Love Sailing

Having set up the davits last season l had bought some folding wheels for the dinghy but we had found on our beach the wheels were to small to roll over the big pebbles.

I had bought smaller thinking l was saving money but like some money saving ideas this one doesn’t work.

So new bigger followed dinghy wheels

We went out to Elektra today at high water to tidy up and pick up gear left yesterday after a mad panic to leave before there wasn’t any water.

Elektra is now neeped until Friday and with strong winds forecasted until Monday, yesterday was our last sailing for April.

On Saturday and Sunday having found a quiet anchorage there were a few jobs which needed doing just to get Elektra ready for the cruising season.

We do this every year, a few days away close to home to check things are working as they should and also find out what has been forgotten!…… On the list this season were T-towels, CDs, mats, bottled drinking water for soft drinks. Vicki said the water was tasting funny, l had changed the filter and tea and coffee tasted fine. The FM radio wasn’t working, thinking of getting a 12 volt smart speaker.

One year we arrived in an anchorage to find we had no way to light up the stove to cook dinner because the gas clicker had gone wrong. I rowed over to another anchored yacht to borrow a box of matches. Next day l managed to fix the clicker but we never sailed again without matches.

On Sunday we went down to St Mawes for some shopping in the dinghy and had our first ice cream. The weather was bright and sunny but there was still a chill in the air.

On Monday having looked at the weather forecast and the tides for the coming week, we decided to head back to Gillan and up into Carne creek before the neep tides stopped us. The forecast was for strong easterly winds from mid day on Wednesday but the tides were going to be to low to get Elektra onto her storm proof mooring. As it happened just as well we did before we could pick up the mooring in Carne creek Elektra grounded and then followed 20-30mins of attaching and pulling on lines to get her onto the mooring.

On the good side we did have a wonderful sail across Falmouth Bay logged 5.5-6kts most of the way, the GPS said max speed was 6.8kts.

Friday 16th April

Work was slow because of the cold and dry. I suggested a few days away on Elektra to Vicki and she was willing. Plans were made and it looked like we would need to move Elektra out of Carne creek early Friday morning so l suggested staying aboard Thursday night. The plan was agreed and so we arrived down at St Anthony with my pick up full of stuff to go aboard, l moved the dinghy down to the shore and we filled the first load. Vicki climbed in and l pushed off from the shore and started the engine, the east wind was making St Anthony a little lumpy over to the narrows but once inside Carne creek it was calm. Tide was rushing in though the narrows at about 3kts but the creek was still quite shallow, as it turned out to shallow for the outboard motor but we did get to Elektra in the end.

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Vicki climbed aboard l past the the stores aboard and left Vicki to go back for another load. At the narrows the 3.3hp outboard was only just able to make ground over the tide. Back at the beach l load up again and head back to Elektra, this time Elektra was nearly afloat, l past aboard another load and headed back for the last load. Back again with 25lts of water and the rest of the supplies Elektra was now floating.

My next job was to top up the water tank. Followed by another trip in the dinghy with empty bags and water can, l moved the pick up to the car park and headed back to Elektra for the last time. Vicki had just about finished stowing the stores.

After lifting the outboard aboard and pulling the dinghy onto her davits we retired below with the cabin heater running, then followed a very cold night.

Next morning (Friday) with ice on the decks l started the engine and the cabin heater to warm the boat up again. Elektra was floating so no time was lost getting her ready to leave the mooring. With lots of layers on l dropped the mooring and Vicki motored Elektra slowly out of Carne creek and into Gillan which was lumpy because of the east wind, l pulled up the main and we headed out into Falmouth Bay.

Easterly force 4-5 and cold with it, we sailed across the bay at 4-6kts SOG. It was nice to be sailing but with it being so cold we were glad to get to St Mawes and start motoring up the river. At 1030hrs we dropped anchor and got the cockpit enclosure out and put it up. Vicki cooked brunch and the temperature of the enclosure started to rise, getting to 30c before we had to vent a little heat.

I had a little stainless to polish so after eating l got on with it, Vicki read her book. Once finished with the polishing l came back aboard and fell asleep in the sun. What are holidays for? R&R!

Friday 9th April

With strong northeast in the forecast for Saturday and more east wing forecasted for Wednesday-Friday we needed to move Elektra back up in Carne Creek.

High water wasn’t until 1700hrs so we decided to take Elektra out for another sail, we wouldn’t be able to leave St Anthony until the tide was coming in again at 1330hrs. Vicki had found more stuff which needed to go back aboard to we had a full dinghy as we headed out to Elektra. Out on Elektra Vicki got on with jobs in the cabin while I got Elektra ready to leave her mooring. When we dropped the mooring it was 1420hrs, there seemed very little wind so Vicki put on some power and we started to motor towards Falmouth. Seeing a fishing boat way off (0.5nm) coming from starboard, I told Vicki he was the stand-on so you better pass stern of him. I went down to write in the log, Vicki hadn’t taken any notice of what I said, I glanced out of the window above the chart table to see the boat just 4-5 boat lenghts away coming in from starboard, I am glad to say he passed behind us but I wasn’t happy.

After that the wind picked up and we could sail at 3-3.5kts, the wind seemed to be southeast and it was a little on the chilly side, Vicki wasn’t very warm so I took over the helm. The bunkering tanker had just left a ship out in the bay and was heading in possibly to anchor, way off to starboard(1nm) she went out of sight behind a big anchored gas tanker, when he came into sight again she had slowed. She gently turned to port and passing behind the gas tanker and behind us to drop anchor as I had thought.

Time was was 1530hrs and we needed to be back in Gillan before 1700hrs so we turned around. the wind had been in the southeast but now it seemed to be blowing from the southwest! The crossing tack was due west but we soon changed to the making tack which was due south, we were heading for the Nare Point and the wind was bitter. The sailing was great, now logging 4.5-5kts but we were both starting to feel the cold, so before we got to the Nare we turned and motored into the wind, rolling the genoa and lowering the main, with the engine going I started the cabin heater and by the time we had moored Elektra up again the the cabin was nice and warm. Vicki put the kettle on and we had a hot chocolate.

Now warmer we started Elektra’s engine again and motored her up into Carne Creek and onto her gale proof mooring. The updated forecast wasn’t looking as bad for Saturday and Sunday but the wind was still looking like turning into the east from Wednesday for a few days. (I know we live close to where Elektra is moored but moving her isn’t a quick job so sometimes it’s easier to move her when aboard)

Sunday 4th April

We needed to move Elektra from  Carne Creek onto her seasonal mooring. Vicki and l were thinking it was going to be very cold, l had suggested a sail but Vicki wasn’t very keen!

We set off from the shore in the dinghy with waterproofs and plenty of warm gear, but it didnt seem to cold. Arriving out to Elektra loading and stowing our bags. Starting the engine and getting ready to drop the mooring we only had about 12″ predicted under Elektra’s keels at high water but with the pressure being high it would be less than predicted. I walked forward with the stern mooring and linked it to the bow mooring, then pulled using the bow mooring to turn Elektra towards the creek channel. With me still holding the mooring buoy Vicki motored her forward and I walked aft and dropped the mooring over the stern. With “0” showing on the sounder its nice to see it go up to 0.2 and 0.4m as we turn over the channel (with “0” showing on the sounder we know there to be 0-4″ under her keels with no heel). Motoring her slowly down the channel and making the turn to port and then to Starboard out though the narrows into Gillan Harbour, then the AIS alarm is going off! With no other boats in sight I am wondering why, only when we could see the entrance could we see another boat coming in. Both turning to starboard we waved as we passed.

As we neared our seasonal mooring the remains of the past easterly gale, the swell was still lumpy and with Elektra’s bow going up and down aboat 3ft, I mist the pick up buoy first time and Vick had to go around again, 2nd try I got it. While on the mooring I lowered the AIS alarm settings attached the punt to the swing mooring and pulled the mainsail up, 15-20mins after picking up we dropped the mooring again and motored out Gillan Harbour between Car Crock and Dennis Head into Helford River. I set her sails and stopped the engine, there wasn’t much wind but we were making 2-3kts SOG.

It was lovely to be out sailing again even if it was very slowly, as we neared the north of the river it was we were going to need to tack, then the AIS alarm is going off again because we were near August Rock buoy. We tacked and I left Vicki on the helm and went below to cancel alarm. With the swell Vicki let the sail back so I went back into the cockpit to help and we decided to jibe. It seemed there wasn’t any wind now so we started the engine and rolled the genoa, we had only motored for 5mins and the wind came back so we could sail again. Heading towards Falmouth we were now logging 3-4kts, it was nice when we sailed past another yacht which was going our way as if she was standing still (Sadler’s do sail very well). We sailed on towards Falmouth but time was against us as we needed to get back ashore 2hrs before low water. So halfway across Falmouth Bay we turned back for Gillan and picked up our mooring after a 2hr sail we had logged 6.5nm. Stopping for lunch in the sunshine, it was lovely to be using Elektra again.

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Elektra being the only yacht in Gillan Harbour so far, she looked a little lonely as we motored away from her in the dinghy.

We had been given 29th March for Elektra’s launch day, I had to work but had gone to St Anthony with our punt before work. Anthony the yards boss came over to talk, it seemed his tractor driver was off until the 31st, so our date was pushed on a little. I wasn’t worried, would allow me to get on with my work. After work I had a buzz around Gillan Harbour in the punt to check the outboard was working well, it was nice to be on the water even in the punt.

At Sailaway, St Anthony launching boats is a little basic and one launch every other day is about as fast as they can go. With the tide and the weather to also think about, its a good job they dont have too many to launch each season.

The first thing they need to do is lift the yacht and slide the trailer in under, chatting with the yard guys they were telling me as Elektra was the first going in, all the stuff needed had to be found from where it had been stored in the winter. Almost 2.5 days later Elektra was ready to pull down the beach to float off on the next tide, I was thinking around 1700hrs. Now 1300hrs I headed home (2 miles) for lunch and to agree a time for Vicki to come help with launch. In the afternoon, I went back to see how things were going.

It was a lovely day and I found myself a nice sunny spot out of the light wind to wait for the tide. To hear the sounds of other owners getting their yachts ready water was also lovely. Vicki arrived at the agreed time but Elektra was still dry so we sat a bit longer together in the sunshine. The tide was running in quick now and we were soon paddling out to Elektra in the punt.

Once aboard we could start her engine and wait to float off, didnt take very long, I pulled her off using a stern line and walking forward to the bow, once clear of the other lines I dropped it by the mooring buoy as we slipped by, allowing Vicki to put the engine in forward and turn to sea.

The forecast was for strong east wind which Gillan Harbour is exposed to the full force of the English Channel, the only way to keep her safe is to move her above the narrows into Carne Creek. On floating off the tide wasn’t high enough so we decided to motor around the Dennis Head into Helford River and check her out. After an hour we motored back into Gillan and up into Carne Creek to moor her having logged 5.5nm.

Having anti-fouled, cleaned and polished Elektra, her engine had been serviced by fitter and over the weekend 20-21st March I bent on her sails again, fitted her sprayhood and dodgers, filled the water tank and check the pump was working, she started to look ready to launch but there were still jobs to do.

We had been given a launch date of the 1st April but talking to David who was meant to have his yacht launched two days before us, he didnt think he would be ready and asked if I mind changing dates with him. I was quite happy to as Elektra was nearly ready. So talking to Anthony the yard boss he agreed and gave us Monday 29th March for launch weather permitting..

Today I pumped up her tender, serviced and run up the outboard.

Just a few more jobs needed before launch, fit new water filter cartage, top up the diesel tank and clean her cabins, that’s this weekends jobs.

With the wet of December, dry weather arrived in January, on the 4th on blasted off the keels only to find out that another Covid lockdown was bought into affect the following day! I had a feeling things were heading that way and had arranged for a marine eletronics guy (Billy) to come and fit Elektra’s new Garmin AIS transceiver and Echomax active radar reflector on the 5th of January. After the news of the lockdown I checked with Billy if he was still going to come and he was.

I arranged with the boat yard to epoxy coat Elektra’s keels, which they could but couldn’t start until after Billy had finished his work. It all worked out great in the end, subbing out the work on Elektra allowed me to get on with work for my customers.

On Sunday 10th I fitted Elektra’s new heads

One of the jobs was to service the heads out Blake’s stop valve, was stuck solid in open position for 18 months. I needed to remove the heads just to get at the valve. The value proved to be very stubborn to shift, many days of spraying WD40 and tapping inside with a hammer and out with a large dowel and hammer. In the end success, servicing was the easy part. I decided a new heads would be a good idea and Vicki said l can have as Christmas present. Vicki said l hope you enjoy your present, l said l expect l will go thought the motions!

Another job was rain water leaking and collecting under the engine, l thought it may have been the cockpit drains but having spent loads of time removing and replacing both pipes, made no difference to the water collecting under the engine. We had fitted a new electric bilge pump back in March which kept the level down but no skipper likes water getting into the boat! At least that was another on or under the water line ticked off the list.

Not a bad place to have Elektra for the winter, lovely on the nice days sitting eating lunch looking at the view.

Work continues, l was down there today checking her before strong winds forecast coming in tonight.