"All Four Corners"

sighmoon said:
Did you really sleep soundly at anchor in 50kts?
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Unless I can hear grinding I sleep soundly. (Comes from living 10m from the main Waterloo line where at 5:30 every morning a long heavy train passed by shaking the house, now I can sleep through anything) I also know the noises my boat is supposed to make, and my spider senses are pretty good. If the anchor is in mud I sleep like a log, I know it's not going to go anywhere :)

If I hear grinding or un familiar noises I barely sleep. Because of this I set my anchor well, and I trust it. If I don't think it has set well I'll re-set it until it has and I'm happy. One of the reasons I put a windlass on her, it's a lot easier to re anchor again and again. Without a windlass it's easy to get tired of hauling it up and then think that will do, when really in your heart you know you should do it again.

I have certified G40 chain, a Kong connector and a oversized Spade. In reality that means it would have to reach a load of over 4,000 kg before any part of it would fail. Or, if my boat was 200 kg lighter than her build displacement, my ground tackle could take the weight of the boat in air.

Obviously if I knew there was a blow coming I would head for a harbour and tie up. But it's not always possible.
 
Well folks, I'm on my way. I left Loch Ewe on Thursday 15th (April) came down the Inner Sound, Sound of Sleat, the west side of Mull to Iona then Colonsay, through the Sound of Islay to Port Ellen and then yesterday in thick fog across the North Channel to Ballycastle. Since I left I've had one and a bit days' sailing and all the rest motoring in flat calm windless brilliant sunshine. Today I'm fog-bound and windless in Ballycastle. It's a great marina, extremely helpful staff and all the locals are so very friendly.
I'm hoping to sail tomorrow, probably to Glenarm and then down on the east coast til I cross over to Milford Haven for The Party on 8th May.
I'm flying the Forum Burgee - but I've only come across one other boat so far. Not a Forumite.
Thanks for all your advice and encouragement whilst preparing for my odyssey and I look forward to meeting up with some of you on my way round. I intend to have a full week off in St.Mawes/Falmouth in mid May.
Cheers 'n' Gone,
Robert
 
I
Robert Wilson said:
Well folks, I'm on my way. I left Loch Ewe on Thursday 15th (April) came down the Inner Sound, Sound of Sleat, the west side of Mull to Iona then Colonsay, through the Sound of Islay to Port Ellen and then yesterday in thick fog across the North Channel to Ballycastle. Since I left I've had one and a bit days' sailing and all the rest motoring in flat calm windless brilliant sunshine. Today I'm fog-bound and windless in Ballycastle. It's a great marina, extremely helpful staff and all the locals are so very friendly.
I'm hoping to sail tomorrow, probably to Glenarm and then down on the east coast til I cross over to Milford Haven for The Party on 8th May.
I'm flying the Forum Burgee - but I've only come across one other boat so far. Not a Forumite.
Thanks for all your advice and encouragement whilst preparing for my odyssey and I look forward to meeting up with some of you on my way round. I intend to have a full week off in St.Mawes/Falmouth in mid May.
Cheers 'n' Gone,
Robert
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Great!
I'm sure you'll enjoy your trip as much as I did mine. You'll have some great days, some lousy ones, but in the end they'll add up to an experience you would not have missed.
Have a safe trip!
 
garvellachs said:
Nothing against Glenarm, but from Ballycastle it's easy to make Belfast Lough on one tide if the breeze is kindly?
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Yep - I've done it in a breeze that built very kindly thank you. Left Ballycastle about an hour before the tide turned in the North Channel and had a run/reach with cruising chute all the way to Carrickfergus. 'twas in my Moody 336, though, not my Sadler 25. It would have been a slog into a SW wind...
 
paulferris1964 said:
Good luck Robert!

Let us know when you expect to be in the Solent. It would be good for our two Javelins to meet!

Paul
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Thank you Paul.
It certainly would to see another one, mine has felt very lonely since going to the far north west!
I'm currently in Ardglass, having been penned in by strong south/westerly winds. I'm hoping to make Kilkeel tomorrow, or even Port Oriel if the wind god plays fair.
I had a good blast down from Glenarm to Bangor (very smart marina there!)and then a really enjoyable run here, spoilt by my batteries going flat due to a charging problem.
Fortunately it wasn't the alternator but the ignition warning light bulb shorting out due to corrosion. At least is hasn't cost me a new alternator, but it sure caused me problems when half a mile from entering on a very blowy westerly into this very tight and twisty marina entrance. Thankfully, I had a spare battery and jump leads!
I've been stuck here for three days and it's been bl**dy COLD!
I'm looking forward to the next few days and then the crossing to Milford - only if the weather is favourable.

I'll keep posting when wi-fi permits.

Bye f'now,

Robert
 
Many thanks to all of you for your thoughts and encouragement. I am really pushing envelope with this trip, but all has gone safely and happily so far.
For "interesting" sailing I can recommend The Sound of Sleat in a strong wind and full flowing Spring Tide - but coming out into the open at the south end with wind against tide was not at all pleasant!
 
I really liked Ardglass when I was there, although I was less than relaxed when berthing up, its awfie tight there!
 
jimi said:
I really liked Ardglass when I was there, although I was less than relaxed when berthing up, its awfie tight there!
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Quite liked it as well. Pretty tight indeed, with a narrow approach and entrance. The resident seal in the fishermen's part of the harbour was more relaxed, he was obviously at home.
I was going north, and it was a fine indication that things were about to become less urbanised.
 
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