Finally, some decent weather - Saturday 23rd June 2012

Having not been able to sail for a few weeks, due to work and extreme weather, there was at last some reasonable weather to get afloat with.

As I get to the club, it starts to rain  - great - but it doesn't last long. Quite a stiff breeze as I launch but manageable.

Around the buoys, clockwise, for a couple of hours. Hove to for lunch. Anti-clockwise for another two.

At about 3:25 I reversed for the final time and headed in. Only the wind had virtually disappeared. So, a slow arrival at the hard, derigged and home by 5:30.

Where it had been raining all afternoon - result.

Nice to get back on the water.

.... a photo of a Laser sailing with Cheddar Gorge in the background.

 

....boats and boards around the clubhouse at Cheddar


Next week -  Sailing in Turkey.

Ah well, maybe not today! - Saturday 9th June 2012

As I was unable to even think about sailing last weekend, due to work commitments - all over the Jubilee weekend - I had high hopes of getting out on the water this weekend.

Early in the week, the weather forecast suggested that Saturday might be a reasonable opportunity, sunny with maybe a stiff-ish breeze.

Saturday morning, it seemed a bit more than forecast, but I packed the sails and foil along with my other kit and headed off to the res'.

On arrival, it was blowing like a bugger - to use a technical term.

Not giving up just yet, I sat in the car for a while, then checked the dinghy was still OK, given the recent winds, and finally headed for the clubhouse to watch developments. Wind gauge showing around 18 kts gusting above 20.

At the start of the official sailing time, one laser launched and this was followed a few minutes later by the sailing course.

Watching sailors launch in a reasonable wind could be considered amusing by some, but entertainment wasn't on my mind. I was still, metaphorically, beating myself up for not continuing sailing last time, and I was looking for any encouragement to brave it again.

Five boats, varying from RS200's to Enterprises, launched after some considerable efforts by the crews of two or three. All were using a small sail, with Mirror icons on them mostly; giving roughly half the sail area of a full size sail for the dinghy. Flogging wildly in the wind as they were rigged.

Within ten minutes, three had gone over. After about 30 minutes, I noticed the Laser had recovered to the hard and was being packed away.

I caught half a conversation involving a windsurf instructor, to the effect that they wouldn't be taking their students out in this sort of wind.

About this time, I decided that discretion was the better part of valour, and reluctantly, decided to give it a miss. I couldn't see me getting onto the water until 2pm anyway and the winds hadn't shown any inclincation to abate by that time.

Single handed, it was going to be a struggle to get launched and recovered - maybe OK once launched and away, but as this is supposed to be fun and I didn't want to damage the dinghy.

So, off home I went. Bonneville out of the garage and 60 miles around Somerset later back into the garage.

Not a wasted day after all.

Busy day for the safety boats - Saturday 26th May 2012

As forecast, sun and as much wind as you can handle, or maybe more than some can handle.

Various weather sites were forecasting 16 kts plus for today and for a change, they proved to be right.

Single handed, a stiff breeze gives some challenges when getting afloat. But, off we went at 11:30. Soon there were a number of other boats on the water, with reefed mainsails - unlike mine. Damn.

Can't say exactly how strong the wind was, but the white horses on the water suggest force 4 to 5.

It's not so much the wind, but the gusts and holes in the wind that provided a couple of hours of entertainment; punctuated with a pause on the slipway to reef the mainsail.

Back and forwards I went, with the safety boats buzzing around all over the place, as they raced to the latest dinghy to capsize. Typically, the water closer to the clubhouse were calmer, given the E to NE direction of the wind. Far more excitement to be had on the leeward side of the water.

Sue turned up to watch from a dry position around 1PM so I did my best to demonstrate my boat handling skills as she observed through binoculars - she copes well with disappointment.

Around 1:40 PM I headed in for a chat and tied the boat up near the slipway ramp and while I eat lunch, we observed the near carnage going on around the reservoir. Well, maybe a slight exageration, but plenty of boats were going over.

It's hard to say whether the wind surfers were falling in more than usual, as they spend a lot of time in the water anyway.

Credit to the juniors in the Optimists - but I suppose having no concept of fear helps. They weren't immune from capsizing, but they seemed to cope better with the wind than the larger boats. A few did need recovering to shore by safety boat, but still, fair play to them.

Lunch consumed, I pondered the prospect of going out again. As I had already confirmed the effectiveness of my drysuit, I was in two minds.

I would have only been going out for another hour anyway, so I chickened out and decided to recover the boat and go home to mow the lawn.

Tomorrow AM, I'll be out on the Bonneville; got to make the most of the weather. PM I'd plan to cycle out to the reservoir and maybe watch a couple of races while cycling around the perimeter.

...and that's without mentioning the motorsports. Busy, busy, busy. So many interests, so little time.

More light winds and slicing your finger - Saturday 19th May 2012

As it was a Saturday, best be on the water again.

Dead calm on arrival at the club, but by the time I was prepped and ready to launch, a reasonable breeze had arrived.

Still trying to concentrate on gybing; so around the buoys clockwise, round the buoys anti-clockwise and then in and out the centre and outer buoys in a star shape - sort of. In and out of the traffic, observing collision regs - although trying not to be too much of a nuisance to the learners.

Sharing the water were some juniors sailing Mirrors and the beginners class. Maybe two or three other casual sailors but most of the reservoir was quiet.

Off the water by around 3:45 PM, having enjoyed a freshening breeze in the afternoon, with four hours more boat time. Getting happier with the gybe business - hopefully not famous last words.

I managed to find a sharp edge on the after end of the centre board slot whilst pulling the centre board down for going upwind.

Unfortunately, I had decided not to bother with gloves today, given that it wasn't cold and everything.

If I'd had them on, I wouldn't have sliced my left pinky. It's a bit embarassing to have to admit to it really, but for the sake of completeness, there you have it. The blood dripping around the boat was a bit of a pain. I took the opportunity to hove to and eat lunch whilst trying to elevate the hand and wait for the blood flow to stop. It doesn't help to repeatedly knock it.

Hopefully, it will have healed by next week - weather permitting we'll be afloat again - with gloves!

Sunburn and light winds - Saturday 12th May 2012

Finally, after what seemed an age, I get back in the dinghy.

Bad weather, club duty and looking after Sue after surgery, meant missing a few weeks.

But, with light winds forecast and nothing else to stop me, off I went.

Before getting in the water, I refitted the centre board strap that had come loose.

The plastic ends that Harteys had fitted had disintegrated. Not surprising really; the little plastic balls that the screw had at each end, had no washer. So, the screw was just squashing the plastic.

I've used two stainless penny washers either side to compress the strap, which seems to work OK.

Not desperately exciting but had to be done.

It was the busiest I've seen on the reservoir. There was a basic sailing course going on and a Saturday Opie Squad on the water along with several other casual sailors.

I did try to get in amongst the crowd and practice evasion as per collision reg, but was gently asked to bugger off, as, whereas I may know the rules of the road, they might not. Which is how it did work out later on. There I was on a good course to avoid one of the course boats, when they inexplicably turn course directly for me. All good practice though.

Tacking and gybing, with the emphasis on gybing as this is a weak area I feel.

All went well though, and stayed dry throughout.

Tried out videoing with a camera mounted on the tiller - too low sadly. Back to the drawing board.

Had a play with one of the 'Praddel's' that I've bought. I really want it to be Praddle, but it's not.

...and a bargain at 99p on Ebay.

So, four hours later, I head for shore. Lunch, as previously, hove to. Nothing that can get soggy the order of the day.

I didn't get much to drink. I clearly didn't put the top on firmly enough, which meant the elasticated loop I put it in, just squeezed most of the contents into the bilges. Doh. Must sort out a bottle holder.

The boat now has more elasticated loops all over. I've a twisted length across the front of the boat to try to control lengths of halyards etc. Just in case it does go over. I find the unsecured rope manages to twist itself into the most surprising knots, or bunch of bastards, as they say in nautical circles.
http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/guides/Nautical_Terms_A-D

I can secure the Praddel along the thwart under three loops - just slides in without much guidance. My lunch box goes under the thwart under a loop.

Useful stuff, bungy chord.

I have been using a fair bit of velcro strapping to tie ropes down, but feel that in a panic, they may not loose immediately. Bloody useful stuff all the same, but prone to stick to inself, when you least want it.

 Off the water by four. Much to the relief of the duty staff. Have to admit to being a bit uncomfortable towards the end. Darn hard those side benches, even with cycling shorts. Oh for some Pilko Pants - a la Carl Pilkington. http://www.pilkopumppants.co.uk/

Even managed to get a little hiking burn on the thighs; as well as actual sunburn. I had thought I was just a little dehydrated but it's genuine sunburn.

Not that it mattesr much, but my healthy or more accurately, just tanned face has been noticed. Shame it's just the face at the moment. Pure white everywhere else, apart from the arms maybe from what cycing I've managed to do this year so far.

Again, an enjoyable day on the water.

Galley Duty and Safety Boats : Sunday 22nd April 2012.

The day of our first BCYC duty finally dawned.

We understood that as the sailing club was self sufficient, there would be duty days a few days of the year that we would be required to fulfil; no problem with that. Fingers cross for safety boat then - no such luck.

For reasons only guessed at, but logical I guess, my wife and I were down for galley duty this Sunday - with me head chef.

Now, my egg on toast may be legendary in my own lunchtime, but chef I aint'.

But I am game to give it a go.

Provisions, as per instructions bought, arrived at the clubhouse at a little after 09:00. To be greeted by Wilma - known as Willa - who was to be a third set of hands, and as luck would have it, an experienced galley hand.

Various preparations commenced, with me cooking chicken tikka for twenty. Potato's into the oven in plenty of time to bake and stuff cut up and put out.

Luckily for us, we had not only the usual crowd for lunch but there was also an Enterprise Open meeting to partake in our culinary efforts - and more importantly for us to cope with.

There was a mad hour or so as we made like a restaurant and eventually just about everyone was fed; either with the baked potato plus filling or some of our filled rolls - lucky, lucky people!

So, relax.

On the sailing front;

During the morning, the weather had been a bit dire, well wet, but there were no significant problems on the water.

In the afternoon, however, the wind picked up again and about 14:30 a call came from the OOD / Race Officer for a volunteer to man another safety boat, as there were too many capsizes for the two already out.

Well, as I've said, I'm game.

About 15 minutes later I'm on the water, as crew initially. Just as we get out to the windward mark - three Enterprises collapse. Commence circulating like a nautical vulture. Everyone gets themselves up, so no problem. For the next hour, half as helm on the RIB, we gad about, descending on likely victims, but on the whole everyone sorted themselves out; and there was plenty of capsize recovery going on.

Wind speed got up close to thirty knots and near one metre waves - which for an enclosed reservoir can't be bad? One crew did take a long while to get back upright, but considering it was getting to the end of their third race and the conditions were far from good, maybe thats understandable and as it was only the one crew, maybe BZ'z all round for everyone else.

Brilliant fun tearing around the water on the RIB - but very grateful I brought the dry suit. I got wetter than most days sailing.

About 15:45 the last of the boats were leaving the water and derigging. Most surely crews had more than enough fun for one day!

RIBs out of the water and back into the galley for me, to finish off the day around 16:45.

Overall then, an enjoyable and varied day - given that I'm not sure I would have ventured out on my own in the weather, just about as good a day off the water and could have been got on it.

I hadn't really noticed the tendency before for windsurfers to go back and forward across the reservoir on a beam reach. Just that, back and forward; appearing to use the far side of the reservoir to stop and turn around (surely not?) There was clearly one guy on the reservoir edge walking about on the concrete fiddling with his board - well it is his board I suppose. Don't they do courses - doesn't going back and forward get boring. True, they were going at a fair speed, which must be enjoyable. Can't see me doing the back and forward thing for too long; give me a route around the buoys anytime - clearly I need a purpose not just exhilaration; I wonder what that says about me?

(Note to self; need more photo's)

Sailing between the showers : Saturday 21st April 2012.

Off to the reservoir Saturday morning - weather not too promising. But, as I have a dry suit, I don't have much of an excuse, or want one really.

Boat prepared for launch - with sailing due to start at 11:30. Right on cue, skies darken and it chucks it down at 11:25 prompt - with serious attitude. Retire to car for about ten minutes while it blows itself out, to a tolerable level anyway.

Onto the water, with little wind. It does pick up pretty soon after launch fortunately.

Todays' aim was to try to sort out my gybe. I'm probably not quite getting the timing right, but occasionally it rounds up coming out of the gybe and comes close to loss of control/capsize. So, downwind we, or rather I, go - the better half still not quite up for sailing just yet, but soon apparently - gybing like a good 'un. One instance of near loss of control but on the whole OK. Still not that confident to be honest.

My initial plan, with weather in mind, was to sail for about an hour and a half and then then go in, as there was a ridge of heavy rain and possible thunder storms coming.

I was tempted to stay out longer, but as 13:00 approached, the clouds duly rolled in and the wind picked up significantly. Discretion being the better part of valour, I headed in and got the boat out of the water. Just as I got into the boat yard, the heavens opened and the wind got up to about 25+ knots. Lumpy water and white horses, nice to look at but gybing could have been interesting - no guts!

Short but sweet really.

Tomorrow we have galley duty! I hope they are ready for us.

Safety Boat Training : 7th April 2012

As the club provides its' own safety boat crews - probably like most other clubs - we get to mess about with boats on the reservoir for a day.

Can't fault the day at all. Starting with intro from Bob, The Commodore, onto Alan, the Membership Secretary, to give us a tour of the various bits and pieces we need to know the location of, and onto the boats.

Big ribs, small ribs and fibreglass Dory dragged out, prepared and pushed into the water and off we go; S's, U's and circles, forwards and backwards around buoys - great fun.

Lunch in the wet room while Bob goes over radio procedure and then back onto the water.

Recovering M.O.B.'s, righting dinghys, with and without shrouds, and of course, the tired windsurfer.

Boats dragged out of the water - some more keen to help than others - and into the clubhouse for 4:30.

A tiring but very enjoyable day. Thanks to Bob, Alan, Karen and Peter for giving up their time.

So, any unmanned boats or plastic barrels in trouble in our reservoir will be in safe hands come my safety boat duty! I'm sure that waving an RYA Level 1 |Powerboat certificate will do the job.

Staying flat, but not flat out

Today's task was to sail, but not to hike out. On the water by 11:30. I was, again, approached by a couple of club members in the car/boat park, asking about the boat. One enquiry was from a couple who had an Enterprise but found it a bit 'tippy' and not really sailable - by them anyway - solo. Maybe a Gull convert?

Around the bouys, tacking and gybing as you do. Heaved to, for lunch, sail on until 3:30pm.
A comparatively busy day today. Four other dinghys and a dozen or so windsurfers on a course.

Oh yes, as I started off by saying, I had decided to avoid hiking out today. It was something the other half said, and it got me thinking about cruise sailing. I'm thinking that sailing around Plymouth Sound probably shouldn't be done at max speed - 'cus thats when you capsize; apparently. It may be better to sail within your own limitations and stay upright and not in the way of a large ship in a narrow channel. Just a thought.

So flat it was then. Still enjoyable though - well I was on the water, what's not to like.

There was a small hiccup on one occasion when gybing, which gave the drysuit another test - doesn't do to try to hang on and climb over the side - especially when it was a bit of an afterthought. But, although the boat did start to invert, it stopped short of being fully inverted and came up easily - I think the mast floats are working. Note to self; if you are going to try to be flash, don't think about it for too long - do or do not, to paraphrase Yoda.

The wind, although a reasonable strength, was a bit shifty and by 3pm was starting to drop, so rather than incur the wrath of the duty crew, I headed in. There were a couple of boats behind me, but not for very long.

As I was de-rigging the boat in the car park, I glanced over to a sound of splashing in the reservoir. Two people, one child and one adult, swimming toward the shore from about 20 metres or so, and, behind them a Mirror dinghy sailing serenly off towards the centre of the res' - all on its' own.
Oh for a camera a couple of minutes earlier! Could have been worth something.

Anyway, an enjoyable day.

Apart from , that is, having been shunted from behind on the way home. At a narrow section of the road through Banwell - a notoriously crap road, I stopped for a car coming up the hill, just a few seconds earlier than the car behind who saved his brake pads and used my car to come to a halt. As it's a lease car, I'm remarkably relaxed - probably shouldn't be. Let's see what hits the fan on Monday!

10th March 2012 : Flip up rudder and more compliments.

I've posted in this blog and elsewhere, about how I dislike faffing about with the rudder when launching and recovering.

So, there I was messing about in the garage, giving the outboard a test run, when it occurred to me that I may have the making of a flip up rudder.

Taking some of the length of shock cord that I bought a bucket load of a while ago, and a couple of screw eye bolts, I came up with a D.I.Y. self raising rudder.

The rudder came with a locking rope to keep the rudder down anyway. It needed, in my opinion, a guide of some sort, to stop the rope slipping sideways and getting jammed. Having used one eye bolt to try to achieve this, I positioned another on the other side of the rudder blade. Attached to that a small shackle. On the rudder stock there is a horizontal bar which looked promising. Positioning the rudder in an raised position, I wound the shock cord around the rudder stock bar and shackle bar.

A couple of test runs later and I appear to have a winner. In the garage anyway.

Saturday dawns, with the promised wind and off we go to Cheddar reservoir.

Ready to launch at 11:30; after checking with the Officer Of The Day, that I wasn't jumping the gun again.

Looking aft after the obligatory thrust away from the slip comes the moment of truth. A good tug on the locking rope and down goes the rudder - remarkably just as intended - result. No hanging over the transom fiddling with the tension screw.

So, around the buoys, tacking and gybing like a good un'.

As seems to be the way at the moment; it's just me and the safety boat crew. Can't last, surely?

Talking of which. The safety boat crew made a trip out to me, just to find out what it was I was sailing. I've had a number of positive and appreciative comments about the boat - which is nice.

Lunch taken; hove to. Meandering upwind at one knot-ish. Thanks to Chris Abela for mentioning the technique on the forum.

Fastest boat speed, from the Garmin Etrex GPS, at 5.5 knots in the morning. I find it quite exciting at that speed. Requiring full hiking out action - solo anyway.

My collection of speed landmarks, so far includes; 1 knot to keep the boom on the right side, 3.5 knots to require leaning out inside the boat, 4 knots to sit out on the gunwale and 4.5+ knots, toes under the hiking strap and get out as far as you can. It's all irrelevant of course,  but it keeps me interested; there's probably an -ism to cover it.

After lunch, three other boats launch. An ever quirky Moth - for sailors who feel no shame about capsizing, an RS Vareo and another solo sailor in a dinghy with a sail insignia I'm not familiar with. Looked rather like a burgee shape. Can't find it on the web so far, but surely will. There was also a windsurfer who seemed a touch agoraphobic; never straying far from the clubhouse pontoons.

About 3 PM the wind strengthened significantly. Still couldn't get above the 5.5 knots boat speed. Can't say I wasn't trying though.

Then, during a gybe, we have the good news / bad news scenario. The good news is that the mast head buoyancy I knocked up seemed to be effective - saving an inversion, the bad news was, of course, I needed to capsize to find out. Still, also managed to confirm that my dry suit, in fact, is.

Also, the collapsible bucket I now carry proved effective as well; more good news. Takes about ten minutes to bale out on your own.

At about 3:55 PM I happened to glance across towards the clubhouse, and spied a safety boat heading my way, quite purposefully I reckoned. Sure enough, it approached and after courtesies were exchanged, it was suggested that about then would be a good time to pack up. Fair enough. After four and a half hours, my backside was just about ready to sit on something softer than a boat.

A pleasant way to spend a Saturday.

And as for the self raising rudder - it also worked a treat on recovery. Release the locking rope and up she pops. Brilliant.