Sandbar swim

 

I was planning a sail down at Swan Bay with Mike and Khiem down from Sydney for today, 31 December, but it was clear from the forecast it would be too hot for us older geezers, so that has been postponed.  I was going to rest up and get organised for the Swan Bay expedition, but cancellation freed the day up, so I got the Skerry out. Anne wanted a swim, and wanted to come out for a sail. Andrew was down with his laser and took this photo of us getting ready to set out. Which was just as well as I had all my cameras and gps in a lovely new canvas bag Jess gave me for Christmas, but managed to leave the bag sitting on the floor at home.

It was Anne's first sail in the Skerry, and given less flexible knees, it took us a while to find a workable crew distribution. Starboard tack was a bit problematic with Anne sitting to the rear - next time I will get her to sit amidships. Or build some side sears for that forward section. But Port tack was fine. We sailed over to the little sandbar which has appeared behind Wise's reef, and anchored using the little grapnel, with about a foot of water beneath the boat. Anne went for a swim, I experimented with some bits of ply between the side seats. I can lie down and the boat felt quite stable. I think I can camp in it. Next step, work out how to rig a fly sheet. I think I need a pole at the stern, which may require some modifications.

When we got going again, I sailed Anne over to Flemmos beach so she had a shorter walk home. I dropped sail and rowed in,  which was a bit of a circus. I should just have sailed as I can see better where I am going. A chap on the beach was very envious of the Skerry. After depositing Anne I rowed out a way, raised sail, and continued over towards Point Cook for a while, before turning for a great reach back to the red stick and home. 

I think that is the sort of sailing that I really enjoy. I like solo stuffing around sailing. John Welsford in his happy new year post invited his readers to think about what they want to achieve in the coming year and what they will do to make that happen. My aspirations are pretty modest: I would like to do lots more solo stuffing round sailing, and get around the bay with a few overnights. 

My performance for 2021: I got out on the water 62 times, launched Kirsty Anne 21 times, Derry 28 times (not bad as first launch was 5 July), the Sabre and Mirror both sold now accounted for 10 launches, and I sailed with other people 3 times. Given all the lockdown restrictions that's not too bad, but I hope to have a better record in the log book for 2022.

Four go to Williamstown

 

Peter who built my Core Sound rang and suggested a sail on the 29th. On the day, four boats launched, Peter and Kirsty in their newly built Lapwing, Andrew in Mars, Gerard in his ts14, and Jim came along with me and Oz in the  Core Sound. A lovely not too hot day with a steady southerly breeze. We sailed round into Williamstown and back. Gerard needed to be back by 2 to take Jennie to a medical appointment. 

It was a very nice sail.  We were hooting back on a broad reach, going 5+ knots, when Sandra came whizzing past in her Sabre,looking like she was going 8 knots. She has some fancy glasses that can take 30 second video clips.

It was a nice way to spend some of my 70th birthday.

The sleeping crew

 

When she sees us setting up down at the beach, Lena who minds Ozzie for us sometimes, has been keen to get her son Connor to come out for a sail with me. Poor lad got marched down at 8.30 on the 22nd and shipped aboard as crew. It was a steady southerly, nice and steady, quite the sort of sailing I like. But I think not that interesting for a teenager.  I put him on the helm but he handed that over pretty quickly. We sailed over past T28, and luckily the seal was home. On the way back, the crew retired to the shelter of the dodger and went to sleep for most of the rest of the trip.  I don't think that my sort of sailing is all that engaging for that age group.

Coming back into Altona we met Mark coming out in his brother's Dolphin, a lovely open sailing boat. I dropped Connor off, then went out again for a sail around with Mark.  

2 big questions

 

Gerard was itching to try out his Hartley ts14, Jim and Penny wanted to get out for a pre Christmas sail, I had my Pfizer booster shot appointment at 9. I arranged to meet them at Werribee South ramp round 10. Jim and Penny brought their Drascombe.  It was a bit of a grey windy day but we got out inthe chop. The two boats were fairly similar in speed. Gerard is still sorting the rigging on the Hartley, and his furling gear got into a right tangle. Once we sorted that, I managed to rip the vang attachment off the mast. Either I don't know my own strength, or those rivets were just not up to it. 

We sailed round for a while, almost to Wedge Point, then hove to for lunch. Heaving to in the Hartley was a fairly bumpy experience, but fun, sort of like being cast away, watching the waves come rolling by. We got going again, ran Bach to the river mouth, dropped sail and motored in without incident.Along the way, we discussed some of dinghy cruising big questions.

 

To the island

 After Monday's rather sketchy sail, Andrew was keen n to get out again with his new Laser sail. Jamie with his Mirror wanted to get out too, and Paul and Sanddra both launched their Sabres. It was a beautiful morning for it.

The Sabres and the Laser are way faster in the light airs and quickly vanished over the horizon. The Mirror and the Skerry much more even in pace. Jamie and I sailed to the mouth of Kororoit Creek. The tide was rising, but there was a little sandbar island there. We stopped and had a cup of tea. While we were there, the wind picked up bit, and getting off the lee shore in the Skerry was interesting. I nearly collected a few obstacles, but we got away ok eventually. It was a nice sail, but I wonder what the future of sailing with the faster boats is.

House quest

 Anne has wanted a serious dollshouse for ages, and a promising one came up on Gumtree. Not completed, lots of bits and pieces. Older couple, wanting the house to go to a good home.  The only downside, they live in the Southern Highlands NSW. After some fruitless attempts to arrange a courier, I drove up Wednesday, loaded up,  stayed with them overnight (a story in its own right) collected the house and bits, and drove back down Thursday. I listened to Mike Duncan's Revolutions podcast, all the episodes on the English civil war, which really helped the kilometres pass. Now we have another project.  Maggie seems to approve. She can't wait till it is filled with small delicate objects that she can knock over.

Sheetless

 A hot, northwind gusty morning, not ideal for a sail but the only free slot. The forecast not too bad. I met Andrew down at AYC, and we rigged up with flapping sails and a bit out of practice. I put in the reef.  Andrew trying out a new sail, and forgot battens. We sorted that a launched. Oz I think quite enjoys sailing as long as he doesn't get cold and wet. I didn't set the lazy jacks up so well, maybe I neeed a clip on the boom for the front line.

It was gusting and we were scooting along, when I noticed Andrew was having some issues. He had lost his mainsheet and was drifting off towards Portarlington. The sail was out at about 40 degrees to his boat, well out of reach.

I sailed past him, tacked round and came whizzing past his leeward side on a broad reach. He is drifting down wind at a knot or two, I pass him up wind probably going 4 or 5. I did manage to grab the sheet, but of course with the momentum I couldn't hold it. Luckily it was enough for Andrew to grab it and get sorted.  

I helped him pull his boat out, and after he packed up, went for another sail, over to the gas pipe light at Kororoit Creek mouth. I was hitting 6 knots most of the way back. Wind at Laverton gusts to 23 knots. An eventful day. Heat really doesn't help set up. 

Port Fairy

 

The weather forecast was good for a few days, we had no commitments, and holiday season is yet to kick off so we packed the teardrop and headed down to Port Fairy for a quick break.

There are some great campsites along the river shaded by huge New Norfolk pines. It is a fortunate place, with the river and the beach. We had lots of pleasant walks. If someone offered me a swap with one of those houses I would be mighty tempted. 

I thought about taking Derry the Skerry, but the roof on the new Subaru is much higher than on the old one, and I realised that I need some better system to get the boat up there safely. I took the inflatable canoe instead, and enjoyed a pleasant afternoon exploring the Moyne River up to Belfast Lough. One sponsoon has a slow leak which required repumping every half hour or so. 

We came home early as the weather packed up. A good little trip though, a reminder of how good the teardrop can be.

Mallacoota Day 3 - rain and range anxiety

 The campers a few sites down had a big night Friday night. No music, but lots of grog and talking. By midnight I went down and asked them to quiten down. I thought one guy was going to have a go at me, but, surprisingly they did stop, and after I calmed down, I got a bit of sleep, awakening to a bright tent at 5.30.

It was raining.  After breakfast we rigged up and loaded the boat, then drove the trailer down to the ramp, then walked back and set off, about 7.30. I was keeping close in to the mooring piles, but a boat appeared coming the opposite way, so I moved out to give him room, and shortly ran aground. The Padook earned its keep. We wound up backing out, as I could see the water and the channel better over the stern. Poor Oz didn't think much of all this.

There was not much wind but enough to sail. I met up with the other WBA boats off Kabeethong jetty round 9. Jim and Norm had launched from there, a smart move skipping all the channel. Andrew in Mars caught us up. Andrew took this photo of us in the rain, ghosting towards the Narrows.

I had to use the Toqeedo in the Narrows, and when I got to top lake, the rest of the fleet had vanished. I tried beating across with a shifty wind mostly on the nose,but started to worry I was getting too far behind, so I fired up the Torqeedo again.

There is an interesting balance of factors that come into play with the Torqeedo.  The faster you go, the less distance.  Sailing into the wind, the CMG can often be about the equivalent of a knot made good in the direction you want to go.  With the Torqeedo, you can burble along about 2 knots and have a range of round 16 NM.  

Into the Genoa River, I met Jim and Penny and Chris coming down.  They had given up on Gypsy Point and were heading back to a jetty in Top lake for shore leave and lunch. I kept going, and met Andrew and Bob in Mars at Cape Horn.  Just as well I did go on, as they thought Jim and co were up river, and would have been waiting a long time for them to come down.  We rafted up, and Andrew provided a very welcome coffee from his thermos.   

Andrew offered a tow, which I declined, but in retrospect it might have been a good idea.  It was round 9 NM up to Cape Horn from Mallacoota, and my Torqeedo said I had about 7 NM left, at 2 knots, and well after 2 pm.  The WBA dinner in the pub was at 6.30, and I had to get back, get the boat on trailer, get back to campsite, unhook, and clean up.

I sailed and motor sailed as much as I could, and had a good sail across Bottom lake, in strengthening wind.  I ran aground on the Goodwin sands again, despite being well inside the line between markers. It was a good sail though,  something in me really likes that sort of thing.

The wind was blowing strongly right on the nose, and I had 1 NM of torqeedo left at the top of the channel.  I was doing ok, till I ran aground yet again a few hundred metres of the ramp.  I got off, managed to start up the Torqeedo, which now said I had less than 10 minutes.  If I had run out, I am not sure what I could have done, as the wind was right on the nose, and the channel too narrow to sail/.  But we got in, with 4 minutes battery life left. 

Oz had been on the boat for 8 hours, and as I was taking down the mast, he took off, through the campground and everyone cooking sausages.  It was a real mutiny, I was calling and running after him, but he looked over his shoulder and kept going. But I caught him, and we got the boat packed, and trailer back to campsite, and to the pub by 6.45.  

It was the Flathead Fishing competition at Mallacoota this weekend, and there was a group behind me that got right on the sauce that night.  I vaguely heard them, talking bullshit, when I got back to the tent, but I slept through whatever racket they made that night. 

Next morning, I got up at 5.30 again, packed up, hit the road about 8.30 and drove home.  It was a good trip all in all, but hard work.