MagicalArmchair
Well-known member
My late fathers beautiful 1930s gaff cutter has just been purchased by a lovely couple who are in the process of delivering her to their home port on a passage from the Medway to Plymouth. She had been out of the water for around eight months before they launched her last week on Thursday, and they set off on Friday on their passage. When launched she was tight as a drum owing to her teak on mahogany construction.
After some brisk sailing today, she started weeping from a seam near the mast and she is taking enough water to require the pumps to be run every three hours so they are a little worried.
She will still be taking up, and I might have waited with her in the water a bit before undertaking the passage, however they were keen to get back and she has had a full structural survey a few weeks previously that gave her a clean bill of health.
I advised they keep an eye on it and to continue cautiously (pointing out to him it was ultimately the skippers decision as he had all the facts at hand). The wind is set to drop in the next few days, and I have been through many a storms in that boat and she has always seen me through. Is my advice to them sound?
After some brisk sailing today, she started weeping from a seam near the mast and she is taking enough water to require the pumps to be run every three hours so they are a little worried.
She will still be taking up, and I might have waited with her in the water a bit before undertaking the passage, however they were keen to get back and she has had a full structural survey a few weeks previously that gave her a clean bill of health.
I advised they keep an eye on it and to continue cautiously (pointing out to him it was ultimately the skippers decision as he had all the facts at hand). The wind is set to drop in the next few days, and I have been through many a storms in that boat and she has always seen me through. Is my advice to them sound?