Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2010 20:54:46 GMT
Well that was an interesting first outing for me and Katy (and Cath)
Allan - rumours abound - but Cath was very well behaved and didn't make any unnecessary advances towards me.
Seriously though, her jumping ship in Portishead had been arranged from the start. Sorry to disappoint you Allan!!
The single handed journey back was interesting. I locked out with Charlie and started tacking across the channel while Charlie motored directly into the wind and gradually disappeared into the distance. Then I was all on my lonesome. Boo Hoo Sob Sob. But everything went well as I zig zagged up the channel (monitoring CH 12 all the time like a good little boy) with one eye glued to the echo sounder every time I was anywhere near any of the 'Grounds' - with an obsession that only someone new to the area could display.
I had Cardiff Barrage firmly locked in my sights when there was a loud 'ping' as the main sheet detached itself from the deck. It is lucky that I always carry my copy of the Hitch Hikers Guide To The Galaxy with me as this has DO NOT PANIC written in large comforting letters on the cover.
I turned into wind to persuade a now rampant boom to return to the cockpit so I could grab the wildly flailing sheet, while at the same time trying to avoid being rendered unconscious by the block on the end of it! Then I had to abandon the helm to inspect the damage. Eventually I found the retaining pin that fits into the 'D' ring lying on the cockpit floor. My first thought was that it must have sheered, snapped, bent or broken, but on inspection it was fine. It must have just popped out.
Trying to relocate it wasn't easy with the boom flicking left and right and tugging at the sheet, so I let out some slack which, as it turned out, only served to make matters worse. The wind now played with the rope, jerking around while I was engaged in the delicate task of relocating the pin through the two holes in the 'D' ring.
Eventually I managed it, but the tide had already turned and combined with the wind had been taking me in a straight line back towards Portishead all this time. Once everything was ship shape and Bristol fashion I had to put in an extra two or three tacks all over again to get back to Cardiff.
On my final approach Sunbeam, who must have locked out of Portishead half an hour or an hour after me, came up hugging the Welsh side. They passed in front and sneaked through the barrage before I could get there. Curses!!
All in all it was a fun trip. So where are we going next? Replies to my 'Cruising over Easter' thread in the cruising section seem to have dried up!
Allan - rumours abound - but Cath was very well behaved and didn't make any unnecessary advances towards me.
Seriously though, her jumping ship in Portishead had been arranged from the start. Sorry to disappoint you Allan!!
The single handed journey back was interesting. I locked out with Charlie and started tacking across the channel while Charlie motored directly into the wind and gradually disappeared into the distance. Then I was all on my lonesome. Boo Hoo Sob Sob. But everything went well as I zig zagged up the channel (monitoring CH 12 all the time like a good little boy) with one eye glued to the echo sounder every time I was anywhere near any of the 'Grounds' - with an obsession that only someone new to the area could display.
I had Cardiff Barrage firmly locked in my sights when there was a loud 'ping' as the main sheet detached itself from the deck. It is lucky that I always carry my copy of the Hitch Hikers Guide To The Galaxy with me as this has DO NOT PANIC written in large comforting letters on the cover.
I turned into wind to persuade a now rampant boom to return to the cockpit so I could grab the wildly flailing sheet, while at the same time trying to avoid being rendered unconscious by the block on the end of it! Then I had to abandon the helm to inspect the damage. Eventually I found the retaining pin that fits into the 'D' ring lying on the cockpit floor. My first thought was that it must have sheered, snapped, bent or broken, but on inspection it was fine. It must have just popped out.
Trying to relocate it wasn't easy with the boom flicking left and right and tugging at the sheet, so I let out some slack which, as it turned out, only served to make matters worse. The wind now played with the rope, jerking around while I was engaged in the delicate task of relocating the pin through the two holes in the 'D' ring.
Eventually I managed it, but the tide had already turned and combined with the wind had been taking me in a straight line back towards Portishead all this time. Once everything was ship shape and Bristol fashion I had to put in an extra two or three tacks all over again to get back to Cardiff.
On my final approach Sunbeam, who must have locked out of Portishead half an hour or an hour after me, came up hugging the Welsh side. They passed in front and sneaked through the barrage before I could get there. Curses!!
All in all it was a fun trip. So where are we going next? Replies to my 'Cruising over Easter' thread in the cruising section seem to have dried up!
