Marker to Emsworth..

Another 'hard work' one...

13:37 HT and wall to wall sunshine so despite the fact it was a Sunday (mistake #1) I decided to go for a sail..  forecast was for both ends of a F4 and as it turned out that was upper half of a 4 to top 4, so some reefs were the first order of the day when I got on board. Having made a dogs dinner of that (she was lying to tide rather than wind so it was awkward indeed) I dropped the mooring and made off down the ditch..

Forecast was also for a SE'ly (mistake #2) and coupled with a big tide (4.7 mtrs) it was always going to be hard work...

Needs must though so engine refuelled, we cast off for an adventure - I ended up motor sailing all the way to Marker - with the wind and tide dead on the nose most of the way - when just before Marker I hit a solid wall of Opi's coming up harbour on a dead run - very exciting playing dodge the Opi for a while

Optimists...!  'fasands of them...! (said in your best Colour Sergeant Bourne/Nigel Green voice)

Once past Marker though, I could see that the bottom of the harbour was wall to wall dinghy's and a long motor sail away - so "sod it" quoth I, turned, gybed, and for a change headed off up the Emsworth Channel to Emsworth...

Fairly rare sight at the top of the harbour - wing foiler..

Lots and lots of boats about, moving and on moorings, and with a couple of boats up my chuff waiting to go through (probably to the marina) I exercised a little due caution, turned, tacked and headed back for home..

It was good to be out on the water, but I crave something with a little less 'south' in the next wind, please... 😁

Notes:

• 3.5 litres fuel added

Log:

Distance: 7.94 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)
Wind (Speed; Direction):  Mid to top F4 ; SSE
Sail Plan: Reefed main and 75% genoa
Speed (Max/average in knots):  4.6 / 2.8

Sublime to the ridiculous..

...but ain't that sailing?! 😏  Second time out in three days and the weather and wind looked like almost a carbon copy of Fridays awesome jaunt. Suffice to say expectations were high... idiot boy..

HT 14:27 and a bigger tide as they continue to get Spring'ish - an extra quarter of a metre of water sloshing around than had been the case on Friday. The wind was also clearly stronger, but I decided to go with the forecast and leave the reefs out. Either way on the boat by 11, fresh fuel added to the tank, covers off engine warmed up and we dropped the mooring just after half past.

Mainsail up in the pool by the bridge, and then bore away for the ditch and Northney/Sweare Deep, motor sailing as per Friday - much much windier though, and while I was motoring head to wind I took the opportunity to put some reefs in on the main.

Motor sailed through a lot of weekend traffic to Marker and then engine off and started tacking - but it just wasn't happening - tide was so strong it was pushing me back half of every metre made, and the wind direction was going more southerly/adverse with every minute. Ten tacks and 200 or 300 yards later I gave up, bore off and lit the afterburners for some fun back and forth in Sweare Deep before heading back to the moorings..

From the sublime to the ridiculous indeed, and a valuable lesson not to assume anything when you go sailing!

Notes:

• 3 litres fresh fuel added

Log:

Distance: 9.26 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)
Wind (Speed; Direction): SSE going S; F3 going F4
Sail Plan: Full and reefed main/90% and 75% genoa
Speed (Max/average in knots): 4.8 / 2.7

Pilsey dough man

With what feels like equinoctial gales and wind continuing to blow in the UK (and I know it isn't as we're at least 3 months past the equinox - but it almost feels like spring gales) we are once again into sniper mode .. picking our windows for the occasional sail when we can..

The Jolly Boys were due to go away last week for our first overnighter to Lymington but we cancelled in the end..  faced with a F5  gusting 6, with rain, and a westerly (so bang on the nose) the better option was definitely to go to the pub - so we did..  😏

The possibility then of a 'mere' F4, no rain (and we'd had torrential rain and thunderstorms the night before), maybe even some of the yellow stuff in the sky was grabbed with both hands..

HT 10:46 and I was on the boat at half past nine, first signs were good - the yellow thing was there - but it was also noticeably breezy, and yet again again a non-prevailing direction (NW'ly), and that north added a little cold to the equation.. 

Decision taken, and having fired up the metal donkey (with fresh fuel on the day) to warm up I wacked in some reefs on the main, and with the sail already up decided to sail off the mooring, as with the direction we had it would be on a dead run down the ditch..

I was spotted from afar... my thanks to Julian on Macavity for the photo 😊

I was pleased I'd put the reefs in - once we got out from behind the shelter of the bund, it was clearly a little breezier than I was expecting. Continued on the run until Sweare Deep where I gybed, and with enough clearance to now make the genoa work, rolled that out too..

Fast transit to the bottom of the harbour - I could get to like steaming past Marker like it's standing still - but although this wind direction is good for that, any destinations east of the transit line will inevitably mean a beat back to home - so what you win on one hand you lose on the other..

As it was, I made a fast passage to NW Pilsey where I then tacked, and headed for home on the last legs of the incoming neap - what a stonker of a beat is all I can say..

..driving a boat to windward with just the right amount of sail up
and a decent breeze..  is there anything better?

She went up wind like she was on rails, a constant series of 5's SOG, making my west'ings every time the wind shifted slightly in my favour in order to clear Marker fairly comfortably in the end.. 

Dodging the dinghy fleets, and with the wind building, and with me beginning to feel cold in the wind, the engine went down (and on) off Sweare Deep, and sails came down under auto pilot on the way back to the mooring in a growing breeze (bottom end 5 by the time I got back)

Short then, but very sweet..

Maintenance/snag list/notes:

• Refilled fuel tank - 4 ltrs
• Fuse gone in the masthead light switch

Log:

Distance: 8.03 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)
Wind (Speed; Direction): Both ends of a F4 with occasional F5; NWxW
Sail Plan: Reefed main and 75% genoa
Speed (Max/average in knots): 4.6 / 3.4

Beautiful boat..

Two weeks since I was last out on Sparrow for that beatific pan-harbour cruise in company with Simon and Martin on their boats, and since then it has been an almost constant series of wind, and or interspersed with the odd shower..  definitely time for a sail...

Late HT - 16:05 - and also a massive Spring, so once again there was a lot of water sloshing about when I finally managed to get to the boat at about 1300 (roadworks and associated traffic jams..  summer's here...😏) but having decided not to hang around, the engine was on and I was heading for the Rythe down the ditch about 20 past, waving to Jolly Boy Dave as I went past...

Sail cover and sail ties off  and halyards made ready as I went down the ditch (thank you you tiller pilot..  again..) and I turned and hoisted sails just off Northney and for the first time noticed what a weird direction it was coming from (in my defence the mooring is behind a bund which shelters the boat from the wind so sometimes it's not always obvious 😁) - westerly!

So the slightly weird sensation of a run down the Rythe to Sweare Deep, before bearing up for a beam/close reach all the way past Marker - and every minute I was expecting it to go more southerly..  and it didn't..

This beauty went past me like I was standing still, would love to know what she was..  looked like a wishbone, or spur insignia on the sail?

Strange old day wind'wise, as it was also alternating between a F2 and F4 but I guess it wasn't warm enough to generate a sea breeze so westerly it stayed all the way down the harbour until I tacked and turned for home just shy of the Fishery cardinal by HISC..  at which point someone put their foot on the accelerator..

With the tail end of the flow, and an increasing wind on the quarter, she was flying - and although the GPS missed it I was getting 6.1's and indeed a 6.3 (albeit SOG 😏) in fact it was getting quite feisty in the gusts..  hurtled past Jolly Boy Dave with just time for a wave..

Getting cloudy, and cold, and I decided enough was enough and it was time for the pub..  sails down in Sweare Deep and then a quick motor back to the mooring in what I think must have been a F5 by the time I got there..  great sail, even if it was short!

Notes: Outboard fuel tank drained - launch day was two months ago and I like to try and keep the fuel fresh - took home about 2 litres I think of the original 4 I put in and poured that in to the car. I'll fill up on the way to the boat next time..

Log:

Distance: 8.13 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)
Wind (Speed; Direction):  F2 occasionally F4; W
Sail Plan: Full main/90% genoa
Speed (Max/average in knots): 5.7 (6.3!😏) / 3.0

Emsworth channel is a target rich environment.. 😀

September has been a weird mix of heavy winds, light winds, rain and duff tides and it was almost two weeks since the last sail (on the 3rd) and I was beginning to get concerned that the season was actually over, never mind almost over..  a weather window on Monday though gave me the opportunity I wanted, albeit a short one..  

HT was at 11:10 and spring'ish at 4.1 mtr's, and wind was one of those supposedly* atypical easterly's that always make the trip a little more interesting if only for the fact you don't spend the entire trip beating up against the tide to Marker 😏  

On the boat by 9:15'ish, topped up the tank with 3 ltrs of Super, started up the donk (first pull!), got the sails ready, plugged in all the electronics, and eventually dropped the mooring about half past (but only after realising I had tied myself to the mooring via the tenders mooring line and having to sort that out.. 😀)..

Motored to end of the ditch, and as the wind was on the nose put the main up as I was half way between Northney and Sweare Deep, rolled out the genoa shortly after, and just after I turned the engine off got this little fellow..  my first of the season, and a school bass (juvenile of the adult tasty eater..  slightly bigger than the two that grandson got a few weeks ago, so I'll call him a teenager 😏) - admired, picture taken, and released..

Bore away just past Sweare Deep and on to a broad reach, a lovely thing to have but everyone knows that for every downhill there's an uphill, so once I got to Marker I turned and tightened up for the beat back..  I was checking to see what my bearing was on starboard tack as I was hoping it might take me up the Emsworth channel into Emsworth which would be a first this year. 

It wasn't too bad, but of course the wind was switching up to 10 degree's either side (I reckon offshore wind is always tetchy) which made the target rich environment of the Emsworth channel moorings  a fun challenge. Made it to the waiting pontoons though, and then turned for home..

Came round the corner by the Beacon and ran before the wind and against tide up until Sweare, before dropping and rolling the sails away and heading for the mooring. 

It was good to be out, but despite what the Cambermet beacon was reporting I think it was lighter up where I was...  either way, next day I was due to head to Yarmouth with the Jolly Boys, so it was good to get my hand in before I went, and this trip also took me through the 100 miles for the year. 👍

*(prevailing wind has always been SW'ly in this part of the world but when I look at the log, out of 15 trips I've only seen that 4 times this year)

Log:

Distance: 7.38 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)
Wind (Speed; Direction): F3 gusting F4; switching between ENE and ExN
Sail Plan: Full main/full and 75% genoa
Speed (Max/average in knots):  4 / 2.4

Barnacle madness...

So after the fun and games of 'rounding the cape' it was time to get back to the more usual business with Sparrow, and as July had largely been a washout (either literally because of rain, or tides, or whatever) I was determined August would not be the same. Tides were good, forecast was good, so Monday it was..

First order of business though, new fuel for the outboard to replace the old fuel I drained at the end of the last session - 4 litres of Esso Supreme (E5) added - good to go.

Next order of business, though, a scrub...  Sparrow's been in since the 10th April which is 16 weeks give or take..  roughly 2/3rd's of the season..  so bottom line I'd kind of expect her to have the usual weed growth, and expect to have to give her a scrub from the tender with a stiff brush, but what I hadn't expected was the sheer quantity of barnacles this year. She sits on a mud mooring, and it's fairly usual for her to have a crop on the bottom of the hull just between the keels at the end of the season, but this year they are covering the whole of the hull, and indeed the rudder. As a result the scrub this year was particularly satisfying 😀 

Over the years I have 'perfected' a technique that gives a reasonable scrub (without having to beach her and dry off) - a very stiff bristled brush, reasonable length of a beefy handle (wood not the cheap crap metal one's you get), and if you then rest the handle of the brush on the thwart of the tender for upwards pressure you can saw away to your hearts content, holding the tender in place with the other hand..  this time though I turned the brush over to use the hard edge of the head, and thousands of the little buggers were sent to their demise..  most satisfying..  clouds of disinterred barnacles disappearing off down tide.. 😏   Both sides, end to end, and the rudder and I'm pretty happy most of the problem is dealt with - then turned the brush over and gave the weed a go, not so much of that as I expected..  weird...

After that, time for some sailing - 13:15 spring HT (4.5 mtrs) - I'd managed to get to the boat for 10'ish just so I could get the scrub in, by the time I'd done that, got the boat ready, warmed the engine, and I dropped the mooring just after 11...  

Lots and lots of water sloshing around with a tide that big, but the weather was OK (not as sunny as forecast) but the wind was as expected - mid to upper F4, and the 'usual' SWly so I knew we weren't going to go far as the crow flies, and there'd be a lot of tacking 😏

Rooster tail..

Main up just off Northney, then 90% of the genoa rolled out (I prefer it when I know I have a lot of tacking to do) and bore away on a tightening reach for Sweare Deep, before cranking everything in and down for the first beat just to the south of Emsworth Beacon... 

30 tacks, and 2 hours, later we were just south of Verner, the breeze was generally good, but with the occasional gust causing her to head up, and it was time for me to head home on the very last legs of the flow... lovely very broad reach home in the company of Terror (the Emsworth Oyster boat) before engine on at Sweare Deep, and home..

Glorious..  next time though, she needs a scrub and some TLC - the birds have been crapping copious quantities of partially digested shellfish curry on her. and I want to get some paint on the cockpit hatch covers..

Log:

Distance: 10.32 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)
Wind (Speed; Direction): F4 ; SWxW
Sail Plan: Full main & 90% genoa
Speed (Max/average in knots):  4.6 / 2.8

Short and nasty!

Well I got that one wrong..  😀

Been four weeks since I last managed to get out on Sparrow - the weather, the tides, being busy elsewhere, the list is enormous, but the weather and the tides were the main culprits. I wouldn't say that so far it's been a good summer here in the UK - the current Mrs Steve the Wargamer blames the jet stream. Given it's been four weeks though I was gagging to get out, and despite a 17:14 HT I was determined to make it happen - especially as the weather was pretty good - nice and sunny..

When I'd been sat at home waiting for the appointed hour it had seemed to me that the wind was very light, if not absent..  but when I got to the boat about half past two, she was floating (thanks to the Spring tides), and the breeze had clearly filled in..  not quite enough to make me think it might be politic to reef, but I do remember thinking about it...

Dropped the mooring about 14:45, motored gently to the pool by the bridge (between 0.1 and 0.6mtrs under the keel) raised the main, and then bore away in a nice westerly for Northney and the end of the ditch..  rolled out some genoa just past Northney, bearing away for the Beacon all the time, and remarking at the increasing wind strengths as I progressed..  rocketed up to Marker on a beam reach, having to play the mainsheet in the increasingly powerful gusts (despite full adverse tide I was seeing 3.5 knots SOG). 

Past Marker and with the wind still increasing, the decision was taken that enough really was enough, so I tacked and headed for home. With the full weight of the incoming tide under me, full sail, and a beam reach I hit 6.8 knots (SOG) as I came up to the Beacon - got to be a record of some kind or another on Sparrow!

With the wind a fairly constant F4 dead on the nose by this point, motor came on at Sweare Deep and I was packed away by the time we got on the mooring..  short, sweet... and exhausting! 😏

Emptied the outboard fuel tank (and into the car) - time I refreshed the fuel..  I've put 7 litres in so far this year, and I guess there was about 2.5 litres I removed, so it's not exactly a thirsty engine..

She's beginning to show a growth of weed - four weeks not being used in the middle of summer is going to do that - this year though, somewhat interestingly, for the first time I have a barnacle infestation on the port side...  looks like I'm going to need to get the scraper to her for a mid season scrub/scrape...

Not mine, but you get the gist...  😀

Log:

Distance: 5.1 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)
Wind (Speed; Direction): F4 gusting F5; WxN
Sail Plan: Full main/90% genoa
Speed (Max/average in knots): 6.5 / 3.2

Blechh..

Short old trip out - on paper the forecast had looked good but as so often happens it was not what we got.. 

NW'ly breeze, and there was definitely some bite in it, both strength and temperature'wise - Cambermet was showing similar at the bottom of the harbour..  Pondered while I topped up the fuel tank, and ended up putting in a small reef on the main as the problem was the gusts rather than the general strength..

Dropped the mooring and headed for the ditch, rolling out some genoa as I went down it - wind was on my left shoulder so no need to turn down some extra assist..  even so, on minimal rev's and against tide we were seeing 4.5 SOG. Went past Northney and turned back on myself to raise the main. before bearing away for a goosewing run to Sweare Deep.

The wind was being  bit..  "spicy"...  basically NW'ly, but in the gusts it was swinging 10' either side of that so the downwind run was err...  interesting! 😏

Bearing away as we went past the Beacon the wind came round more on our shoulder again, but in the lee of Hayling dropped, before building again as we approached Marker. Time to decide what we were going to do with the day..  I didn't fancy the bottom of the harbour after a long run/reach as it would be a beat all the way home, but the direction was interesting and warranted an attempt at the channel up to Emsworth (Fishermans on the track picture below marks the northern end of it). I thought it could possibly be done on a single tack

Turned and headed back, at which point the apparent wind honked up a whole force, and the swing in direction from the gusts became even more problematic. I didn't fancy being up that constricted channel, on a tack, with gin palaces either side suddenly being headed, oh, while the tide was still running..

"Sod it", quoth I..  it was grey, I was getting cold, I wasn't enjoying the sailing, so sails came down and I motored back.

Short trip - hour and a half'ish - blew the cobwebs out, but it was enough..

Interesting problem when I got back in to the tender to come back to shore - one of my rowlocks had gone missing! I reckon it had got caught on the tenders mooring rope and just pinged out as the tender moved around..  happily, I had a spare in the bottom of the tender, but otherwise I'm sure I could have lashed something up with some spare line..

Log:

** 2 litres added to the fuel tank **

Distance: 5.1 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)
Wind (Speed; Direction): Both ends of a F4 ; NW
Sail Plan: Reefed main and genoa
Speed (Max/average in knots):  5.3 / 3.5

Shakedown sail...

Bit of a big one, but a fairly trouble free shakedown it was..  before we get to that though, a few other bits and pieces happening...

First off, sniping a suitable hole in the abysmal weather we've been having recently, the sails finally went back on three or four days ago. I also took the opportunity to tighten up the rig, and to refresh the fuel in the outboard tank..  I get worried when it's over four weeks old, and it's no problem just to drain the tank of the old, shove that in the car, and then fill up again with fresh the next time I'm on the boat..  so 5 ltrs of Super added..

While putting the tender in however, one of the wheels fell off the launch trolley - so that was a slightly bigger job - took it home and found they had been held on with captive/locking washers..

Tidied up the hub, and rather than get new locking washers I decided to drill and pin it with a nice chunky washer between to protect the pin and wheel from rubbing...

Job done - the other one is OK, so I'll just do the same when it (inevitably) fails - let's go sailing..

Quite possibly one of the loveliest days of the Spring so far this year, with a F3 promised (albeit expected to drop later in the day) and wall to wall warm sunshine was chosen for the first sail..  what a blinder, and so good to be back on the water..

HT was 11:46, and I was on the boat and getting ready by 09:45, funnily enough, and unlike normally happens on the first sail of the year, I actually remembered what to do, and even in the right order (😏) including remembering how to reef - the wind in the moorings was a little feisty, and given it was the first sail of the year, I decided a light reef was in order despite the forecast saying it would drop. That done by half past we dropped the mooring and for the first time this year were motoring down 'the ditch' (it's actually called 'The New Cut' as it was dredged back in the day for the barges that ran between Chichester and Portsmouth) towards Northney...  sails up off the entrance to the marina and the (most unusual) NE'ly was swinging around enough for us to get down Sweare Deep to the Emsworth Channel on a single tack before bearing away against a Spring tide flow to have a glorious beam reach to the bottom of the harbour - making 3's and 3.5 knots against a a 1 or 2 knot tide..  most pleasing - clean bottoms are a help.. 😀

Short cut cross Pilsea Sands, then Stockers Lake (interesting to see the depth jump as we went through, or rather over, it) and over Stockers Sands before tightening up for Snowhill Creek...   remarkably un-busy at East Head for such a lovely day but I guess most people were at work, so a bit of pootling round admiring the boats, and it was round Snowhill buoy and aiming back at the top of the harbour..

Close hauled, and close reach, to the top of the harbour with the wind dying all the time, hove to to take the reefs out just shy of Marker, and then persevered for another half an hour before admitting defeat, dropping the sails and heading back to the mooring on motor.

So "shakedown" issues?

• Standing rigging is good - all taught and little or no slack on opposite sides when beating
• Main halyard run was a bit skewwhiff - it was running behind/around the genoa halyard so friction when raising and dropping the sail - dropped the genoa, restored a clean run for both halyards, and re-raised and tied off the genoa..  job done.
• Dropped the boat hook when I was picking up the mooring - no idea how - but happily I managed to get back to the cockpit, leant over the side, and collected it as it floated past..  another vote for wooden boat hooks..  they float.. but easier not to drop it in the first place! 😏

Log:

** Old fuel drained - 5 litres added to the fuel tank **

Distance: 10.18 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)
Wind (Speed; Direction):   Both ends of a F3; NE going SxW (sea breeze)
Sail Plan: Reefed/full main; reefed/full genoa
Speed (Max/average in knots):  5.4 / 2.8

Tack, tack, tack, dodge, tack...

An opportunistic trip out so soon after the last trip, but with a decent ('ish) forecast and nothing quite as good forecast for the next few days, it was too good an opportunity to miss.... 

High tide was 13:40 and a quite astonishing 5.23m height (there's a full moon at the moment, and called a "Corn" or "Harvest" moon depending on your inclination) - I can attest to the fact that there was an astonishing amount of water sloshing round - and most of it going in the wrong direction! 😏

So, on the boat 11:30'ish, filled the outboard tank with what I reckon will be the final 3 ltrs of  'Super' for this season, checked Cambermet for a real time forecast of conditions at the bottom of the harbour and could see it was low to mid F4, and pretty much southerly, so decided to leave the reef in the main from last time -  it was a 50:50 but the forecast was predicting it might build later (it didn't..)

With that direction, and the amount of tide flowing, it was always going to be one of those classic Chichester Harbour tacking days, and so it transpired. Under engine to the end of the ditch (I would have sailed, but it looked like there was a rowing gig event on and I needed the manoeuvrability), sails up/out, and then a close reach to Sweare Deep, before tightening up for the Beacon. Rolled out the rest of the genoa as I could see that she was happy to take the extra sail, and then hard on the wind and tack, tack, tack..

It got fairly exciting when about 20 to 30 performance dinghy's from one of the Emsworth clubs suddenly turned up in the fairway, and I had the great 'good fortune' to be on port when most of them had tacked onto starboard..  should have tacked myself, but I was in no rush and it was kind of interesting to check the boats out...  considerate and polite lot, got a number of "thank you's" for dipping round the sterns..👍

Flat, flat, tacks though as the tide was monstrous - eventually turned about 200 yards short of Marker and ran for home.

Curiously satisfying trip.. 😊

Log:

Distance: 7.22 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)
Wind (Speed; Direction):   F4 ; SSW
Sail Plan: Reefed main and full/reefed genoa
Speed (Max/average in knots):  4.1 / 2.5

Feisty!

Blimey..  that blew the cobwebs out for sure..

Changeable and inclement weather continues here in the south of the UK with the jet stream [clicky for a forecast/view from the met office] now an almost constant topic of conversation at the sailing club as dinghy race after dinghy race is cancelled due to high wind. They had the first one yesterday in what seems like two weeks..

Having enjoyed that lovely trip the other day though, I was keen to get out on Sparrow again. The weather yesterday was monsoon like, and the tides were getting later and later, so my only option this week (due to other commitments) was today/Monday with a 16:53 HT, but a Spring'ish 4.6mtr tide would mean I should be able to get off the mooring just over 3 hours before.

First though a stop off at the garage for some fuel for the outboard - 3 lts of Super later (gave up on regular when they upped the ethanol content a few years back) I headed back to the club, got the oars and headed out to Sparrow. CAMBERMET, my local weather beacon, was down (I suspect a casualty of Storm Antoni last weekend) so there was no view of what was happening at the bottom of the harbour, the one outside the harbour was showing F4, local conditions looked ok, and the forecast was F4, so I decided to go without reefs...  😏

Repeat of last trip then..  rolled out the genoa at the start of the ditch as wind was going round more west every minute (so a run), turned into wind off Northney and got the main up, then bore off for the Beacon..

Should have known it wasn't a good decision not to put reefs in, the wind was building every minute and by the time I came up into the wind as I passed Beacon I was struggling - Sparrow bless her was luffing up almost constantly in the gusts, the tiller was under my chin, and neither she or I was happy so I rolled some genoa in, then turned/tacked to go down wind, shoved the auto pilot on, and rolled some reefs (eventually) into the main, before continuing our journey to the south.

As the wind hit what was a constant F5, the temperatures cool, I came to the conclusion enough was enough and turned for home at Verner..  a learning experience for sure, but I'd prefer some sun.

Out with the Jolly Boys on AmiLy on Thursday, and fingers crossed for good weather as I hope to have grandson as crew on Sparrow for the first time on Friday.

• 3ltrs fuel added to tank

Log:

Distance: 8.27 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)
Wind (Speed; Direction): F5 ; SW going WxS
Sail Plan: Reefed main and genoa
Speed (Max/average in knots): 6.1 (saw 7.1!) / 3.1

New engine..

Time for an update on the cryptic comment re. the "engine front" a few posts ago.. bit of a giveaway in the following...  

..😁  

The elderly Suzuki developed an oil leak last year which I had addressed over the winter (a new sump gasket and sealant) but there is still a slight leak, and given the venerable age of the engine (think it's a 2007?), it's overall condition (not brilliant as it lived in an outboard well for  number of years), and also the general issues I have also had with revs and idling this year, I decided to give myself a retirement sailing present ==>

Tohatsu long shaft four stroke ('natch) 6HP Sail Pro version.. that model chosen as it was the one I had before the Suzuki, you may remember it as the one that was stolen [clicky] - always loved it, and the Sail Pro thrust was noticeably better than the Suzuki (less revs same speed)

Price was, I thought, very reasonable (just shy of £1400) and included a new external tank and fuel lead..  I shopped around, but in the end bought it from a local dealer as it means I can maintain warranty more easily - they'll do servicing..  first service is due after 20 hours, which may just be long enough to get me to the end of the season (I don't use her that much).

Picked it up a couple of days later, and what a thing of beauty.. 😍

Looks black, but in direct sunlight it's a very dark purple colour (the lady in the shop said it was 'aubergine'.. 😀🍆)..

Time to make it less shiny before I put it one the boat though.. I'm going for an "under achiever" look so a coat of paint on the leg would make her look not quite so new, and not quite so shiny or attractive....  

Started masked her up..

Taped all bolts and openings

Then two coats of grey epoxy primer..

If it works as camouflage for the Royal Navy's ships, it's a good enough colour for me..  😀

Done..  on the boat it will have a full strength, barrel type, outboard lock (it's a Fulton), and I will be bringing the engine cowl home with me each time I'm away from the boat - I use a Ducks Back soft cover..  

I work on the assumption that the lock, and the fact that they would also have to source a new cowl will make them go away and look for easier pickings..  but we shall see...  🤞

Took the old engine off a few days before I picked this one up, so that is now home and in the garage - that will be going on eBay. The fuel in the tank was put in the car, the new engine and fuel tank had 5 ltrs of fresh "Super"

I moved the new one to the boat yesterday and lifted it to and from the boat the same way I took the old one off, using the boom as a crane, and the main sheet as the lifting tackle - very easy, and very pleasing.

Having secured it I, of course, had to fire it up and check she was OK, all started very smoothly -adjusted the leg angle a notch (Sparrows transom is curved inwards).. and SO quiet!

Time to go sailing at last..

The one that came home..

These are beginning to sound like episodes of Friends so I'll have to stop that..  😁

I am retired..  retired...  I can go sailing anytime I like..  so where today would normally have been a "crafty day off", it is no more..  it was just a sail..  but my goodness, it was a cracking sail..

Top 4 gusting 5 when I arrived, but having topped up the outboard tank (I may have grandson as crew on the next trip) with 3 ltrs of Super, put together the replacement fishing rod^ for the one I lost last time, and then rolled a couple of clips of reef in the main, I dropped the mooring and headed for the ditch and the end of the Emsworth channel for what turned out to be a (better) repeat of Sunday's sail..

Solo sailor - everything to hand..   😀

The wind was still fractious, occasional gusts that made me happy about having put the reefs in, but with less shift'age in the wind direction; looking at the stats it shifted through a total of about 50 degrees between E and NE, but the average was much smaller this time..

So a broad reach, occasionally a run, to the bottom of the harbour where once again the wind died with the high tide. Hardening up to get a bit of East'ing I then had a two tack beat to the top of the harbour.

Cracking day - returned to the moorings though, to find one of the club boats in trouble - both our club work boats were out giving assistance, and it looks like a mooring chain had wrapped round the keel - they cleared it before I returned to the shore; I hope everything is OK for the owner..

^ New fishing rod is a Frankenstein lash up from bits found in the garage, comprising the top half of a beachcaster, and a reel from the spares box, tie clipped and taped to the rod section. It worked by the way - deployed on the beat back home I had my first bite and catch of the summer - mid sized - OK, small - mackerel which was returned to the briny quickly, so no time for a photo opportunity..

Log:

• oil topped up
• 3 ltrs fuel added

Distance: 9.31 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)
Wind (Speed; Direction): F3 gusting top F4 ; ENE
Sail Plan: Reefed main, 80% genoa
Speed (Max/average in knots):  5.2 / 2.8

Make do and mend...

No sailing this weekend due to tide times - simply too early and too late to make a fist of a session..

Instead a bit of make do and mend...

Fuel was recycled as it was getting on a bit and the only fuel they'd had available last weekend was standard unleaded (E10) and I try to use "Super" (E5) these days as the ethanol content is lower and I consider that to be kinder to the engine innards...  so..  old fuel syphoned off, and 3.5 ltrs of new fuel poured in - the old fuel went into the car so nothing was wasted..

At the same time I took to opportunity to give the cockpit hatches a quick rub down, and a coat of paint - the ply is shocking, and even with two coats of epoxy spray primer small area's of cracks were showing - better to head them off at the pass than have to make yet another set of covers when water gets in!

Scorchio...

We're in the middle of a heat wave at the moment and highs don't always guarantee wind.. so it was that with a decent mid day tide I was hoping to get out on a long one, but the wind didn't kick in until just after HT so as I sweltered under an umbrella in the garden looking at the tops of the tree's not moving, the first signs of a breeze saw me heading for the boat..

Huge tides at the moment, 4.8 mtrs on the moorings, and arriving at the time I did there was only two feet between the gate of the tender pen and the water!

Filled up the outboard remote tank with 2 litres, covers off, engine on, and then just an hour and half sailing, but what an afternoon..  glorious force 4's tacking in the sunshine, chatting with a guy on a 420 dinghy as we swapped tacks, until I got the long board just off the entrance to the Emsworth channel and headed south..

Lovely...

• 2 litres of fuel added
• Oil checked (good)

Log:

Distance: 5.69 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)
Wind (Speed; Direction):  F4 (both ends) / SExE going SSE
Sail Plan: Full main and full/reefed jib
Speed (Max/average in knots):  3.7 / 3.1