After fouling a mooring line round the prop of club launch (and I learned later probably causing damage) on Friday night 19/7 the Saturday was spent recovering and doing still more jobs. Finally departed Hoo 1230 Sunday. Anchored Margate Hook that evening to wait for the tide. Departed 0000 Monday
Tuesday 0600 after hours of motoring made Portsmouth. Quick turn around to drop off Andy and pick up Stephen then Newtown that evening to wait for the tide (after I ran boat aground next to isolated danger mark). Then off 0200 Wednesday. Got to Plymouth 0500 Thursday again after mostly motoring. However whilst sailing in the last few hours in heavy swell broke mainsheet traveller on a gybe.
Got the guys from Eurospar to help out but parts delayed. Now expected Wednesday. In the meantime I had weekend with Sharon and boys based in Weir Quay and the crew lodged in Plymouth. We met up with old Friends and had a great time.
Rough key stats - Hoo to Plymouth via Margate Hook, Portsmouth, & Newtown River:
Started 21/7/13
Total distance covered over ground = 287 nautical miles
Total hours = 77
Engine hours = 47
Sailing hours = 12
Anchor hours = 12 (Margate Hook & Newtown)
In Port hours = 6 (Portsmouth)
Average speed = 4k (underway only)
Arrived 25/7/13
All a bit depressing from a sailing point of view, especially when one considers that in the few hours sailing we did do we managed to break the mainsheet traveller.
Getting the hang of this now.
ReplyDeleteLucky the gybe only broke the traveller?
Definitely need to organise the beer evening somehow. You have serious stories to tell.
Murray
Yes I guess it could have been nasty. Fortunately was able to secure the flailing boom/sheet/block quickly before any further damage done to man or boat. The worst bit was trying to tame the mainsail as we dropped in a rather viscious swell. I thought I was in Charlie Chaplin film for a while and only realised after what seemed like an age of being flung from one side of the boat to the other by the swinging boom whilst trying to stow the sail that I had no life line on. Mick then muttered somthing about that being the worst stowed mainsail he'd ever seen! Of course if I had had my wits about me I would have secured the boom in two directions rather than just one and then sent someone else to sory out the mess.
ReplyDelete