capnsensible
Well-known member
A boat is a device to cause discomfort whilst draining you wallet. I have proof. ?
We left on a Hanse 445 for a lads tour of the Canaries on Saturday. As planned, 1100. Fab first day, nice NE Trades, beamy reach, 7 knots average, hurrah. On Sunday morning, with over 140 miles cracked, it was time to run engine to recharge batteries. Here we go. Engine goes round and round but no drive. Gearbox? Sail drive leg (devils work), prop fouled or fallen off? So there goes another hour figuring out its the sail drive.
So, what next skipper? We were nw of Tenerife in a bumpy sea and no engine power. Several yards came to mind in S. Tenerife or Gran Canaria. A long downwind sail. No real problem but would be an expensive tow for the last bit plus gawd knows how long getting diagnosed, parts arriving and repairs. Yuk.
Other option,, take the hit of a two day beat back against the trades with the wind forecast to drop right off Tuesday afternoon. Ok, so feint heart never porked a pig, so Lanza here we come. For comfort and speed in quite a bumpy sea, it wasn't good to stay tight on the wind, plus I reckon the big slab sided boats like this give a lot of leeway. However, having not much else to do, it didn't really matter. Kebabs in the oven with chips and fried egg never tasted so good. Except for our seasick crew who was convinced his insides were going to be his outsides.....
The forecast did what it said. About 300 miles sailed to do 140 back. As you do. Plus of course, little wind for last twenty miles, coaxing every bit out of the yacht in a still quite bumpy sea with winds dropping from 25 knots to around 8! So six hours got us 20 miles nearer. Then is not what you know, but who. Friends volunteered to come out on their yacht to tow us the last three miles. But that's arriving around sunset, no private towing in the marina ever so need to anchor outside. Was easy to slip tow, use momentum to get to a good spot and bung out a shed load of chain in six metres. Job done. Another favour from a friend, nipped out in his rib to pick up myself and mattress man, owner staying on board overnight.
So endexed another nautical adventure! ?
We left on a Hanse 445 for a lads tour of the Canaries on Saturday. As planned, 1100. Fab first day, nice NE Trades, beamy reach, 7 knots average, hurrah. On Sunday morning, with over 140 miles cracked, it was time to run engine to recharge batteries. Here we go. Engine goes round and round but no drive. Gearbox? Sail drive leg (devils work), prop fouled or fallen off? So there goes another hour figuring out its the sail drive.
So, what next skipper? We were nw of Tenerife in a bumpy sea and no engine power. Several yards came to mind in S. Tenerife or Gran Canaria. A long downwind sail. No real problem but would be an expensive tow for the last bit plus gawd knows how long getting diagnosed, parts arriving and repairs. Yuk.
Other option,, take the hit of a two day beat back against the trades with the wind forecast to drop right off Tuesday afternoon. Ok, so feint heart never porked a pig, so Lanza here we come. For comfort and speed in quite a bumpy sea, it wasn't good to stay tight on the wind, plus I reckon the big slab sided boats like this give a lot of leeway. However, having not much else to do, it didn't really matter. Kebabs in the oven with chips and fried egg never tasted so good. Except for our seasick crew who was convinced his insides were going to be his outsides.....
The forecast did what it said. About 300 miles sailed to do 140 back. As you do. Plus of course, little wind for last twenty miles, coaxing every bit out of the yacht in a still quite bumpy sea with winds dropping from 25 knots to around 8! So six hours got us 20 miles nearer. Then is not what you know, but who. Friends volunteered to come out on their yacht to tow us the last three miles. But that's arriving around sunset, no private towing in the marina ever so need to anchor outside. Was easy to slip tow, use momentum to get to a good spot and bung out a shed load of chain in six metres. Job done. Another favour from a friend, nipped out in his rib to pick up myself and mattress man, owner staying on board overnight.
So endexed another nautical adventure! ?
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