Sailing Aphrodite

01/04/2018

The Winter's Job List

A summary of the work done on the boat over the winter.

Bilges cleaned: Clearly a job that had not been done since she was built! Floor lifted and bilges scrubbed, perhaps a lick of paint next time I do this job.

Hull cleaned, polished and waxed: The hull does need a bit of TLC that I have not been able to do since I took over stewardship and I had a few fun, but very tiring days with the jet wash, soap and water followed by polish and wax. I do need to follow this up over the summer with a good go over the deck.

Anti fouled and anode checked: The hull was actually quite clean once the muck from the river had been jet washed off. My original plan was not to anti-foul her this year but I knew she would not be lifted out until summer 2019 I slapped on a coat of primer and a coat of anti-foul. I'll keep an eye on the fouling over the next 18 months before she gets hauled out, blasted back to grp and coppercoat applied.

The engine serviced: This was the major work over the winter. In order to really sort out the fuel problem the tank was removed, drained and steam cleaned. The fuel lines replaced and a new "easy access" primary fuel filter installed in the engine bay. I hope this sorts out the bug problem that I've had. I do need to be able to control now that I am in a marina. Looking forward to testing the engine.

Clevis pins replaced on the back-stay adjuster, it really was time these were replaced.

Clevis pin replaced on the boom.

Wiring from switch panel to the base of the mast upgraded to tinned copper. The start of the job of getting the wiring up to a modern specification. This small section of wire is the start of a total rewire that I want to do over the next few years.

Battery monitor installed giving volts and amps currently used. This will save having to lift the bunk in the rear cabin to take a reading on each battery.

01/03/2018

Moving to Plymouth

It is strange how plans change. I had considered keeping Aphrodite afloat in a marina next winter, but after a visit to friends in Plymouth and a long time pondering the pros and cons of moving the boat to a marina full time I took the decision to move the boat when she went back in the water.

Having taken the decision to move I had lots to sort out on the Exe, a mooring to sell, a decision to be made about re-joining the sailing club and how I was going to get boat from the Exe to Plymouth.

Much to my surprise the mooring was sold within the week and I wrote to the club explaining the move and that I would not would not be renewing.

We quickly came up with a plan to combine the annual Lads Trip with the move.

Just a matter if signing a large cheque and practicing my driving in marinas!

20/10/2017

Up the River to the Winter Berth

It was time to take Aphrodite up the river to her winter storage on the quay at Topsham. Due to her draft we are always restricted by tide and need to come up on a four meter spring tide.

Neil, who has a boat near the mooring, kindly volunteered to assist me in bringing the boat up as I was uneasy about the behavior of the the engine due to the fuel bug.

With an early 0600 start, spring tides do encourage early and late starts, I picked Neil up and we were rather surprised an early morning traffic jam on the road to Starcross. We were running half an hour late, "threw the dingy in the water", started the outboard and headed to the boat with a nagging feeling in my head that there might not be enough petrol.

Thankfully, the sea was flat and little wind so we went at full throttle to try and make up some time

Jumped on the boat, started the engine, not even time for a cup of tea, and headed with a few other boats up river.

About a half mile from the quay I decided to slow down and see what would happen with the engine on tick over. As anticipated the engine cut, Neil's face turned very pale and I sprung into action to restart the engine quite confident that she would start at the first turn of the key and she did.

Plan B was a "hot approach" to the quay as I knew the engine would do its usual trick and cutout, Neil quickly stepped off the boat onto the quay and tie up to anything that looked like it might not move, with four tonnes of boat moving at a knot and a half he executed the plan superbly and we came to a stop that did not look to ungainly!

I prefer to walk away and leave to the lift to the guys on the crane, as the last thing they really want is a concerned skipper looking on like an expectant father and we headed off to Route 2 for a full breakfast and a mug of steaming hot tea.

Aphrodite was ashore again and set up for the winters work.

17/09/2017

A North Easterly

August 2017 was a cold and wet month, not ideal for jumping on the boat and heading off for a sunny trip in the bay and early in September I had visited the Solent to try my hand on a much, much bigger sailing vessel, but finally I has some time and the forecast was good Met Office saying Cyclonic F4/5 and Meteo France saying N or NE F4/5. Meteo France matched our experience on the water.

I arrived at the sailing club before first light and set about getting the dingy on the water for the ride out to the boat. Opps forgot my can of petrol! Thankfully, a friend helped me out. Alex arrived and we loaded the dinghy up and set off towards the boat.

Arriving onboard we prepped the boat for sea and headed off on a falling tide, half way between Springs and Neaps, with enough water to get out of the river for another hour and a half. Just off the mooring we "kissed" a sandbank, perhaps the direct route to the channel was not a good idea! Eventually, in the channel we headed off to sea without further mishap.

Motoring down the channel it looked a bright sunny day with the wind coming in all sorts of directions until we arrived at the open sea. The navigation authority has replaced the safe water mark with a tiny marker, difficult to see, I wonder why they have done that?

We ventured out on a lumpy sea, I'm beginning to learn that when the wind is from the east in Lyme Bay near the lee shore is not a comfortable place to be. We motored out a bit more and set raised the main, unrolled the genoa and switched off the engine, always a magic moment. The plans was to try different points of sail and we started with a beat up towards Budleigh Salterton, we would not be going ashore for ice cream today, and arrived after several tacks - spotting Bob in Erin tight into the shore beyond the reef that comes out along the ban of the river Otter. After several attempts to raise him on the phone, VHF and horn we gave up. Only to hear him quarter of an hour later asking Solent CG if the range at Straight Point was live. Just a tad worrying as they reported that ie as liver, we and several other boats were in the middle of the exclusion zone and no safety craft were to been seen. We finally called Bob and arranged to meet up later in the day. On exiting the exclusion zone shots could be heard on the range, clearly they were checking that the exclusion zone was empty then doing what they do.

We zoomed off towards Dawlish on a training run at about seven knots so spend an hour or so enjoying the down wind sailing, sunshine and a brew. I always find it odd that heading into a sea is much rougher than sailing away from one.

Arriving off Dawlish we headed back to the Exe, after checking that we had enough water to cross the bar. Just as we arrived at the Exe Safe Water Mark we spotted a group of about six motorboat moving slowly in a group passing behind us towards Dawlish then realised they were watching a pod of about 20 dolphins, always good to see.

We started the engine, dropped the sails and headed in. Then those worrying sounds started again, the engine was dropping revs then picking up - a problem that I though had been fixed! As we continued in I asked Alex to ready the anchor and get a few fender out just in case the engine stalled as we were at a difficult part of the motor up river. Thankfully, she puttered along and we headed for the mooring. I abandoned any thought of doing a few practice pickups - it was really a matter of getting Aphrodite back on the morning and having another look at the engine. About 30 meters from the pickup buoy the engine cut, but we had enough headway to reach the buoy and attach the boat to the chain!

Crew: Sandy Garrity, Alex Bowling

Trip Stats: Distance: 31 nm Moving Average: 4.80 kts Max: 7.1 kts

Weather: Met Office Shipping Forecast Issued 17 September 04:05 UTC

Sea area: Portland Wind: Cyclonic 4 or 5, becoming variable then north or northwest, 3 or 4 Sea State: Slight or moderate Weather: Thundery showers Visibility: Good, occasionally poor

06/08/2017

Looking for the Fastnet Race

After a break away from the boat I finally had some time for a sail and early on Sunday morning a scratch crew, Neil, Garry and I set out for a trip round the bay. It was an early start 0700 and with a forecast of winds of F4/5 were looking forward to a good day on the water. In calm air on the river we raised the main, slipped the mooring at 0730 and headed downriver to the sea. There was talk of the Fastnet Race starting today and we might see them - little did we know the start was about noon and there was no way that they would be on this side of Lyme Bay until much later in the day.

A morning of variable winds followed, ranging from a F2 to a lively F5, giving us and the boat a good workout and given the conditions we decided to have lunch at anchor in Ansteys Cove, headed inshore. dropped the hook and spend a hour in the shelter of the cliff, so out of the wind, and enjoyed a relaxed lunch.

With the wind direction we had a cracking broad reach back to the Exe Safe Water Mark where we dropped the sails and headed in.

One of the challenges I have backed away from is picking up the mooring single handedly, but with two other experienced sailors on board today was going to be the day when I had to do it as I had the backup of people who could take over should things go wrong. The past issues where engine cut at very low revs has always given me that nagging doubt, but the engine was behaving, the wind was light and we were almost at high water, and I really, really, had to pick up that mooring on my own.

Garry and Neil stood at the transom as I lined the boat up, went to tick over, and at less than half a knot according to the GPS, picked up the boat hook and "sauntered" up the deck in a relaxed way, reached down and picked up the pickup buoy and pulled the chain onboard. We were on the mooring! A huge tick in the box. While it is something that I need to practice a few times I now know that it can be done! The only comment from Neil was to go into neutral as I left the cockpit next time.

Crew: Sandy Garrity, Garry and Neil

Weather Issued 6 August 04:05 UTC Sea area: Portland Wind: West, backing southwest, F4 or F5 Sea State: Slight or moderate Weather: Fair Visibility: Good Distance figures Distance: 38 nm Moving Average: 4.30 kts Max: 7 kts AIS Track