Cruising in company

[allan]

I have just posted on the thread about the new years day cruise. It is now at 4 pages with 700 views. It would be good if we can keep up the momentum for future cruises. Can I use this thread to start a debate about what everyone would like to do as a cruising section. I have enjoyed the short cruises very much and would like them to continue. I will also be doing some longer trips during the year and would love it if they were cruises in company with other members, and guests.
Allan

[sandpiper]

I'm hoping to do:
A long weekend on Lundy - hopefully including some diving - for those that want to.

A weekend to Watermouth Cove.

A longer trip to SE Ireland.

If others are interested i planned to make the above club cruises, to compliment the shorter cruises now they have started to take off.

Some of you have also mentioned an interest in the Isle of Man.

Who's interested in any of the above?

[allan]

I'm interested in all of the above.
I have arranged to meet some friends from Dartmouth in June at the Scillies. I am still waiting for the dates.
Dale and some of the ports around the corner in west Wales are also on my list. I also fancy Brittany but not until I have been to Ireland.
Allan

[ishtar]

Louise and I are hoping to have Ishtar in Milford for a few months at least. Ireland sounds good, and so does the Scillies. We definitely want to go back to Lundy.

As with, I guess, everybody, whether we go or not will depend on a number of issues. I think it is important, therefore, that we advertise long term plans, and then firm them up or alter them nearer the time if required.

I think the forum is a good place to do this, but we must remember that some don't use it, and I know that Huw currently uses the notice board too. Tony, from Coresande has a phone list, which I think we should incorporate. The more the merrier.

I'm not suggesting that we all go off like a row of ducks, but if everyone knows roughly where we will be on any one date, they can make their own arrangements to suit their availability, vessel speed, time constraints etc.

There was talk in the club of a Cruising sectio meeting in January, to keep momentum going. I think that's a good idea, and hope everyone can try really hard to attend if it goes ahead. A lot of us are doing the YM couse, which will be time consuming.

In short, I detect a lot of enthusiasm this year, and I'm very excited about that.

Oh, yeah. Can we have a motion to ban pink flags?

[allan]

I totally agree, with all but the flag banning. The comment about the not sailing like a row of ducks is exactly my view. I think the idea of flexiblity is right on the mark. For instance, I want to do a triangle including Cork and Waterford, my plan is to decide where I'm going to first at the end of Wales when I know which is the best point of sail.
Allan

[shindig]

I'd definitely like to come out when I can....having a 10 month old baby and working full-time kinda rules out any long trips (especially as i owe my girlfriend for 10 days climbing in the Alps with the boys last summer!!!) , but day cruises and possibly weekends i'd like to be informed of so i can come out as crew with someone, or even better bring my wee Hunter 19 out into the Channel in company till i get confidence with navigating.

So....i will watch this space for news, or ring me on 07738 221983 if you are short of crew - like i say i have a lot of commitments so can't promise anything but...!

[Deleted]

Hello all. The above destinations all sound good. I certainly hope Sandpiper will be well enough to take part in at least some of them! Failing that, would anybody be prepared to have extra crew along on these longer trips? There are several people other than myself and Elaine who would also love the opportunity.
Peter

[louiseishtar]

I would totally agree with Allan and all of the above posts. I would also like to do more ladies only cruising. When Sheila and I sailed to Portishead last year I think it taught us both an awful lot and I would like to keep it up. I will keep an eye on the conditions and post any suggested trips.
Lou

[Matt]

For me short cruises would be good as I only have a 20 footer and am just a novice. Bristol/Portishead/Watchet/Jackson Bay/Newport would be nice. I'm gonna need a bigger boat for longer distances but you never know - one day....

Shindig, you've got a small boat like mine if you ever fancy going out in company or for more experience or out on mine? I'm not as brave as these pink flag yachties so will probably not venture out until March.

Matt

[sandpiper]

Shindig/Matt,

I still intend to organise shorter trips and day sails - I haven't the time away from work to just do long trips myself, and there are plenty of more local places that are well worth visiting.

In fact the longer trips won't be organised as such, just a notice that a few of us intend to be at a certain place for a certain weekend and that anybody interested is welcome to join us - totally agree with the comments above (except the about the pink flag - I bought it - for Angie of course!!!)

Peter,
I usually have the family on board but would be happy to take crew for day sails, but can't really for overnight trips, unless I'm on my own, when I'd welcome company.

You should speak to Allan - he has a list of people he'd be happy to sleep with!

[Viv]

Totally agree with Louise about doing more ladies cruising. I no longer want a pink flag, I want a pink sail! I must thank Louise, Angie & Elaine for a great day out last Friday, lovely company, thanks girls.

Shindig, if you want to take your boat out and need someone to come along with you if you need a bit of confidence, this is the place to find it.

S

[shindig]

Well, next time i get out i will post on here first and if anyone wants to suffer the discomforts of a Hunter 19 (she does have a kettle even if no standing room!) then you are welcome, Matt or anyone! I need to get out and try my new Genoa (well second hand) and small jib.

Incidentally, anyone got any tips on navigating with a combination of hand-held non-marine GPS (Garmin Etrek Summit), and paper charts?

Tim (Shindig)

[sandpiper]

For years I used a wrist mounted Garmin Foretrex GPS which is designed for hikers. If you go into the system setup you can change the units of measure to 'nautical' which means it'll display distances as Nautical miles and speeds in Knots. You'll also need to change the positioning to Lat/long. It then gives you pretty much everything that a mairine GPS gives you, with the possible exception of cross-track error.

[ishtar]

Huw, Peter,

I agree about the point of taking crew. I think day trips are fine. Sheila and Vince came to visit when we were at Milford, however, and we all felt that Ishtar would be quite cramped with two couples. They stayed in a B&B overnight and we sailed together all day.

It might be workable, and I'm happy to try it with two couples for a single overnight trip, if it arises?

Shindig,

Louise and I primarily use a plotter. I made up a sheet of wickes perspex with a wooden frame as well, and lay this over our chart. Every hour, we take lat and long from the gps and plot it on the perspex with a chinagraph pencil.

On our way back from Milford, I had to conserve power, so switched off the plotter, and just took Lats and Longs every hour and used the chart. Got us back from Milford to Cardiff via Lundy and Porlock fine.

You're welcome to come and have a look at the set up on the boat at any time.

Martin

[Matt]

Shindig, there is lots to learn as I'm sure you are finding out. I have sent you a PM with my mobile and E-Mail address if you need help with anything.

Matt

[vikingsmb]

I'm willing to go as crew on say lundy island trip and such as it will be a good experience , provided I can get time off work but I need to know well in advance though,

[shindig]

I'm assuming you mean the Yeoman Plotter??? I've been having a look at those on the web. Problem is, my boat is currently electrics free....been toying with the idea of fitting out with electrics but i can see that would open the door to a whole load of expense!!! It would start with a bilge pump and nav lights, then before too long i'd convince myself i needed evry device under the sun!

So i think I might keep it simple for the time being - battery powered GPS, emergency nav lights...and manual bilge pumping.

I was thinking along the same lines - a perspex covered chart table with chinagraph, or Overhead Projector pens for marking course. First i have to build me chart table...anyone know a good supplier of marine ply locally?

When i was out with Vince the other day he had a nifty little laminated chart extract which he kept up in the cockpit for quick reference - a good idea i thought (and i have a colour photocopier and laminator at work - even better!).

I know with my GPS you can set it to go on a compass bearing to a waypoint and it will show you how far you have drifted sideways off the bearing...that ought to be useful???

I can see hours of fun experimenting coming up

[allan]

I think Ishtar means an electronic plotter, which is also what I use. I will leave it for him to confirm that. On my previous boat I used a handheld GPS to plot my position onto the chart. It is possible to use it in conjunction with a tillerpilot. I had basic instruments and lights. The GPS is still on my present boat in case of catastrophic failure. I am an advocate of old fashioned sailing and admire people who sail with a minimum of toys. I do however feel navigation lights are a minimum requirement.
Allan

[Matt]

I haven't got a GPS. Just a hand bearing compass and charts. I copied a few charts and keep them in a handy binder onboard. As long as you know where the shallow bits and sticky out rocks are to avoid just don't go near them. I don't think you really need GPS if you are only cruising local waters. I would certainly get one if I was travelling further afield though. Personally the tides are the most important factor when going outside the bay to check those before going out.

Matt

[sandpiper]

The new boat has a (electronic) chart plotter which I'm sure will be very helpful, if a little lazy! But the old one just had a GPS, and I often didn't bother to turn it on, as I prefer to do it the old fashioned way. I do the same to get tidal information - secondary tide calculations - it's doing it the hard way, but I can now do it quite quickly, and find that satisfying.

Also my trust of GPS was dented a few years ago when it told me I was in the caravan park on Lavenock point - the fact I was still afloat and not far from the Ranie buoy made me quite confident the GPS was lying!!! I switched on my little wrist mounted GPS which I use as a spare, it also agreed that I was on land! Reading the YBW forum that night I discovered that a couple of others had experienced similar distortions of their positions. Therefore I now confirm my position before trusting it, sometimes just by looking around to check things are where they should be, and sometimes by taking some bearings. I don't expect a plotter will change that.

Also I use these instead of a regular chinagraph as it doesn't need sharpening:-

staedtler.co.uk/Lumocolor_non_permanent_omnichrom_leadholder_gb.Staedtler