Early lay up after a short season and before a long winter.

 A couple of day sails and by the first week of October we decided to lay up early to ensure the planned work on the mast spars and rigging could be started before the now increasingly likely winter lockdown.

In March, Jake, of Rigger's UK, had reported a damp and soft area in way of the hounds, OK for the coming season but we agreed we would have the mast taken out, a year earlier than planned and have the rigging completely overhauled.  Our insurer had agreed we could leave replacing the stainless steel standing rigging until 2022, this always seems an arbitrary "rule" that s/s rigging should be replaced every 10-12 years and we were grateful for our insurer's flexibility.  However, this plan gives us an extra year to test it before sailing around Britain with the OGA in 2023.

During early October, laid up in the Park and Float at Ponsharden, we completed her laying up, including winterising the engine, whose fluids and filters had been changed and topped up.  I had made a temporary boom crutch and used the jib pole to support the summer cockpit cover, independent of the spars.  These were craned out by early November and all the rigging, radar etc removed.

   

Soon after, we heard that the spars, including the already fettled bowsprit, were all taken on a trolley along Commercial Road to Metre Yachts at Islington Wharf, in Penryn, where Dave Brunyee and his team, stripped all the varnish and scarfed a new section to replace the damaged one before applying several coats of Woodskin, breathable varnish.  

  

We visited the boat and the yard on 5th December, for the last time until after Easter.  Fortunately we were able to collect all the blocks, which I gave a lockdown, strip and varnish, while David Carne had some nylon sheaves made up, to replace the rusty galvanised ones.  This, as well as eliminating a redundant mast band at the hounds and the radome, should considerably reduce weight aloft.  The spreaders were replaced with carbon reinforced resin and the remaining galvanised fittings were cleaned and re galvanised after some additional pins to the pinrail band at the mast base band were added and some redundant brackets from the gaff hinge were removed.  This further reduced weight and would enable the signal halyards to be made off at the base of the mast rather than being rolling hitched to the shrouds.

.   The mainsheet blocks re varnished

Another week in the Isles of Scilly.

The second week in September was warm and calm, with just enough wind for the Scillies and, a promise of not too much swell.

An early departure from our mooring in the Helford, in the dark with a waning moon and, after passing the local fishing boat preparing for work, our navigation lights!  a motorsail took us to the Lizard by breakfast and the wind filled in giving us a splendid reach well past Lands End.  

  

 

As often is the case on land fall, the tide, despite a freshen increasing NNW breeze had us well north of St Mary's Sound so we decided to go north around to New Grimsby.  We had a spectacular sail close to the north of St Martins and Round Island, reminiscent of Brittany and just locating the entrance between Byher and Tresco.  The swell, after all and perhaps inevitably, was prodigious, so we picked up a mooring as far in as we would float and went ashore to pay our dues and a possible, Covid regulated, pint at the New Inn after a walk to King Charles' Castle.  We arrived at the pub, to find we had left all our cards and cash aboard.  However there was a spare table, so we were treated to our first pub meal, for which a telephone call from aboard, later on, was paid along with our two nights mooring,  

       

The following day was, cloudy but dry and spent walking around Bryher, in a clock wise direction.  This was the first time either of us had landed on Bryher. Various cafes were open and welcoming but the main Hotel was closed to non residents.  The Fraggle Rock, however provided a welcome pint before returning aboard for another very rolly night.

   

Once the tide was right we went on to Waterrmill Cove on the north side of St Mary's where we caught the dinghy painter around the prop so had to anchor!  A pleasant swim revealed no damage and the efficacy of the rope cutter and no further tools were required other than a green scourer to clean the boot top!  Our walk ashore completed our perambulatory circumnavigation of St Mary's started some four years ago.  We visited the ruined first settlement, at Halangy Down, near the TV mast and met the lone skipper and his dog, of the only other vessel at anchor.  

 

After a socially distanced cockpit drink and peaceful night, we decided to try the north side of St Martin's, sailing around the Eastern Isles and anchoring in Bread and Cheese Cove, under the day mark but just for lunch, as the rolling was again prodigious and we were somewhat exposed and so decided to return to a mooring at Hugh Town, for the rest of our stay.

  

The showers appeared to be open and,  feeling much fresher, we received a text from Geoff and Sarah West, who, Alison Rawlins, our neighbour had noticed were holidaying on the Islands for the first time, in lieu of more foreign climes.  It was an opportunity to catch up since they moved to Devon some years ago.  We met them the following day at the  Julliet's Garden Cafe for a long lunch and tea in warm, sunny but sultry conditions.

  

Sure enough there was thundery rain that night and a fairly dense mist but this didn't stop us departing in the early hours via St Mary's Sound and, once clear, we motor sailed with a light misty wind to the Lizard.  Here the mist lifted leaving us in fresher sunny weather to anchor off Coverack, for milk an ice cream and bread, before returning to our mooring in the Helford. 

 

Late September passage to Gull Rock and back with Sarah and friend Jane.

  

A few days on mooring, replacing engine fluids and cleaning the heads with dilute HCL before an early layup in October.

Susan J joins South West Gaffers at Sea -At last!

 As Storm Francis abated, "Susan J" crossed to St Mawes and spent a pleasant afternoon exploring the Percuil River in the dinghy. Eventually finding "Lizzie Dripping" on her mooring near Place, we dropped the SWR meter into her cockpit and returned aboard to sail to Chanal Creek, opposite Turnaware Point, under Trelissick House.  A peaceful anchorage on a calm dry evening and we were joined alongside by "Roxanne" for socially distanced preprandial drinks before they anchored nearby.

The rain started and by mid morning was stair rods and continued thus until after lunch.  By deploying the cockpit cover over the spray hood, much of the water remained outboard.  Motoring up to the Smugglers Cottage Reach, we were dwarfed by two enormous car ferries registered in Madeira.  On to Maggoty Bank confirmed that where we were anchored under Trelissick house was the quietest spot in the river, so we returned and met Martin and Jan for preprandial G&T and anchored ready to explore Trelisick gardens in the morning, which proved another showery one!

We sailed back to St Mawes, while "Roxanne" shopped in Falmouth and, after a peaceful night, we were joined by Martin West aboard "Cariad" and the three gaffers set off towards Fowey.  "Susan J" had already decided to put in a second reef before passing Dodman, as the CG released an inaudible and irrelevant gale warning. "Roxanne" was reassured by VHF that we hadn't turned back. As we passed the Dodman and "Cariad" closed up, it appeared that "Cariad" had turned back but it transpired that Martin, sailing alone and until then faster, had wisely retreated into Gorran Haven for lunch and was only just behind and drier, when he came alongside "Roxane" in Fowey!  We were all just about able to lay Fowey after rounding the Dodman, with much alteration of foresails from 1/3 staysail to full jib and staysail as we weathered the fierce squalls. One short tack brought us under Gribben Head and inside Cannis Rock but "Periwinkle", who we could see at the entrance and we thought was waiting for u,s had been towed up river by the harbour master, with further engine problems. 

Moored on the pontoon in Pil creek, with three enormous brand new RIB's being prepared for an oil dispersion trial.  We were joined by Brian and Estelle ("Annabelle") via the water taxi and "Cariad".

By 18:45 we were with beer, sat socially at three distanced tables and joined by John Gallagher and Geoff from "Perriwinkle", discovering that "pontoon 6" , wher the engineless "Perriwinkle" had been sent, was upriver of the chain ferry.  Mike Forward, forced to drive, after breaking "Arriane"'s tiller on departure from the Tamar, completed the gathering of eleven SW gaffers " at sea"  for a very enjoyable meal in excellent company at the Royal Fowey YC.

Looking on the bright side of storm "Francis" - August weather - don't you love it - returning to the "new normal"?

Following a very hot road trip to London, we waited out the, anticipated but non materialising, thunderstorms in Somerset, using the opportunity to replace the car before returning aboard "Susan J" in the week before the August bank holiday.  

A wet day sail to Carrick Roads, set the scene and gave Julie an opportunity to try out her new oilskins, which didn't leak! It also enabled us to re deploy the jib with the new Wickham Martin top swivel and untangle the wrongly reeved port sheet off Falmouth docks!  Pilotage at low tide was further enhanced by a massive rig apparently under her own steam and a barge being towed by two suitably marked tugs!  We decided to retain our reef and return back to our mooring to sit out storm Francis.

A night spent on her home mooring in a named storm, is at once instructive, frightening, exhilarating and also rather reassuring.  "Susan J" with the riser shortened and set on the bull rope, hardly touched the mooring buoy, while the rudder slightly set to port, kept the riser off the inner bobstay most of the time.  Compared with nearby vessels our halyard frapping was relatively effective and despite the torrential rain, a combination of spray hood and cockpit cover kept us and her cockpit reasonably dry.  

By the morning the sun appeared and the wind rose further, recording a steady F 7 and 49 knots / F9 on a couple of occasions.  

 By now the mate was getting restless and the "all weather"  Helford ferry, in Nick's capable hands, got us ashore, so we could have a socially distanced swim in the pool and Julie a walk.  The upside of this, apart from eggs for breakfast, is that the skipper has had an opportunity to update the blog and start this post and reflect on our good fortune in being able to enjoy the 2020 sailing season despite Covid.

It seems that "Roxanne" is already sitting out storm Francis in the Fal, "Lizzie Dripping" is hoping for VHF help in the Percuil River, while "Arriane" and "Periwinkle" may be heading west from the Tamar, as the wind veers to the north.  An impromptu, socially distanced, gathering of a few SW gaffers may happen in the days ahead!  While the new What's App group - "South West Gaffers at Sea" - may be coming of age!

Fowey and Tamar - tentatively post lockdown!

Early August found  "Susan J" on a broad reach to Dodman Point and another on the opposite gybe into Fowey.  As we rounded up and released the jib traveller, the upper Wickham Martin swivel broke (as the subsequent photograph shows) and the traveller came aft, at speed, breaking part of the staysail reefing drum!  Should have eased the halyard first but at least it happened in the relative shelter of Gribben head! 

Once we recovered and bagged the jib we took an empty visitors mooring and enjoyed two rather rolly nights, either side of a very wet and misty day in which we completed the Hall walk via Polruan and Bodenick ferries.  

Thursday was calm and misty so we pointed in the direction of Rame Head with the autopilot taking charge, more effectively without a jib!  While we all kept a lookout through the fog. By lunch time the mist cleared to reveal a colourful, if rather empty Plymouth Sound. We anchored under Jennycliff and visited Mountbatten for a socially distanced drink before returning aboard for super and another rolly night.  

After a brief swim in sharp thunderstorm, we sailed and motored under the bridges and back to the Lynher, where we anchored close to the mud in ssssssss bay.  A walk ashore in the summer's heat, through the hay fields conserved by the local community and eating the juicy blackberries, was a delight.  

Once there was sufficient water, we dinghied up the very picturesque and tidy Forder creek for socially distanced drinks and picnic with Rob and Ann and their friends, the first SW gaffer event, for us since visiting Pellew awaiting launch in Truro.

Our cruise at this point was going to have to be cut short by brewing issues in London but the upside was that our daughter, Lil, could stay aboard until we were back at Helford and return to London with us rather than by train.  We went alongside at the Mayflower and Julie and Lil hauled David aloft to retrieve the jib halyard and remains of the top swivel.  The replacement had not arrived, as ordered in Fowey and eventually required a separate road trip the following weekend, after our trip to London and Bristol in the heat and thunderstorms but facilitated the disposal of an unsuitable danbuoy a replacement inflatable device and new oilskins for Julie.  Apparently married for 40 years (the skipper had left the redated anniversary card at home for the fourth year running!), the opportunity was taken, to have our first post lockdown sit down meal.  We are pleased to report that the food and beer at Jolly Jack's is as good as ever and all unobtrusively socially distanced!

So, with batteries recharged and water tanks full, we motored about a third of the way to the Dodman before a  WNW  wind filled in, dolphins appeared and, with the tide, we close reached our mooring in 9 hours on a close reach at 6-7 knots under main and stay sail alone.

Launched at last!

After 13 10 hour days at Ponsharden, we are afloat!

Electrics work. But the electronics still a work in progress.

Anchored off St Just for our first night, enjoying the sun set. Will spend the morning sorting out down below and then trial sail tomorrow,to collect Fi.

Julie has had her first swim, with jellyfish and water skiers! 

An extended lockdown layup!

Our plans, like those of others have been severely curtailed this year, as we are unable to visit our boat, like so many others, but at least we remain well.  With the possibility of being allowed back to Cornwall, in the next month or so, it seems timely to update the blog and once started, it is amazing how much seems to have already been achieved ashore!.

Winter projects, planned and incidental, were well underway by the first week in March with about another three weeks of work to do, after a brief skiing trip before launching by Easter.  I departed for Somerset, as it happened for my last pub meal and draft beer, leaving James, of Marine Gas Solutions still on board. I already had with me, the old switch panel with circuit breakers and I collected the re galvanised anchor on my way past back through Devon.  It has spent the last four months on the hall carpet waiting to be connected to the 55 meters of new chain! 

The spray hood brackets are awaiting re seating and fixing.  The port cockpit cupboard doors is awaiting rehanging.  The antifoul and rollers are all waiting on the coach roof, as are the cleaned and serviced Wickham Martin, backstays and blocks, bowsprit shrouds and blocks and other fittings are, hopefully, still on the coach roof awaiting my refitting and hopefully will all still be there aunder the winter cover in July!

Some of the jobs were more or less compelted including:

The heads, where a new replacement Lavac was sourced, as the cost of replacing the old seat and seals was twice as much!  It has been installed, with a shorter waste pipe, already cleaned with hydrochloric acid, leading directly to a freshly serviced Henderson Mk V pump, one of three now used in rotation and changed at least once a season, with a freshly serviced spare always aboard! A SeaSmart “toilet sanitiser” had impressed us at Southampton Boat Show and I had plumbed it into the seawater inlet pipe, just below the vent so that it would settle in the residual water in the pipe above the seacock.  Hopefully this will eliminate rotting critters and reduce unpleasant odours.  I added a toggle switch to the internal battery, so that it need only be used at the end of each voyage rather than for every flush.

The bowsprit had developed a crack at the gammon iron, around one third of it's circumference, during last season, the copper sheathing protecting the traveller from the bowsprit has also worn through underneath and I was keen to have a white tip to see better in dark anchorages!  We took it, strapped to the car roof, to David Brunyee’s team at Islington Wharf and it had returned by the end of January, with a fresh section scarfed in.  The area where the gammon iron bears was sheathed in glass fibre as was the area where the traveller bears.  Gleaming in Woodskin and with a smart white tip, we had lifted it onto the deck, fortunately under the winter cover and it is still waiting for me to service the bow roller and re seal the stem/ deck leak before re fitting the gammon iron, already re leathered by Di at Seadogs” in Penryn, who still has our living room sofa cushions for releathering!

The Taylors 803 gas oven was always rather temperamental but the dangerous process of lighting the grill, essential for crew morale in the mornings, was becoming unacceptable.  I had taken it home and dismantled it, the doors are remarkably complicated, and posted the stripped down device to Will Hayward. It had already come back from Suffolk and been re installed aboard, for James Emmerson to re site the inaccessible, screw down cut off valve, from behind the cooker to beside it, with a more effective and visible gas cut off tap.   I still look forward to inspecting his handiwork!  A new cooker would have cost little more but have been rather less robust and require considerable carpentry to fit into the allocated space in the galley. 

Photo finished cooker

With all the above done, we returned from Austria, straight back home, as instructed by the Austrian government, so we were already confined to Somerset, by the time the Government realised we really were in a pandemic, after all, at the end of March!  The first two weeks of our lock down were spent manufacturing a new switch panel, in three sections from 3mm aluminium sheets. Fortunately, I had already purchased some new pushbutton circuit breaker switches, to replace those that failed satisfactory bench testing and a new FM radio and multiple USB and 12V sockets.  So was able to fit all these and they await installation.  The mainsheet blocks have also been stripped, varnished, serviced and a second hand Walker's log fettled and the wooden case varnished.  It has all joined the anchor in the hallway!

The ongoing electrical archaeology was in full swing before lockdown, with the new panel and further wiring revision to be completed.  Many of the obsolete instruments and gadgets, including the remains of a Dolphin generator, have now been removed and I had spent about ten days tracing and removing redundant wires and cables, while labelling those that remain.   Power supply and data wires have been re routed, where necessary and some retained and labelled as spares.  The junction box at the base of the mast has been worked out and photos taken, for when the mast is un stepped for maintenance next year. There are, already, two large carrier bags of cable to be taken off the boat! There will be plenty of 12V sockets and USB chargers while the hand held VHF has it’s own dedicated supply.  A replacement FM radio, a working 12 V meter with a new shunt, all still to be fitted.

Photo panel before and after

Despite now having a conventional chart table aboard “Susan J”, we never used the Yeoman plotter or the dot matrix GPS, which was too difficult to see to be useful.  We have, however, retained the current Navtex instrument, although it may be plugged in as required, rather than permanently mounted, as, like the old one, the new panel is too narrow.  There is still much work to be done and it remains to be seen if all the instruments, in the mixed NMEA 1863 and 2000 environment, will still talk to each other.  Inevitably our venerable but now familiar C120 chart plotter and radar will need replacing, at some stage in the future and the five cockpit instruments can then be revised to one or two, leaving space for an illuminated bulkhead compass to replace the old Sestrel under the tiller. 

Photo sestrel and log

As always, one job has led to four others. Looking back, I was grateful to have planned to remove some items for refurbishment, well before Christmas and have them back aboard, if not re installed, well before the spring fit out.  Looking forward, we must never again assume that we will be back the next day, let alone the next week or quarter and I should leave everything secure, it is now four months and counting and hopefully will all still be in place!  It has been frustrating, not to be able to make use of the warm dry weather to undertake other maintenance, particularly to the bulwarks, rubbing strake and deck, which remain sound but tatty. However, in the event of further lockdown, that may be possible and she is ready for another winter but we still hope to get afloat this year!