Sad or what

[nathanlee]

One can't easily get out of Preston marina. It takes planning and commitment to a weekend because once you've left the marina, you've got no choice but to do the 11 miles to sea and get over the bar before you're grounded.

So, I don't have time to go on a jolly, but I was desperate to make use of the boat, so I've motored out in to the really rather large dock, picked up the old mooring buoy in the middle, and am doing a bit of work, free from the hustle and bustle of the pontoons.

I think I'm going to spend the whole night out here, just for a change.

Sad, eh.

 

[lenseman]

Is it the red buoy visible on Google Earth, if so, I will note your new location?

53° 45.638'N 002° 44.142'W

I hope you filed a passage plane and let the CG know ?



.

 

[Giblets]

Could you not have gone alongside the quay by the Ribble Pilot? That would have doubled your journey distance!

 

[Corribee Boy]

That's not so sad - I've just come back from sitting on my boat, feeling it move around as I move, imagining the summer - trouble is it's parked in my yard, and the movement's the trailer suspension...

 

[Lodesman77]

Does this mean you'll actually have time to update your blog?

 

[Searush]

That's why I like Caernarfon so much. Even in a SW gale over the ebb it is possible to sail or motor in the straits. It can be a bit wet & wobbly, but it is safe enough & there are plenty of moorings around to use - some of which are bound to be sheltered. All this within 2 mins of leaving the quay wall. And you can have up to 6 hours over HW & between 6 & 12 hours across LW.

 

[lenseman]

Could you not have gone alongside the quay by the Ribble Pilot? That would have doubled your journey distance!

I don't think Nathan currently drinks, he might have given it up for Lent?



.

 

[Sandgrounder]

Sounds an entirely rational response to the situation you find yourself in. My choice when I bought a small keelboat was: - Preston; the Mersey; or Windermere. Notwithstanding my love of being at sea I chose Windymere because of frequency of use.

 

[AMCD300]

Does this mean you'll actually have time to update your blog?

Fair point that...lol

 

[aquaplane]

Not sad at all. We really enjoyed our first day on the boat for 3 months yesterday.
It was all hard graft, no sailing, but it was good to be afloat.

 

[Ru88ell]

That's not so sad - I've just come back from sitting on my boat, feeling it move around as I move, imagining the summer - trouble is it's parked in my yard, and the movement's the trailer suspension...

That's perfectly normal. I do that. I go and sit on my boat in storage. I've been known to take supplies and make lunch, listen to the radio and read.

 

[nathanlee]

I'm back!

It was not sad, after all.

I was on the big rusty old buoy (not the red one, though close), minding my own business, when a fellow forumite rafted alongside. Then a 50ft narrowboat ventured out too, and rafted, which I was not ever so happy about, and then we had a party.

Morning arrived with a perfect sunny day. Still on the buoy, and missing the warmth and laptopness of shorepower, I decided to take Morica out for her first ever sail with me! I had some issues with the Tab furling gear (both main and fore), but managed to eventually get a good-but-well-reefed area of sail out to play with. Wow, such a difference to Kudu. The gusts just didn't heel her, yet she picked up speed. Very happy and can't wait to get to sea.

Still having mooring issues though. I came in astern and against the wind. A chap working on another boat who knew I'd only done this once before offered assistance, but thought I'd got it so said no, then moments later ended up beam on across two pontoons and totally out of control. I looked at the aforementioned prospective helper, who in turn looked at me, and I shrugged my shoulders. He took that as a cue to help, slowly walked over, joined by another seasoned mariner who sensed a calamity, and they both calmly lobbed lines over and helped get the boat straight. We did, and I all was well, part from feeling like a prat.

Decided not to moor astern until I have a better feel for the boat. I'm doing ok, but going from 1 ton nimble bugger to a 7 ton world girdler is taking some getting used to. Forward ok if slightly wallowing. Astern entirely random.

Anyway, safely moored up, I bought a brush and some deck cleaner, and then scrubbed all the green off.

Green is a UK only thing, I think. You never see green decks on the continent, unless that's just a sign that us UK lot are lazy?

 

[Searush]

(snip)

Green is a UK only thing, I think. You never see green decks on the continent, unless that's just a sign that us UK lot are lazy?

Nah, it's just a measure of the dampness of our climate, winter or summer the air is full of moisture. Excellent for algea growth.

 

[Swanrad2]

Back when I worked for other people, I used to book a meeting near to my boat - 30 minutes work and an afternoon snoozing in the warm cabin. Like sailing but without all hassle!