Love Sailing

This was our 2nd visit to this anchorage. Over the last 20 seasons we had visit Scilly 9 times, only once during 18 passages to Scilly or back had we stopped anywhere in Mount’s Bay, and that was after a bad CG forecast in 2013. Back in 2013 we headed for Newlyn after missing the tide for the Lizard Point. And the following day left Newlyn early for Helford, the next land we saw after Newlyn Harbour wall was Black Head because of fog! Last season we decided to explore Mount’s Bay and had great weather for doing so. Vicki wanted to visit again this season and this weeks weather looked the most settled for doing so.

I had another great night’s sleep, this being aboard had certainly helped my sleep pattern. I got out at 0700hrs to make coffee and do some online stuff, ordered a new tiller pilot for delivery next week. I then lifted the outboard from pushpit onto dinghy ready to go ashore later.

We went ashore to the Godolphin for lunch, after taking 1/2hr to get a pint each and looked at the menu we decided to eat elsewhere. We found a cafe called the Chapel Rock up beside the main road. Which did very nicely! Then once enjoyed we headed back to our dinghy and then onto Elektra, where l promptly fell asleep in the sun. We lazed away the afternoon watching the ferry boats go back and forth from the Mount to the shore.

Being a nice day the evening was cooler, so we disappeared blow by 1900hrs to play Scrabble, this time Vicki was victorious, scoring 796 to my 748. Then to bed and another great night’s sleep.

The night anchored in Gillan, started well with almost calm conditions, but during the night the wind picked up from the northeast and Elektra was rolling a lot. This kept me awake in the early hours and l got out when it got light. I made coffee and Vicki got out as well. We were going to leave around 0700hrs to catch the tide from Manacle Buoy around the Lizard Point into Mount’s Bay.

Normally l would have been quite happy to set off on my own without disturbing Vicki but the day before our tiller pilot went wrong, so l needed Vicki on the helm. Vicki helmed for the first 2hrs, we motored Elektra from Gillan east out to the Nare Point, then started sailing southeast towards Manacle Buoy. The tide was pushing Elektra towards the Manacle rocks, so for the last mile to the Buoy we where motor sailing. Once around the Manacle Buoy an hour after leaving Gillan Elektra was sailing well, on a broad reach to Black Head.

From there now with the wind more behind Elektra’s mainsail was taking her genoa’s wind, so l went on deck and pulled her mainsail down, which slowed Elektra a bit but she was still making 5kts over ground. Around this time Vicki went down below and went to sleep. I sailed Elektra on Around the Lizard Point, thinking the last time we were here things didn’t go well! But all was well this time. I was expecting a broad reach on the other side of the Lizard Point, but no the wind died away and Elektra’s speed dropped below 2kts.

At which point l started her engine and motored on at 5kts, not having the tiller pilot working was a bit of a problem, in the end l lashed the tiller to allow me to leave her helm and go to the head. On the way back l grabbed my log book which allowed me to do some entries while in the cockpit. The lashed tiller worked quite well, not as good as the tiller pilot, but good enough in the conditions. Motoring on across Mount’s Bay for 2hrs and then when we were nearly to the Mount a head wind picked up from the northwest, force 4 gusting 5! I wasn’t about to start sailing now this close to  arriving, so l upped the revs and pressed on and we motored into St Michael’s Mount anchorage and dropped anchor at 1315hrs, 6hrs after leaving Gillan having logged 29nm.

After a sleep in the cockpit, in the afternoon l took the tiller pilot apart to see if l could get it working again. The answer was no, the threaded part which screws into the rod, its threads had been stripped either end and it was jamming. I thought l might be able to buy the parts to fix. But since it was a really old unit (20-25 years) I think its possibly done really well to last so long, and a new unit would be a good idea.

Towards the end of Monday the easterly blow itself out and a quiet night followed. We had been at anchor in the Precuil River for 6 nights. On the Monday the insurance came up with a settlement on my claim after the fire, not full costs but a good amount anyway. I needed to get home and scan some documents to send to the insurance to claim my refund.

So on Tuesday we got Elektra slowly ready to head back across Falmouth Bay to Gillan. There wasn’t any hurry as we wanted the swell from the day before to ease off before we crossed Falmouth Bay. The wind was meant to be northeast force 3-4 but there didn’t seem much in the Precuil River. I didn’t think our mainsail would help much so didn’t bother unwrapping it. Out in the entrance to the Carrick Roads there were lots of yachts with full sail up not moving very quickly. I am always amazed by the amount of yachts which go to sea when there isn’t any wind! Out looking in all directions l could see about 40 plus yachts under full sail almost dead in the water. I had started to get the genoa out, but looking around decided not to, and to continue to motor.

Once out into Falmouth Bay, it became a uncomfortable swell, side on 4ft waves with almost no wind, motoring fast was very nasty, so slowed her down. We motored into Gillan and dropped anchor inside the moorings as our mooring was in an exposed position.

Then as Vicki packed up ready to go ashore, l got the dinghy into the water and the outboard onto the dinghy. Then we went ashore and home in the pickup.

I got on with computer work and scanning the documents for the insurance. Vicki had a shopping order deliver booked and we both had showers while we were home. It didn’t seem long and we were picking up and going out the door again. Back out at Elektra the slop had eased quite a bit more, making it easier to load and lift the outboard onto the pushpit and dinghy onto her davits, ready for a fairy early start next morning.

We had arrived in the Precuil River after an aborted attempt to go to Salcombe, on Thursday morning. Because l was possibly suffering from post dramatic stress, l hadn’t slept very well after the fire. I felt well enough in myself but only with 2-3hrs a night the past month, l was definitely needing to sleep. And being aboard l had aways slept very well. So it wasn’t any surprise to Vicki l slept most of the afternoon away. In the evening we played Scrabble and opened a bottle of red. I then followed this with 9 solid hours of sleep over night.

Next day we went down River by dinghy to St Mawes for a pub lunch at The Rising Sun. And some shopping from the co-op afterwards. The forecast was for 4 days of strong easterly winds to follow Friday. So we were going to hunker down and wait until the the winds ease before moving again. But l couldn’t lounge around for days, l needed to get off Elektra and go walking.

So the next day after another good night’s sleep, before Vicki was awake, l took the dinghy ashore and had a good walk around St Anthony in Roseland headland. I might have overdone it a little, it was a little further than l had thought, but a good walk nonetheless. Of course after brunch, l slept for a few more hours! In the evening we played Scrabble again, l was having a wining streak as Vicki hadn’t one since we were in Scilly. But she didn’t seem to mind.

After another good night’s sleep, l went walking again, this time l walked around St Mawes, another time a bit too far but a nice walk just the same. Back to Elektra for brunch. Today on the cards was some Cruising Association work. Somehow at the beginning of the year l had got myself involved with the starting up of the southwest section after 4-5 years of the section being dormant. I made it absolutely clear from the get go that l didn’t want any leading role but l was willing to help out if l could. 6 members came together to form “Team SW” and a social/meeting arranged so we could pick a leader. Nobody wanted the job, but somehow l must have said OK!

I have in the past started up the SW Cornwall Section of the Hurley Owners Association from phoning up members. I was on the HOA committee for about 7 years. And l nearly got involved with the Sadler and Starlight Owners Association soon after buying our Sadler but someone else stepped forward before me.

Anyway from not wanting a leading role to taking up the CA SW section secretary role, something differently went wrong! But any Association is run by volunteers for the enjoyment of the members. And if l am doing my job right, l am arranging for events to entertain members. Providing the members are happy, l have done my job.

Since “Team SW” was formed in April, getting things moving from a standing start had been slow but a Fowey Rally for September had been arranged  And a CA talk in Torquay, and now we were in the process of arranging a CA social in Falmouth. So things were moving in the right direction and the team were hoping for better in 2026.

The whole Team SW are keen sailors and as such we want to be away sailing when we can, so it is a Team effort.

After being at home for 24hrs, we arrived back aboard Elektra in the evening of the day one month on from the fire. We had big plans to leave Gillan for Salcombe early the following morning. As Vicki stowed supplies, l stowed the outboard and pulled the dinghy up onto its davits and we gently got Elektra ready for passage making the next day.

By 1900hrs she was ready and we retired below to play scrabble and opened a bottle of red. We turned in about 2300hrs.

I awoke at 0530hrs and got out, put the kettle on for a coffee, it was light enough to see outside even if the cabin was still dark. Before the coffee was made Vicki had got out and l dropped the mooring at 0610hrs. Vicki motored Elektra east out past Car Croc east cardinal buoy as l set the chart plotter up for a way point off Bolt Head 50nm away. There had been a forecast of west- southwest force 4, but with only force 2-3 we would have to motor sail which l didn’t want to do for 50nm. We started a discussion on options.

We knew there was strong easterly winds forecasted from Saturday for 4 days. We could carry on motoring or motor sailing to Salcombe or sail slowly to Fowey and either stay there of motor to Plymouth area on Friday. We could motor sail all the way to Cawsands 40nm away today, then go in the Yealm River for the easterly winds. None of the options seemed very appealing to us, as no real sailor likes motoring or motorsailing. We knew the best place to be stuck in easterly winds was the Precuil River which was just north across Falmouth Bay. It wasn’t much of a choice really, with the decision made, l turned Elektra north and stopped the engine. Now sailing at 3.5kts, Vicki went back to bed and l dropped anchor in the Precuil River at 0810hrs having logged 6.5nm. It’s difficult to improve on perfection.

As l was tidying up on deck, Vicki made breakfast which we had about 0900hrs, with the washing up done by 1000hrs, l started nodding off, l seem to sleep very well aboard but not well at home! So l went to bed for a few more hours. The plan is to stay here until the strong easterly winds have blown themselves out and then go east.

The shake down had proved to be useful. We had identified and drawn a diagram of some new switches, there were also some we hadn’t worked out but apart from the top of mast anchor light, everything else seemed to be working.

On Sunday we went to St Mawes via dinghy and had a pub Sunday lunch and when we arrived back Peter had anchored Tela his S26 beside Elektra, it’s a mini Sadler Rally Peter exclaimed. The next day Peter had planned to go out to Scilly. But put off by the forecast he stayed and just went for a sail in Carrick Roads. When he came back he said he had seen force 7 on his wind instrument. I said it normally stronger winds in the Roads than in Falmouth Bay. I had a lovely long walk in the afternoon.

The following day Peter did leave but an uncomfortable sea pushed him into Mount’s Bay and he anchored next to St Michael’s Mount. We left a little later in Elektra and had a good sail back to Gillan. Once the tide came in enough we loaded the dinghy and motored into the beach and then home for showers.

It’s not something l have done before, have a shakedown cruise halfway through a sailing season. But after the fire and Elektra’s rewire the switchboard was a completely new set up to me, like sailing a new yacht! 18 switches, only 9 were labelled. Rupert our new marine electrician had fitted Elektra’s rewire before he disappeared on holiday, he had ordered new labels for the switches without them but they hadn’t arrived before he left. Not that l was worried about them at the time as we lucky to get Elektra back so quickly.

When l motored Elektra into St Anthony beach the morning before, l thought the new chart plotter was broken, but this turned out to be a switch l hadn’t turned on!

To add to this the set up was all new to us, new wiring, switchboard, Victron solar controller, charger and battery monitor. All of which l needed to learn how they worked, and understand what l was looking at.

So on the 9th of August, we set off for a few days aboard, a nice westerly force 4-5 to send Elektra on her way across Falmouth Bay in a north-northeast direction. I just unrolled the genoa for this, and Elektra logged between 3-5kts across the bay. And we motored up the Precuil River and dropped anchor 1.33hrs later, having logged 6.25nm. We did our usual jobs after arrival in an anchorage, and Vicki cooked dinner.

I started trying to work out which switch do what job, drawing a diagram but there was still 6 switches which l didn’t know and one of them had to be the anchor light, but which one? A few years ago l had replaced the lamp with a light sensitive lamp so it wouldn’t come on until dark in any case. Once dark came l switched on all the of the 6 switches and went out in the dinghy to see if any lights had come on but no was the answer 🤔 At which point l got my emergency/spare anchor light out and used it instead.

We turned in about 2300hrs and l went to sleep very quickly, this turned out to be the best nights sleep l had had since the fire almost 4 weeks before.

The following night, I found the stereo radio was hot after I had been charging my mobile phone (I thought possibly because we stow the tea cosy on top of the back part of it) Anyway later in the evening before bed after lissoning to the radio all evening, it had cooled down, but not wanting to risk anything, I turned it off on the main switchboard. It wasn’t until following morning that I found out the stereo switch also is the USB ports, so when I turned the strereo off before bed I also turned the anchor light off!

I motored Elektra back from Falmouth to Gillan Harbour after she had been rewired at the end of July. I was lucky to find an Marine Electrician who was between jobs and could do the rewiring over a weekend. It was nice to find out that the new eletronics hadn’t been effected by the fire.

Then I spent the next 4 days washing the cabin hot soapy water (under the powder is a sticky surface). On Wedensday I replace Elektra’s bow nav light, sometime between us abandoning Elektra off the Lizard Pt and us picking Elektra off a mooring in Helford River the fitting had been broken. This seemed like an easy job but the light was out of reach on deck from the bow because of the furrling gear and from standing in a dinghy was above head hight, if the dinghy would have stayed still it would have been easier! Lol, I did manage it in the end even if it did take me 5hrs!

On Friday at about 0500hrs, I motored Elektra into St Anthony beach to let her dry out so we could reload her cruising which had all been home for washing and cleaning. I came back home and loaded the pick-up and around 1000hrs I drove back to St Anthony with Vicki to load the gear.

At about 1230hrs we left St Anthony for home again after removing my petrol generator which I had been using for the vacuuming. It was 1500hrs before I drove back to St Anthony to wait for Elektra to float off again which she did at around 1600hrs. I picked up her mooring and attached the dinghy before dropping again to go for a sail. It was only about 5nm over 1.25hrs, but it was lovely to be out sailing again after all the hard work.

VHF, I’m not a great user of the VHF Radio, I did the VHF/DFC course back in 2006 and I listen on ch16 to the endless calls to Falmouth CG asking for a radio check. But when we had a fire, calling Falmouth CG was the 2nd thing I did after writing in my log, after I thought I had put the fire out. At the time we were sailing at 4.5-5kts and I thought we could carry on with our passage. The duty officer asked if l was declaring an emergency and I was thinking about it as we talked, I have always independent, not really a team player and I don’t like asking for help. Event’s took over with the discovery of the second fire and the duty officer declared an emergency on our behalf, tasking the Lizard lifeboat. So at first sign of a problem get in contact with your local Coast Guard.

Fire extinguishers, when it comes to fighting a fire, simple is best! During the winter I had bought a fire stick, I read the instructions and put it on its braket, but when the fire started I couldn’t remember how it worked and for some reason I had forgotten how to read! The 1kg powder extingisher was dead simple, pull the safety clip and press the leaver. So simple is best. If you don’t know, or any of your crew don’t know how to opperate any safety equipment before you grap it, it’s useless to you! Reading the instructions on the fire stick again after the fire, I know just how it operates now. But this wouldn’t have helped much with this fire as it works for 50 seconds and then stops. With the powder, I was blasting it with powder, putting the fire out and stopping, then the fire would start again and so on, possibly for as long as 1/2hr! Powder extinguishers are horible to use and horible to clear up after a fire, but are very efective, by the end of the first week I had already replaced the used ones plus added another 2kg one.

Not to put anyone off grabbing and extinguisher when needed but the powder from the extinguishers is truely awlful stuff. I found vacuuming up was the best method, but under the powder is a skicky layer which needs to be washed with hot soapy water. I had an old vacuum cleaner which the powder destroyed! So bought a new one, but after just one day the filters were clogged up and needed blown out a compressed air.

After the fire I thought I should have turned the power off before, but it was comforting knowing help was on the way via ch16. But my marine electrician said once the fire started, there would have been lots of dead shorts and turning the power off wouldn’t of worked anyway, the fire only went out he said once it ran out of battery power and what I did was stop the fire speading to the GRP. Many have said since, I should have disconnected the batteries, but this really wasn’t an option as I would have had to empty the quarter berth, removed the battery lids and got tools out to do so all at the same time as fighting the fire, which was keeping me busy on its own!

I have since been told, a turned off gas bottles dosen’t explode unless in a major fire, by which time, you wouldn’t be aboard anyway. The fear of a gas explosion was my main reason for abandoning her after being advised to do so by the duty CG officer. By then the cabin being full of powder and smoke we couldn’t enter but we could have stayed aboard in the cockpit. Back to this saying “don’t get in a lifefaft (in our case a dinghy) until you have to step up into it”

I had bought a new grab bag over last winter because we had planned to cross the Celtic Sea to Ireland this season (our plans were scuppered with Vicki’s medical treatment). We haven’t ever used a grab bag since starting cruising back in 2006, and we didn’t have our new one packed up during our crossing back to the mainland from Scilly, so when we abandoned Elektra, we left with almost nothing! When we got home later, we didn’t have any keys and I had to break a window to get in. I will be packing it up with all our essentials before all passages in future.

Ill afects, lots of friends said afterwards “you must have been scared.” I can honesty say no, as I was too busy dealing with the fire! But, I had the shakes for a couple of days afterwards and was coughing from the powder extinguishers for a week (in some ways, a dust mask attached to each extinguisher would be a good idea). But my main problem has been, not sleeping well! Over the first 2 week’s I only slept 40 hours.  I think I’m sleeping better now, but I used to sleep solid for 7 hours every night.

I have always used professionals for any new wirering, l had an electronics company, “PRS” to fit Elektra’s new Garmin electronics in November 2024. They had the misfortune of disconnecting a number of USB sockets and cabin radio in the process. I now know electronic companies should never be employed to do boat electrical work, because they haven’t any clue what they are doing! “PRS” knew about Elektra’s fire aboard soon after it happened on 13th July because l tried to contact them, but now, two months later, l still haven’t had any reply. And they never did get the new electronics working properly.

I had used an old vacuum cleaner to clean up most of the powder, this finished the vac and so I ordered a new one online which arrived on Friday On Thursday the boat yard helped me get my petrol generator aboard and on Friday they moved Elektra out onto her seasonal mooring. On Saturday I cut our grass which I hadn’t cut for over 4 weeks and on Sunday I took the new vacuum cleaner out to Elektra and hovered out everywhere I could get too.

My sleep pattern had been totaly messed up! My pre fire sleep pattern was sleep 2300-0700hrs every night, by Saturday evening I had only had 21hrs of sleep since the fire. And the following week not much more sleep.

On the Monday morning the marine electrician came and looked at Elektra, in order to do a quote for the insurance. On Tuesday his quote arrived and on Wednesday I sent all the paperwork and photos I had to the insurance for claim.