No reason for this... I just like the picture.

Where's the fish?

Todays little project was to fit my new fish finder. The plan was to run up on the beach, wait for the tide to go out and fit the transducer. Low tide was just before 6pm so I went for blast around the harbour first. F4-5 forecast, which shouldn't be a problem. Rigged and ready to go I went forward to release the mooring... back at the tiller and the mainsheet had dropped off?!?!? There was no sign of the shackle but the pin was rolling around the cockpit floor. I temporarily lashed it back together and headed off for deeper water. Jelly Bean was on her side with full sail up so I headed for ther lee of the island and put in two reefs and dug out a new shackle for the mainsheet. Even with two reefs in she was was trying to round up.... I think the forcast was a tad wrong.

Back at the club I dropped the anchor in the shallow water at about 4pm and waited for the tide to go. Enough time for a cuppa and to watch the wind surfers and Kite surfers.

I got all my tools and bits n bobs together and when the tide was fully out I made a start.

The Garmin 140 Fishfinder come wath a transom mounted transducer and an adaptor for strapping to a trolling motor. The trouble with the fantasie is that the transom is rarely in the water so I had to find another way to mount it. The leading edge of the skeg seemed to be the best place as it is protected from knocks by the keels. I slot drilled the skeg to accept the tie wrap and p clipped the cable along side. Plenty of Sikaflex was applied to stop water getting in behind the GRP.

I routed the cable up through the outboard well and through the hole for the petrol pipe. The tide was coming back in fast now so I cleared my tools away and wired in the head unit. It all appears to be working fine. I just need to decide where I'm going to mount it.

There no stopping me now.... I'm not sure what I'm going to do when I find those pesky fish.

Issacs first sail

Following a morning treating decking and painting fence panels I escaped for a lovely afternoons sailing.

The sun was beating down and as I was setting out Paul Chamberlain and Clan came drifting past on his Mirror dinghy. Apparently it was youngest sons first sail so on his next pass I took a wee video clip on the mobile phone. It's not the best quality but you can hear how much fun they were having!



There was just enough wind, not that you could feel it, coming up the harbour to push me along at 2 - 3knts. Before long I found myself near the top of Brownsea so I nosed into beach until she gently touched the bottom. I let out some achor chain and pushed her back into deeper water before wading ashore.... This is one of the great pleasures of a shoal draft boat. One of the clubs was having a picnic on the beach by the Pottery pier, the beach was full of Optomists, Toppers, mirrors inflatables and ribs. They were just packing up to head back to wence they came, having pillaged and plundered Brownsea. OK maybe that's not quite true. Having had a little walk around the island I waded back out to the boat, put the kettle on and raided the crisp and chocolate store. It was time to head back to the mooring, about 2/3rds off the way back the breeze gave up completely and I had to resort to the motor. Back on the mooring as I was about to jump in the tender a noticed a bride and groom on the end of the club pier having their picture taken. I alway knew it was the perfect location, shame they,ve got me in the wedding album forever more!

Pump it up...

Much the same as yesterday. Jewels was on the second day of her dinghy sailing course so I headed out on Jelly bean, This time without James as he was busy revising for his GCSE's. Weather wise it was much better. A steady F3 from the NW gave me a lively blast upto Hamworthy. I had to keep avoiding the swarms of racing dinghies coming out from the various clubs around the harbour. I had a little practice with 'heaving to' in the middle of the harbour. It worked a treat, with the Jib backed and the tiller hard over the boat was just creeping at less than 1 knot but nice and steady so I could put my coat on, adjust my lifejacket and admire the view.



Once at Hamworthy I tried to heave to again so that I could take some piccies but the wind had picked up slightly and I was still drifting at 2 knots so I decided to drop the anchor. By the time I was ready, anchor laid, sails flaked etc, the sailing school had headed back to the shore for refreshments and a bit of theory work.



I unpacked the inflatable and started pumping it up on the coachroof... Not the easiest thing to do. In the end I had one side pumped up and a bit of air in the other side but couldn't get the floor slats in so over the side it went! the plan worked, I was able to push slats in and fully inflate it. I had a quick hello to Jewels and the other before rowing back to the boat for my Big soup and tea. In the afternoon I watched various people falling out of Toppers and Picos before hoisting my sails and setting of back to EDSC. The wind was upto F5, I had a reef in the main and Jelly Bean was flying (As flying as aFantasy 19 can).
There was not much traffic on the way back. Only a beautiful old Gaffer on it's way back in from a trip in the bay.
Trying to pick up the mooring was interesting, I had to give up in the end and find a big spce where I could drop the sails and then motored back to the mooring.

Back in the saddle...

I finally got out on Jelly Bean today... Jewels was off having Dinghy lessons, the forecast was for F3- F4 so James and I headed of the boat. We stopped for supplies on way, Chocky, Crisps, water and Coke. Out on the boat we got the sails up in double quick time and let go the mooring.... Only to drift side ways at less than 1 knot, humph!
We motor up the harbour as we had planned to go and spy on Julie. Once past the tip of Brownsea island the wind started to fill in and we got some proper sailing in.
We dropped the anchor at Hamworthy beach and watch the dinghy sailor being put through their paces while we had our lunch.
By the time we left the wind was up the a proper F4 as predicted and we flew back to the mooring at 5 - 6Knots.
It was great to be back on the boat and guess what.. I'm back again tomorrow :~)

(Moral) Support boat

Yesterday was my first duty as Support boat skipper for the dinghy racing at EDSC. Besides myself there was Julie and Julia as race officials (Flags and hooters), Jeff as First aid cover in the support boat with me and Quentin in his tender offering coaching to the less experienced in the fleet. I make that 5 officials for a fleet of 2 juniors and 1 senior (Alison in an Optomist!). Still with a guaranteed prize it was a great day for the two youngsters to practice and improve and due to the benign weather condition Jeff an I had nothing to do other than cheer them on and try to keep warm!

Bank holiday blues

Had planned to take Jelly Bean to Yarmouth IOW this weekend but following an extended bout of good weather the Bank holiday has done what it always does and blown it.
Had to console myself by reading this months PBO, As I got to page 98 I recognised the Contessa 26 as the one I'd moored against at Weymouth last year.... so that's my claim to fame for today. Not sure whether to fix the pond pump and paint the shed or go and play in the harbour... Any suggestions??