First Centaur sail - Littlehampton to Chichester Harbour - over-long film

[dylanwinter]

no music, no voice over ... 35 minutes where not much happens - fortunately


however, everything went very well except for a dodgy echosounder display and a failure to realise that there was an off switch on the engine panel

the sails are grubby but serviceable

I am amazed at how well a Centaur sails and the 90cm draft allows me to indulge my creek crawling proclivities

she is balanced under either main or genoa - and I am confident that I can get her self steering with the help of a dinghy sail and some bungee

the hull is easily driven up to six knots, delightfully light on the helm, easy motion in the waves, mobo wakes of less significance than in Katie L, accommodation is fantastic, I could not be happier

although did find myself in the middle of a pot field and that old prop entanglement fear hit me again

 

[Giblets]

Excellent vid as usual, Dylan. Out of interest which camera were you using for the majority of the filming? Assume the Xacti for the waterline shots.

 

[dylanwinter]

good domestic

Excellent vid as usual, Dylan. Out of interest which camera were you using for the majority of the filming? Assume the Xacti for the waterline shots.

it was nearly all shot on the middle one of these three cameras

http://www.keepturningleft.co.uk/blogs/cameras-and-steady-shots/

I am worried about taking the big one with me because if the moisture eventually gets to it I will not have the funds to replace it

the shots would be better on the big camera - but the KTL project does not justify the risk

 

[MrB]

Great video Dylan, very enjoyable. :encouragement:

 

[GrahamM376]

I am amazed at how well a Centaur sails and the 90cm draft allows me to indulge my creek crawling proclivities she is balanced under either main or genoa - and I am confident that I can get her self steering with the help of a dinghy sail and some bungee the hull is easily driven up to six knots, delightfully light on the helm, easy motion in the waves, mobo wakes of less significance than in Katie L, accommodation is fantastic, I could not be happier

I'm pleased you're happy but not surprised, we had a Centaur for some years and then a Berwick. Those who knock them as old bangers would be surprised if they sailed them, better performance than many believe and much more comfortable in lively conditions than more modern lighter similar sized boats.

 

[Malcb]

Enjoyed that Dylan. Streamed it to my big TV.

 

[dylanwinter]

Enjoyed that Dylan. Streamed it to my big TV.

thanks M

the proper films look better as HD downloads - but it is worrying what a good job youtube do of compressing films

I just stuck it together for the rampant KTLers

of the first 12 people to look at it nine left comments on the youtube film

The North Americans have had a very tough winter and some are in desperate need of a sailing fix

D

 

[Salty John]

I hate to be the first to point this out, Dylan, but aren't you going the wrong way?

 

[dylanwinter]

I hate to be the first to point this out, Dylan, but aren't you going the wrong way?

I hate to point this out.....

but you are not the first to point it out

I will be based at http://www.haylingyacht.co.uk/

until the second half of May

so I hope to explore the solent and make a few films

The pontoon is costing me £50 a week

and Chichester harbour is a delightful place

more like the east coast than the east coast

I want to get into Poole harbour, cows. Bembridge, Buleigh, southampton, portsmouth, Hamble while I am there and do some duck punting as well

 

[chewi]

I enjoyed that Dylan. I almost felt like I was there.

pm me if you want any help with Poole Harbour. can't offer a pontoon, but maybe a visitor mooring & gudance.

 

[Searush]

OK I know I shouldn't say I told u so, but so many did! BTW that dodgy e/s display, check out the lead & connections

 

[JumbleDuck]

I am amazed at how well a Centaur sails and the 90cm draft allows me to indulge my creek crawling proclivities

she is balanced under either main or genoa - and I am confident that I can get her self steering with the help of a dinghy sail and some bungee

the hull is easily driven up to six knots, delightfully light on the helm, easy motion in the waves, mobo wakes of less significance than in Katie L, accommodation is fantastic, I could not be happier

Who's smitten, then?

Dylan and his Centaur
Floating on the sea
K-I-S-S-I-N-G

Seriously, though, Westerly didn't sell 2,500 Centaurs by chance. And - as owner of another 26 footer - I have to say that I think it's a great size for a boat. Big enough to have a reasonable amount of storage and living room, small enough to shove around by hand and keep the bills manageable.

 

[aquaplane]

Thanks for that, it was just like being aboard Chiron.

The Centaur is a good MAB, and sails well for what they are, but I supose I'm biased.

 

[aquaplane]

Seriously, though, Westerly didn't sell 2,500 Centaurs by chance. And - as owner of another 26 footer - I have to say that I think it's a great size for a boat. Big enough to have a reasonable amount of storage and living room, small enough to shove around by hand and keep the bills manageable.

Amen to that.

 

[dylanwinter]

sitting to leeward in anything above a force 1 was a new experience

Bouncing my way up the muddy creeks was fine

90cm is not that much of a draft

D

 

[Iliade]

...the 90cm draft allows me to indulge my creek crawling proclivities

...did find myself in the middle of a pot field..

Blimey, I've only ever seen those at over 3000m, where the forces of law & order cannot be bothered to sort them out.

No, it's ok, I'm already wearing my coat...

 

[Boathook]

I hate to point this out.....

but you are not the first to point it out

I will be based at http://www.haylingyacht.co.uk/

until the second half of May

so I hope to explore the solent and make a few films

The pontoon is costing me £50 a week

and Chichester harbour is a delightful place

more like the east coast than the east coast

I want to get into Poole harbour, cows. Bembridge, Buleigh, southampton, portsmouth, Hamble while I am there and do some duck punting as well

You need to stop at Christchurch.

 

[dylanwinter]

You need to stop at Christchurch.

I will do it when I come past - probably somewhere around 2020

D

 

[dancrane]

Very nice vid, better for taking its time. Most 'journey' films are trimmed to salient bits. Lovely to see departure in dawn's early light and feel the wind coming up as the day wears on.

Especially nice to see familiar marks & buoys, close-up on good quality video footage; as has been said, it evokes most of the sensations of being there, except the weedy mud smell.

I'd forgotten how bleak Chichester's wide empty expanses are, this early in the season. By the time I'm in the water, it's usually rough with the wakes of hundreds of other boats.

 

[Seajet]

Thanks Dylan,

I enjoyed that a lot.