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 - post comment