Looking good for sailing tomorrow.....

FullCircle

FullCircle

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Delivery of Laurin (the new Vreny) from Ipswich down to Burnham tomorrow.
Weather looks a bit cloudy with around 12-15kts right up the chuff.

So, with both wind and tide down the Wallet. A once in a lifetime experience.:o

Haven't sailed a ketch since 1993, so should be very interesting.
 
Ok, I give in, a bit.
For posterity.

Land Rover Defender: Interesting because it goes wrong and is extraordinarily badly built.

AA Service: Interesting because they were late turning up and then were very tardy delivering badly built Land Rover back home even though AA had been informed that a baby and toddler were in the vehicle.

Rescue Truck: Obviously top notch piece of equipment driven by a Star. Star agreed to deliver badly built defective Land Rover to house, and to load up boaty kit and then take Skipper and Mate to Fox's Marina. Delivered on time, as we arrived at 5 to 11.

Fox' Marina Yacht Club Bar: Interesting as Vic the Bar nearly didn't serve us, but took pity. Glad really, as I then mentioned Sailorman. Vic lit up and phoned Sailorman informing arrival of disparate sailing people of his acquanitance.

Sailorman: Interesting because despite all indications to contrary, JB beer locker empty. Top recovery though as 10 year old Famous Grouse is proffered in quantity. Turns out to be a real nice drop.

Laurin: Interesting because it is based on Arnie Sachnussens Journey to Centre of the Earth. Labyrinthine and cavern like, more locker doors than any other boat I have been on, including QE2.

Mrs Vreny: Interesting quantity of food supplied to keep Skipper and Mate for 24 hours. Considering boat has been in ownership for short period, I found 2cwt of biscuits secreted in lockers mentioned above.

Mr Vreny: Interesting as we cast off without a care at 7:00:15 am. 15 seconds late. No drama on departure. Lucky really as we were close proximity to several million quids worth of new Oysters. And Wingdivers interesting Fisher. Err Hans Christian.

More Laurin: Has prop pinched off aforesaid QE2, as it does 5kts on tickover, and has a propkick like a Blackpool mule on Stella Artois.

Cooker: Interesting cooking on move: Works well and produces breakfast rolls without incident, but needs pan clamps.

Navigation: Inch perfect, made up the 15 second tardiness by Felixstowe, mainly due to prop above. Then use interesting ickle CP180 mounted too far away to read or prod buttons.

Ketches: Not tomato, but interesting anyway. If your ship is rolling in 15 odd kts up chuff, drop the main and use Genoa and Mizzen. Lose a quarter of a knot, but regain capability of drinking tea at helm rather than throwing it in cockpit to test drainaway capability.

Weather: Interesting as Sun, Grey, Rain all present, but only Grey impinging on our reality. Also interestingly chilly, so discovered that 2 pairs of socks no issue wearing new(ish) deck shoes. 15 knots up the chuff the whole way, interestingly not the prevailing East COast weather, but welcomed anyway.

Velocity: Interesting, as expectations exceeded for calculated passage times. 6 knots average all day, not shabby at all.

Freeboard: Interesting entry to find expected pontoon fingers not present. Diversion plan immediately arrived at, and pinched someones berth for the duration. Leap down to wobbly Burnham Yacht Harbour pontoon is interesting as freeboard on this craft is epic. Worse was trying to remount. Fender step (4 rung) needed.

Railways: Interesting as I had forgotten what a nice vista the Crouch Valley can offer when seen from the train. Uninteresting price for single to Billericay however.

So, interesting then.
 
FullCircle said:
And Wingdivers interesting Fisher. Err Hans Christian.
Click to expand...

Well saved Jim! (elephants never forget) :D
Did you have time to compare our 'proper' rig to the large Fisher ashore? Even our tame rigger was surprised at how well Mermaid sails.
We love our ketch and find the genoa/mizzen combination great on passage.
The least used sail is the staysail. Even the cruising chute gets more air time.
Hope to be out next weekend as SWMBO has TWO nasty back ops in April which will curtail such activites for a few weeks.
 
Wunja said:
Jim, Was the Wallet interesting?
Click to expand...

I refer the Honourable Member to my first post.


So, with both wind and tide down the Wallet. A once in a lifetime experience.

Not interesting then. Tried to make it interesting by going over Stone Banks at Low Water, but to no avail. Later sailed within a couple of hundred metres of 4 fishing boats, no shaking fists or anything. Dull as Ditchwater.
 
hello all,

as former owner of the good ship "Laurin" thought I would lob in my twopenny worth.

wife wont sail on anything but a ketch and our last 6 boats have been ketches and of course the new one is. They take a bit of working out but worth every minute, and as the landlord of a well known east coast watering hole told me years ago, two sticks turn a mere yacht into a little ship. "Laurin" will constantly surprise with her passage times, she is a heavy boat but has plenty of sail and quite a slippery underwater shape. Dead to windward is not her best, so sail her free and she will get along OK. In heavy weather deep reefed main and engine is better, or just wait for a fair slant is of course best. Ah, the luxury of a bit of time.

Pan clamps were an odd clip on affair which fell apart so I threw them overboard off the Lizard in the summer. Couldn't find an easy replacement because of the third burner on the hob but I think the 3 burner ENO is the same size.

5 knots under tickover, something amiss here. Check that the throttle is completely returning against the stop at the engine when fully shut down at the lever. I expect the cable has got stiff over the winter.

By the way its not a Landrover engine

Propwalk yes, you just have to work out how to use it.

4 step fender, yes we had one but both being short have kept it for new boat. It ties neatly attached to the spring cleat and the shroud immediately forward of same, you can then use it comfortably hanging onto the rigging.

Karen and Patrick give me a shout if you want any other info, I only live at Mayland.

cheers Paul
 
paulstevens said:
hello all,

as former owner of the good ship "Laurin" thought I would lob in my twopenny worth.

wife wont sail on anything but a ketch and our last 6 boats have been ketches and of course the new one is. They take a bit of working out but worth every minute, and as the landlord of a well known east coast watering hole told me years ago, two sticks turn a mere yacht into a little ship. "Laurin" will constantly surprise with her passage times, she is a heavy boat but has plenty of sail and quite a slippery underwater shape. Dead to windward is not her best, so sail her free and she will get along OK. In heavy weather deep reefed main and engine is better, or just wait for a fair slant is of course best. Ah, the luxury of a bit of time.

Pan clamps were an odd clip on affair which fell apart so I threw them overboard off the Lizard in the summer. Couldn't find an easy replacement because of the third burner on the hob but I think the 3 burner ENO is the same size.

5 knots under tickover, something amiss here. Check that the throttle is completely returning against the stop at the engine when fully shut down at the lever. I expect the cable has got stiff over the winter.

By the way its not a Landrover engine

Propwalk yes, you just have to work out how to use it.

4 step fender, yes we had one but both being short have kept it for new boat. It ties neatly attached to the spring cleat and the shroud immediately forward of same, you can then use it comfortably hanging onto the rigging.

Karen and Patrick give me a shout if you want any other info, I only live at Mayland.

cheers Paul
Click to expand...


:D

Paul,
poetic license for dramatic and comedic effect of course.

It was the Land Rover which failed to proceed, not suggesting Land Rover engine fitted to Laurin. Or we may have had to row out, a bit like my BMW powered Evo25 years ago.

Other vegaries of craft are applicable to everything that has ever been constructed to float, to different degrees of course.

Forgot to mention: Interesting crossing of Swin Spitway. 0.4m under keel on the sight line between the 2 marks.
 
yes no prob I was having a laugh too about said Land Rover incident.

What state of tide in Spitway, sounds like you all needed to spit a lot more!

That's why its called spitway, all the old barge skippers used to spit their way through. Well its a good story anyway.
 
Karouise said:
How accurate is the chart?
Click to expand...

Kinda irrelevant Peter, as:
a) we used the sea bed
b) we used the depth under keel
c) not sure how accurate transducer to keel depth is?

Chart is, like all other East Coast charts, a rough guess, measured on a day when it wasn't blowing a hoolie, probably.
 
FullCircle said:
Kinda irrelevant Peter, as:
a) we used the sea bed
b) we used the depth under keel
c) not sure how accurate transducer to keel depth is?

Chart is, like all other East Coast charts, a rough guess, measured on a day when it wasn't blowing a hoolie, probably.
Click to expand...

I beg to differ!

As you say in your last line - a rough guess - so if chart says there will be 1m and you have 0.5m rise of tide are you expecting to see 1.5m or do you just head for a bit of water blind and watch the echo sounder not knowing what is going to happen next? Presumably you had an idea that there was enough water in the spitway from the chart otherwise you wouldnt have tried it? Well thats what I do! :confused:
 
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