Ahoy from a landlubber

[nathanlee]

I've had enough of not being on the water now. I need to get going, and I'm almost ready. I think Kudu should be finished and ready for the water in the next couple of days, then I'm going to take her for a quick sea trial, before waiting for the weather and going for it.

I have no idea how far I'm going to get before the winter... maybe it was a bad idea to have got rid of the eber

The pause is nearly over, and I can't wait to get back to sea.

 

[sarabande]

I think you have been incredibly patient and 'headscrewedonright' about the repairs, and you deserve some sunshine and beer afloat.

Stuff the thoughts of winter, you'll be round Cape Wrath in no time.

 

[Sixpence]

Super vicis quoque , volito sursum
Take it steady Nathan, crossing The Wash isn't going to be a whole lot of fun in the wrong weather, and persuade one of Wells' lovely ladies to go with you for extra heating

 

[Athene V30]

I saw the Ellen MacArther boat coming down Neptune's Staircase yesterday morning and it made me think where was Kudu.

Good to hear you are nearly ready to go on. Have just spent 2 weeks in the Western Isles in a grey hulled Mobo and decided they will be a great place to explore under sail with the right weather.

I have lost the plot a bit over the time I was away - doesn't help that the forum is nothing like I remember it looking - presumably you found more problems that had to be sorted. I will look at your website for an update.

Karouise will be in the water within 3 weeks (I hope) ready for the Indian Summer I have booked.

 

[moondancer]

Nathan,

It is still July and with the boat sorted you should be able to make some real progress. Realistically, you should be able to sail until early November. It sounds like you have made some really decent upgrades to the boat and this should help you big time.

You might need to change the mind set slightly if you want to make rapid progress. If you look at the weather patterns normally expected from this time onwards until later in August the days where the wind is over f7 are normally low and there should be plenty of time to make decent passages.

Its easy for me to say this sitting down at a keyboard but we have managed short handed hops from lowestoft to burnham and burnham to beyond ramsgate in single hits. If you are thinking of doing the Jester chalenge at all you really need to build your confidence in some long passages in weather not quite to your liking along with developing your strategy for handling watches and lack of sleep.

I have enjoyed your blog and videos and really look forward to seeing how your confidence and progress develops over the next period.

 

[wingdiver]

We popped in to Wells yesterday afternoon to see the in-laws.
Father in law knew of your existence - Rob is his name - I'm sure you will have bumped into him.
Didn't get time to pop over to the compound to check out your progress.
Hope everything is going well.
D

 

[nathanlee]

Thursday!!!

I've spoken with Bob the HM, this afternoon, and we're going back in on Thursday.

I'm taking Kudu for sea trials on Friday, prudent given the big and many changes I've made, I thought, then waiting for the weather to become reasonable.

It's all looking up

 

[nathanlee]

Its easy for me to say this sitting down at a keyboard but we have managed short handed hops from lowestoft to burnham and burnham to beyond ramsgate in single hits. If you are thinking of doing the Jester chalenge at all you really need to build your confidence in some long passages in weather not quite to your liking along with developing your strategy for handling watches and lack of sleep.

I completely agree, but until I am completely confident in the Tiller Pilot, I'm not risking it. I was at sea for 23 hours from Lowestoft to Wells (although I did have a pause at anchor for a short sleep). By the time I arrived, I could barely keep my eyes open. I know people have done big single handed hops, but I'm just not confident enough in my ability to stay "on the ball" after two days of being awake. Between the lobster pots (oh which there we're many hundreds on my last leg) and the lack of confidence in the TP, I just don't feel comfortable in trying. I think I'd first like to try a dummy run where I have crew onboard, just in case. That said, if I had crew onboard, this would be dead easy.

I'm still learning though, so I may push it a little bit and see what happens.

 

[Jezlyn]

Hey, you've still got your new moniker! When the powers that be fired up the new forum they changed my name back to the original. How did you keep yours then?

 

[Sixpence]

Hey, you've still got your new moniker! When the powers that be fired up the new forum they changed my name back to the original. How did you keep yours then?

PM or e mail to Dan and he'll take care of it

 

[Athene V30]

Hey, you've still got your new moniker! When the powers that be fired up the new forum they changed my name back to the original. How did you keep yours then?

Just goes to show some of have it and some don't!

 

[MoodySabre]

Hope it goes well Nathan. Nothing wrong with pre-match nerves - just get out there and anything will seem possible.

 

[Wunja]

I evidently don't have it!

 

[Otter]

Winter sailing...

...is a good way of covering lots of miles. We had a super delivery trip 3 years ago from the IOW to the Swale. In the last week before Christmas there was a lovely low pressure sat right over southern England, nothing over a F5 all week. Cold enough to make you believe in nothing and we had no heating either. Lots of good sea clothes and two very thick duvets at night did the trick. There were few other boats to get in the way, the clarity of light was excellent and the marinas were cheap.

 

[Jomo]

Hope you've replaced the video camera as well, looking forward to the updates

 

[moondancer]

There's a thought. Why don't you change the rules and have invited guests on some of the longer legs. Looking at the map many legs will be a comfortable day sail and only a few - mostly up the northern east coast will be longer sails.

 

[Gargleblaster]

I am completely confident in the Tiller Pilot, I'm not risking it. I was at sea for 23 hours from Lowestoft to Wells (although I did have a pause at anchor for a short sleep).

Don't forget that heaving to is an effective strategy for a single hander without reliable self steering. I've done the Solent to the Thames Estuary a couple of times [30 hours] without reliable self steering and to make a cup of tea or a meal or even to put in a reef, heaving to is a very effective break. If you want to sleep though I agree anchoring is a better strategy.

 

[nathanlee]

Don't forget that heaving to is an effective strategy for a single hander without reliable self steering. I've done the Solent to the Thames Estuary a couple of times [30 hours] without reliable self steering and to make a cup of tea or a meal or even to put in a reef, heaving to is a very effective break. If you want to sleep though I agree anchoring is a better strategy.

I don't do this nearly enough I think, although as you can see in the latest video, it's not something I totally neglect.

 

[moondancer]

You need a new nickname something like 'weatherjonah' as your luck with bad weather seems to continue with Thursday's forecast.