Baltimore 25

AndreaFK said:
He had updated the standing rigging and made sure nothing leaked. I'd be tempted to make the cabin waterproof though - or look for something slightly bigger. 😁
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Well, if you had seen the boat as close up as I did, you would have seen that the rigging want not updated it was cheap SK75 dyneema. It looked like a backwards step from well installed stainless rigging. The windows were thin perspex. They didn't look like they could stay spray, never mind green water
 
Buck Turgidson said:
Interesting, I guess it depends on what your definition of prepared is! I haven’t seen the videos but I understand he made it both ways. How much more prepared could he be ?
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The boat looked well prepared for lake Bala but he did make it. His latest thing is to sail a 40ft race boat around the world none stop. If anybody can do it, Nico can
 
geem said:
Well, if you had seen the boat as close up as I did, you would have seen that the rigging want not updated it was cheap SK75 dyneema. It looked like a backwards step from well installed stainless rigging. The windows were thin perspex. They didn't look like they could stay spray, never mind green water
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Oops.
 
So I’ve had to withdraw for this year. Probate is about to be granted so I am going to be tied up with executor duties & house sales, disposing of furniture etc, then storage & moving. With the bigger boat to finish by end of summer too I can’t afford the time.
Maybe the next one?
 
Its often quoted " the hardest part of the Jester is making the start line " .
My fingers and toes are crossed, looking at initial departure next weekend (Fleetwood) so, may drop in on a little TT race's on route. Weather permitting of course.
 
Funny old World, ain't it? In post #53, I stated that I was virtually on my way to the start line that's not in Pli-Muff. Unfortunately family 'stuff' and labyrinthitis got in the way, meaning that 2025 is impossible; the grown up's were told, and it's a case of just getting on with it.
So, I've just done the Inverness to Stromness challenge, (up and back), which might seem a wee bitty low key, but throw in a couple of issues to make it interesting. With me having the drive shaft on my outboard shear in a flat calm just by Swoma, and getting it alongside the marina 5 hours later, and the return where the inevitably various winds came directly from Inverness; Inverness marina in fact, going up to 40kts in the Inverness Firth (this morning) when one's only got a 2.3 Honda as a powerhouse to manoeuvre Kessock bridge in a spring tide and the above wind.
Now, it ain't the Jester challenge, but to take 27 hours from Wick with the huge variation of conditions does make me a worthy recipient of a virtual pint or two.
Thanks in advance.
🍻
 
jamie N said:
Now, it ain't the Jester challenge, but to take 27 hours from Wick with the huge variation of conditions does make me a worthy recipient of a virtual pint or two.

🍻
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Doffs cap, knuckles forehead, performs sweeping Tudor bow.....

The JBC is meant as a pleasing gentle romp with a party at the far end. What you did was of 'the right stuff'....

I do hope you awarded yourself an analogue pint or two!
 
jamie N said:
Funny old World, ain't it? In post #53, I stated that I was virtually on my way to the start line that's not in Pli-Muff. Unfortunately family 'stuff' and labyrinthitis got in the way, meaning that 2025 is impossible; the grown up's were told, and it's a case of just getting on with it.
So, I've just done the Inverness to Stromness challenge, (up and back), which might seem a wee bitty low key, but throw in a couple of issues to make it interesting. With me having the drive shaft on my outboard shear in a flat calm just by Swoma, and getting it alongside the marina 5 hours later, and the return where the inevitably various winds came directly from Inverness; Inverness marina in fact, going up to 40kts in the Inverness Firth (this morning) when one's only got a 2.3 Honda as a powerhouse to manoeuvre Kessock bridge in a spring tide and the above wind.
Now, it ain't the Jester challenge, but to take 27 hours from Wick with the huge variation of conditions does make me a worthy recipient of a virtual pint or two.
Thanks in advance.
🍻
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Congratulations on your achievement ……….. but did you fail to check the weather forecasts?
Most of us were positioning for today’s winds a few days ago :)
 
dunedin said:
Congratulations on your achievement ……….. but did you fail to check the weather forecasts?
Most of us were positioning for today’s winds a few days ago :)
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Good point! The boat was in Stromness with a bust Mercury 6hp, which I replaced with the Honda 2.3. I then left Orkney on Thursday and got to Wick after an awful/unpleasant crossing, which was likely to be replicated all of the way down to Inverness, so with Windfinder showing 13-18kts most of the way down until Sunday midday, getting lighter later on before the blow came, I chose that, and left at 04:00 on Saturday from Wick, which went perfectly until I'd passed the last turbine on the Beatrice, when the wind died to nothing. The Honda was giving me 3.5-4kts from about 11:00 for the next 7 hours up to just going past Tarbet Ness, where it very quickly became a 'double reefed' SW blow! This got me to just past Cromarty at 22:30, where the wind died again, which meant a probable motor against the current past Chanonry Point and up to the Kessock Bridge against the 4kts current there, with the tide going to turn at about 04:30, and the 'blow' coming at 10:00ish, thus I anchored off of Rosemarkie until 03:30, and went around the Point at 03:45 in a very nice 5kts SW, making 3-4kts, and became confused enough happy to feel that "it's all going to plan".
Anyway, the wind continued to increase the closer that I got to the bridge, where the boat finally wasn't making any progress about 10 metres only from the Southern tower/pontoon, the wind now blowing 35-40kts, which changed the game from one of making enough progress, to having to go to plan 2, so I deployed the genoa and the boat took off like a scalded cat, almost instantly crossing the channel, tacking, and being able to 'lay' the entrance of the River Ness and Inverness Marina, where it became sane with rolling the genny back in, and the sheltered joy of entering home territory.
It'd be correct to ask why I didn't deploy the sail(s) earlier and sail up the Inverness Firth? I didn't, because the channel's not too wide at that low a springs, plus the energy involved in repeated tacking could've become a potential issue, and we were making good enough progress up until that last 100-50 metres; it was that close a thing and the wind did come 2-3 hours ahead of forecast!
To have remained in Wick would've meant extra expense as the minimum boat length is charged at 10m, which as a guy who spent most of his life in Aberdeen, is unacceptable. The forecast was favourable enough, albeit not by a lot, just a few hours.
On the plus side, there was always a plan 2, but a difficulty is one of options, where we've not got a harbour from Lybster to Cromarty that's deep enough. The distance to another marina is similar, going onto the North Moray coast to Lossiemouth, however the forecast was still giving enough time to get home.
It was always going to be close for timing, and I had a punt, which in truth didn't work, as at the end there wasn't a plan 3; if the genoa furler had jammed, or if the prop had fouled one of the many creel pots there abouts, we were in the merde.
 
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jamie N said:
Good point! The boat was in Stromness with a bust Mercury 6hp, which I replaced with the Honda 2.3. I then left Orkney on Thursday and got to Wick after an awful/unpleasant crossing, which was likely to be replicated all of the way down to Inverness, so with Windfinder showing 13-18kts most of the way down until Sunday midday, getting lighter later on before the blow came, I chose that, and left at 04:00 on Saturday from Wick, which went perfectly until I'd passed the last turbine on the Beatrice, when the wind died to nothing. The Honda was giving me 3.5-4kts from about 11:00 for the next 7 hours up to just going past Tarbet Ness, where it very quickly became a 'double reefed' SW blow! This got me to just past Cromarty at 22:30, where the wind died again, which meant a probable motor against the current past Chanonry Point and up to the Kessock Bridge against the 4kts current there, with the tide going to turn at about 04:30, and the 'blow' coming at 10:00ish, thus I anchored off of Rosemarkie until 03:30, and went around the Point at 03:45 in a very nice 5kts SW, making 3-4kts, and became confused enough happy to feel that "it's all going to plan".
Anyway, the wind continued to increase the closer that I got to the bridge, where the boat finally wasn't making any progress about 10 metres only from the Southern tower/pontoon, the wind now blowing 35-40kts, which changed the game from one of making enough progress, to having to go to plan 2, so I deployed the genoa and the boat took off like a scalded cat, almost instantly crossing the channel, tacking, and being able to 'lay' the entrance of the River Ness and Inverness Marina, where it became sane with rolling the genny back in, and the sheltered joy of entering home territory.
It'd be correct to ask why I didn't deploy the sail(s) earlier and sail up the Inverness Firth? I didn't, because the channel's not too wide at that low a springs, plus the energy involved in repeated tacking could've become a potential issue, and we were making good enough progress up until that last 100-50 metres; it was that close a thing and the wind did come 2-3 hours ahead of forecast!
To have remained in Wick would've meant extra expense as the minimum boat length is charged at 10m, which as a guy who spent most of his life in Aberdeen, is unacceptable. The forecast was favourable enough, albeit not by a lot, just a few hours.
On the plus side, there was always a plan 2, but a difficulty is one of options, where we've not got a harbour from Lybster to Cromarty that's deep enough. The distance to another marina is similar, going onto the North Moray coast to Lossiemouth, however the forecast was still giving enough time to get home.
It was always going to be close for timing, and I had a punt, which in truth didn't work, as at the end there wasn't a plan 3; if the genoa furler had jammed, or if the prop had fouled one of the many creel pots there abouts, we were in the merde.
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Quite an adventure in a small boat! Glad it all worked out.
Based on the long / medium range forecasts for the weekend we baled out of Stromness on Tuesday, a couple of days earlier than originally planned, to get round the NW corner in comfort rather than than get stuck. Clearly less adventurous than you.
 
Good luck to all!
Anyone up for a virtual bet on whether a Pthely or Plimuff boat will win arrive 1st?
Looking at Windfinder, it seems to favour the starters from Wales, albeit 'not by much'.
 
Best of luck to all that will make the start line. I will not manage it this year (yet again) I'll be in Cork/ Crosshaven/ kinsale this week if anyone needs any help with breakages or the like..or just a pint...(Send a pm)
 
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