I had gone home on Sunday, l had some washing which needed doing and some phone calls to make and arrange appointments. I needed diesel and to refill the water tank, all of which l could have done in just one day. But with east winds forecast, they made getting back aboard difficult.
And so it was Thursday, those 3 days at home had dragged and l needed to get back aboard. Originally l had planned to get back aboard at 1430 as the tide wad coming back in, but at home after breakfast, l don’t want to wait, so looked at the tides. If l was going before the tide went out, l needed to be at St Anthony by 1030hrs. The time then was 0900hrs, so l got my skates on and packed up the remaining cool bag, loaded the bags into the car, checked the house one last time, locked up and drove to St Anthony. It’s only about 2 miles but on narrow lanes. Part way there l met a visitor in her BMW who couldn’t reverse, to begin with l wasn’t going back! But then l thought about the tide going out! So l stuck the car in reverse and went back 200 yards to a passing place because the visitor couldn’t go back 50 yards. I said a few words under my breath.
Down at St Anthony, l launched the dinghy and loaded the bags, then went and parked the car. I stopped and talked to Stewart on the beach briefly, both of us watching the tide.
Out at Elektra l transferred the bags to her cockpit and climbed aboard, it was going to take me a while before l would be ready to leave, to stow the stores and to remake the bed. But by 1200hrs, l was just about done. Out in the cockpit l saw that Stewart had already left on his day sail aboard his Sadler 26. It was then l looked at the tides, the stream wouldn’t be going east until 1640hrs. I’m not waiting that long l thought. So got Elektra ready to leave the mooring.
I had been in contact with Crusader Sails about the mainsail and Paul the boss had given me a few pointers, so l planned to try some and also get a video of the sail in use to send to Paul at Crusader. With little or no wind, l thought it was an opportunity not to miss.
So casting off at 1300hrs having pulled up her mainsail, l motored her out slowly between Carcroc and Dennis Head, set the genoa and turned off the engine. Sailing north-northeast across Helford River entrance to pass behind another yacht coming out of Helford River, once we had past l set the chart plotter up for the Dodman Point 14nm away. This line would take Elektra though the racing yachts during Falmouth week. With the wind picking up, it pushed Elektra over and the sail luff started backing. It was at this point l realised the luff only backed when she was hard pressed and when reefed it didn’t. With it showing force 4 on the wind instrument, l pulled the first reef into the mainsail.
The wind was blowing northwest force 3 sometimes 4 and Elektra was making good progress into the tide stream going in the opposite direction. My main problem was balancing the sails so the tiller pilot could cope. Elektra was ploughing forward regardless. I hadn’t used the mainsail much this season because the luff backs but I feel maybe l had given up with it too early and with a bit of practice l could get it to work well.
By the end of the day l had sailed Elektra from Gillan to Polgwyn Cove almost entirely, only started the engine to get away from her mooring and to anchor in Polgwyn Cove. Elektra had averaged 3.8kts into the tide which was probably doing about 1kt in the opposite direction.
Love Sailing 