It seemed a good idea
Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2013 1:03 pm
Went sailing on Tuesday, actually motoring 'cos there was nae wind. Marisca is staying in the water until Xmas on a luxuriously appointed pontoon at JWD - luxurious to anyone who has ever suffered Port Edgar - and the idea is that I should use her. Stayed the night in a very off-season Rothesay where the entry lights aren't working 'cos a bulb has blown! Argyll & Bute Cooncil are the responsibles according to the man on the pier who asked me to delay leaving.
So on Wednesday I thought I'd sail back to JWD before the forecast rain arrived. T'was a bit of a curate's egg - what started as a F4 NE died and started swinging around as I got near Toward; varied by about 180deg at times with drops to nae wind at all in a sloppy sea. Then it changed to gusts going from 5-25kts almost instantly with swings of a mere 90deg, alright when on the freeing tack, but instant go-about on the other. Got to Cloch, seeing off a sailing school Bav34 out of Kip on the way, and it settled into an easterly but kept increasing until I was seeing a steady 35kts on the dial. What would have been exhilarating in July ain't so much fun in October. Then I noticed water on the saloon floor - not a normal occurrence - some idiot had left the heads sink sea-cock open when he brushed his teeth that morning and the plughole is significantly below the waterline on starboard (the making tack from Toward to Kilcreggan) - explained why she felt sluggish! Then there was the Avon dinghy making an escape bid from the coachroof, the main leech line deciding to let go, unreeve itself and wrap round the reefing line and my fixed-last-year back causing shooting, almost paralysing pains down my leg which delayed my reefing a tad.
I bet all you early out the water types are really jealous !!!!!!!
So on Wednesday I thought I'd sail back to JWD before the forecast rain arrived. T'was a bit of a curate's egg - what started as a F4 NE died and started swinging around as I got near Toward; varied by about 180deg at times with drops to nae wind at all in a sloppy sea. Then it changed to gusts going from 5-25kts almost instantly with swings of a mere 90deg, alright when on the freeing tack, but instant go-about on the other. Got to Cloch, seeing off a sailing school Bav34 out of Kip on the way, and it settled into an easterly but kept increasing until I was seeing a steady 35kts on the dial. What would have been exhilarating in July ain't so much fun in October. Then I noticed water on the saloon floor - not a normal occurrence - some idiot had left the heads sink sea-cock open when he brushed his teeth that morning and the plughole is significantly below the waterline on starboard (the making tack from Toward to Kilcreggan) - explained why she felt sluggish! Then there was the Avon dinghy making an escape bid from the coachroof, the main leech line deciding to let go, unreeve itself and wrap round the reefing line and my fixed-last-year back causing shooting, almost paralysing pains down my leg which delayed my reefing a tad.
I bet all you early out the water types are really jealous !!!!!!!