Gludy Update

[Gludy]

Hi everyone.
Despite me being a raggie now I know some of you follow our fortunes and misfortunes so i thought I would give an update.

We left South Africa heding for St helena then Grenada - a 5,800 mile trip that we managed to do in 29 days of sailing so we averaged 200 miles a day, which by sailing standards is good!

On the other hand we faced major problems with the boat and had everything from electrical meltdowns where undersized cables had been used to the steering detaching itself because nobody had done more than hand tighten the nuts!! So it was an eventful journey when we learnt a lot about the boat and for the last 6 weeks in Grenada we have had pretty well non-stop repairs which continue to this day but the light is at the end of the tunnel and the boat is fine part from a series of really stupid mistakes which can all be put right..... it feels as if this has a five year saga to get a boat that is right!

Life in Grenada is very relaxed - we have now decided to lay the boat up from July to October in a boat yard here and return to the UK. The hurricane season and insurance restrictions pretty well force this on us this year.H
We had no big seas at all in a total of 6,200 miles from Port St Francis and rounded The Cape of Good Hope in calm conditions. In fact had we placed a cup of water on the cockpit table in Cape Town and left it there we would not have spilt a drop on the entire trip to Grenada. We met bad seas between islands here, 15 foot holes close together and much worse than anything in the crossing.

My boat travels from A to B faster than a displacement or semi-displacement power boat of the same length cruising in long distance mode. Our worst day in the crossing was under power 177 miles and the best under sail 250 miles. Our power range is 2,400 miles and we use about a litre every 2 miles when under power..

So my pilgrims progress journey is almost over - at least once this new boat is put right and we face a new season over here, I hope it will be - a working boat to cruise the world in.

I started the Atlantic journey as an absolute novice raggie and I finished it just as a novice - I have a lot to learn, despite having now clocked up 7000 miles - the truth is we would not even change sails for 3 or 4 days at a time, hence in some ways the experience of a crossing is limited.

We plan to cruise the Windwards then over to the San Blas islands and the western Caribbean countries before in a few years heading west across the Pacific. But all plans can change - that is part of the freedom.

 

[rafiki_]

Sounds like a really interesting trip. How did you "arrange" the weather to be so benign?

 

[coliholic]

Always a pleasure to read your posts Paul and this one's almost as good as some of your more tortuous ones of old!.

Sounds like a fine boat and an excellent trip. Now all you've got to do is find another boat in Europe for the summer while this one's laid up. Maybe there's an old Trader that needs sorting? Thanks for posting great read.

 

[PCUK]

Bet you miss Swansea though - not!!!!

 

[iangrant]

Enjoy

Paul, enjoy the islands and the relaxed lifestyle.

Fair winds and calm seas, you'll not like the UK weather!

Ian

 

[jfm]

Hi Paul
Thanks for the update, and congratulations on making the crossing. Glad to hear the boat is ok apart from those snags - no doubt you've told the St Francis guys to improve their processes. You didn't pass tcm did you - he is midway doing the reverse trip? Actually you'd have been a bit south of him

I last sailed around Grenada in 2000, before the new facilities were built. Nice place, and an easy hop up to the gorgeous Grenadines (especially in your rocket ship)

Keep us updated. I'll check your other forum for more details. I have a Sq78 in build, just starting, delivery January 2011. It has longe range fuel tanks and fin stabilisers - you'd approve. No drying legs though I resisted the temptation to buy a Trader 70-something.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Great stuff, Paul. Hey if you've just completed 5800 miles in the St Francis, it must be fundamentally a solid boat so I'm sure you'll get her right. 200nm per day is an excellent average and it couldn't have been that calm to achieve that kind of average under sail. I look forward to more updates soon

 

[Major Catastrophe]

Good to hear from you and thanks for the update. Hopefully the problems with the are (relatively) minor and will be sorted during the hurricane season.

Sounds like brilliant trip in what is a good solid boat, that has its engines screwed down and a goodly slap of gel coat.

 

[sarabande]

That's lightened the day !


You posted about a medical scare half way across. That is presumably and hopefully all sorted, but what lessons have you taken on board about that ? Any change in the first aid kit ? Any extra training ?

 

[Sneds]

Good to hear things are finally going your way. Sounds like a good trip was had and better ones to come.
Good luck.

 

[Gludy]

Thanks

Thanks for all the good wishes.

The seas were reasonably calm all the way - winds were normally under 20 knots. That is the pattern at that time of year on that trip.

Yes we had a medical emergency 1.5 days out from St Helena and with over 300 mioles to the nearest big boat - Lesley had a paralysed eye which did not react to light etc. We thought she had lost her eye. In the end we had the best medical advice from my own forum where we have a cruising eye surgeon - turned out that if you touch the Scopoderm patch(behind the ear for sea sickness and then touch your eye - you freeze your eye for a week! All Ok now but scary at the time.

There is a video coming out of the whole trip from St Francis including the emergency, the robbery in Cape Town and those steps at St Helena. It will be a while yet thgough as I have tons of editing to catch up on.

 

[MapisM]

Hi Paul,
I'm very pleased to hear that Lesley is now fine.
I did read about the possible cause, which sounded promising for a full recovery, but I've lost the plot since then.
And fair winds also for your future cruises.
I'm sure that after some ironing which any new boat is bound to need, you won't regret your choice one bit.

 

[GrowingLad]

Funilly enough it was only last week I was wondering what was going on in your neck of the woods. Don't worry, I'm not thinking of stalking you

I remember watching the videos you'd put up concerning the model of cat that you were buying but hadn't read anything since then.

Glad to hear you are doing well!

Look forward to seeing the latest videos and hope you get all the jobs needed on the boat sorted.

200nm and day, that's some good going!

 

[acbruce]

Just a suggestion

Gludy,

As you are now cruising the area may i recommend Chatham Bay, Union Island in the Grenadines. A wonderful large horseshoe bay with exceptional snorkling on north corner, wonderful bird life (pelicans diving around you), turthles and a lovely sandy beach. And best of all, hardly anyone there.

One of the most magical places that I have ever visited.

 

[Oceanis]

Gludy,

As you are now cruising the area may i recommend Chatham Bay, Union Island in the Grenadines. A wonderful large horseshoe bay with exceptional snorkling on north corner, wonderful bird life (pelicans diving around you), turthles and a lovely sandy beach. And best of all, hardly anyone there.

One of the most magical places that I have ever visited.

If you see a local called Shark Attack he does the most amazing beach BBQ in Chatham Bay.

 

[Morpheous]

Thanks for all the good wishes.

turned out that if you touch the Scopoderm patch(behind the ear for sea sickness and then touch your eye - you freeze your eye for a week! All Ok now but scary at the time.
.

Sorry to make light of a clearly distressing situation - but how many forumites are sat in form of the computers prodding behind their ears and then touching their eyes!!!

Glad it was all OK though and a brilliant post

 

[Gludy]

Small world - only yesterday we planned to visit Chatam Bay in Union Island as our next destination! Glad to have the encouragement!!

 

[jfm]

Small world - only yesterday we planned to visit Chatam Bay in Union Island as our next destination! Glad to have the encouragement!!

Another vote from me for Chatham. Lovely bay. If you want to see a few other places, then after chatham:

1. You could dock stern to at the main Union Island quay in Clifton Harbour and do some shopping. Pretty basic provisions though, so maybe give it a miss if you're not desperate for shopping. As you walk off the quay look at the swimming pool for the restaurant on your left - it's full of sharks
2. The beach opposite, on palm island, is lovely and a good swim stop, though the hotel resort itself isn't great
3. Carry on a bit north to Saltwhistle Bay on Mayreau. Gorgeous anchorage, good for overnighting. Fairly good restaurant for the evening if you want to tender ashore. Can get a bit busy with a few trip boats in the afternoons though
4. Then go to Tobago Cays and anchor off Jamesby. you might well have the whole island to yourselves. Lovely beach, close to perfection

All that is a long day (starting in Chatham) in a monohull but easy peasy in your rocket ship

 

[Gludy]

Thanks for those suggestions which we cannot resist doing.
We have been to Union (Clifton) and Tobago Cays but never spent much time there.

We are planning a 2 week cruise come next month and before then will be exploring more of the cost of Grenada.

Work is now waiting for parts from South Africa, so we are free now to explore the local area a bit - at least until the parcel arrives.

 

[jfm]

Dunno how much bandwidth you have there Paul but post a few pics sometime please when/if you get the time. Would cheer us up over here in these ere northern latitudes . I can't even get to the Med cos I have a broken leg, and even if I could fly, this ash cloud thing would probably mean the flights are cancelled!