Sorry, l always think in old measures! Elektra burns 2lts of diesel per hour, she can cover 5nm per hour, so dose about 11nm per gallon! If you had a car and it could only do 11 miles per gallon, you would sell and buy something else! But Elektra is a home really, she’s 3.5ton and carries another ton of gear and stores. I was talking to a friend who has a motor yacht, he said his fuel costs are £50 per hour! So l think myself lucky!
Looking at the fuel costs, you can see why l only like to move Elektra elsewhere when there’s enough wind to sail!
After a rest day in my favourite anchorage, the forecast of west-northwest force 4 for Monday looked good for a nice sail. I decided to sail back to Gillan to order a new heads pump from ebay, l could do a few other things while at home and get a shower.
For some reason, l awoke very early and having got out for a pee decided to stay out and make breakfast, it wasn’t yet light but l was wide awake. Dawn broke as l was eating breakfast and once l had cleared the dishes, l went out into the cockpit and climbed into the dinghy, removed the engine and attached it to the pushpit, linked up the davit lines and climbed back into Elektra’s cockpit. Then lifted the dinghy onto her davits and genuinely got Elektra ready to leave.
I pulled up Elektra’s anchor at 0700hrs and motored her back down river, as l looked though the gap in the river, it looked like rain was coming in (we hadn’t seen much rain for almost 3 months) l would fetch my coat when l had the chance. Then the AIS alarm goes off! Why do owners think their AIS needs to be on while in port and not aboard, l will never know? Now as a solo sailor, l have to go down into the cabin to turn the alarm off whilst motoring Elektra though the moorings! While l was in the cabin l got my coat.
My AIS comes on and turns off with the instruments, if Elektra is moored or anchored the instruments are off to save power.
Once out though the moorings and anchored yachts off St Mawes, l set up chart plotter for Gillan somewhere out there in the misty rain! I thought l was going to sail Elektra across Falmouth Bay but westerly force 2 wasn’t going to cut it! And so the engine went on again and l motored Elektra across to Gillan Harbour, where l dropped anchor at 0820hrs having logged 6.5nm.
Then l rowed the dinghy into St Anthony pontoon and drove home. Having done what l needed to do home l was back aboard by 1130hrs. I got Elektra ready to leave again and pulled up her anchor at 1150hrs.
Motoring her back out of Gillan l was hoping for a sail this time, but it was not to be, and so l started motoring her back across Falmouth Bay. At Black Rock way point she could be sailed again for a while, she was only making 2-2.5kts but l thought it was better than motoring. It was short lived, mainly because of south going tide and needing to go north, with tide heights also to think about! I started her engine again and motored her north over the shallows. I have a personal rule of 2hr either side of low water springs tides to stay in the channel. Apart from then go wherever you like. But this day l was pushing this limit, low water was 1540hrs and l was motoring Elektra north over the shallows at 1350hrs! It was OK as it happened, the least depth l saw under her keels was 1.2m. I dropped anchor in Channels Creek at 1405hrs having logged 15nm for the day.
Not able to keep my eyes open, l went for a sleep on the bunk and awoke again at 1700hrs, when l got out and put dinner in the oven.
Love Sailing 