Love Sailing

After almost 3 weeks with only a couple of single days sailing, we were ready for another week aboard. The forecast was pretty poor for both weekends but good mid week. Our plan had been to sail to Fowey on Friday and on to Salcombe on Sunday but as we got nearer to the weekend it wasn’t looking good for our return the following weekend so we decided to stay local again!

On Friday 11th August we cast off our mooring in Gillan at 1530hrs and headed for Place in the Precuil River, there wasn’t much wind, it would have made for a poor sail to Fowey if we had gone. But instead we sailed the 6nm in 1.5hrs and dropped anchor in good shelter in the shallows were we knew Elektra would dry out. The forecast for Saturday was southwest force 6 gusting 8, Sunday would be dry and a little less windy but the wind was set to be strong until midday on Monday.

We stayed put in Place until Monday, resting on Saturday though the worst of the wind and rain. On Sunday we went over to St Mawes for a pub lunch at the Victory Inn, shopping at the co-op and a ice cream. Although the wind had died back quite a lot St Mawes Harbour was just about as rough as l would attempt in our 2.7m inflatable RIB and l was glad to get back aboard safely afterwards.

Monday wind was still set to be strong until midday so we stayed for another low water, picking up ans stowing Elektra’s anchor at 1420hrs with the intention of sailing to Coverack for an overnight stay. Out in Falmouth Bay the sea was still very unsettled and along with not much wind, we changed our plans and sailed into the Helford River instead. In the evening going for a dinner in The Shipwrights Arms.

On Tuesday Vicki had had a call from the doctors to ask her to pick up a perception so we needed to return to Gillan for my transport. I left Vicki aboard and l went back home to drop off and pick up stuff, then to the doctors and shopping in St Keverne before returning to Elektra. I met up with Stewart on St Anthony beach and being that we were heading for a small Sadler Rally that evening in Channels Creek, l suggested he came to. Out in Falmouth Bay there wasn’t any wind so we had to motor. Only went we got into Carrick Roads did the wind pick up enough to sail. On arrival at Channels Hank was already there with his S29 After a beer on Stewarts S26 Guy arrived in his S29. In the evening we all gathered on Guy’s S29 and chatted until dark.

We all went our separate ways the next day, it was a lovely still morning. We didn’t leave until 1450hrs and just motored south to the Precuil River for the easterly wind which was forecasted on Thursday. Tucked up nicely in the Precuil River on Thursday we didn’t really know it was windy. This weekend coming was the planned start on the Tall Ships Race with the Parade of Sail being set for 1600hrs on Friday, the weather had other ideas!

We went to St Mawes for lunch at the Rising Sun, shopping and ice cream on Thursday. Showers at St Mawes Sailing Club. Arriving back at Elektra l had already decided, l wasn’t going sailing on Friday with the wind and rain which was forecasted. We then put up Elektra’s cockpit enclosure, Friday really wasn’t looking like a good day to go anywhere! Then l heard the Parade of Sail had been cancelled due to safety concerns, l think a very wise discussion.

Friday started dry but rain came in a lot earlier than forecasted. I had always planned to move Elektra and reset her anchor for the change to southwest wind direction. Elektra would be sheltered in the southeast and southern winds but not southwest. I didn’t really want to move in the rain and was hoping for it to ease off but in didn’t. So in the end there wasn’t any choice, Elektra was hanging back with her stern just off the rocks, l didn’t bother with water proofs, just T shirt and shorts.

Without removing Elektra’s cockpit enclosure, l pulled up her anchor and Vicki motored her out into deeper water and l relaid her anchor for southwest winds. Another yacht in the anchorage had dragged and moved at the same time. The wind had steadily increased. The forecast was southeast force 4-6, veering southerly force 7-11, veering southwest force 5-6. Ever since moving l had been checking out the window and looking at the GPS for dragging but Elektra seemed to be holding. Then it happened, she was lying side on to the weather, Elektra was dragging her anchor towards the rocks! It all happened very quickly, with about 5-10mins before Elektra would be on the rocks, raining harder almost like fog because it was so heavy. There was no time to wait, Elektra was already halfway onto a lea shore before Vicki started the engine and her tiller had to be untied. I headed to the bow to pull her anchor up. Once up l went back to the cockpit, l said to Vicki we will motor on down the river to Place which now will be sheltered.

We’ll it wasn’t the best weather to be moving and Elektra still had her cockpit enclosure up, visibility was very poor with the heavy rain, it was only about one mile but we had to pass between all the yachts on swing moorings which were swinging a lot in the stronger gusts. Vicki had Elektra moving forward at about 3.5kts, seemed to take ages, towards the end our speed dropped off to 2.5kts and the engine was making an unusual noise. I was thinking we had possibly picked up a line or a lump of seaweed but continued forward into Place, going right into Place we dropped anchor close into the sheltered bank, on the drying ground. Here Elektra would dry out around 2300hrs. We had arrived just before dark, l like to take transits and keep checking them before dark but this wouldn’t be possible. So took GPS position and kept checking though the evening until going aground. Once aground we could sleep because Elektra wouldn’t float again until 0500hrs on Saturday by which time the wind was forecasted to die off.

On Saturday, we stayed for low water because l wanted to check the prop for rope or seaweed? There wasn’t any! But once floating again and outboard and dinghy lifted onto Elektra. Vicki motored Elektra out and we headed for Gillan at 1700hrs, there was a nice bit of wind in Falmouth Bay, so just on Elektra’s genoa she punched forward into a southwest force 4-5 getting into Gillan at 1915hrs having logged 10.5nm. We stayed aboard that evening and packed up in the morning to get ashore before 1130hrs due to falling tide.

We have found our genuine 7.5kg Bruce anchor very reliable but after our night when Elektra dragged we did look at replacing with a 10kg Rocna. But we stow our Bruce anchor in the anchor locker as we use our bow roller for our swing mooring strop. Having found the sizes of the Rocna on-line, the anchor would be too big to fit inside the locker, so would have to stow on the bow roller, which means changing Elektra’s mooring strop.

On Sunday the forecast was good for another day sail, this time Vicki wanted to come to. We launched the dinghy at 0915hrs and headed out to Elektra. Again we found water which needed baling out before we could leave. We had a discussion as to were it was getting in. Vicki thought the window but having removed and rebedded earlier in the season l wasn’t convinced.

The forecast today was almost the same as the other day. Stewart our friend and fellow Sadler owner was also going sailing.  We suggested Porthscatho for lunch, Stewart was thinking St Just. I dropped the mooring and Vicki motored Elektra out, l set a reefed mainsail and all her genoa, once of the Helford River Elektra was off logging over 5kts.

It wasn’t long before l was putting 2 or 3 rolls in the genoa. Looking back, it looked like Stewart was following us, it turned into a great sail and yes Stewart did following us to Porthscatho. I would of been happy for him to raft with Elektra but he decided to anchor also. We spent 3hrs there before heading back.

We lifted her anchor under engine and then l just set Elektra’s genoa for the passage back to Gillan. Stewart hadn’t seen and he set all his sail. He told me later he was surprised to find he was catching us up! But as we cross the entrance to the Carrick Roads he was almost knocked flat with the wind howling out of there. Stewart held on across Falmouth Bay and we almost arrived in Gillan at the same time. Was a good sail, we had logged 15nm in 3hrs.

This year, l have the time to go sailing but the weather has other ideas! With another available week the forecast was for strong winds and mixed rain. I had the dates were Friday 28th July to Sunday 6th August. The only suitable weather for sailing wasn’t until Thursday or Friday in August. So it would be a stay at home week and do some gardening.

As the week past Friday was looking like a good day for day sailing which by then l was eager to get out. I asked Vicki if she was coming but with the early start she wasn’t keen. So l left home on my own just before 0700hrs. I needed to launch the dinghy before 0730hrs. Once out on Elektra there wasn’t any hurry to leave. So l checked her for water, we have had a far bit of fresh water getting in this season but we hadn’t found out the source yet. There was quite a lot of water in her in different places which took a little while bale and sponge out.

Once done, l got Elektra ready to leave. The forecast was northwesterly force 4, so l left Gillan and set just Elektra’s genoa heading northeast towards the Dodman Point. Elektra had logged 10nm in 2.5hrs when l turned her around and headed back towards Gillan. It was a lovely sunny day and it was great to be out sailing.

Our return to Gillan was a little faster, now running with the tidal stream we covered the 10nm in 1.5hrs. It had been a lovely sail and l felt good to have been out.

With the chance of another week aboard, the weather forecast apps just couldn’t make up their mind, each day on the run up to going away they kept changing their minds! It’s times like this, that you just can’t trust the forecast for more than one day at a time 😕

This all makes planning some cruising very difficult, we would of liked to sail east to Fowey then Salcombe but with no sign of the westerlies easing, it was looking like a slog back into wind for the return. So in the end we decided to stay local again. Friday and Saturday were wet with strong winds but Sunday looked good for a dash across Falmouth Bay. We hadn’t been in Restronguet Creek since back in 2018, so we planned a couple of nights in there with a evening meal at the Pandora Inn, from there we would look at the forecast again and plan the next move.

So Sunday was wet and windy to start with, the forecast said wsw force 4-5 for the afternoon, looking good for our crossing of Falmouth Bay in a north-northeastly direction and then north up the Carrick Roads. The earliest we could get aboard after low water was 1400hrs, only just enough water to drop the leg of the outboard into as we left the St Anthony beach. Out at Elektra Vicki climbed aboard and l past up the stores. While Vicki stowed the gear l lifted the engine from punt onto cockpit and dinghy onto her davits. We dropped the mooring in Gillan at 1500hrs, Vicki motored Elektra out while l set her genoa, Elektra quickly picked up speed and l stopped her engine. What followed was the fastest sailing of the season so far! Elektra’s new genoa is smaller than her old genoa but that didn’t slow her down. Elektra was logging 6-7kts SOG with no helping tide, the wind was more like force5 gusting 6, she covered the 4nm to Pendennis Point in under 40mins, Elektra lost the wind a little under the Point but picked up again crossing Falmouth Harbour entrance. At the entrance to Restronguet Creek l started her engine having logged 7nm in 1.25hrs. We motored Elektra into the creek slowly and dropped anchor at 1640hrs having logged 8nm

Went Elektra grounded in the night she was slightly bow up and listing slightly to Starboard, not too bad but a little more level would be better, in the morning when the tide was out again l surveyed a better spot, l said when the tide comes back we will move. I booked a table at the Pandora for 1700hrs. While the tide was still out the owner of the house on the Quay came over and asked were we scrubbing the bottom, l said l wasn’t planning to. Then she said that they owned the sand bank and although they allowed owners to scrub their yachts off, they didn’t allow anchoring for any other reason. I didn’t want to fall out so agreed to move over Feock side of the creek when the tide came back. So around 1400hrs we moved over the other side.

In the evening we went over for our meal and met up with our friend a fellow Sadler 29 owner for drink and chatting, before our meal. Just before dark we returned to Elektra. The next night at anchor didn’t work out well! When Elektra settled down she started to list to port and continued roll as the starboard keel was on fairly solid ground and the port keel on on soft mud which she continued to sink into. With no sign she was going to stop we spent the 0100-0300hrs sitting on the side deck until the tide started to flow back in. Once we were happy she had stopped rolling over we sat in the cockpit until 0400hrs, When she started to lift again we went to bed.

In the morning l didn’t want to go though that again and started getting Elektra ready to leave before the tide dropped to low. When ready the sounder was showing 0.5m under the keel as Vicki motored Elektra towards the entrance after l pulled her anchor up. Heading out towards the entrance the depth dropped to 0.2m under the keel before getting out into deeper water. It would have been a good day for a sail but after the night before we just motored on towards the Precuil River and eventually let Elektra ground in Place. I lowered the anchor and 15m of chain but it wasn’t set yet. The tide was still going out, in the meantime Vicki had got on with brunch. After eating, l went out and set the anchor, l did the washing up and Vicki went for a sleep. After washing up l also slept in the cockpit after the night before.

That day just slipped by as we both slept, catching up because of the night before.

On Wednesday shopping was needed, so across to St Mawes we went and a pub lunch at the Victory Inn before an ice cream and shopping. Once back aboard l went for another sleep and it was the air sea rescue helicopter which woke me as he flew in low overhead. Then we went for showers before returning to Elektra and relaxing in her cockpit. In the evening we played Scrabble and had a bottle of red.

On Thursday with the forecast of northwesterly force 3-4 and the same forecast for Friday l suggested sailing to Gorran Haven for Fish&Chips in the evening. We would have to go back to Gillan on Friday because Saturdays forecast was wet and windy from the southwest.

It was around 1100hrs before we were ready to leave, we needed to move by then or we would grounded again for another 4hrs. The tidal stream would be against us but with only 12nm to cover it didn’t seem to matter if we took a while. The wind was from the southwest, it was meant to be northwesterly. Although we were logging 3-4kts SOG we didn’t want this to be the southwest winds coming early. I checked to see if the weather forecast had changed but it hadn’t. We were about halfway to the Dodman Point when l suggested turning around having logged 6.5nm in 2hrs. I talked it though with Vicki, Gorran Haven would be exposed in southwest swells. So we decided to head back into wind now before it gets worse. So Vicki took Elektra about and l adjusted her sails. Now hard on the wind with full sail Elektra was punching forward at 5kts, tacking onto the crossing tack l could see we needed to reef, the easiest sail to reef was the genoa, so l rolled in a reef and a half. A lot better but we had slowed a lot so l let a little more sail out. And then we were off, logging between 6-7kts. We tacked again, over the radio comes the CG shipping forecast which l wanted to hear. I climbered down into the cabin with Elektra on her ear and changed the VHF to CH62. The forecast was still saying northwesterly winds, l thought just goes to show, you cant trust any forecast totally. Now with a good coarse to get in past Zone Point and keeping a 40ft sailing yacht behind us all the way back to St Anthony light house. Then the wind disappeared altogether, so we motored into St Mawes and up the Precuil River and dropped anchor at 1430hrs having logged 14.5nm. After packing away the mainsail l slept and lazed in Elektra cockpit afternoon sun 🌞

On Friday with a forecast of northwesterly force 4, l pulled up Elektra’s anchor just before low water and Vicki motored us back down the Precuil River. Out in St Mawes Harbour l just set Elektra’s genoa for the 4nm back across Falmouth Bay to Elektra’s Gillan mooring. Elektra was logging 4-7kts SOG in the stronger gusts and we arrived back in Gillan lhr after pulling up her anchor having logged 6.5nm. Now we had to wait for the tide to come in a bit before leaving. So packed some gear, had lunch and got ready to leave. We were home by 1730hrs having spent another week aboard but only logged about 35nm.

Sunday’s forecast had changed to suitable sailing weather southwest force4-5. So l went out again on my own.

I dropped Elektra’s mooring at 1230hrs motored her out between Car Crock and the Dennis Head and set her genoa, very quickly Elektra sped off east towards the Nare Point, rounding the Nare about 10mins later, l turned Elektra towards southeast towards Manacle Buoy. She was flying along but the wind eased the more offshore we went. It was lovely just sailing along with no other yachts around.

After about an hour and half, l turned Elektra for the Helford River. This it was the same in reverse, not very much wind but the closer to the shore we got the stronger the wind. Again the genoa was plenty of sail on it’s own, Elektra was logging 6-7kts while sailing on her ear past the Nare Point into the Helford River. Continuing on the same course on into the Helford before tacking south towards Gillan. I put Elektra back on the tiller pilot and started her engine so ready for when l turned her into wind. But l continued to sail in around Car Crock Buoy still on her ear. Once passed the Buoy l could get a little closer to the wind but there was an anchored yacht which l needed to avoid so l turned Elektra into wind and rolled away the genoa, motoring in slowly to Elektra’s mooring at 1500hrs having logged 11nm.

Looked like we could go sailing on Friday but would have to return later on Saturday as Sunday was looking wet!

The forecast for Friday was southeast force 4-5, we thought we would have a lovely sail across Falmouth Bay, there was meant to be a southerly vearing south-westerly blow during the night into Saturday. Our plan was to go to the Precuil River, which isn’t the best in southwest winds but we hoped to be OK if we layed Elektra’s anchor set for the southwest winds she would hold.

If seemed windy on Elektra’s mooring but once out in Falmouth Bay there wasn’t any! I started the engine and motored about 1/4nm before sailing again. The wind increased and we had a good sail across the bay, getting faster all the way. We sailed up to the moorings in St Mawes before starting the engine again. I rolled the genoa and pulled the mainsail down as Vicki motored Elektra up the Precuil River, being near low water Vicki had to keep her in the channel. At the anchorage our friend Kevin Mitchell aboard his Sadler 26 “Serena” was already at anchor.

After getting packed away and having lunch, l lowered the dinghy and row over to see Kevin for a beer and a chat. Vicki slept aboard Elektra while we chatted. I came back later and slept in the sunshine.

Kevin texted me, said he would be going to Gillan on Saturday for the southwest blow coming early next week and asked what time we would be leaving, l said not until late because the tide was out until 1900hrs. Kevin had planned to go earlier but hadn’t thought of the tide high. So he decided to leave later too. I suggested sailing together to get some sailing photos and Kevin agreed.

Then followed a windy night but l slept though most of it, only when the wind moved into the southwest did l awake because the motion of the yacht changed, for about 30mins l listened to the wind and to Elektra until I was satisfied she wasn’t dragging. When l awoke again the wind had blown out.

On Saturday with no need to move quickly, we started with a lazy brunch. I had agreed with Kevin to leave about 1400hrs and that’s what we did. “Serena” motored out first and Elektra followed. The racing yachts were getting ready to start racing and we had to dodge around them off St Mawes but once out into the Carrick Roads we could start sailing. Soon afterwards we started closing up for photos and headed for Falmouth Bay.

A few photos we’re taken of each others yachts as we sailed south out of the Carrick Roads, we both got very close to the rocks off St Anthony light house and needed to commit to sailing away from them and we ended up on opposite tacks, Serena going west and Elektra going south. Kevin got on the VHF and we regrouped. By which time my smartphone went flat and l had to start using my camera which has a zoom so was still able to take some photos.

Out in Falmouth Bay the chop didn’t suit Elektra on the southern tack so we sailed west towards Meanporth and Serena continued south. Over Meanporth l shock out the reef in the mainsail and we tacked towards Helford River. I thought we were going to get some more photos on a cross tack but Serena tacked and went the other way. We didn’t get another option after that for more photos. Kevin said afterwards that he would have sailed about in the entrance to the Helford for more photos but we just went into Gillan and moored up.

Ever since we had returned from holiday in Scilly there had lots of very windy weather with some rain. Fitting in cruising around it has proved difficult. Seems l have the time this season but don’t seem to have the weather.

With free time l like to go sailing, Vicki dosen’t much like day sailing. So when the weather looks good, l go sailing alone. Tuesday was one of these days, l needed to leave early because the forecast was for stronger winds by midday. So l launched the dinghy at 0700hrs and was sailing by 0730hrs. When sailing alone, l find Elektra easier to handle on just her genoa. I tend to sail out close on the wind and hopefully making for easier sailing on the return. The forecast was southwest force 3 increasing 5-6 later.

Setting the genoa and going east out of the Helford River, she was only making 3kts, there seemed little wind. But once around the Nare Point and heading southeast towards Manacle Buoy, things started to hot up, Elektra was crashing along at around 5kts. I continued on this heading for about 3nm before turning north for about another mile. The wind seemed to pick up quite quickly and l thought its a good time to head back! Elektra was now flying along at between 5-6kts, the genoa was plenty of power as it happened. Nearing August Rock Buoy in the Helford River it decided to rain at which point l decided to motor Elektra back the last mile to her mooring. Picking up her mooring after 2hrs sailing, she had logged 9.5nm.

Saturday the forecast was for lighter winds with more stronger winds in the following days. We decided to go home while we could.

The forecast was Westerly force 4 gusting 5. There wasn’t any hurry to get back as we wouldn’t be able to get into St Anthony until evening so l pulled up her anchor at 1400hrs, it took a bit of breaking out and when it did finally release, it was a ball of mud! I knew there was an anchor in there somewhere! Eventually l cleaned it enough to pull back aboard, stowing the anchor and washed down the decks. Vicki had been motoring Elektra slowly towards Turnaware Buoy, then she turned her into wind for me to pull the main up, before turning her south and heading back down the Carrick Roads.

The wind was from the west but a bit variable in strength, but we were sailing on reefed main and full genoa. There was spurts of speed and healing hard in amongst lighter wind. Going out past Pendennis Point the wind increased and l reefed the genoa and Elektra sped off across Falmouth Bay heading south-southwest towards Gillan, there were spells of hard healing even though Elektra was well reefed, l estimated the wind at force 5 gusting 6. At Car Crock east cardinal buoy just before Gillan l started the engine and rolled the genoa. Vicki motored Elektra into Gillan while l lowered and stowed the mainsail. Another great sail, we had logged 9nm in 2hrs.

On Saturday the rain had gone but the wind had increased! Gusting 35-40kts but nice and sunny out of the wind it was hot. So we removed the cockpit enclosure in the morning after it had dried out. Lazing in the cockpit seemed the order of the day. I had one chore and that was to empty the floating swimming pool. The easiest way was to row the dinghy over to the shore and tip the water out, but quite an effort into the wind. Coming back was interesting as well, l was getting blow sideways so l had to head up into wind to end up back at Elektra.

Friday was wet and very windy, we had put up Elektra’s cockpit enclosure the evening before, so we were dry. Many other yachts had joined us in Channals Creek the evening before and during the morning before the wind picked up.

“Anchoring is a spectacular sport” I am always interested to see which type anchor new arrivals are deploying. Most anchors work very well but l am always a little worried if their anchor is a CQR especially if they anchor up wind from us! I have learnt over the years that CQR anchors don’t work well, their skippers must think it’s normal to need to lay their anchor 3x before it holds! If the wind gets up or changes the CQR anchors are the first to drag. I wasn’t over concerned because we had anchored in fairly shallow water, so not many would anchor north of us.

Elektra has a genuine Bruce anchor, which in tests doesn’t always perform well. But having been at anchor over 250 nights since buying Elektra in 2016, the anchor has dragged 3 times. Twice in weed which we try to avoid now and once when the anchor hooked a football size rock which stopped it digging in.