Solostoke
Member
The rough idea was for August to be spent in Northern Ireland getting a real good feel for the place by dotting around the place only an hour or two sailing at a time. That would maximise time ashore exploring. My boat is a 1990 Beneteau First 41s5 called Little Rebecca that I have spent the last two summers on with this being the third.
I'm going to write up my trip report day by day and post them in this thread.
25th July finish work...
Finished work for the summer, had a swift pint with my colleagues and then got dropped off at Shrewsbury train station. Caught the train to Conwy to Nantwich to meet Fiona and then back on the train to Conwy. We walked to the marina along the river path.
A lovely evening view with my berth being easy to get out over the tidal gate the next morning.
We met Laura and Carl who were already on board and filled the water tanks and received an online shopping order. Spent some time putting all the food and drink away before a relatively early night ready for the 0430 start the next morning.
Carl is experienced on the water as a warden at Windermere but not at yacht sailing and Laura had no prior experience at all. Fiona had about a weeks worth of sailing with me over the last year so knew what she was getting into at least!
26th Conwy to Port St Mary IoM
Me and Carl got up and slipped out of Conwy just after HW so as to catch what favourable tide there was at neaps to head towards the Isle of Man.
As soon as we rounded the perch the sails were set and we ignored the channel to nip straight over the sandbanks. The morning was beautiful and we made good progress.
The girls surfaced with around 40miles to go and made fresh coffee.
Fresh coffee underway is one of my favourite things, sitting on the rail as the waves slip by there really is little to worry about.
The weather held out until nearer the Isle of Man where things got very very wet. Wet enough to find holes in my coat but thankfully not my salopettes. It was at this point I regretted not bringing more than one jumper or jacket. With the rain came more wind. One reef went in. Then the second. I always reef both sails down the same amount and find that she stays quite well balanced.
We maintained around 7kts average. Often spending long times above 8kts. She really likes longer passages where you can trim the sails and let her find a groove. I struggle to find the same speed out of here on shorter legs, I don't really know why.
Normally I'd head for Port Erin on the Isle of Man but the forecast was for a Westerly blow so thought I'd try Port St Mary and a visitor mooring. We hooked the mooring and threw the tender in. As I was just fitting the outboard Carl stepped down off the helmsmans seat and hit the end of the boom square on in the middle of his forehead. One first aid box rummage later and a bandaged head and the rain cleared the blood up. It really needed stitches and a careful eye was kept on the concussion that accompanied the cut.
Unperturbed we headed ashore to have an explore but it was so wet we were driven into nearest (only) pub. The Albert gave us a warm and dry welcome and didn't bat an eyelid at peeling of waterproofs galore and hanging them at the door in a puddle. A few drinks and it was back towards the yacht. The boats in the mooring field were bouncing as the swell rolled around the breakwater wall and with the visitors moorings furthest out we were worst off. The bow was jumping a good four or five foot and it wasn't forecast to die down. I dropped Carl off on the breakwater wall as the visitor section was empty and me and the girls jumped back aboard. It was now so bumpy we couldn't get on at the swim platform and had to climb up through the gate midship.
We quickly set fenders and lines and then headed to Carl who tied us up tight inbetween the fishing boats either end of us. The boat was dead still hidden out of both the wind and swell. The relief on the boat of the prospect of a good night's sleep was evident and it was by far the right decision to move her there in testing conditions. Now we were safely alongside we ordered a pizza in from Port Erin and the delivery driver was more than a little puzzled when I popped up from the ladder to grab them. We were tucked up in bed by eleven sleeping soundly in our still beds.
I'm going to write up my trip report day by day and post them in this thread.
25th July finish work...
Finished work for the summer, had a swift pint with my colleagues and then got dropped off at Shrewsbury train station. Caught the train to Conwy to Nantwich to meet Fiona and then back on the train to Conwy. We walked to the marina along the river path.
A lovely evening view with my berth being easy to get out over the tidal gate the next morning.
We met Laura and Carl who were already on board and filled the water tanks and received an online shopping order. Spent some time putting all the food and drink away before a relatively early night ready for the 0430 start the next morning.
Carl is experienced on the water as a warden at Windermere but not at yacht sailing and Laura had no prior experience at all. Fiona had about a weeks worth of sailing with me over the last year so knew what she was getting into at least!
26th Conwy to Port St Mary IoM
Me and Carl got up and slipped out of Conwy just after HW so as to catch what favourable tide there was at neaps to head towards the Isle of Man.
As soon as we rounded the perch the sails were set and we ignored the channel to nip straight over the sandbanks. The morning was beautiful and we made good progress.
The girls surfaced with around 40miles to go and made fresh coffee.
Fresh coffee underway is one of my favourite things, sitting on the rail as the waves slip by there really is little to worry about.
The weather held out until nearer the Isle of Man where things got very very wet. Wet enough to find holes in my coat but thankfully not my salopettes. It was at this point I regretted not bringing more than one jumper or jacket. With the rain came more wind. One reef went in. Then the second. I always reef both sails down the same amount and find that she stays quite well balanced.
We maintained around 7kts average. Often spending long times above 8kts. She really likes longer passages where you can trim the sails and let her find a groove. I struggle to find the same speed out of here on shorter legs, I don't really know why.
Normally I'd head for Port Erin on the Isle of Man but the forecast was for a Westerly blow so thought I'd try Port St Mary and a visitor mooring. We hooked the mooring and threw the tender in. As I was just fitting the outboard Carl stepped down off the helmsmans seat and hit the end of the boom square on in the middle of his forehead. One first aid box rummage later and a bandaged head and the rain cleared the blood up. It really needed stitches and a careful eye was kept on the concussion that accompanied the cut.
Unperturbed we headed ashore to have an explore but it was so wet we were driven into nearest (only) pub. The Albert gave us a warm and dry welcome and didn't bat an eyelid at peeling of waterproofs galore and hanging them at the door in a puddle. A few drinks and it was back towards the yacht. The boats in the mooring field were bouncing as the swell rolled around the breakwater wall and with the visitors moorings furthest out we were worst off. The bow was jumping a good four or five foot and it wasn't forecast to die down. I dropped Carl off on the breakwater wall as the visitor section was empty and me and the girls jumped back aboard. It was now so bumpy we couldn't get on at the swim platform and had to climb up through the gate midship.
We quickly set fenders and lines and then headed to Carl who tied us up tight inbetween the fishing boats either end of us. The boat was dead still hidden out of both the wind and swell. The relief on the boat of the prospect of a good night's sleep was evident and it was by far the right decision to move her there in testing conditions. Now we were safely alongside we ordered a pizza in from Port Erin and the delivery driver was more than a little puzzled when I popped up from the ladder to grab them. We were tucked up in bed by eleven sleeping soundly in our still beds.
