silentlady
N/A
Hello everyone. I have just bought a Cornish Shrimper and called her Silent Lady. I am looking forward to a summer of sailing something a bit bigger after sailing dingies. Any tips on the transition?
Just bought a Cornish Shrimper
- Thread starter silentlady
- Start date
stiknstring
Well-Known Member
Silent Lady
Congratulations - my first "big boat" too. Obviously she will greatly expand your sailing horizons over a dinghy and is a good weekender. We joined the Shrimper association and they organise many cruises in company ranging from Solent weekends to rallies in Holland, France etc. Friend of mine has had one for many years and bases her down in Fowey where there is a vibrant racing scene. These are not the fastest on the circuit obviously but it is a really good social scene. Hopefully you have a break-back trailer which will expand your cruising grounds and allow you to winter her at home and do all the maintenance?
We found her easy and interesting to sail - there is a lot more string with a gaffer as I am sure you have already found out but it is an easily managed boat with not too great a load on any of the controls. Having a centre plate made me somewhat lazy about tides and drying harbours but is really convenient if you are late back from the pub in a drying harbour! Ours did not have any winches and we managed fine. The diesels are the more popular but we had a 5hp four stroke engine and got very good range from a 5 gallon tank.
Wherever your cruising takes you this year, I really hope you enjoy your new boat.
Congratulations - my first "big boat" too. Obviously she will greatly expand your sailing horizons over a dinghy and is a good weekender. We joined the Shrimper association and they organise many cruises in company ranging from Solent weekends to rallies in Holland, France etc. Friend of mine has had one for many years and bases her down in Fowey where there is a vibrant racing scene. These are not the fastest on the circuit obviously but it is a really good social scene. Hopefully you have a break-back trailer which will expand your cruising grounds and allow you to winter her at home and do all the maintenance?
We found her easy and interesting to sail - there is a lot more string with a gaffer as I am sure you have already found out but it is an easily managed boat with not too great a load on any of the controls. Having a centre plate made me somewhat lazy about tides and drying harbours but is really convenient if you are late back from the pub in a drying harbour! Ours did not have any winches and we managed fine. The diesels are the more popular but we had a 5hp four stroke engine and got very good range from a 5 gallon tank.
Wherever your cruising takes you this year, I really hope you enjoy your new boat.
Kilter
Well-Known Member
Welcome! Enjoy your new boat and please post news and pictures of your adventures!
VicS
Well-Known Member
Good choice IMO. They did not exist when I made the transition.
I think it will be manoeuvring under power in close quarters situations where you'll need to learn a bit and practise . Coming alongside in marinas, picking up moorings and to a lesser extent anchoring. That sort of thing.
You'll find that you are stuck in the cockpit holding the tiller and unable to reach things more than you do in a dinghy.
If you sail single handed a small a electronic autopilot is very worthwhile if not essential. Useful too even with a crew.
PS
Strongly recommend Competent Crew and Day Skipper courses followed by Coastal Skipper
I think it will be manoeuvring under power in close quarters situations where you'll need to learn a bit and practise . Coming alongside in marinas, picking up moorings and to a lesser extent anchoring. That sort of thing.
You'll find that you are stuck in the cockpit holding the tiller and unable to reach things more than you do in a dinghy.
If you sail single handed a small a electronic autopilot is very worthwhile if not essential. Useful too even with a crew.
PS
Strongly recommend Competent Crew and Day Skipper courses followed by Coastal Skipper
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silentlady
N/A
My close friend has had a shrimper before and he has just ordered a new one. He is selling his crabber. I have sailed with him loads of times and I love the design of these great little boats. He does not have any RYA qualifications, and says you do not need them. I know a lot of stuff already through sailing with friends. I am not sure whether I need to do the RYA thing, as I have heard very mixed reviews.
VicS
Well-Known Member
You do not need the qualifications that is true but you can still benefit from the courses
If you reckon you know all the basic stuff by sailing with friends then skip the comp.crew/dayskipper and do a coastal skipper, or even a yachtmaster course.
You'll enjoy the courses and I'll bet you'll find there is still a lot to learn.
If you reckon you know all the basic stuff by sailing with friends then skip the comp.crew/dayskipper and do a coastal skipper, or even a yachtmaster course.
You'll enjoy the courses and I'll bet you'll find there is still a lot to learn.
silentlady
N/A
I have to find somewhere to moor her yet. As I live in Cambridge, does anyone have any ideas please. I would prefer a swing mooring.
Kilter
Well-Known Member
Ask on the East Coast forum...they are a friendly if somewhat odd lot!
http://www.ybw.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=60
Rum_Pirate
Well-Known Member
Fair winds and lots of enjoyment.
BAtoo
Well-Known Member
Your easiest access is probably to the River Orwell - most of the clubs/moorings within 20 mins of the A14, some even less. Good cruising ground especially with the Stour, Deben, Walton Backwaters etc adjacent.
You could try here - Tony Ward Moorings, Mobile: 07714 260568.
He runs many of the moorings to let in the Pin Mill region on the Orwell and probably knows whats about generally.
You could try here - Tony Ward Moorings, Mobile: 07714 260568.
He runs many of the moorings to let in the Pin Mill region on the Orwell and probably knows whats about generally.
colvic987
Well-Known Member
welcome to the forum, east coast as previous posters have mentioned is closest for you, maybe where ever your mate is moored, so you can cruise in company, the easiest way to get into the sailing safely, as he should know were he's going and the safe areas and the places not to venture...
dylan of this parish has some excellent videos of his adventures around the medway, walton etc, so maybe a look may give you some clues, google keep turning left.
Have a good season, its looking good for this year, fingers crossed...
dylan of this parish has some excellent videos of his adventures around the medway, walton etc, so maybe a look may give you some clues, google keep turning left.
Have a good season, its looking good for this year, fingers crossed...
doug748
Well-Known Member
Just take care with the tide, or more correctly, any current flowing.
I know you are aware of this, but in a heavy boat it can spoil your day if you (for example) cut across the bow of a downtide moored boat. In a bigger boat it is also more difficult to get forard to fend off.
Rum_Pirate
Well-Known Member
Take some pics and post them for us to see and appreciate.
Malabar
Well-Known Member
Buy a log book (doesn't have to be an expensive chandlers version - a plain ruled exercise book will do. ) Start to keep a record of your trips. Note down facts such as distances, weather, tide times etc. Also who sailed with you. I will bring hours of pleasure on days when you cannot get afloat.
Jaytac
N/A
Make sure you don't forget............the kettle
Starting with a pretty boat is never a bad move
Amulet
Well-Known Member
Moorings
I live just south of Cambridge and keep my boat on the Orwell. It takes me a bit over an hour to drive to it. (Less if my wife isn't with me.) I think you'll find a mooring reasonably easily as you don't need much water. I had a mooring from Kings of Pinmill for a couple of seasons before capitulating and going into Woolverstone Marina (the most expensive on the river - what a mug I am). The Royal Hospital School sail a dose of shrimpers (sorry, fleet is a better collective term) on the Orwell and Stour.
To whet your appetite, here is another dose of shrimpers on the Deben (easy reach from the Orwell), followed by one being sailed pretty hard by the kids from the Royal Hospital School on the Orwell.
I live just south of Cambridge and keep my boat on the Orwell. It takes me a bit over an hour to drive to it. (Less if my wife isn't with me.) I think you'll find a mooring reasonably easily as you don't need much water. I had a mooring from Kings of Pinmill for a couple of seasons before capitulating and going into Woolverstone Marina (the most expensive on the river - what a mug I am). The Royal Hospital School sail a dose of shrimpers (sorry, fleet is a better collective term) on the Orwell and Stour.
To whet your appetite, here is another dose of shrimpers on the Deben (easy reach from the Orwell), followed by one being sailed pretty hard by the kids from the Royal Hospital School on the Orwell.
CliveG
Well-Known Member
Hi
I live just north of Cambridge and sail from Ramsholt on the Deben.
I have a 25' lift keel yacht.
It takes me about 1 1/4 hrs from home to dinghy.
The Deben is a lovely quite river without the rush and bustle of the Orwell.
The Deben Bar can be a challenge at times but it is well worth it.
There is 10 miles of river to play in and some nice anchorages without crossing the bar.
Moorings in the river can be harder to come by.
Robertsons boat yard at Woodbridge had a slipway that is easy to use with a quay on one side.
It is only available from half tide and costs £15 a go.
There is a slip at Suffolk Yacht Harbour, Levington on the Orwell.
That is just about all tide but it is very steep and between high sheet pile walls.
The charge there is about £25.00
All the other slips I know of in the area do not have any enclosure and would seem to me difficult to use with anything larger than a dinghy.
Send me a Private Message if you would like any further info.
If you decide to come to the East Coast Do make yourself known on the East Coast Forum that can be found further down the main YBW forums main page.
As has been said above we are a friendly lot - not sure what is odd about us apart from the fact that we seem to have more informal get togethers that most of the other fora put together.
I live just north of Cambridge and sail from Ramsholt on the Deben.
I have a 25' lift keel yacht.
It takes me about 1 1/4 hrs from home to dinghy.
The Deben is a lovely quite river without the rush and bustle of the Orwell.
The Deben Bar can be a challenge at times but it is well worth it.
There is 10 miles of river to play in and some nice anchorages without crossing the bar.
Moorings in the river can be harder to come by.
Robertsons boat yard at Woodbridge had a slipway that is easy to use with a quay on one side.
It is only available from half tide and costs £15 a go.
There is a slip at Suffolk Yacht Harbour, Levington on the Orwell.
That is just about all tide but it is very steep and between high sheet pile walls.
The charge there is about £25.00
All the other slips I know of in the area do not have any enclosure and would seem to me difficult to use with anything larger than a dinghy.
Send me a Private Message if you would like any further info.
If you decide to come to the East Coast Do make yourself known on the East Coast Forum that can be found further down the main YBW forums main page.
As has been said above we are a friendly lot - not sure what is odd about us apart from the fact that we seem to have more informal get togethers that most of the other fora put together.
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