Kairi
New Member
I think I have read far too much of Nathan's blog and seen too many of his videos. It would seem on a subconscious level I am trying to copy him.
I set off in my Corribee, Kairi, yesterday at 1000 from Mariners Farm boatyard, on the Medway. The intent was to sail as much as possible using the outboard only to skip through lulls in the breeze and keep on pace. Destination, Bridgemarsh Marine on the Crouch. Being an impatient sort I decided I was going to do this all in one day. 50nm, not impossible but without doubt a late finish, possibly an overnight stop. The weather looked promising, sunny with a 10knot breeze, the tides worked out and I had a family friend, Pete, along to take the place of my bungee self steering. Well we get out into the Thames quickly enough and are having a good sail to windward when I hear splash. Is it Pete? Damn no, what was it then? I notice one of the shrouds acting like a telltale in the breeze and look up to find the spreader is gone. Before I can do anything but look, splash and the one on the other side has made it's bid to join it's chum. My mast becomes a banana and Pete is being told in no uncertain terms to steer into the wind so I can jump overboard and leave him to it. There is no way enough fuel on board for the whole journey and the tide doesn't support turning back. Turns out it was a simple cotter pin that let go and caused the mayhem. A temporary solution was rigged but without spreaders the mast wasn't getting the full support it needed and things had to be taken gently. Well one very tentative sail later and at 0100 we arrive at the moorings near Burnham. I'd had enough and didn't fancy Bridgemarsh creek for the first time in the dark on a falling tide. Picked up a mooring for a few hours kip and arrived in Bridgemarsh today at around 0730.
Two Nav light bulbs died on me, a winch gave up the ghost and the roller reefing system has a lot of explaining to do also. It's not like I hadn't checked all of these things out before undertaking this journey, I just think somehow they knew it was time to put the new owner to the test.
Truth be known I loved (almost) every minute of it.
Barry
I set off in my Corribee, Kairi, yesterday at 1000 from Mariners Farm boatyard, on the Medway. The intent was to sail as much as possible using the outboard only to skip through lulls in the breeze and keep on pace. Destination, Bridgemarsh Marine on the Crouch. Being an impatient sort I decided I was going to do this all in one day. 50nm, not impossible but without doubt a late finish, possibly an overnight stop. The weather looked promising, sunny with a 10knot breeze, the tides worked out and I had a family friend, Pete, along to take the place of my bungee self steering. Well we get out into the Thames quickly enough and are having a good sail to windward when I hear splash. Is it Pete? Damn no, what was it then? I notice one of the shrouds acting like a telltale in the breeze and look up to find the spreader is gone. Before I can do anything but look, splash and the one on the other side has made it's bid to join it's chum. My mast becomes a banana and Pete is being told in no uncertain terms to steer into the wind so I can jump overboard and leave him to it. There is no way enough fuel on board for the whole journey and the tide doesn't support turning back. Turns out it was a simple cotter pin that let go and caused the mayhem. A temporary solution was rigged but without spreaders the mast wasn't getting the full support it needed and things had to be taken gently. Well one very tentative sail later and at 0100 we arrive at the moorings near Burnham. I'd had enough and didn't fancy Bridgemarsh creek for the first time in the dark on a falling tide. Picked up a mooring for a few hours kip and arrived in Bridgemarsh today at around 0730.
Two Nav light bulbs died on me, a winch gave up the ghost and the roller reefing system has a lot of explaining to do also. It's not like I hadn't checked all of these things out before undertaking this journey, I just think somehow they knew it was time to put the new owner to the test.
Truth be known I loved (almost) every minute of it.
Barry
Or break down in new and exciting ways.
And hopefully have a nice, comfy and sound seagoing vessel to show for it.
