Portishead 14th - 15th Mar

[sandpiper]

Had a thoroughly enjoyable night (if a little short) in Portishead with great company, and a superb sail back.



Ishtar, Alana, Cobby Girl and Sandpiper waiting to lock out on return to Cardiff.

[sandpiper]

Cobby Girl way ahead.

[sandpiper]

Alana (left) and Ishtar. Sorry very poor photo.

[sandpiper]

Ishtar and Sandpiper waiting to lock into Cardiff.

[sandpiper]

Louise and Martin playing hide and seek!

[ishtar]

It really was a cracking weekend, despite our troubles. I didn't get any pictures, but I hope there are a few more hanging about. Many thanks again for the tow, Huw, much appreciated.


Here is a post about our fun I put elsewhere:

After suffering the ignominy of having the agony of my sprained ankle whilst sailing in company with Banjo and Cobby Girl laughed at over the airwaves on Friday, Louise convinced me that the injury should not prevent us fron joining the fun up at Portishead this weekend.

Couldn't get any worse could it?

Left the pontoon with Alana at 12:45 for the 13:00 lock out. Halfway across the bay and the engine overheated. Cancelled the lock and Louise fiddled with the Seacock 'to see if it would clear', which, luckily, it seemed to. Water started pumping and off we went.

Small mishap between the Holms as Louise managed to wrap the genoa around the forestay in an innovative way, which led to me hopping up to the bows and rethreading both genoa sheets whilst bouncing around in the chop.

As the waves dumped bucket fulls of sand onto Ishtar at the English grounds, we realised that the carpets below were sodden. Drilling a hole from the cockpit locker had indeed solved the problem of a leeking lid, but the bilges were now full from the week's rain.

Squelch, squelch went Saturday night.

A cracking sail back, and I thought we did well, more than keeping up with some of our more experienced friends, until the genoa halyard snapped, resulting in another panic.

Concerned about the low tide, and the race fleet, I fired up the engine and motored back. Safe in the wrach channel, we booked the lock, once again with alana. Home at last.

The engine cut out as we turned into the inner channel, and refused to start. Enter Huw (CardiffCruiser), aboard Sandpiper, and yet more embarrassment as we were towed back to our mooring. (Many thanks, Huw, you handled the boat brilliantly).

'Maybe I forgot to turn the seacock on at the same time I forgot to turn the fuel on' came a small embarrassed voice from below. 'Maybe that's why we overheated and ran out of fuel'.

So, back on the pontoon, covered in diesel, carpets drying in the wind and Genoa flapping in the wind as we fixed the halyard, the weekend has been, er, a tad trying.

Can't wait to get out again!

[sandpiper]

One more.

[sandpiper]

Should say the picture above was kindly provided by the Portishead lock keeper.

[allan]

Great weekend, many thanks to everyone who was there. Sailing back today you would not have thought it is still only the middle of March! If anyone has any ideas for future trips I, for one, would be interested to hear them.
Allan

[clarinettist]

Just a little bit jealous!

[draycott]

hi i can not wait to get my new sail boat hope to join some of you sailers sailing

[ishtar]

I've just realised that there is a filter working on this board. It seems to filter out the word for the male member and replace it with 'thingy', which is fine, except where you wish, as I did, to talk about a valve that is used to allow water to pass through the hull, the seacock, or indeed, the place you sit when sailing, the cockpit.

Quite funny really.

[Viv]

Haven't mentioned our canine friends who joined us on this trip. Your doggy bag fashion accessory suits you Allan!

[Viv]

And Tigger came too!

[allan]

The dog is the bravest crew member on the boat!
Allan