the stanchions increased in height to be safe for the children and happily enough, in line with MCA regs too. :)

So after a rather large amount of teak, oak, mahogany and some reclaimed iroko for the galley bench tops, here are some pictures of were progress stands:

The f'c'sle, before much work.

Later once the new bunk structure begins to go in, with some new frames and a piece in the stem if you look closely.

The galley when being ripped out, with some odd spice space.

And then to cap it all we have an overall of the main saloon as a workshop, living space:

And our chances of getting to Brest? About 80% I would think. We have to reseal the decks, and do some structural stuff in the stern, do a bit of wiring, a lot of plumbing, a lot of varnishing and painting, rework the doghouse, install some decent nav kit, and some odd and sods......

...in 3 months. It should be possible.  :)

8:00 PM - Feb. 23, 2008 - comments {0} - post comment

To sheltered waters

Off the river and into a marina (twice) last weekend. A friend flew over from Portugal to see the boat and we were planning to move into SYH for the winter. Assigned a berth, went and had a look in the dinghy, OK. Motored out to the boat, boarded, slipped mooring and into the berth. Depth 0.4 m under the keel. State of tide? Just past half the ebb, on neeps. Somehow I don't think this is going to work. A few calls to the office. Nowhere else to put us. Oh well, I guess we'll motor up the river to Ipswich Haven then!

So off we went. I actually quite like the Haven. It looked after DW each year she came off the river. Its quicker to get to in the car, and walkable to the train station which helped our friend who was staying on board for a couple of nights before flying home.

All did not go as planned though. We didn't get to motor all the way up the river. The wind was too nice, so we set all sail and glid up to the bridge. Very pleasant indeed and even E liked it, because we didn't have the engine on!

Now how many days have we got left? The boat is off to Cambridge come December, for lots of work.....

4:01 PM - Nov. 7, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

A few weeks later..

And a few more issues arise. Nothing that surprising, well more of that in a bit.

On board last weekend to find the inner forestay fitting pulling out of the deck. Hmm. Not especially good. Slackened it off and then pulled the lining out down below. Fingers through into some rotten timber, but only a fashion piece not the main beam as initailly thought. No sign of through bolts comming through. Odd. Tried unscrewing one from on deck to find it was a coach bolt. Hmm, no wonder it pulled out. Unscrewed the bottle screw below deck and removed. Pulled the main fitting out. The old cast/wrought fitting has cracked, the main 5/8th threaded rod appears OK, but a pretty poor design, so will have to be replaced. There's another weekend of sorting out to do. No surprises then. Apart from the rot that is, I was expecting it to be in the main beam. Anway plenty of more beams to look at before we are finished.

So the surprise? The decks don't appear to let as much water in as I was expecting.  :)

Now the things for this weekend.

New forestay fitting, strip out the lining and lockers in the f'c'sle, fit some sail track on the mast so the main can be reefed and dropped without having to pull all the slides off the mast, and fit some reefing cleats and eyes to pull down the tack, adjust the clew pennant so they actually pull the clew down, and think about fitting a new bilge pump that has some chance of pumping out a few gallons a minute rather than an hour. But 2012, I migh have a boat that is up to scratch!

3:19 PM - Oct. 12, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

New owner, first passage and a new home

We brought Croix des Gardes home last weekend. After a hectic couple of days on Monday and Tuesday, refitting the mast, sorting a out a badly plumbed engine and signing over paper work, she was ready for the voyage home.

Friday night was a taxi, train, ferry, taxi ride to the boat and the to a very trendy restaurant/night club in Dunkerque. Yes such things do exist, and while it was not our first choice, it was the only thing open by the time we got to the boat. Huge pot of mussels each, which was more than we could eat.

Not much wind on the Saturday so a longer motor out of Dunkerque, with a late start, thanks to tidal co-operation. Some sailing across the channel and then the night in Ramsgate alongside a sea cadet training vessel. Good entertainment the following morning seeing the cadets pipe the colours up and sound the bells for the forenoon watch.

Sunday gave us good brisk sou' westerlies and a good hard sail back to Ipswich. 7-10 knots in the water and F5-6 over the deck, in the end 2 reefs and a couple of rolls in the number two to get across Fishermans Gat and then up Medusa channel. Not a lot of others out, at least offshore.

Briefly into SYH to discharge, and then onto the mooring. A great first sail as the new owner.

Close reach on the Sunday with some reefs in but a blue sky and cheerful crew.

Hard on the wind, but not much water over the decks at this stage.

New skipper surveys his liability!

1:21 PM - Sep. 21, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

New boat photos

Some photos of the good, the bad and the ugly on board.

Those loverly (and leaking) decks.

Rot in the mast partners

In the Marina at Palma.

11:10 AM - Sep. 13, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

End of an Era

Well, dear old Dawn Wind has moved onto another owner. After 20+ years in my family and 15+ years in my care she is off to a new life. Somewhat sad and hoping that the new owner will look after her well. He plans to take her down to the Med and through to Cyprus for longterm liveaboard, so it should be agood for her to get all that attention.

And for me, on to new, bigger and hopefully better things...

4:09 PM - Jul. 6, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

Classic Racing

Last weekend we went racing. I don't usually race, as I am not really the competative type, but given that it was a bucnh of classic boats, it was as much about the beer and so******ing as it was the competition.

We did OK! Despite being only 2 up, we still managed to put in a respectable turn of speed and end up in the top third or so of the fleet. Flying a spinnaker with only 2 was interesting, but we didn't break anything, and she didn't even leak too much after being out of the water for so long. Top weekend all up.

4:36 PM - Jun. 14, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

Afloat after 15 months ashore

Back in the water last Friday with a new teak deck, new deck beams, new paint, new varnish and all looking very spic and span. Unfortunately Levington were not organised enough to get the mast in so we are still some way from ship shape. Hopefully Tuesday will see DW with a mast, and by Thursday I will have bent on sails and be ready for some relaxed classic regatta socializing.

10:38 PM - Jun. 3, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment