With a few days aboard planned l needed to top up the diesel and water tanks. We would have gone today but Vicki had an appointment on Monday.
I couldn’t get aboard until midday because of the tide time. I launched the dinghy at 1200hrs then carried the 50lts of water in 2 cans and the 30lts of diesel in 3 cans and some other provisions to the dinghy on the waters edge. Once ready l pushed off and started the motor heading out to Elektra, the dinghy was very heavy, so was slow going. Out at Elektra l unloaded the diesel and provisions into her cockpit, then moved to her bow with the water, the first can of water wasn’t a problem as normal l pick up and slide onto the the side deck, Elektra’s toe GRP lip stops it from sliding off. With the second can, a gap opened between the dinghy and Elektra before l managed to get the can aboard and it fell into the gap but l had hold of the handle and didn’t let go! Good job the dinghy is very stable or it might have capsized! Anyway got it aboard on the second try, then back to the cockpit and climbed aboard myself.
I opened up Elektra and checked for water in the normal places, l had definitely slowed the fresh water leak but it’s still getting in a little, l am hoping over the winter to rebed the chain plates because the mast is coming off for other jobs.
I stowed the provisions l had bought aboard and set to work filling the tanks, l did the water first in case l got diesel on my hands. I have a large funnel aboard just for this job, so l can just pour into the tank via the filler cap on the side deck. Once l had finished, l put the funnel back in its plastic bag and stowed it away. Then same job with the diesel and its funnel, the diesel filler cap is on the side of the cockpit comming.
I then got Elektra ready to go out sailing, the forecast was southwest force 4 becoming west force 4. I left Gillan with just her genoa out but sailing was slow so l pulled up the main with a reef and we headed southeast towards Manacle Buoy but once out if the shelter of the land the tiller pilot couldn’t keep control anymore so l had to pull the main back down again! She had covered 3nm before the tiller pilot was back in control and l was back in the cockpit and could relax!
We sailed on, the apparent wind seemed like southerly, the sea was slight, the weather warm, it was lovely to be out sailing, we continued on this southeast coarse until turning around about 5nm southeast of Manacle Buoy and then set a course northwest for Nare Point. The apparent wind then seemed to be westerly! Elektra had been logging up around 5kts most of the way out and back and when l picked up her mooring again 3hrs later she had logged 14nm.
Then l packed away the sails and got Elektra ready to leave. Heading in to St Anthony in the dinghy l came across a chap trying to paddle his dinghy in using one paddle after his engine wouldn’t start, so l gave him a tow back to the beach.
I pulled the dinghy out and up the beach and carried the empty cans to my pick up and headed for home.
Love Sailing 