Today on the Blackwater

[Fire99]

Evening folks,

After a dog-awful week with the death of my beloved moggy it was a great day to escape to water.
I'll post some pics once i've got them off the phone but it was fantastic weather and not a bad breeze.

Stopped off Osea Island for a little while and had a sandwich and a cuppa then made my way back to Stone.

Nice to see some friendly folk sailing past saying hello including a rather smashing looking classic little yacht which looked like alot of time,tears and sweat had been spent on her.

I will say however that the yacht that looked like a training boat (judging by the impromptu MOB drills carried out) that undertook me on my port side, on the way back towards Stone looked a right miserable bunch, with not a single one acknowledging my wave as they thundered past. Perhaps my Snappy was a touch too modest for them

Anyway, i'm still getting my head around Sailing and Solo Sailing for that matter but i'm sure I won't be searching for my 3rd and 4th arm once I've worked out how the AutoTiller works properly

Hope some others here managed to get out and enjoy the day.

cheers,

Nick

 

[MoodySabre]

Lucky buuger - I was at the funeral of a friend younger than me Both the photos on the order of service were boaty - particularly one of him helming on the Broads during a brief period of remission in the summer. RIP David.

 

[Fire99]

Lucky buuger - I was at the funeral of a friend younger than me Both the photos on the order of service were boaty - particularly one of him helming on the Broads during a brief period of remission in the summer. RIP David.

Really sorry to hear that. Condolences mate!

 

[tillergirl]

Yes, it was very pleasant today if a little chilly. Set TG on tiller pilot and lay dans le sun on the coachroof while making about two knots over the tide. Bottom as dirty as the inside of a zookeeper's boot and using the (disgraceful) 1964 main as I need to repair the new one. It would be just my luck after 19 years of sailing on the Blackwater to have a first photo underway with that filty, stretched and patched thing up!

 

[Fire99]

Yes, it was very pleasant today if a little chilly. Set TG on tiller pilot and lay dans le sun on the coachroof while making about two knots over the tide. Bottom as dirty as the inside of a zookeeper's boot and using the (disgraceful) 1964 main as I need to repair the new one. It would be just my luck after 19 years of sailing on the Blackwater to have a first photo underway with that filty, stretched and patched thing up!

Well my Snappy isn't exactly set for Mach 1 at the mo with a combination of a) Dirty bottom/rudder, b) dragging my dinghy behind c) A rig / sail setup with a few question marks d) A Captain who is strong on enthusiasm and a bit weak on knowing how to sail properly.

Weather was great for me. Got a bit chilly when the sun started to set but 'late lunch' down at Osea was great.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

It would be just my luck after 19 years of sailing on the Blackwater to have a first photo underway with that filty, stretched and patched thing up!

This we must resolve in 2010....

I hereby declare that the ECF challenge for 2010 is to flood TG with pictures of her underway!

 

[tillergirl]

Oh dear. Kindness! I better get that mainsail sorted

 

[Simon_and_Tanja]

Lovely day's sail

Fabulous day's sail (having sneeked away from work) inspired by the early October weather. From Titchmarsh to Holbrook and back. Wind was a bit "light and variable", tides were definitely against me in both directions but the weather was fabulous and everybody lucky enough to be out there (in the Harwich area) was very friendly. EC quiz: where on my route yesterday was I logging 4.6 kts through the water but the GPS reported only 1.5 km/h over the ground. Related question for those who find that too easy: if the engine is a Yanmar 1GM10 at 4/5 throttle and the waterline length 20 foot, how clean is my bottom?

Only thing really putting a damper on affairs was the realisation that I have to come back to the office today. Looking forward to the day in 21 years time, sorry 23, sorry 24, sorry whatever the government decides next week, when I can retire and go sailing whenever I fancy.

Other slight damper was the realisation, as I packed up to go home, that my boat hadn't miraculously become watertight and that the unusually quiet bilge pump was the result of a blown fuse and not some fastidious work of a leak fairy. Looks like I need to replace some wiring fast.

 

[pyrojames]

Tomorrow on the Blackwater

I hope to be there! So if you are about, I'll take some photos!

 

[SwedishLass]

I hope to be there! So if you are about, I'll take some photos!

So you were, a tad breezy off the training wall.

http://www.yourboatpix.co.uk/showOne.php?pixID=41575451

http://www.yourboatpix.co.uk/showOne.php?pixID=86511262

Hopefully not too fuzzy as was at the end of the zoom

 

[pyrojames]

It was great sail, both down on the Saturday and home again on the Sunday. Two tacks from the Orwell to Osea and one gybe from Osea to the Orwell, 5 hours each way.

 

[Wunja]

It was great sail, both down on the Saturday and home again on the Sunday. Two tacks from the Orwell to Osea and one gybe from Osea to the Orwell, 5 hours each way.

Sounds like my trip last week. Close hauled all the way to Hellevoetsluis on the Saturday, with only a couple of tacks around an island, followed by a run all the way home on Sunday.
This week, about 3000 tacks to do 4 nm followed by a run home. The good thing was that I was solo this week in some fairly fresh conditions.