A proper sail at last !

[kds]

I launched my 29' Trintella after spending previous 2 years building it from a hull/deck near end of 2004 season. Since then I have been sailing it and finishing it - BUT - took my first cruise in it Sunday night with an overnight passage down from Burnham (East end of Bristol channel) to Milford haven (SW Wales).
Everything worked (except couldn't get to grips with my new Yeoman - my fault) and she sailed so well. I am like a dad with a new child (been there, done that too !) 108 miles in less than pleasant sloppy conditions, occasional rain and winds from f1 SE which backed and then veered to f4 SW, in 16 hours (engine on if speed dropped below 5 over ground in the Spring tides).
Dolphins and petrels to welcome me off Milford Haven!
So delighted - I had to tell somebody else !
Ken

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Congrats Ken.... great achievement.... many projects like this founder, so nice to see one come to fruition....

 

[Sans Bateau]

Can tell the excitment from your writing! Great!!

 

[BrendanS]

Well done, you deserve to be excited, and who better to tell than us!

 

[sailorman]

Great achievement /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I used to fit then out on the late 60s @ Offshore Yachts

 

[Lakesailor]

Great. Always better to use it.
Does it make the work all worthwhile, or do you wish you'd started with something a bit nearer sailing condition?
At least you'll know it inside out for the future fiddling-about sessions.

 

[Robin]

Well done and congratulations!

Now you can spend the next many years 'finishing' the job, just like the rest of us who bought ours ready made and are still making improvements and additions. Of course the rest of us can always curse the builders when we find a problem....

 

[kds]

Did you really - wish I had known earlier ! How often do you get down to the Bristol Channel ?
Ken

 

[kds]

My previous boat was a 26' Atalanta - spent 3 years taking out the rotten stuff before rebuilding, so it was a really nice change to build almost from scratch. One reason that took so long is beacause of my commitments as a sailing instructor, so I wasn't exactly off the water. Pleased to only have my own boat to think about though, now I've retired.
Ken

 

[sailorman]

Hi Ken
dont envisage getting to the Bristol Channel.
met a chat 2 w/e ago who had bought his from Wales to Ipswich spent a long time re-fitting. the boat was virtually as built ( just before my time @ O Y )still had original Sabb fitted
roger