2022 towards St Kilda: launching.

As in previous years I will be posting as and when I can, it would be best for new readers to check out my new (Nov 2022) introduction to the blog (Opens in a new tab / window) that explains how I go about writing the blog, its limitations whilst I am writing it whilst cruising and what some terms mean.

St Kilda (left) about 45 miles west of Harris in the Outer Hebrides.
In a small sailing boat, the lack of a protected anchorage and
a safe all weather passage back through or around the outer Isles,
at least a week of fair weather it required to safety visit.

I will probably have Iridium tracking on around the Scottish Islands and the Outer Hebrides but have not yet made a decision as to when I will activate it. I will turn if off when I am confident of getting timely weather reports and some email connectivity by other means for the rest of the trip, again see my "Tracking Sancerre page" for the Iridium tracking reports.

The Launch

Sancerre was launched on the 9th of March and I took her down river to one of the RAFYC's berths for a night before putting her on the mooring. 

Quite a pleasant 2 mile trip up the river in the dinghy. This is
the easiest way to get the car and the boat down to the RAFYC
 single handed. Pic about half way between Port Hamble and
Mercury marinas looking upstream on the first of the flood tide. 

Looking downstream from about the same point. When I came back
down, against the tide, there was also a force 5 wind on the nose
which would not have been pleasant in the dinghy..

Nicolson 55 "Lord Portal" moored near the top of the river, I sailed
on her in the 70s when she was one of 2 Nic 55's used by the RAF
for adventure training.

Launching at Deacon's yard, once a very traditional boat yard but
now under new ownership it is being modernised and homogenised,
probably not for the better, prices are certainly going up quickly so I'll
probably not be there next year, or at least not for as long.

Sancerre was launched @ 10:00 an hour and a bit after low water, 2 hours ahead of the orriginal schedule, I was told the previous afternoon so had to leave early to get down in time. Its a long drop to the water even two days off of neaps, I don't think they launch so near to low water on spring tides. The yard was busy that day so they moved the boat launched before Sancerre (On the pontoon at the end of the jetty in the pic above, waiting to be towed over to Swanwick marina, AKA Moody's) into the slings the previous day and parked Sancerre right behind for a quick start, when I left at c 10:45 a third boat was going in.

Whilst moored at the RAFYC I loaded heavy and awkward sized items that it was not sensible to do when she was ashore, set up the running rigging that was removed for the winter and fitted the mainsail, stack pack and lazy-jacks. I was lucky with the weather this morning, the wind being much lighter than forecast, so I was also able to get the 150% genoa rigged as well, a bit of a struggle single handed in any wind.

Most of the tinned food is loaded so after a few more hours of work and loading the rest of the food, clothes and bedding suitable for spring, and hopefully summer, I will be ready to go. 

Update 20th March: With the revised start date (see update at the end of the previous post) I loaded the rest of the non-perishable stores today and finished the odd jobs and the boat is ready to go, I just need to load clothes, perishable food and get the car home. to leave on the 25th or 26th.

Click here for day 1 of the trip.

Lift out for the winter.

Sancerre was lifted out at Deacon's yard, Bursledon just before Christmas, fortunately it was a nice day so the two mile trip back to the RAFYC in the dinghy to get the car was actually quite pleasant.

I was very pleasantly surprised at the lack of weed on the hull, by far the best result I have had from an anti-foul even though this was the first season she had not been power washed mid season. This was largely due to the number of miles I travelled spread over the season which helps the self ablative antifouling to work, but contributing was a lot of work over the previous two seasons on surface preparation and building up a good covering so that it did not wear through or come off. There is no doubt that getting three coats on over a period of days or weeks allowing each to cure before the next coat is superior to getting a coat on between tides or using the sealift (2 coats in an afternoon and back in early next morning). 

The SeaJet "Pellercoat" on the propeller was also impressive,
the first treatment I have found that actually works, unfortunately
some was knocked off by over enthusiastic use of the power wash,
next time I will ask them not to use it on the prop rather than to be careful.

Minimal erosion on the anodes, before fitting the Galvanic Isolator
I always wrecked two of the type on the right each year. 

After the power wash and almost ready for antifouling.

The 2021 Season Round GB - here we go!

In anticipation of the web site disappearing (probably in the distant future) I have converted the more important threads into PDF documents so I'll have a continuing record . These are somewhat easier to read, I have not made any significant edits but there are fewer pictures and no video. Links from downloaded copies should still work if on line. I may later put further links to Flickr for videos but probably not for the slide shows because of the effort required and the likely hood of the Flickr library disappearing with the web site (with thousands of images it has to be paid for) 2021 Round GB.

Finally! 

I didn't think I would make it when I went out to the car at 06:00 to find it was snowing - hard. Or when south of Newbury one of the idiots doing 70 or more crashed, fortunately I was less than half a mile behind and got through fairly quickly leaving behind a 5 mile queue. Fortunately the snow cleared north of Winchester and its been a decent day albeit cold. 

I put all of the gear, upholstery etc. on board and loaded up with stores, fuel and clothes whilst the boat was out of the water when I was finishing winter maintenance once Covid-19 restrictions allowed me to visit. It was a pain hoisting everything up but it saved several days when restrictions were lifted so I could stay on board allowing me to get away sooner.

The boat carrier is remote controlled.

Sancerre was launched by about 10:00, sails bent on, running rigging on and other work done by early evening. More work tomorrow, including running a cable up the mast for the wind instruments, then I'll take the car home returning by train and hopefully I will be on my way on Thursday. 

As last year the weather is not cooperating, then it was westerly gales when I was leaving to the west, this year it is east or N East winds, perhaps for a couple of weeks, that will make it difficult to get eastward then potentially limit anchorages when heading up the east coast, it's  Déjà vu all over again, but hopefully this time I'll not get stuck in harbour for 12 days as I did in Blyth last year.

Slide show of my launch pictures, page through by clicking the arrows or click in the centre of the pic to view from Flickr in a new window or full screen:

  

Click her for Day 1 to Seaford.

Covid-19 Lockdown and Blog updates

Here we go again! In March 2020 the lockdown came just after I put Sancerre onto her mooring, so at least I did not have to pay for the marina berth through to the partial reopening in June. This year she is out of the water and due back on the mooring, which I have all year, in mid march.

One coat of antifoul done with the boot (white) line raised 
 to stop weed collecting on the gloss paint when the boat is
heavily loaded for extended cruising.

With the likelihood of further restrictions and to avoid possible harsh weather in January and February I put a lot of effort in from mid November when Sancerre came out of the water and managed to get the hull prepared and a single coat of antifoul on before the serious lockdown was announced and, with a last minute Christmas eve visit, I got the engine water pump back on, the Blake's seacocks for the toilet back in and the automatic bilge pump rewired with a new switch, so if the lockdown lasts into March, I will be able to get her back in the water and onto the mooring with a few days notice and one or two days on site, hopefully avoiding possible additional storage charges at the boat yard.

Unable to visit the boat to complete winter maintenance I am spending some of the time in (Tier 4 for the boat and separately for me) lockdown to put some additional info on here and to update some of the posts relating to my round GB trip in 2020.

In particular I have copied and expanded on a post I made on the owners group Flickr site when an owner of a smaller Achilles asked about the handling of the Achilles 9m, that with a good deal of other information, can be found by clicking on here (opens in a new window)  or on the "About the Achilles 9m and Sancerre" tab above (opens in this window).

I have also added a page of pictures from each of my cruises in Sancerre and have imbedded maps showing Sancerre's latest position and some historical info from AIS returns on the "Tracking Sancerre" tab above.

The next project, currently WIP is a page of hints on cooking and eating at sea.

Update: and with the new lock down there could well be a few more.

Preparing for the 2020 Jester Azores Pt 2, the winter work list.

Preliminary winter work list, 6th September:

Mainly for the JAC but including some regular maintenance etc. Sancerre is provisionally booked to be hauled out at Deacon's at the top of the Hamble in November for a month or six weeks and will probably be berthed there through March 2020 before going back onto the summer trot mooring down river.



Ashore at Deacons early 2017

Skeg rebuild 2014

Work when out of the water (1st Nov - 13th Dec):

• Check cutlass bearing (needed immediate replacement).
• Check stern gland. OK
• Check for play on rudder & lower pintle.OK
• Check skeg & rudder for water ingress etc. OK 
• If practical remove redundant log paddle and replaced with blank or otherwise seal. Done
• Check / clean out / lubricate skin fittings and seacocks. Done.
• Fabricate a prop puller. Done.
• Remove old prop. Done.
• Shorten prop shaft? Not required
• + Bore out and tap nut for Flexofold Done.
• Fit Flexofold folding prop Done.
• Check rope cutter with new prop (OK & adjusted)
• + Polish shaft Apply Prop-shield to shaft and prop to inhibit weed growth. Done
• Replace Anode. Done
• Strip back anti-fouling over rust spot on the keel (+ and P Bracket), treat, Prime, fill as necessary, prime.  Done
• Clean bilge,treat keel bolt nuts and repaint nuts. Done
• 3 coats of anti-fouling with additional on leading edges etc. Done.
• + Disconnect Prop shaft, move engine forward, replace cutlass bearing, refit engine etc. Done.
• + redo antifouling on P bracket after replacing cutlass bearing. Done.
• + Replace anchor chain, fit plastic & paint 10m markers. Done.
• + Fit anode to P Bracket. Done.

Antifoul done! :)

Work when on the pontoon:

• 300 hour engine service Done.
• + Replace or clean 1st fuel filter. Done.
• Clear control cable runs so the engine will reliably stay at full throttle. Done?
• Full standing rigging check including security of the radar reflector, spreader anti-chaff etc. Done
• Fit plastic covers to rigging screws on main and forward lower shrouds Done.
• Replace wind sensor battery. Done
• Straighten / free up / replace windex. Better but not fixed
• Replace water filter element after flushing the tank and pipework. Done
• + clean pull pit to save headsail.

Work before the JAC:

• Life raft service. Done
• Additional reef points to mainsail. Done
• Make or buy spare wind vane for the Seafeather self steering. On Order.
• Fit 7th port side clutch, lines for the 3rd reef put loops on the business end of 3rd reef lines to attach a messenger. Done
• + Bag at mast for 3rd reef line when not rigged. Done
• Additional strapping for fuel bladder or secure boards over...….
• + Clean out & paint port cockpit locker as required, new boards? strong back? in conjunction with.....
• Additional strapping for diesel cans, replacing the single 5L with a 5th 10L so they are the same height and fit relatively tightly for and aft.
•  + Add removable combined strong-back over fuel bladder compartment / fore and aft bulkhead in locker to retain diesel cans and provide additional strapping points for them. Done
• Additional strapping & net for storage on stbd bunk. Done
• Devise and install some method of storing items (incl. Jordan drogue) (incl. Storm jib, 80m warp) in the quarter berth without them falling into the nav seat foot well. Done.
• Fit safety belts to port bunk. Done
• Tie down for anchor or continue just packing with fenders? Both. Done.
• Fit cleats for aft winches / jib furling. Done
• Replace mast halyard bag, hopefully with one that will withstand uv for more than 2 years 😒 Done.
• Repair cockpit halyard bags. Done
• Service Seafeather, varnish servo blade, check mounts. Done
• + Reconfigure NMEA bridges, USB connections etc. for resilience. Done
• + Put loops on cockpit safety line pad eye Done.
• + Add a waterproof USB charging point for the iPad to the instrument binnacle. Done
• + Make the bungee securing the acrylic strips protecting the chart table captive. Done
• + Make sunshade from the top part of the v old (damaged) genoa (done) and check rigging it in multiple positions, especially those for use at sea.
• + Improve storage for specs.  pen and head band tourches & nav instruments. Done
• + Improve lap top security on chart table. Done
• + longer standing part for preventer with spliced thimbles each end. Done.
• + Put grab handles on side of cockpit seats so I can get up from leeward Done
• + Repair Seafurl, Done.
  
• + Move forward furling line block forward so the line goes onto the drum lower. Done
• + Stainles strip on top of tiller to protect from Seafeather chain. Done
• + Fit addition blocking diodes to solar to reduce heating. Done  
• + Connect 2nd output from solar & wind controller to starter battery & set starter battery DVSR to only operate when ignition is on. Done.
• + Additional bracing / fastening to foot of table. Done
• + Move bilge pump hose to be above or at the same level as the electric pump. Done
• + Build Jordan drogue & new bridle. Done.
• + Fabricate and fit strong points for Jordan Drogue bridle. Done.
• + Halyard bag aft for drogue bridle. Ready
• + Repaint and strengthen chart table base (Done), new fixing to hold it in up position.
• + Move New small fire extinguisher from under steps to fitted to back of table leg. Done
• + Service anchor windlass, check connector (Done) and warp (Done). 
• + Move 80m warp to a tool bag for storage in quarter berth with Jordan drogue. Done
• + Test fit drogue bridles Done.
• + Splice thimble to end of 40m warp, reorganise shackles, swivel, emergency steering bridle etc. so that the 40 & 80 metre warps can easily be used with  Kedge anchor, Grapnel anchor or Jimmy Green drogue, individually or in series. Also ensure kedge and Grapnel anchors can be used as a "chum" or to back up the bower Done
• Tidy up the head lining, put in more pads and screws. Check all leaks are now fixed. Done
• + Install wood panel on deck head above electrical panel. Done 
• + Rebuild / extend bins outboard of chart table. Done
• + Anti Seagull measures, especially for the solar panels. Done

+ Fit wi-fi extender. Done
+ Remove rail cleats damaging dodgers, replace with bags on guard rail. Done
+ Minor repairs to dodgers.
+ Clean and reproof canvas. Done
+ Varnish tiller & washboards. Done
+ Replace broken lifting ring on forward section of floor. And worn aft section? Done
+ Revamp storm jib rigging using 2nd jib halyard mast fittings. Done.
+ Fit rubber seals and additional closure on port cockpit locker to prevent flooding (internal so also anti theft). Done
+ Lashing points under saloon table for the Jordon Drogue bag. Done
+ Secure aft section of saloon sfloor to beam. Done
+ Bolts or similar on centre section of floor (forward section?). Done
+ Grab handle for the head. Done
+ Replace (hasp? and) staple at bottom of life raft cover. Add removable retaining clip for use at sea. Done.
+ Secure gas bottles in their lockers. Done
Additional strapping or something solid for the cool box and something to protect the electrical plug. Done
USB point & mount forward with iPad holder on book rack?  Or pillar? above port bunk. Done
+ Fit tiller pin and bolt for SeaFeather lines to spare tiller. Done
Inject epoxy into deck soft spots which should be dry by now.  Done
Convert main traveller car to 3 part purchase, correcting lead alignment etc. Done
Redo non-slip paint in the cockpit? Done
Refurbish old washboards as backups. Done.
+ Check guardrail wires. OK but may need shortening replace with Dynema if stanchion fix does not tighten. Done
+ Modify and fit rubbing strake to edge of life raft cover / seat to protect against the autopilot ram. Done

• Spare servo blade and wind vane for SeaFeather self steering. On order.
• Make tool for opening and closing the Dorade vents.
• + Swing steering compass.
• + Check alignment of fluxgate compass.
• + Calibrate log.
• + Add solid bracing struts to spray hood grab rail?
• Fit replacement cam cleat (or spring in) the port side genoa car control.
• Make up a length of coax with plug and socket for emergency connection of the AIS (and therefore VHF) to the domestic VHF aerial on the gantry.
• Better storage for the oil lamp.
• Fix guard rail stanchions not already done.
• + Replace guardrail wire end lashings.
• + Fit messenger between 2nd & 3rd reefing points.
• Make up tie ins for mainsail reefs.
• After fixing stanchions replace damaged netting forward incorporating additional chaff protection for the genoa.
• + Devise some method of keeping the bottom of the curtain in position without risk of tearing it, at least to port whilst allowing easy movement forward.
  

Other work:

• Fit loud siren to alarm.
• + Replace VHF aerial and windex (check fitting first)?

Items marked + added after 7th September.