Done it!!

Allan

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Joined
17 Mar 2004
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Lymington
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I have just got home from CYC, after bringing my new, to me, boat around from Poole. I'm totally cream crackered but "over the moon" with Cobby girl. I hope to get the chance to meet up with a few of you over the coming weeks and months. For now I'm off to soak my very old body in the bath.
Allan
 
Well done. Where is she? On the vistors pontoon? I'll say hello if we pass this week.
 
Well done. How long did it take? What legs did you do on the way round?

My boat is in Lymington at the moment (moved from Chichester) and I'm looking forward to getting a bit further west in the coming weekends. Hence I've got an interest in how your trip went!
 
Niceone Allan.When you have rested up how about an account of the passage home. Will keep an eye out for Cobby Girl. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
Well done Allan, saw you on the pontoon over the weekend, she looks a well found boat. see you on the water once i fix my little problem.
 
Congrats Allan. Vicky and I did Plymouth to Swansea a few years ago, so I know how hard it is. A real achievement and something to look back on with pride.

Deep Joy is currently in Penarth Marina, having her windows reinstalled, so I may well see you in the next couple of weeks.
 
The windows must have been bad if you couldn't see him from penarth......

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Many thanks for all your good wishes. For those who are interested here is a quick run through the trip etc.
08-08-08. Signed the transfer documents and spent the full day with the previous owner, being shown through all aspects of the boat. Then off by dingy from the mooring on the river Frome to the pub and fish and chip shop in Wareham.
09-08-08. Joined by Edwina (SWIMBO) and Lilly, the dog. Various bits of tinkering and a few slight changes including side netting to keep Lilly on the boat.
10-08-08 Stocking the boat with provisions for the trip around to Cardiff. Edwina heads off home leaving me with Lilly for the week.
11-08-08 Can't resist taking the boat down for a spin in Poole harbour, two reefs in the main and only a bit of genoa. Another trip to the chandlers for bits and pieces.
12-08-08 Can't ignore the phone any longer so have to go and do some work.
14-08-08 Have to pop down to the boat to take the booze and make sure she is OK.
15-08-08 The full crew are driven down to Cobby girl by a friend and muster onboard for a celebration drink. My son Steve, who will be with us for the trip, sees the boat for the first time.
16-08-08 The big day and the crew are excited, we set off through Poole harbour and passed the chain ferry. Off Studland Steve woke up and said he didn't realise Poole harbour was this big. Horrible sea and not much wind, made worse by me being too cautious and having two reefs in. Edwina not feeling so good and does a little fish feeding. Things improve a little after rounding St Albans head and we head for Weymouth harbour. After hearing the forcast decide to stay until Monday.
17-08-08 Weather great, forcast bad.
18-08-08 Weather bad, forcast worse.
19-08-08 Weather bad, forcast better. Do passage plan for trip around Portland and across Lyme bay. Plan to leave at Midday.
20-08-08 Exit Weymouth harbour at 12-00 and as we had spent so much money in various pubs and on the herbour fees the council arranged for a full low level display by the Red arrows. Stunning! Arrive at the Bill a little before I had planned and had a slightly lumpy rounding but nothing too bad, followed by a lovely sail across Lyme bay to Brixham. In an effort to match the send off in Weymouth Brixham had put on a steel band to welcome us and declared Thursday "pirate day" to entertain us before we left at 13-00.
21-08-08 Nice motorsail around to Salcome arriving on the flood and rafted to a yacht on one of the visitor bouys. Took the watertaxi over to the town to eat, drink and give Lilly a walk.
22-08-08 Off at 10-00 and a really nice few hours sail before the wind dropped. Arrived in Falmouth 22-00, navigating in using the chartplotter. Rafted against another yacht on the pontoon and rushed Lilly ashore as she had held herself for 23 hours.
23-08-08 Day in Falmouth.
24-08-08 Left Falmouth with no wind until the Lizard. Then a really nice sail into Newlyn. We were told that the next day, Monday, would be the fish festival, so after looking at the forcast, decided to stay and enjoy it.
25-08-08 Great day at the festival, we would reccomend it to all.
26-08-08 Time to go around the corner! so off to Padstow. Great sail to Longships then the wind dropped and the swell on the stern started to get up a little. Motorsailed up to Trevose head with just the Genoa up. My passage plan read "Arrive Padstow entrance bouys 00-22" as we went through Steve said "Dad, look at your watch". Spot on! Rafted in the pool against an Irish yacht.
27-08-08 Day in Padstow including a nice chat with a young guy called Jack who is on his way around Great Britain in a Coribee, what a feat. Also had a chat to one of the Irish crew who invited us to keep in touch and visit him and his wife in Ireland.
28-08-08 05-30 fill up with diesel and off to Ilfracombe. Great sail most of the day with some motoring in the middle of the day. Arriving at Ilfracombe we went onto one of the outer bouys to wait for enough water to get into the harbour. Once settled we dicided to blow up the dingy and leave Cobby girl where she is. A nice evening in a very quiet Ilfracombe. As it's getting late I will save the drunken story for another time!
29-08-08 The final leg! Off the mooring 08-30 and decided to push some tide, rather than stay at anchor and wait. After a little sail in the morning the wind dropped and we had to motor the rest of the way. The last challenge of the trip was the barrage and yet again my crew proved to be up to it and it went really smoothly.
A nice way to spend two weeks, I wish I could do it again, maybe on my own. Off to Ireland next year!
Allan
 
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