Ships log for the yacht "Sparrow" an Ian Anderson designed 'Hurley 20', sail no. 109, launched 16th November 1967. This is the day to day stuff involved with owning and sailing a small boat, so nothing earth shattering but there'll also hopefully be some adventures along the way..
Not much of a trip - had hoped for more (clearly.. don't we all?! 😏), but lack of wind stopped play...
Two and a half hours before HT (12:23 and 4.10m) saw me on Sparrow after a chat with my mooring neighbours Jolly Boy Dave and Simon, covers off, engines started, and I dropped the mooring at about quarter past ten...
What wind there was was westerly so I put the main up by the bridge as is becoming the norm, and then headed off down the ditch after Simon. Motored all the way to just before Sweare Deep where (as usual) the noise of the engine finally got to me and I turned her off, and then I sailed for all of, oooh.. 15 minutes (?) before the wind dropped completely, and I ended up going round and round in circles heading back towards Emsworth Channel..
Didn't have enough fuel for an extended motor to the bottom of the harbour so decided to call it quits.. the forecast is good this week - there'll be other opportunities..
Time to get some fuel..
Log:
Distance: 3.57 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top) Wind (Speed; Direction): F1 gusting F3 ; between W and S Sail Plan: Full main and genoa Speed (Max/average in knots): 4.4 / 2.7
Little make do and mend session last week - we've been on the water couple of months now, and sun, rain, and UV never let up, and it was time I attended to a couple of things that I'd been noticing..
Locker lids:
Those of you who follow this nonsense will know that I have a hate hate relationship with these.. my fault assuredly as the ply they are made of is rubbish.. worse than rubbish.. anyway, those of you who follow will know that I'd already treated these over the winter [clicky] but some cracks on the edges of this one needed to be treated quickly lest the damage get much worse very quickly..
... regrettably though the damage on this one was done a long time ago, and it was shot.. look away now if you're of a nervous disposition...
..look at the quality of that ply - utter rubbish wood scrapings barely glued together..😐
..my plan had been to slip some epoxy into the crack using some thin plastic sheet to get it in but it failed completely when I then applied some pressure to press the sheets back together while the epoxy dried..
So.... what to do..
I can make a new one - but I need new supplies of ply, and I want time to find either a good source of marine ply, or ideally plastic/UPVC, to do this permanently - there's sailing to be done so I've bodged it to get me through to the end of the season...
I glued all the dust and scraps back together, and then glued two squares of 3mm plastic card, one either side to hold it together in a sandwich, and then clamped it for 24 hours to let the glue go off..
Tidied up the excess glue the next day, gave it a couple of coats of paint, and then reattached the locking hasp... it's not pretty (ain't that the understatement of the year), but it's sound, and more importantly will last me to the end of the season.. 😏
Gel Coat:
This has been on my mind (and the job list) for a while - Sparrow is 60 next year and her gel coat is getting thin in places. Just to be clear, I will not paint her (that way lies the madness of endless patching and maintaining on a huge scale) but I do need to stop further UV damage to places where it is thin - see following...
The hardest thing is getting the paint colour to at least a reasonable approximation (which I haven't done 😏), but the most important thing is that the damage is now covered, and the maintenance of these patches is far simpler..
..the end of the week and it was time for me to pop over to the island to help Rodders and his missus crew AmiLy back to the mainland..
Train, Fast Cat ferry from Portsmouth (of which I'm becoming a fan 😏)..
..sun deck is a glorious place to be on a hot day!
...and then soon enough in Ryde..
...how many bearings have been taken using Ryde church spire over the years I wonder..
...it was one one of the hottest weeks in the UK on record - and I'm not sure I'd have wanted to spend it on a boat given the heat we saw (high 30'sC) - but when I saw them, they said it had been a cracking week - visiting various places on the island and basically keeping cool and hydrated, much like the rest of us..
After a hot walk to the Lifeboat for some lunch, it was back to East Cowes in a growing breeze..
By the time we'd dropped the mooring and got into the Solent minds were already made up - no sailing today - F5 gusting F6 (I was seeing 39 knots on the wind instruments, despite apparent wind/tide!) and Easterly - bang on the nose - so we motored and let the engine take the strain.. what a glorious day though, sunny. warm in the breeze but cooler than without it.. fantastic
...back!
Log:
Distance: 12.86* (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)
Hurrah - time to take the ladies to Cowes for lunch - which is basically just an excuse for Smithy and I to get out on AmiLy for the day to help deliver Rodders and his lady to their holiday spot of a week in Shepherds Wharf in west-Cowes..
We enjoy this one (we did it for the first time last year) as it involves almost every type of transport system known to man (other than helicopter) to get back afterwards (as the boat stays in Cowes)..
Either way - met at my gaff at 08:30 before all 6 of us piled into Rod's trusty Landrover Disco (I got the boot seat again!) for the transfer to the boat..
Glorious weather and a surprisingly 'vibrant' breeze blowing when we got there, and from the east..
Filled up with water, got the sail covers off, singled up the lines, and we dropped the moorings 09:20 before heading into the harbour - did a U turn off the dockyard to head into wind in order to get the main up, and then rode the outgoing tide to the inner swashway..
I think that's the ex-HMS Montrose (left) and Westminster (right) - they're in the dockyard waiting on news of their likely demise..
The ex-HMS Westminster - a Duke-class Type 23 Frigate (as was Montrose)
..and then had a long uneventful run to Cowes - ended up taking the genoa in as the main was covering it, popped the auto pilot on, had a chat, ate some biscuits, drank some tea, sweltered in the heat.. fantastic..
Lunch was at the Island Sailing Club where, sitting on their balcony under a large umbrella and drinking beer, was quite possibly the best solution to the day...
Lunch over, it was time to bid Rod and his missus farewell (though I'll be coming over on Thursday to help bring the boat back) before we caught the chain ferry (mode of transport #3 of the day), and then walked up to the shops in east Cowes to get the bus (#4) to Ryde, where we then walked to the end of the pier to get the fast cat (#5) back to Portsmouth to get the train (#6) home. Suffice to say that the bus/ferry/train took as long as the sail and I know which one I preferred!
More reading on Montrose/Westminster here [clicky] if interested
Log:
Distance: 40.27 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)
Sail : 14.06
Bus : 8.9
Ferry : 5.2
Train : 11,4
Wind (Speed; Direction): F3 gusting F4 ; ExN going SE Sail Plan: Full main and genoa Speed (Max/average in knots): 7.3 / 3.5
By way of record keeping, and to remind me in the future - here's the
completed job list from the winter layover... all in all I would say it
was a busy one with some major jobs done..
Next winter will be quieter and I think probably the major job will be the
companionway hatches.. I'll do the cockpit hatches (again!😏) at the
same time..
I just need a better quality ply this time round though, as the
last lot was utter sh*te!
Completed list...
Standing rigging- this was last done in July 2013, so 12
years of light use (including one year when the mast never went up
thanks to COVID), but for reference the following is the order, ...
2 cap shrouds, and 2 pairs of lower shrouds, in 4mm 1/19
stainless steel wire with 5/16th rigging screws (Swage stud to
Fork) and new swage eyes.
backstay in 4mm 1/19 stainless steel wire using a triangular
plate with new bottle screw and new eyes and forks
forestay in 5mm 1/19 stainless steel wire with swaged eye at the
top and the lower end.
At the same time I also replaced the roller furler which came with the boat
when I bought it all those years ago, and originally came from (I think) a
much bigger Beneteau or Jeanneau - it was old, a massive beast, and had been cut
down to fit Sparrow so remained heavy to operate all the years I had it..
The new one is a Furlex 50S, and is the very opposite of that and is
utterly fantastic.. so light to roll in and out, almost does it
itself.. an absolute joy.
In order to get my genoa to fit however, I did have to get the luff bead replace with a smaller diameter bead
New and old side by side...
Huge thanks to Luke and Andrew at Holman Rigging [clicky] for a very classy set of wires, their service, and the suggestion for the the furler - second, no third, time I've been to them for rigging on my boats and once again they didn't disappoint.. recommended..
Boom/sail cover replaced - last one I bought it in 2019, so it
lasted 7 odd years albeit we had a year of Covid where it didn't get
a lot of UV. Compared with the previous ones, from the same
source/supplier, I would say this one is not of as good quality -
the material seems flimsier - but time will tell..
New windex - fitted, and still there.. it's quite a chunky
beast and my impression is it can be a little slow showing direction
when the wind is light, but hey, it's still there.. 😏
"Aramox Marine Weather Vane Wind Direction Indicator 304
Stainless Steel"
Regular/annual items:
Installed the temporary winter cockpit locker lids and brought the proper ones home to keep out of the winter weather; they're looking ok
Rub down and coat of paint (as needed) -
Locker lids - locker lids were filled and
sanded, and had two coats (of paint)
Wash boards -
lower was repaired and painted June '25 but needed more work this winter - both were sanded and filled and two coats applied, in addition the upper has had some UPVC reinforcement along the lower edge
Tiller pilot support
- two coats
Tiller pilot clip rest - two coats
Cockpit hatch cover -
done June '25
Forward hatch cover -
done June '25
Rear hatch cover -
done June '25
Tender - an additional keel plate reinforcement was attached, and the bottom painted
Rub down and coat of wood preservative or varnish (as needed) - the purchase of a new orbital sander this spring helped enormously with this one..
cockpit board- rubbed down and two coats of preservative
outboard pad- rubbed down and two coats of preservative
rubbing strakes -
rubbed down and patch repairs June '25 - rubbed down again and two coats of preservative this winter
hand rails -
are largely OK, one spot-sanded and coated with varnish
Serviced and inflation tested the Life Jackets - going to need some new ones at some time - they're perfectly good but looking tatty.. 😏
Pick up chain -
nothing needed this year - brought the top tackle home for the winter as usual though
Pre-launch wash and Oxalic, I also went round the waterline with a detail sander and removed as much as I could of the ingrained green staining she's picked up over the years - she looks a ton better
Too good an opportunity to miss as the wind was still blowing westerly (in fact looking at my log for last year it was doing the same this time then too)
Bit more southerly in it this time though, but either way I was on the boat three hours before HT (which was 13:25 and a mahoosive spring at 4.6mtrs) and practice makes perfect, I had the engine on the covers off and the mooring dropped just shy of 11:00 with 0.1 meters under the keel.. plenty.. 😏
Long slow run down the ditch under main (which I had again put up in the pool just in front of the bridge), fishing rod deployed (with no success), past Northney, and as I approached Sweare Deep I was hardening up enough to clear, and so roll out the genoa..
Single tack to the bottom of the harbour, gusty conditions, using the heavier gusts to ride up wind to help the angles but even against that massive tides she was romping along at 4 knots.. lovely sailing, just needed a little more sun..
Turned for the top of the harbour just after NW Pilsey as the wind was picking up further and I'd ruled out another Eastoke visit, and lit the afterburners - 6.7 and 6.9 knots SOG (tidal assisted😏) seen as we tore up harbour - was going so fast I almost missed Jolly Boy Dave out for a similar day sail on his boat..
Jolly Boy Dave out on his boat 'Kings Ransom'..
..in fact I enjoyed it so much I turned and headed back down harbour at Verner before turning again at NW Pilsey and finally heading for home - cracking trip - more, please!
Thoughts now turn to a little make do and mend session, got some painting and gluing to do around the boat...
Log:
Distance: 10.42 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top) Wind (Speed; Direction): F3 gusting F4 ; WSW going SW Sail Plan: Full main and 90% genoa Speed (Max/average in knots): 6 / 3
So after two solid weeks of wind and rain, at last the summer seems to have
returned to the UK after lulling us into that false sense of security last
month.
First sail since I got to take the Grandson out all that time ago, and not a
world of a lie it's been low pressure after low pressure ever since.. a
constant succession of F5 and F6 days, usually with rain and or hail..
and after those record breaking temperatures last month, last week the central
heating thermostat was kicking in! 😏 Suffice to say that the Jolly Boys, who
were due to get away for the first overnight of the year in Lymington last
week, were not happy when that trip went down the pan..
Fair to say then that the forecasts were being poured over on a daily basis
looking for the break, and it was finally spotted this weekend - yesterday and
today were looking good (and there are hopes for next week as well)..
Picked the Saturday in the end, as the forecasts were showing wall to wall
sunshine and a little more breeze than the Sunday (and as I'm writing this on
the Sunday I can confirm they were right 😁)
So on the boat by quarter to nine for a 10:37 HT, which was a Spring,
interesting forecast for wind direction turned out to be bang on the
money.. dead westerly...!
A soldiers wind
.. a beam reach either way if I wanted to head to the bottom of the
harbour, and who wouldn't..
Decisions to make when I got on the boat though - the forecast was saying 4
gusting 5 occasionally, but local conditions, and a check of the weather
stations at the top and bottom of the harbour were showing less... they
do say that if you think of reefing, you should do it, but in this occasion I
ignored it and went for a full main..
Mate of mine was out on the water and got a few shots of me and
Sparrow doing our best.. thanks Martin.. 😁👍
Dropped the mooring at 9'ish, motored gently up wind to the bridge in the pool
and put my main up before turning for a long glorious run down the ditch, past
Northney, and on to Sweare Deep where I hardened up for the (as forecasted)
reach to the bottom of the harbour.. slightly feisty conditions, the
occasional gusts were a bit spicy, but it was sunny (although cold - layers
were going on) and the harbour was full of my fellow sailors all thanking
their lucky stars that they could finally get out on their boats! I
could probably have done with having a small reef in the main, but most of the
time she chuntered along quite nicely, even if I couldn't always sheet in as
much as I wanted..
Returning the compliment - looking good Martin!
No plans other than heading to the bottom of the harbour, and a solid 4 knots
against tide almost all the way saw me there far quicker than I thought - it
being a Saturday of course, and the first decent break in the weather, it was
like Piccadilly Circus in the harbour mouth - every boat in the harbour was
heading for the Solent. Who was I to disagree.. so when I got to HISC I just
kept going... 😁
Now many years ago I was
dismasted not far from here [clicky], and just after I had had standing rigging replaced, so my plan for today
was to lay more ghosts to rest - as I'd just had the standing rigging
replaced.. 😏
Happily, no repeat of the issue, and just after Eastoke (where it happened
last time), and with a view if the Solent in all it's sunshine glory, and at
stand of tide..
"Piccadilly"..
...I tacked and headed back in..
...for a long beat up harbour as the wind had got some north in it at just the
wrong moment, no worries though, single tack saw me at Sweare Deep, and with
the wind freshening all the time I abandoned ideas of going back down the
harbour, dropped the sails, and motored back to the mooring.. stupendous
sail.. but a bit warmer next time, please!
Post script.. Martin got this as I was going past HISC on the way back,
you can see what I meant about the main could have done with a reef..
more main sheet and it would have set nicely, but I'd just let it out for a
gust.. 😁
Log:
Distance: 10.56* (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the
top) Wind (Speed; Direction): Both ends of a F4 ; WSW
going WNW Sail Plan: Full main/90% genoa Speed (Max/average in knots): 4.6 / 3.4
*includes distance covered while the GPS needed a battery change.. 😁
A quick sail to keep the grandson occupied on half term holiday week - who was I to say no? 😁
I was aware I needed to keep it short - he's 12 and with the best will in the world is not super keen on sailing so originally I'd planned it to be more of a fishing trip under motor than a sail, but with the harbour currently chock full of weed the lure fishing soon paled, so I suggested we put the rags up and have a sail.
Bless him .. he said "sure".. 😏
Easterly, and the sails went up just off Emsworth Beacon before we made the best course for Marker we could get in what was a fairly fluky south easterly (it was veering between SE and SSE, but trending more southerly by the half hour).
Eleven tacks to Marker and he'd made me aware he wasn't enjoying the tacking, so we bailed just after Marker (furthest south so far this year but that's not saying much!) turning for home with a long comfortable run in the sun back to the mooring..
What can I say - I enjoyed* it anyway.. 😁
* apart from the bit where I lost my glasses over the side 👓
Log:
Distance: 5.88 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top) Wind (Speed; Direction): SExS ; F3 (occasionally gusting F4) Sail Plan: Full main and 90% genoa Speed (Max/average in knots): 5.0/2.4
