Baltimore 2019

Spuddy

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Tempting providence or what? Was getting rid of the nasty polyurethane varnish that was half stuck on the tiller.
Had to be about 80% finished when a split ran nearly end to end. It's one of those nice looking laminated ones and whatever adhesive was used wasn't up to it. Good job it didn't happen at sea. . I've got access to a joinery shop with undisturbed planks of hardwood tucked away. I've bandsawn out a solid replacement in American red oak: the curve doesn't quite follow the run of the grain but it'll be good enough to be more reliable than dodgy lamination.
Now follows a few hours with drawknife, spokeshave etc. Don't mind a bit of the old school woodcraft stuff but getting a bit last minute.
Might trickle some epoxy down the split bit then use boat nails and rivets to hold the old one together. I'll jump up and down on it to test.
If I then shape up the butt of the new one to fit rudder head fitting then one of them can be the spare. So that's looking on the bright side; the previous emergency one was a length of alu channel. The solid one I can carve into shapes ...maybe have a whale on the end which will keep me occupied for the next few years.
 

PhillM

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Anyone mind if I join in?

Thanks to zoidberg's encouragement on another thread, I've decided to enter.

Email to EST was sent on Saturday, but no reply yet. However, I am sure that just turning up the week before will be enough. Hope so anyway. If not, I shall just follow you out and tag along anyway - I'll be your stalker!

As I understand it Mike Winter has a Cheverton, so I shall be following in esteemed company. Although mine is a little smaller as she is a Caravel MK2 and only 24'6.

I have wanted to get involved for many years, but family and work prevented. Since my wife passed away 2 years ago, the kids are now all now grown up, I have changed my job to one that gives me a decent amount of time off, so now I have both the time AND the inclination. What could possibly go wrong!

Paean comes out of the water on Tuesday. I have a month to make my preparations. Then a test sail from Hamble to Plymouth.

Not sure what else to say except, I am still in half a mind about a wind vane. Seafeather can get me on in time, but ....

Hope to meet everyone and I am SO looking forward to joining in with the Jesters, both now and in the future.

Phill
 

John Willis

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Welcome Phill,

Sorry to read of your loss. I find sailing is great therapy.

Good luck with your preparations. Personally I wouldn't wish to do any long trip without a windvane - but then I am just a curmudgeonly old git who doesn't like to get wet or spill his tea.

See you in Plymouth assuming fate doesn't prevent me so doing

JMW
 

Gargleblaster

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Talking of Windvanes. There is a Navik for sale on Ebay, going off Sunday. I wouldn't like to use a Navik, which a number of Jesters have found to fail, on a long trip but for a short trip like Baltimore it should stand up.
 

Spuddy

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I've had two ST2000 tiller pilots fail on me despite wrapping them up well in waterproof macs. Built a Hebridean and will be using that - I know they work. Tiller pilot was useful when tidying lines and fenders on arrival and departure but can always heave to instead
 

John Willis

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I've read good things about the Hebridean. Any wind vane is worth its weight in gold I think. Don't let you down or answer back and if they aren't doing the job properly, its because the skipper hasn't set things up properly
 

Gitane

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Talking of Windvanes. There is a Navik for sale on Ebay, going off Sunday. I wouldn't like to use a Navik, which a number of Jesters have found to fail, on a long trip but for a short trip like Baltimore it should stand up.

There is now also an Aires windvane on e-bay as well. Expired in 3 days.
 

Spuddy

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Preparations continue: new tiller sort of finished ( some rougher patches underneath so no looking) and keeps getting soaked in Deks Olje.
Going on scrubbing dock on Monday for antifoul and anodes check.
Still got electrics to finish....might have to call in a favour from a sparky I know.
There's GOT to be summat I've overlooked.
Intend to have a cross Channel jaunt as a shake down in next few weeks.
How's it going elsewhere
 

John Willis

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Hello Spuddy,

good to note your preparations are going well. If your cross Chanel jaunt takes you to Guernsey, let me know and I will be pleased to welcome you.
 

Gitane

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Preparations continue: new tiller sort of finished ( some rougher patches underneath so no looking) and keeps getting soaked in Deks Olje.
Going on scrubbing dock on Monday for antifoul and anodes check.
Still got electrics to finish....might have to call in a favour from a sparky I know.
There's GOT to be summat I've overlooked.
Intend to have a cross Channel jaunt as a shake down in next few weeks.
How's it going elsewhere

Boat launched yesterday, always a good day when that happens.

To do list getting shorter. Now awaiting some wiring to arrive so that I can finish the solar panel installation.

Plan to bend on sails, spray hood and dodgers tomorrow and prepare the engine for its first start of the season. Hope to go for short shake down cruise next week followed by a trip to Holland and back later this month, assuming weather behaves and warms up a little.

Still looking to start to set out for Plymouth on June 1.
 

Spuddy

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Thanks John. Might contact you on another occasion - always good to have some local contact and knowledge. I was thinking of somewhere further east, Gravelines probably
 

PhillM

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PhillM , I know of a Hebridean thats hardly been used and is very cheap.

Thank you. I did consider but after talking to the designer, I am not convinced that my lack of a pushpit is going to make install easy. It would mean hanging the controls off the backstay, which tbh I really don't like the idea of. Instead, I am investigating a Sea feather. We shall see if the Birthday money is sufficient :)
 

PhillM

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Well the Birthday money didn't stretch, so I just went ahead and ordered one anyway. Hope to fit the bracket next week and have the unit within an month.

I may be eating soup for a month, but hey, if that's a month at sea, I won't care ;)
 

milljan

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How is it going? I hope your fined with from the preparation up to the event. I'm sure you'll make it and learn more things and strategy from it! Good Luck!
 

PhillM

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How is it going? I hope your fined with from the preparation up to the event. I'm sure you'll make it and learn more things and strategy from it! Good Luck!

Ok so Paean is stil out of the water. One last major job to do then some painting.

The Seafeather is ordered, measured up, bracket being made and will be on its way by Monday or Tuesday. Thank goodness Gemma and Lee "get it". Hope to take delivery next week and fit before launch on the 7th May.

Also have a whole list of jobs to do. Most things like solar, larger battery, water tank, new jackstays, roller reefing, single line reefing blocks and lines and so on mostly purchased. Some parts already fitted. But still lots to do. But I shall make it to the start line. After that, we shall see :)
 

Gitane

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Well, short cruise done.

Weather in the first week of May currently looks ok for a practice sail to Holland. This will be my first solo overnight sail, so I am not quite sure how I will get on.

Did a bit more sheet to tiller steering practice and this seems to work well, but all this was in a slight sea. Not sure whether this will continue to work in the swell of the Irish Sea, we’ll see.

LED bulbs have arrived, so that will help with the electrics management.

Still on track to join the challenge, but may need to start the challenge on the Monday after the official start.
 

PhillM

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Well, short cruise done.

Weather in the first week of May currently looks ok for a practice sail to Holland. This will be my first solo overnight sail, so I am not quite sure how I will get on.

Did a bit more sheet to tiller steering practice and this seems to work well, but all this was in a slight sea. Not sure whether this will continue to work in the swell of the Irish Sea, we’ll see.

LED bulbs have arrived, so that will help with the electrics management.

Still on track to join the challenge, but may need to start the challenge on the Monday after the official start.

Sounding good and sounds like you are ahead of me.

My next decision is what to stow for heavy weather. By all accounts a Jordan Series is the answer. Thing is I’m short on budget and time to learn how to use one. Decisions, decisions!
 
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