I will live-aboard. The clock is ticking

[BrianH]

Thanks, I appreciate your advice (or at least future neighbours will) so I'll have a play this afternoon.

You're welcome. You seem sincere, sorry for thinking you were winding me up.

 

[Zanziba]

You're welcome. You seem sincere, sorry for thinking you were winding me up.

That's OK. Most people are amazed by how clueless I am. I had to google "Lanyard" although I did at least know what Halyard meant.

It's blowing about force 8 out in the marina today and having just been almost blown over I am going to leave the clanking ropes/warps/lines/halyards etc. to a better day to start tinkering.

They all go under my sail cover which will pull if I pull them away to steeply and I can't eaily get higher up the mast / shrouds to pull away higher. I also don't want to slacken my genoa halyard in case that causes it to creep down the forestay if it's windy?

When I get round to doing it all and making it tidy I shall post a picture for you to comment on (Laugh at).

 

[MrB]

So, today's adventure was supposed to be my first sail. Everything ready, made slips, radio'd for clearance, weather good, checked fuel... reversing out, slipped the lines... light wind push the bow round opposite to the direction I thought the prop walk would take me... I put her in forward to give some stearage... slip line was in the water... clunk... engine dies... balls, I've wrapped my line up in the prop...

I guess the Pro-Protector rope/weed cutter didn't work then ?

 

[Zanziba]

Sadly no however the diver informed me it got halfway through. Had I been under power and not at tickover it may have.

Also had it been weed or a simple halyard and not a thick mooring line it also would have been more likely to be successful.

 

[MrB]

Sadly no however the diver informed me it got halfway through. Had I been under power and not at tickover it may have.

Also had it been weed or a simple halyard and not a thick mooring line it also would have been more likely to be successful.

My heart sunk when i read that. I guess you live and learn. Great thread btw.

 

[Zanziba]

Eventually tied my Halyard's off... the rest of the marina is still a clanking noise though! (Luckily it doesn't bother me - the vibration in the mast when the wind got up I wont miss though)

Loving the weather at the moment... half term soon and I'll get the rest of the jobs done to try and get her up to scratch for Easter and her first proper sailing.

 

[lancelot]

Hi Zanziba
I did not realise you have not been out in your boat. I thought you have been sailing all summer and autumn/winter. Good to see you are almost there. All the hard graft is worth it.
Good luck and fair winds.
Lancelot

 

[Zanziba]

I've taken her out 4 times but just on the engine about 4 miles off shore on the tide.

It's not easy as I only bought her just before the end of summer and I only have every other weekend free.

Mixed with an aversion to bad weather, no light on the mast when under power and a lack of crew it's stopped me getting full use so far.

I'd like to get the little jobs done at half term with a view to doing some proper sailing in Easter.

Absolutely loving the live-aboard!

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

I've taken her out 4 times but just on the engine about 4 miles off shore on the tide.

It's not easy as I only bought her just before the end of summer and I only have every other weekend free.

Mixed with an aversion to bad weather, no light on the mast when under power and a lack of crew it's stopped me getting full use so far.

I'd like to get the little jobs done at half term with a view to doing some proper sailing in Easter.

Absolutely loving the live-aboard!
.

Seems you are making progress, good for you!

swmbo and I are both retired teachers and what a great occupation to have if you own yacht to take advantage of the holidays.

Good luck this season,
S.

 

[lancelot]

I've taken her out 4 times but just on the engine about 4 miles off shore on the tide.

It's not easy as I only bought her just before the end of summer and I only have every other weekend free.

Mixed with an aversion to bad weather, no light on the mast when under power and a lack of crew it's stopped me getting full use so far.

I'd like to get the little jobs done at half term with a view to doing some proper sailing in Easter.

Absolutely loving the live-aboard!

P.S. Can you take my name off your post? Cheers.

Apologies for posting your name.
Yes, I have a similar problem. It always seems to rain hard and blow hard when we can get out - weekends and the summer break. Last 3 years have been dreadful for school holidays.
I really need to pluck up courage to go it alone.
We almost bought a Westerly Berwick as our first boat several years ago - loved that boat and I regret not buying. Still we love our Cobra and try to use it whenever we can.
We have often gone out under engine on the rare windless and blue sky days and motored to Mumbles or Oxwich and dropped anchor. We would like to go across to Devon and Cornwall to cruise, however, we have not been lucky with the weather during our holidays - fairweather sailors.
There always seems to be jobs requiring time and money, however, I would rather be poor and listen to the marina sounds and waves lapping at the boat.
Easter is not too far away now, half term soon and you will be out on the deep blue enjoying the fruits of your labour.
BTW we, or should I say I often think about selling up and living the dream.
Good fortune and fair winds.
Lancelot

 

[wytco0]

Removed.

 

[Zanziba]

I have moved... Hiding!

 

[lenseman]

I have moved... Hiding!

BOOM! Boom!!

 

[Zanziba]

I've bought the Boom with Paypal, just awaiting confirmation of address details.

 

[lenseman]

 

[truscott]

Remember this guy?

"I think a 37' or 38' Bavaria or similar would be ideal for me (and my kids when they stop over). My main criteria are beds for 4 and shower on board. Budget in a few years will be £35k-£40k I suspect."

Seems like with just a little over 1 year on from your initial post, you're actually out there doing it.

BTW. I claim credit for the "Just Do It" post (#3 in the thread).

Congrats.

As summer 2012 approaches (our stated deadline in post #3), I am trying to persuade SWMBO that now is our time go (not winning as yet).

I trust that you are enjoying it as much as I hope to be.

PT.

 

[viejo gringo]

yep I,m on the way too, practically the same circumstances i bought my yacht 10 yrs ago, spent thousands doing her up, threw the job in usual stuff, then got a job in south america 8 yrs later after Brazil Chile and Argentina, i,m almost ready to set off, sometimes the path can be a bit convoluted. but its cool to be able to speak spanish, portugese was just too much. if i can remember the way out of the creek i,m going to be ok !!!!!

 

[Zanziba]

Remember this guy?

"I think a 37' or 38' Bavaria or similar would be ideal for me (and my kids when they stop over). My main criteria are beds for 4 and shower on board. Budget in a few years will be £35k-£40k I suspect."

Seems like with just a little over 1 year on from your initial post, you're actually out there doing it.

BTW. I claim credit for the "Just Do It" post (#3 in the thread).

Congrats.

As summer 2012 approaches (our stated deadline in post #3), I am trying to persuade SWMBO that now is our time go (not winning as yet).

I trust that you are enjoying it as much as I hope to be.

PT.

Yes, I've been on-board now for 8 months and love it. Winter saw free electric but my new home now has a metered supply so I have decided to get the Dickinson Alaska fired up.

I have found the following useful:

1) Use hammer to remove cap from chimney as seized on.
2) Fit new chimney
3) Turn on fuel pump as per instructions found on internet
4) Turn off fuel pump, empty wardrobe of clothes that are now covered in diesel.
5) Locate header tank switch and turn OFF
6) Turn pump back on
7) Light fire and watch glow smuggly
8) Turn off pump and re-open header tank valve
9) Wonder how long the 10 litre header tank will take to get back below the "Max Fill" line.

Ahhh, it's all cosy now.

 

[Zanziba]

Okay, so fun and games as usual...

Small hatch above saloon (which I never use) decided for no obvious reason to start leaking today and got water all inside my new flat screen TV... Thanks for that.

Sealed it shut with flexible filler and dried TV. It turns on now but wont turn off... so has to be shut off at the mains, I suspect this is the "Green Tree Hugging" God's way of making me not leave it on standby. Still it prompted me to do some 12V wiring so it now works from the batteries too so I can watch TV at sea.

Measured the fuel used in a recent 35 mile motor (calm sea) and found 1/20th of the 80 litre tank used. Unsure of how much the tank really holds, just estimating on last fill up and may have used a bit more as probably filled it to a mark over my dipstick top scratch.

Something must be wrong as the yacht either does:

A) 40 MPG giving a 700 mile range on £100
B) Actually uses no fuel and works on a combination of fairy dust and enslaved smurfs
C) I overfilled it and it used more than it seems, but would still be pretty good. I went at a steady 5 knots for 7 hours.

I keep smiling like a goon for no reason. Do other liveaboards suffer this and is it contagious?

 

[nathanlee]

I keep smiling like a goon for no reason. Do other liveaboards suffer this and is it contagious?

No, most of my mates still think I'm an idiot for living on a boat. They don't get how great it is.

Poor them.