Details

Details

Details

Suggested as alternative to Ostende. Can do in 1 hit via Dungeness then straight over - approx 85nm ???.

Details

Last Sunday (Easter Sunday - and Zoe's egg really did go missing - it will tun up Im sure ....), saw me dry the boat out for the second time solo. It went well. ANother one go and I'll feel quite happy about it. Jobs done were replacing anodes, servicing prop (inc replenishing grease in gun), jetwashing bottom and painting boot-top as it was looking awful. Hopefully the short drying time wont affect the outcome. A good few dings in the prop blades so next time she is out for a while I think I will get the prop down to Alan Pollard at Kiwi.

Whilst waiting for the tide to come in I started getting worried as there was only 0.1-0.2 on the grid 45 mins before HW on a 4.6m spring tide with an inconing High system. In the end all was well though it is something towatch as average HW spigs in Portsmouth are 4.7m with not much of a spread at HW. In thory, it could be possible to beach yourself permannently, although you would have to be very unlucky indeed.

Waiting for water gives you plenty of time to think. So, plans for 2015 .......
Initially Jester Baltimore, Boulogne, Thames and RTIR. On reflection however, Jester Baltimore lost its appeal - a lot of preop for littlw return, so the jury is out on that one. BAck on the ECF, put in suggestions for Boulogne and got Thames and Boulogne in the diary. Cheryl (Zoe's friend) has a brother who is planning on chartering a 50fter for RTIR and may have a space .... fingers crossed. That would be a lot of fun !!. Have put date for Boulogne on ECF - lets see what the response is ............

So, what happened in 2014 ?. In short - very little. From memory, I took her round to Littlehmpton for a very spooky entrance/exit in the dark (not recommened) - she was very sluggish and who wouldnt be with a bum as dirty as hers !. Another memory was Studland Bay which was great but for the stop off in Newtown Creek on the way back where a moody man in a dinghy siad I was too close to the (empty) mooring buiys. Wind picked up and I ended up coming sdtraight back home .....
Unless mentioned elsewhere, she has also been to Yarmouth and up into Bealieu River which was beautiful. I also single handed her up Southampton water and she took us across to Cowes for a fanstastic lunch whist getting halyards sorted .... in time for the RTI race which didnt happen, because the engine CW inlet was hacked off during a blockage clearance - dont ask !!!!

Stole a few hours to get some jobs done ......

- Finished headlined board for solar panel
- Looked at ways of doing heads and galley sinks - should be reasonably straightforward.
- Sealed hand rail starboard where suspect leak starts
- Checked out mainsail gate and realised standard rigrite part number - will check agaon when mast down.
- Assessed items to be cleared out for summer (nothing much really !)
- Decided to leave forhatch seal for now.
- Decided that new main GPS is way forward - etrex connections are just way too flimsy .... it feeds AIS and radar so needs to be reliable .... ordered Garmin GPS72H.
- Sorted laptop housing - ordered foam for next visit.
- Checked LED strips under boom - will wait until mast down to check electrics.
- Main job next visit is engine service ......

..... and hell does she need a darned good scrub !!!

Morning on the boat today to catch up on a few jobs :
Laptop - found a beaut place for it now :)
Measured LED strip under boom
Secured 913 with bike inner tube
Tested android charging
Removed switch panel surround to start rebuild
Cleaned up headlining with Dettol
Engine bay lining is now one of last jobs and from cabins only really needed
Finished roof panel design - more struts needed for next visit
Ran the engine - the Kiwi needs a full strip when she comes out in June

Shuld do more of these quick visits :)

Well, long overdue doesn't even come close .... Cutting a very long story very short, in the last 2 years, I have re-married (an old friend - a very long story !), bought the house of one's dreams, moved the boat to Portsmouth, BUT ...... lost touch with sailing. PD2 was bought with the main intention of entering the RWYC RB&I 2010 with Lindsey. That didn't happen, and with the changes just mentioned, sailing has taken very very much a back seat. Since the south coast holiday, I had a few sails on the east coast then moved the boat to Pmouth (with Ian !). After that the biggest thing that happened was a trip to Plymouth to see off JAC 2012. I also dried her out by myself which was a big step forward but the trips to Cowes haven't happened which is fine, as, actually, work is taking on a new meaning and significance. A complete rebuild of the Kiwi prop is needed which is knocking confidence and has been for a while. One of 2 things needs to happen now. Either PD2 starts to get used, or she needs to be sold and I need to return to sailing later in life. I am actually fine with this, but lo leave her languishing isn't the way forward. Watch this space ........

Laying down supper - Titchmarsh

Out : 7.5
Back : 7.5
Total : 15
YTD : 1182.7

More of a sorting what needs doing longer term and measuring everythign after visiting SBS weekend before.