Love Sailing

I had been over to Neal at Kernow Covers to pick up Elektra’s winter cockpit cover, Neal had the cover all summer but hadn’t got around to doing the work needed, he had agreed to do as I waited as he needed to check with me what was needed.

The forecast was for heavy rain, I had planned to replace the cockpit trims and was glad to get aboard before the rain came in. As it happed the rain didn’t come in before 3pm, I could have worked elsewhere but once I had started this job I was going to finish.

All went well and having done the job the day was still dry so I removed the cockpit encloser, frame, dodgers and the seasonal sprayhood, replacing with the winter sprayhood before the rain started. Then zipping in the winter cockpit cover I was beginning to get wet. I decided to leave all the canvas work aboard to avoid it getting wet. I made my way forward to the ladder only to find it had fallen and was lying in the water beside Elektra. On the plus side I had attached the dinghy so I could get off via the stern boarding ladder using the dinghy.

I was down to Elektra a few days later to remove the boom and some halyards. With all the wet winter weather most lines and running rigging goes green so l try to remove as much as possible.

On Sunday 22nd October at 1200hrs with a forecast of dry weather Vicki went down to Elektra to remove her sails and fold up for the winter. Vicki isn’t very able these days, getting down to the creek bed from the road she nearly fill in but I managed to save her, she wouldn’t have been happy if she had got wet.

We used our old Quicksliver 2.3m roll-up to get out to Elektra who was aground and hadn’t floated at high water just an hour before, using the bow lines and then Elektra’s gunnel to get us to her stern and boarding ladder. Once safely aboard we set about taking the sail cover and mainsail off. Vicki working from the cockpit removing the reefing lines and battens, while I removed the luff sliders from the mast grove and the foot from the boom. Vicki hadn’t seen the new battens and was having problems so we did them together after I found the batten tool (a short piece of batten) to release the Velcro, it was a bit of a fiddle but at least we hadn’t lost any battens during the summer. Our old Jeckells mainsail lost the bottom batten every year from 2017 we had lost 4 old battens and one which I made by 2021, in 2022 I didn’t bother putting the batten in! I like Crusaders Sails way of fitting the battens.

With it being a dry day we were able to fold up the sail on Elektra’s coach roof, then it was the turn of the genoa, a lot bigger sail and more of a problem to fold up but we did it eventually! And in the dry, just after we finish it tipped down with rain but by that time the sail was in the bag, few! We sat down in the saloon while it rained, I am glad to say it was short lived and stopped again 5mins later. We packed up some more stuff we didn’t need aboard over the winter.

We then put up the cockpit enclosure, for tomorrow with heavy rain forecasted I am going to finish off the cockpit Flexiteek trims. Then I got down into the dinghy and took the sails bags and other bags from Vicki to ferry ashore, with the sea level only a foot or so deep. Only getting to about midships before going aground. I unloaded the bags from the dinghy to a dry stony area of creek bed and went back for Vicki. It was a long drop down for Vicki from the bottom of the ladder, I think she nearly fell in again, complaining about me moving the dinghy but she saved herself by hanging onto the bottom of the ladder. It was a short trip, about 10ft before we had to get out again, lol, it was less about the depth of water and more to do with the depth of mud under the water! Once we walked up to the side of the creek, I made off the dinghy to one of Elektra’s bow lines and climbed up onto the road to help Vicki up, then jumped down again to lift the bags up. We then loaded the pick-up and drove home.

I spent lots of time and money getting Elektra just as we wanted her, January though to end of March, new bespoke solar stainless frame, new black water tank, 2 new 80W solar panels, new push-pit gate, all new running rigging, unused new sails from 2022, etc, the list goes on.

Elektra was launched on the 5th of April. The plan had been to sail more having semi-retired by working one week and having the next week off. That had been the plan but the weather didn’t play ball. In April, it nearly rained non-stop, I might of been doing half as much work but it was taking me twice as long to do! So with only one day sail in April, it was the last weekend of April we went aboard for a week, 28th to 5th of May. This week was very cold so we stayed local. We were aboard again 13-20th of May with much better weather we sailed east to Fowey and then Yealm River staying for a few days, our last visit had been back in 2018. We came back via Cawsands, Polperro and Lantic Cove.

Our first weekend wasn’t until June, by that time we had already taken 2 holidays. The weekend was spent on Elektra’s gale proof mooring in Carne Creek because of the strong east winds. I had spent the week before changing all her batteries, fitting a new cooker and renewing the companion way non slip steps. Then between the 9-22nd of June we went to the wonderful “Isles of Scilly”, this was my first summer holiday longer than a week for 35 years and wow, fantastic weather!

We came home again just before the weather broke, from then on the summer was wet and windy and we never left the Falmouth area but we still managed to get 3 more single weeks aboard mainly sheltering from the poor weather. This season I also had lots of day sailing in between gales.

In early September there was a nice spell of hot sunny weather, I was hoping the summer had come back but it didn’t last and went back to the wet and windy weather. We laid Elektra up on the 14th of October before the next big blow came though.

The numbers are, we had 85 days aboard, 58 nights aboard of which 48 were at anchor, Elektra dragged her anchor once, this being the 4th time she had dragged in 7 seasons having anchored 240 nights. We sailed for 50 days and logged 585nm which isn’t much for the time aboard but we were quite often dodging gales, so short passages to find shelter.   

Friday 13th October during the low water I laid Elektra’s winter moorings which are made up by, 2x 20kg Bruce anchors to 20m of 8mm chain with lines attached for stern port and starboard and 2 port and starboard bow lines which are made off to trees or bars on the creek bank. The mud is deep beside the channel. I use waders to lay the anchors, if I stick to the steams running into the creek and the main channel the ground is fairly solid. I normally carry each anchor in turn to the main channel dragging its chain pick-up buoy and line. Then set each anchor in turn in the deep mud bank beside the main channel, then pulling line and chain towards the area where Elektra is to be moored. I make off lines for her bow and attach all four lines together using a 5th line. Then when we arrive with Elektra in the creek, just picking up one buoy we will have all her lines.

In the evening after the southwest gale had veered into the northwest, I motored Elektra from her seasonal swing mooring into St Anthony beach on the evening high water. I dropped Elektra’s keg anchor on her stern as I turned her towards the shore, Vicki had stayed ashore to take her bow line and make off fast to the tree. After making off lines for and aft, I locked up Elektra and went ashore in the dinghy.

The following morning at 1000hrs we were down to Elektra with my pick-up to off load all cruising gear and anything else we thought might get in the way during winter jobs. By 1300hrs we were back home with a full pick-up to unload into the hall and sort out.

In the evening just before high water we head back to Elektra at St Anthony, launch her dinghy, I ferry Vicki out to Elektra and go back ashore to release bow line. By now Elektra is nearly floating, I climb back aboard and coil up the bow line. Back in the cockpit she has starting making her own way astern. I started the engine and pulled in her stern line and keg anchor. Once anchor is aboard Vicki turns Elektra and we head for Carne Creek. In the past we have always gone in on a 5m tide but today we were early with the tide only being about 4.5m. As we weren’t in any hurry, having gone though the narrows (tide is strong in the narrows) we slowed her down to tick over and I tried to follow the channel using the sounder. Most of the way was 0.4-0.5m but at one bend went as low as 0.2m, I think if I had gone out of the channel Elektra would have grounded but we were OK, when I picked up the buoy the sounder was reading 0.0m. Having arrived a little to fast Elektra ended up pointing in the wrong way round but we had her lines and with a little use of engine and pulling of lines we turned her around. Once all lines were aboard and made off, I thought Elektra was a little close to “Pica” the next yacht but didn’t have the lines aboard needed to change. Once happy we left Elektra by dinghy and motored back to St Anthony, pulled out dinghy, took off motor and loaded all in and on to pick-up to drive home.

After this I was busy working for 3 days before forecasted rain was set to arrive for the rest of October.

On Wednesday the 18th of October at first light and high water I launched the dinghy and took 2 lines aboard to change Elektra’s position and give “Pica” more room. Laying up here in Carne Creek Elektra will only float on high water spring tides, many other sailors say to me, that means you can got sailing in the winter. But I say not really, only on a spring tide can she be moved in or out and also only in daylight. Anyway as soon as we get a dry day we will remove her sails for the winter. I added another line to both starboard lines, which allowed me to pull Elektra to port and away from “Pica”. A few days later I attached a 3rd line at her bow during low water by running though the stream duct under the road and make off to a tree.

On Thursday 12th of October, I had the chance of another sail, Vicki wasn’t keen because it meant getting out of bed earlier than she would have liked, so I went solo sailing again.

I had to get out from St Anthony beach before 0900hrs and wouldn’t be able to get back to the beach before 1300hrs due to the tide. Down at St Anthony I could see our sailing friend Aden’s catamaran was anchored in Gillan Harbour, so once the dinghy was launched I went over and said hi. Aden was heading back today to the Precuil River before the blow forecasted for Friday.

Once aboard Elektra, I had things to check before thinking of going sailing. Time had past and it was 1000hrs before I dropped Elektra’s mooring, motoring out the gap between Carcrock and the Dennis Head, I then turned Elektra east and set her genoa. After the sailing on Tuesday, I decided the genoa on its own would be plenty for the forecast of west-southwest force 3-4. Elektra sailed slowly downwind to the Nare Point, after rounding we set off southeast for Manacle Buoy at between 5-6kts SOG as we were running with the tide stream, Nearing the Buoy her SOG was 6-7kts. At Manacle buoy I turned her south and continued for about 3nm until deciding to turn back at 1130hrs having logged 6nm. Going north the SOG was slower running against the end of the ebb but seemed quite fast as Elektra was surfing down the waves as far the Manacle Buoy. Shortly after passing the buoy we were very much in the sheltered waters of Falmouth Bay.

At 1300hrs we had passed the Nare Point again and were close on the wind heading into Helford River having logged 12nm. As Elektra had a good line in past Mawgan Sheer we continued into the river and tacked just east of Durgan, I had only been into Helford River once this summer. best heading after tacking was south, the next tack took us to the invasion beach at Trebah. I might had gone on tacking but it started to rain so I turned Elektra east again and headed back to Gillan Harbour, picking up Elektra’s mooring at 1400hrs having logged 15nm.

At this point, I didn’t know today was our last sail, the forecast had suggested a southwest gale for Friday and then strong east wind for 3 days. But by Friday the east wind was expected to get stronger and continue for 7 days by which time there wouldn’t be many days left in October, so we made our minds up to Empty Elektra on Saturday and take her up Carne Creek to her winter birth in the evening.

This season I had been out a few times sailing on my own, I find sailing on just the genoa easiest when on my own, being overpowered when sailing alone is more of a problem with only a tiller pilot to steer if having to get a reef in.

I went out on Tuesday 10th of October, I was keen to get over this hurdle and pull up the mainsail but in the end chickened out. I dropped the mooring at 1105hrs with a forecast of SW force 2-3/ force 3-4 later, motored out of Gillan and set just the genoa, sailing east to round the Nare Point and southeast towards Manacle Buoy. With stronger wind of the point Elektra slowed again once rounded. I decided a bit of mainsail would be better. So pulled up the main with one reef, already the tiller pilot wasn’t copping well but once the sail was set I could take over the helm and steer a better course. Elektra was going well between 5-6kts SOG against the neep tide, when we passed the Manacle Buoy at 1200hrs having logged 4nm the sea started getting very lumpy with spray coming over and I wasn’t wearing any waterproofs.

I thought this is a good time to turnaround and promptly went about, sailing north now towards Falmouth, Elektra’s speed had slowed but I could use her tiller pilot again. At this point I decided to eat and drink, I kept her on this course for another 6-7nm before deciding I should head back. On the first tack we were heading west for Meanporth, I wanted to get in close to the coast as Elektra performs better when beating in flat water. But there on her bow was a fishing cove boat pulling up pots, so I tacked earlier than I planned.

Once tacked and heading south again, Elektra was on her ear doing about 4.5kts SOG, the tiller pilot couldn’t cope again, I thought a reef in the genoa would be good. So I let the sail go and pulled in the first reef and sheeted in, now sailing a little more upright, Elektra was now logging 5.5-5.8kts, only going to prove Elektra sails faster with less sail. I sailed Elektra on south to near the Nare Point before tacking again. Like always a southwest wind turns into a west wind direction in the Helford River, so our next tack took us on a north westerly course. I sailed her on until north of the Dennis Head before tacking south again. In the shelter of the Dennis Head I started her engine and rolled away the genoa and motored into Gillan, picking up her mooring at 1440hrs having logged 15nm.

With the chance of another weekend aboard, the season end was coming closer, it was Saturday 7th of October and we went aboard Elektra at 1100hrs, I had another run ashore for 50lts of water to stop us from running out. Once I had tipped into water tank and taken the cans back ashore, we dropped the mooring at 1240hrs. I suggested a sail before finding an anchorage, Vicki wasn’t keen but enjoyed it non the less. It was a south westerly force 4, we sailed east to Nare Point and southeast towards Manacle Buoy, just before the buoy we turned east again and I set the tiller pilot going and we sat and ate lunch. Vicki said “is this what you do when out sailing on your own?” I said “yes, I can’t sail without using the tiller pilot” I said “I just have to keep watch for pot markers and other boats”. Vicki and I had always loved sailing and both love to helm, so leaving Elektra to sail herself isn’t our normal sailing.

Once we had eaten our lunch Vicki took over the helm again and we turned north-northwest for the Carrick Roads, now on a broad reach Elektra picked up speed and we had a nice sail back into the Precuil River. We had spent most of our time aboard at anchor in the Precuil River since coming back from Scilly in June but we love the place. We did drag anchor the last time we had been in here but that hasn’t put us off. we dropped anchor at 1526hrs having logged 12.5nm. There were 8 other yachts anchored in there over that night.

The next 2 days had no wind because of the high pressure, we had to go back on Monday because Vicki had a flu jab booked for Tuesday. We we got out on Monday it was the thickest fog I had ever seen, we couldn’t even see the river banks! Having had breakfast and done the washing up it became a little clearer but I still wasn’t looking forward to crossing Falmouth Bay. Two of the other yachts left in the morning but we left it until 1255hrs before picking up Elektra’s anchor. The sun had started to break though and visibility was about 6nm as we started out crossing Falmouth Bay, by the time we arrived at Gillan Harbour and picked up Elektra’s mooring at 1405hrs the visibility had improved to 20nm in lovely sunshine.

At the end of September the feeling was the end of the season was coming on fast, Vicki and I thought one last weekend aboard would be nice.

On Friday 29th I had a few jobs to do but due to the tide we wouldn’t be able to get aboard until after 1430hrs due to the tide. With the jobs done I was back home and packing up to go to Elektra by lunch time. We left St Anthony beach around 1430hrs and after getting stowed and ready to sail, dropped her mooring at 1530rs with a forecast of westerly force 3-4. The forecast for Saturday was strong southerly winds so we decided to go and anchor in the shallows at Place, The Roselands equivalent of our St Anthony in Meneage and similar in many ways. Both have a church, both dry out at low water, both would have been quite isolated except by water in the times before the motor car. St Anthony in Meneage is very sheltered except from east winds, St Anthony (Place) in the Roseland is sheltered from most winds except northeast. Elektra having twin keels allows her to be dried out anywhere between tides and having bought and sailed her, I for one wouldn’t ever buy another fin keel yacht. The advantages of a twin keeler far out weight any disadvantages. Some would say they don’t go to wind as well, I don’t think this comment is true of the Sadler fleet, Elektra points very well indeed.

Being that we had left Gillan Harbour quite late in the day we just sailed straight to Place on her genoa just 6nm away and dropped anchor at 1650hrs, HW was at 1807hrs. Our friend Aden was also there with his cat, we gave a wave as we motored in to lay the anchor. Elektra went aground 2230hrs for 4hrs.

The next morning the wind was blowing but Elektra was very sheltered via the tree line, going aground again at around 1130hrs, I went ashore for a walk before the water dropped to low. Walking out around the southern tip of the Roseland coast footpath bought back memories of the 100s of days I spent in the past trimming coastal footpaths when I was younger, to be fair I hadn’t walked on many since, I had my fill by the time I gave up the trimming in around the year 2000.

Anyway, I was enjoying the walk and seeing places from a different point of view, up on Zone Point looking and reading about the old gun emplacements, looking at St Anthony Light House from above and not from the water, all different. The southerly wind was up at force 6, there were a few yachts sailing north from Helford River. It was a lovely walk, I will need to do some more walking another season. Having walked around and found my way back to my punt from the other direction, the tide had come in again, the long line, I had used to attach the dinghy to a high tree branch was now only a foot above the water and the dinghy floating outside the tree line, I managed to find a gap and pull the punt to the shore, get in punt and out though the trees. Back on Elektra Vicki had been reading and hadn’t noticed the time, I promptly fell asleep and it was late before we ate.

The wind blow out during the next morning, we stayed for another low water and left as soon as Elektra floated again, lifting her anchor at 1640hrs, the wind had had completely gone by then and we just motored back across the bay. To start with visibility was about 3nm but became less when the fog rolled in, until it was around 1/4nm, by that time we were in the middle of the bay and continuing on course was the best way to go. You just can’t relax, continuously watching and checking the AIS, I am always happy to get to our destination after being in fog.

With the weather still being wet and windy the weekend had passed by but Monday looked good for a day sail, it was 1100hrs before I climbed aboard Elektra after 10 days since I was last there.

The fresh water leak I thought I had solved hadn’t worked after all and I had to bale out 2 gallons from under the floor below the companion way steps, where this water was coming from was a mystery I am yet to solve but that’s for another day.

I came out to go sailing, after checking on a few other things I was eventually able to go out sailing. Without starting the engine I attached the dinghy to the mooring and dropped the mooring at 1230hrs. The forecast was for southwest force 4-5 decreasing later to southerly force 4. The wind had been blasting out of Gillan so I only set the genoa and headed for the gap between Car Crock and the Dennis Head on about half the genoa, soon rolling out all the sail. Sailing east to the Nare Point and then southeast towards the Manacle Buoy, Elektra was doing 5kts SOG against a 1.5kt tide.

As Elektra neared the Manacle Buoy the swells from the previous blows were very noticeable, 2-3m high but very long, the horizon was disappearing quite a lot but it wasn’t a rough sea. Off the buoy I turned Elektra east again for more of a beam reach. It was a very pleasant sail, after a while I thought, I haven’t ever been this far east on this latitude, about 8nm east of Manacle Buoy. Over the last 18 seasons we had only done coastal cruising as far east as Poole and west as far as The Isles of Scilly, never crossed the English Channel to France. I was beginning to see the possibilities of cruising further away after retirement.

Enough of this dreaming I got to think about going home for dinner, I turned Elektra northwest towards the Nare Point. A nice broad reach to the Nare Point and then close on the wind into Gillan until loosing the wind altogether of Car Crock east cardinal buoy where I rolled the genoa and started the engine.

Once back on the mooring we had covered 15nm over 3.5hrs.

The problem was, l had to work all week including Friday and by Saturday Elektra was neeped!

So it was Sunday on the high water at 1518hrs before l could move Elektra from her gale proof mooring in Carne Creek out to her summer swing mooring in Gillan Harbour. By which time our plans had changed because of the weather and the tide times.

With the outlook for almost no wind, we didn’t want to motor all the way to Fowey only to motor all the way back a few days later due to no wind. So now we would be staying locally again for a different reason. We went abroad on Monday evening, staying on her mooring as l needed to get something ashore on Tuesday morning.

After my run ashore we dropped Elektra’s mooring at 1125hrs setting a reefed main and all her genoa for the sail across Falmouth Bay to the Precuil River. The forecast was for northwesterly force 4-5 increasing northerly 5-7 later. We did want the later wind. Elektra was on her ear for the whole passage, maybe a little too much sail but we stuck with it enjoying being over canvassed, only a couple of times did we lose steerage and she turned into the wind before gaining control again. Was great sailing until rolling in the genoa in St Mawes. Vicki motored Elektra up the river and l lowered and packed away her mainsail. Once we had dropped anchor we put up her cockpit enclosure just before the rain.

What followed was a wet and windy night but all was gone in the morning, Wednesday was sunny with clouds and spent lazing in the cockpit. I also caught up on some blogging which l hadn’t got to because of work.

Thursday was more of the same but we did have a run upto the head of the Precuil River in our dinghy on the evening high water which is nice to do in good weather. An hour and a half later we were back aboard Elektra again.

The forecast for the weekend was poor with strong winds and heavy rain, so we decided to go back on Friday. For Saturday they were giving east winds and stronger on Sunday morning so we would be mooring on her gale proof mooring in Carne Creek which meant leaving the Precuil River about 1600hrs. We tried sailing, the wind was light, Elektra was logging between 2.5-3kts but as we got nearer to the Helford River her speed dropped of to 1.3-1.8kts at which point we started the engine. We motored into Gillan only turning east to lower the main before motoring on into Carne Creek and mooring up.

On Sunday afternoon l moved Elektra back out onto her seasonal mooring as a wet and windy week was forecasted, mainly west and southwest winds.