Elektra our Sadler 29 which was designed in the early 80s and built/sold as a 6 berth! Will there are 6 berths so all could lie down to sleep as long as they didn’t any stuff with them. Vicki and I normally as just 2 and use almost all locker space, we have as 3 a few times which works quite well. With anymore than 3, there wouldn’t be enough locker space for living aboard.
Last week some family came to stay, I had suggested a days sailing but they had other plans. So when I arrived home from work on Tuesday evening and said I had strimming tomorrow and had to cut up a tree on Thursday. Allison said “we can’t go sailing then?” I said “I thought you had other plans?” I said “that’s OK, the tree can wait, we can go sailing”
Arriving home from work on Wednesday, I told them we needed to leave home before 0930hrs. So next morning when we finally left home at 1000hrs after some hadn’t had time for breakfast, I knew the tide would be dropping away the things might not work out great. Running out of tide I quickly pushed the dinghy down to the water, there wasn’t enough water to float it off, Vicki took the trolly back up the beach and I walked the dinghy over to the end of the pontoon before climbing in. Allison and Imigen climbed in and we pushed off. There wasn,t enough water to lower the engine in completely but 20 meters away before I could, Allison said “we could have waited a bit longer, there would have been deeper water” I said “the tide is going out, that’s why we needed to leave by 9.30am!” We motored out to Elektra and they climbed aboard and I went back for Molly and Vicki. Back at the pontoon, I couldn’t get right in with the engine down. Vicki and Molly got in and I got out to drag the dinghy into deeper water. There is a depth where it’s too deep for wellies but not deep enough for the engine! I had to get in and use a oar as a punt poll to get us out into deeper water before I could lower the engine. We made it out to Elektra in the end and aboard. Vicki and I got Elektra ready to leave the mooring.
The forecast seemed to suggest no wind but we were presently greeted a light onshore breeze from the East. Elektra goes extremely well in very light winds, it’s always very nice to keep much bigger yachts behind when sailing and today it was the turn of a modern Southerly 32 which we sailed past and kept in front of all the way to St Mawes, sailing in 6kts of wind at 3kts though the water. Our passengers didn’t seem much interested in sailing but arriving at St Mawes and dropping anchor. Vicki turned the gas on and made hot dogs for lunch which went down very nicely.
Then it was time to return, now close on and more wind Elektra was leaning over more and the kids asked why. We explained that this is normal, it’s called healing. I went into a bit more detail but they weren’t really interested.
Getting back on the mooring and then ashore in the dinghy the tide was now coming in again so a lot easier, l gave Allison some money to buy us all an ice cream and went back to Elektra for another load. Sitting eating ice cream later l said this was better than chainsaw work any day.
Love Sailing 