Love Sailing

The next morning l took Peter in my dinghy down to St Mawes for us both to get some shopping. In the co-op at the checkout Peter remarked about what l had bought, it did look a bit funny, 4 pints of milk, 4 cans of draft Stout and a tub of crisps. The milk l needed, the crisps were because l was there, and the stout was a piece offering.

I dropped Peter back at his yacht and went on back to Elektra to get the milk in the fridge. Then l had a text communication with Philip for about one and quarter hours. During which l had also contacted Adrian who was also anchored near by to ask if he fancied a drink and chat? After Philip and stopped texting each other, he phoned me on messenger and we talked for another hour. At the end of the call Philip thanks me for calling him, l said “you phoned me” lol 😆.

In the meantime Adrian had text me back to say he was getting thirsty! I explained about the call and said “coming now” And got in the dinghy and motored over to Adrian aboard Swallow Tail his cat, or as Adrian likes to call it, his bungalow! We had been friends with Adrian for probably 15-17 years. When we first met he was living abroad having sold his house and bought Swallow Tail. It seemed to have worked well for him until his mother died and he had no land address anymore, in the eyes of the law he was of “no fixed abode” and even just having a bank account was difficult. So Adrian bought a place just for a land address which he used to just go to, to pick up the mail and cut the grass. In more resent years, he goes back to during the coldest part of the winter.

I had seen Adrian earlier in the week, but we hadn’t come over to chat and l wondered if he was avoiding me because of Vicki passing away? Which as it turns out he was because he thought l wanted to be on my own. The stout was my way of reastablishing our friendship. And from now on l think things will be better between us. But somewhere during our chat l did say “when l am alone, l’m not lonely” Which Adrian agreed with totally.

I also had another friend contact me to say Adam and Christine were anchored in St Mawes. So l went via dinghy down river to see them after leaving Adrian. But Adam and Christine were gone ashore, so we didn’t meet. But they were just back in the UK having crossed the Atlantic, spent 2 seasons in the Caribbean and then sailed back.

After that l went back to Elektra and fell asleep and didn’t wake up until 1800hrs, so l put my dinner on.

With the forecast of little or no wind forecast Monday, l had decided to go for another walk on the Roseland. After breakfast, l motored the dinghy over to the corner bank of the river to where l knew there was a way up to the Nat Trust footpath. This is a great area for walkers.

I walked along the wooded pathway over the hill and onto the coast path and headed in the direction of St Anthony light house. Having walked around the point, l then joined the road again and headed for Place

As you can see from the photos, it’s been very dry here, the farmers are desperate for rain! By the time l got back to the woods again l was thankful for the shade, it was going to be another hot day.

Out on the water again was lovely once l got back to Elektra, a sea breeze had developed and it was cooling 😎 And with Elektra pointing into the out going tide, the breeze was blowing through the cockpit, so it was very pleasant to sit outside in the cockpit for a change 😀

Later in the afternoon Paul turned up in his Hawk 20, Jay and Mairi, swam over and Jay interduced herself as Paul’s new girlfriend, Paul had hinted at before he had before.

I put my dinner on about 1800hrs and listened to the radio in the evening.

Later in the evening Peter arrived in his Sadler 290 and dropped anchor near by and about 2030hrs l went over in my dinghy with some drinks and we chatted until l came away at 2300hrs.

I may have arrived back late the evening before, but l saw my friends Robert and Mandy had anchored their yacht off St Mawes harbour.

So next morning, l asked if they were going for a walk and could l join them? They were surprised that l was back from Polkerris, because we had been in contact the day before. But yes was the reply. Robert suggested 1100hrs, l said I’ll come down to you. The dinghy was still on it’s davits, so l lowered it into the water and refilled and refitted the outboard. And set off down river to St Mawes when ready. Taking Robert and Mandy ashore in my dinghy to the harbour steps.

I needed the exercise and enjoyed the chat, they are great company and l had been alone for about 5 days. Having walked the St Mawes road circuit, we arrived back in the town at stopped at the Rising Sun for a beer, or two. Then it was back to their yacht for a drink and sandwich and to watch the Falmouth working boats racing.

Once l left and went back to Elektra, l unlocked and fell asleep for the afternoon and woke again at 1730hrs. So it was time to put my dinner in the oven, sitting down to eat just after 1800hrs, l listened to the radio in the evening going to bed as it got dark.

Having been in the Precuil River for 4 nights, l was wanting to move somewhere else but the forecasters just couldn’t make up their mind, on Thursday they said light northerly for Saturday but by Friday morning it was looking like strong northerly becoming an easterly. But by evening back to the previous forecast.

I think l was just fed up waiting, so decided to set off and go to Polkerris early on Saturday. And so l pulled up the dinghy onto the davits and when l went to bed set the alarm for 0430hrs. It made me think of Vicki, she would have hated to get out so early.

When the alarm went off in the morning, l got out and had my normal breakfast of pot of tea and dish of muesli, watching the dawn coming. With the updated forecast of north force 4-5 decreasing north force 2-3 later. I pulled up the anchor 0610hrs and raised the main before motoring Elektra down river to St Mawes.

Out off St Mawes harbour l stopped her engine and sailing just on her mainsail out around Zone Point, after the main gibed over l pulled out the genoa and we set off at over 5kts towards Dodman Point 10nm away. The wind was variable northwest then north and some of the time force 4 and some force 3, it wasn’t easy sailing as one minute not enough wind and the next too much wind, kept reefing and then letting it out again and then reefing again! Then when we arrived at the Dodman Point, it dies away altogether! Next minute it’s a head wind a northeast force 4, at which point l got fed up and started Elektra’s engine and motored on into it! I continued to motor her across St Austell Bay and has the sea eased getting closer to shelter, l let her mainsail down and roughly tied it to the boom. Motoring into Polkerris anchorage  and dropped her anchor at 1030hrs having logged 21nm.

Having done the jobs, l retired to the cabin and went fast asleep 😴 until 1230hrs.

When l arrived Elektra was the only boat, by 1500hrs there were 11 boats anchored around and hundreds of people on the beach!

I was still looking at the forecast, it was now saying, strong northerly from from 1600hrs, then about 3 days of little or no wind. I thought l could just go back today. But the wind didn’t change until 1730hrs, but l waisted no time lifting the dinghy back on your it’s davits and quickly pulled up Elektra’s anchor and headed back out of Polkerris. It was a great sail across St Austell Bay to Yaw buoy but as Elektra slowed near the Dodman Point, l started her engine for additional speed, and once past the Dodman Point continued to motor sail because by then l was worried about it getting dark and not seeing the many pot markers in and around Zone Point just before turning into the Carrick Roads. At Zone Point l rolled away her genoa and motored her into the Precuil River, dropping anchor at 2200hrs having again logged 21nm. In some ways it gad been a stupid day, but at least l had my fix in the form if some very good sailing.

Grab something to eat, and then bed! Tomorrow l am going to sleep in!

It seems talking to fellow Sadler owners, that we all suffer from fresh water leaks!

When we bought Elektra, she always had damp under the floor at the bottom of the companion way steps, wasn’t really worth trying to find out where it was coming from, because it wasn’t a lot. But when Elektra got pulled out for the winter 2022-23 for a major refit, l made the mistake of asking the boat yard to pressure wash her decks as well as her bottom which they normally did.

From then on we had a major leak, we would get a gallon of water from under the floor every time it rained. My first attempt to stop it happening was to remove the port window above the cooker and reseal it. That wasn’t the problem as we still had the leak! I removed and resealed the garage above the companion way hatch, no difference! I removed and resealed all the sprayhood fittings, no difference. Last year while in Plymouth getting the electronics sorted found that the sprayhood strap loops, the screws were so long they went right though the GRP and so got shorter screws and resealed, this seemed to help quite a bit but still didn’t solve the leak. I had another go at resealing the D brackets on the sidedecks but no difference. There was another D bracket way aft nearly touching the pushpit foot, so l resealed it and that almost solved the leak? I wasn’t sure why because it was so far aft that would of thought any water would have gone into the cockpit locker.

Will today l resealed the pushpit foot, fingers crossed l hope l have solved the leak now? I will let you know if we ever get any more rain?

I am glad to say, l had finished the resealing job before it got to hot. And l could go below to get out of the heat. I opened up the for hatch for additional ventilation which bought the temperature down to 25C in the cabin, it was over 30C outside! On the good side the evening are very warm, so l have been sitting outside during the evenings until dark, something we thought we would be able to do when we started cruising in 2006 but never found the evenings warm enough to stay in the cockpit until now.

I had been aboard since Tuesday evening, l had spent Wednesday hiding away from the heat of the day in Elektra’s cabin. It’s one thing Sadler yachts have advantage over other yachts of their age. Sadler had built them to be unsinkable by having a double skin which was foam filled. This is great insulation against heat or cold, warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. 27C in the cabin against 35C in the cockpit.

By Thursday l needed to go sailing, so l pulled up her anchor at 1030hrs and motored her down to St Mawes, where l pulled up her mainsail motoring forward into the wind using her tiller pilot at around 1050hrs. Once done stopped the engine and headed south out of St Mawes. There was a easterly force 2-3, so the sailing wasn’t quick, but Elektra was sailing. The sea was smooth to start with, but the further south we went the more unsettled the sea became.

I was thinking, l could keep going and round the Lizard Point, but l wasn’t certain l wanted to go and by 1220hrs, l had turned Elektra around and was heading back north. When we got back to St Mawes it was almost low tide, and l knew it would be very shallow in the Precuil River anchorage, but l carried on in up the river just the same. Keeping Elektra in the channel as long as possible, when l turned her over the level anchorage she went about 50ft before grounding in soft mud. I walked forward and dropped her anchor and right amount of chain for high water. Before doing the after sail jobs. Elektra had logged 10nm in 3hrs.

After a few days at home during strong east winds. The forecast today was easterly force 4 gusting 6, but set to ease overnight before the next day increasing again.

I had to go into the local town for a 1300hrs appointment and on my way home stopped off at my sisters for a chat and cup of tea. After getting home again l packed up for the boat, l was back out the door and driving down to St Anthony as quick as possible. And aboard by 1645hrs.

High water was at just after 1800hrs and so l got busy stowing away everything l had bought out to Elektra. And by 1730hrs l was ready, so l started the engine, switched on the instruments and walked forward to pull up her anchor. Having been anchor there a few days the birds had been using her decks to roost on and they were covered with bird shit. But l wasn’t going to do anything about that now. The anchor chain when I started pulling was also covered in seaweed, as l pulled aboard l pulled off and chucked over the side, Elektra had quite a bit of forward motion and when over the top of her anchor whilst l stopped the chain from slipping, and this motion pulled the anchor out of the bottom. When it came to the surface it was full of mud, so l cleaned with my hand before dropping back into the water to wash it. I used the bucket of water on deck to wash my hands after stowing the anchor. And stowed the bucket, anchor strop in the locker.

By the time l had done all this, Elektra had spun around 180 degrees and was facing up river, so having walked back to the cockpit, l put her in gear and motored Elektra over to the channel to head out to sea. I hadn’t unwrapped her mainsail because l was expecting a lot of wind. I motored Elektra out of the narrows, though Gillan Harbour and East of Carcroc Cardinal Buoy, then set all her genoa. Wind, what wind? Was in my thoughts, there was a moderate swell but almost no wind! Elektra needed more sail, so l spent the next half hour going out on deck to remove her mainsail cover and pull the main up. But by the time l had done all that, the wind instrument was showing easterly force 2 and with the moderate swell Elektra wasn’t going well at all!

So halfway across Falmouth Bay, l started her engine again and rolled in her genoa. Motoring on, l thought, l should know by now if Elektra needs her mainsail, there isn’t enough wind to sail anyway! Motoring on passing St Mawes into the Precuil River, l arrived and dropped anchor at 1930hrs having logged 7nm.

As lovely as the River Avon was, the forecast was for strong east winds by the weekend and it now being Thursday it was time to move on. I was out at 0700hrs and had breakfast and before the tide started coming back in, l climbed down the boarding ladder to check Elektra’s bottom. All looked ok apart from her prop which was covered with barnicals and stiff to rotate. So l climbed back aboard and got a wood chisel to scrap them off. Maybe not the best use for the tool but it did a good job and seemed sharper afterwards? The prop shaft now turned smoothly without any friction.

As the tide started coming back, l learnt something new, dry sand floats. I knew sand moved, but l thought that was with wave and in the tide flow. No wonder it had made it’s way so far up this River from the sea.

With low water at 0700hrs, it was 0830hrs before the tide turned and started coming back in. Elektra floated at 0950hrs but there wouldn’t be any way of leaving before 1200hrs at the earliest because of the incoming stream, we had to wait until it at least slowed down a lot as at the narrows can be going at 4kts.

Not wanting to wait any longer, l dropped the mooring at 1200hrs and motored her down the channel towards the narrows, Elektra was doing 3kt SOG and getting to the narrows, l upped the revs to 3000 and Elektra went through the narrows at 3.5kts. After the narrows Elektra speeded up to 4.5kts SOG, until we got out of the channel into the sea. From there having turned her onto the course, l never dropped the revs again until we motored into Polkerris in St Austell Bay 33.5nm to the west. It had been a boring 6hrs of motoring, but it puts us in the right place to get home tomorrow before the strong east winds.

I’m hoping to be able to sail tomorrow, but we’ll have to see if the weather forecasters have it right?