Pottering Photos – Glimpses

Every day we look briefly at things and dismiss them because they are of no significance or of no importance at the time. What we see is not crucial to our survival, nor does it have any bearing on what really concerns us at that moment. We don’t want to waste time looking at these things, just as we don’t want to waste time waiting at traffic lights! On the other hand we don’t glimpse at traffic lights, but we pay attention to them, for our very lives can be threatened if we ignore them.

 

When cruising my boat my senses are heightened and I am aware of what is happening at all times. The great majority of decisions for action arise from things seen, heard, felt, smelled or tasted. The sense of sight is the most informative. Our eyes are designed for immediately detecting anything that moves, particularly objects that may threaten us by travelling towards us. Even the tiniest gnat is detected.

This heightened awareness when cruising my boat tends to make me more conscious of things I would normally only glance at. Everything becomes important, not just when sailing, but when ashore perhaps doing the shopping, riding on a bus or going for a walk. Even chatting with people becomes a new experience because of this heightened awareness. Attention spans are increased and the recall of recent happenings improves. Memorization vastly improves. No longer does the brain resemble a cabbage; it becomes a live, active, functioning organism. The little grey cells become sparks of fire that send tingling sensations down the spine. One becomes alive.

Pottering Photos – Reflections at Calstock

During my cruise there were times when the wind ceased, and there were moments of peace and calm. Way up the river Tamar at Calstock where ‘Sandpiper’ was well sheltered, she and I shared precious moments of equanimity. She felt the tickling current that slid clumps of floating reeds and rotting leaves along her sides, and I heard their plaintive sighs.

From my floating island I surveyed the richness of the scene; inverted wiggling images, tints, tones, amorphous reflections that slowly danced for my delight. Birdsong filled the air, and the sky was acid blue. My old and abandoned yacht ‘Aziz’ forlornly looked on from amidst others clustered at the boatyard. She asked, “Why?” I had no answer. I could only remember times we had together, good and bad.

I was full of gratitude for shared moments as I reflected on the past.

News Bulletin – ‘Sandpiper’ is for Sale

 

Here’s a bulletin to let readers know that I’ve advertised ‘Sandpiper’ for sale. Details can be found at Ebay.co.uk. Insert the following number into the Ebay search box: 161065836009, or key in: West Wight Potter ‘C’ Type.

I would prefer to sell her without her trailer, because I shall want one for the next project. However, regarding the sale of ‘Sandpiper’, I am open to negotiating a deal with someone who will care for her.

If you want a West Wight Potter, there’s probably not another that has been tested so thoroughly. Everything works. She’s not the best cosmetically, but she is sound and reliable.

Give me a buzz on my mobile (07588288060). If you are calling from a UK land line, and I am at home, I shall be able to phone you back free of charge.

Cheers,

Bill.

Pottering Photos – Water’s Edge

The coastal yachtsman is ever conscious of the proximity of the shore and possible dangers as a result. During my South Coast cruise I was tuned in to the rise and fall of the tides, almost as a woman is constantly aware of her monthly cycle. Tides and a female’s monthly cycles are linked, in that they occur over periods of 28 days, that’s not to say that every woman has her period at the same time. The moon’s complete cycle from full to new takes 28 days. There are 13 lunar months in a year. 13 times 28 equal 364 days, approximately 365 days for the completion of a year. How wondrous is that!

 

Forces involved with the rise and fall of tides are stupendous; likewise the lateral movement of the oceans’ waters brought about by the gravitational pull of the sun and moon are mind-boggling. In my little boat I was very conscious of their awesome power. Wherever and whenever possible I worked in harmony with tidal flows and ebbs. To fight them was not a wise policy.

 

The boundary between sea and land is a fascinating environment where moving waters wage wars of erosion, or they build up silt, sand or pebbles; they can wash them away or set layers of marshland reshaping the coast.

From seaward the yachtsman has an ever-changing scene; perhaps chalk cliffs, granite cliffs, red sandstone escarpments, sand dunes, pebble beaches, glorious sandy beaches, tree-clad slopes, bracken covered mounds - the list is endless. They are all for the enjoyment of the yachtsman, unless they become places of danger when onshore gales remorselessly sweep over them.

 God’s Word, the Bible, reassures us that the oceans of the world will never again cover the earth as during the worldwide Flood. (Genesis 9:11) The boundary between sea and land will be maintained.

Psalm 104 speaks of the Creation when God allotted the oceans to their places, setting boundaries for them.

Psalm 104:5-9

‘You who laid the foundation of the earth,

So that it should not be moved forever,

You covered it with the deep as with a garment;

The waters stood above the mountains.

At Your rebuke they fled;

At the voice of Your thunder they hastened away.

They went up over the mountains;

They went down into the valleys,

To the place which You founded for them.

You have set a boundary that they may not pass over,

That they may not return to cover the earth.’

Pottering Photos – Places

 

Part of the delights of cruising your own boat is that you can choose where you go, where you stop off, and you can visit places you want to see. My Senior Citizen’s bus pass came in very handy for travelling to locations that might interest me. Three such venues were Portland Bill, the Needles and Plymouth.

At Portland Bill I was struck with the monumental scale of the landscape. The prominent red and white lighthouse was like a huge marker set upon a rock. “Watch out sailor! Keep clear. Do not approach. Here you will find danger.”

 

This ‘bird bill’ shaped terrain stretched seaward, lurking under the surface, there for causing disruption in the form of a ferocious race that even skippers of large ships respect by keeping their vessels clear.

Almost hidden in a cleft overlooking the sea, there was a poignant bunch of withered flowers, a reminder that tragedy had struck - one or more lives lost through shipwreck,  drowning or a fall. Someone remembered their loss and marked the spot with a simple tribute.

 

When I was storm bound at East Cowes Yacht Haven I travelled by bus to Alum Bay, from where I walked to high ground overlooking the Needles to the west. The wind was gale force and biting cold, but I had an invigorating experience. From a point close to the Coastguard Station I took photos of the iconic chalk stacks marked by their own red and white lighthouse. The drama of the moment can hardly be sensed from the photo. Clouds and sea only hint at the ferocity of the wind and they say nothing of the latter’s roaring that made me want to cower behind a wall for respite. There I gobbled my lunch and regretted not taking my thermal gloves. My white fingers were like icicles, but they felt like sticks of fire.

 

 

Plymouth was an entirely different experience. On my second visit by bus, the sun blazed and a gentle wind barely fluttered flags near the Smeaton Lighthouse. I joined picnickers on the Hoe and idly surveyed the scene towards the breakwater where naval vessels carried out manoeuvres that I could not fathom. On a nearby green, an enormous spectators’ wheel silently and slowly revolved.

 

Near the centre of the city there was a Next store that had an unsettling appearance, as if the walls were toppling outwards. My senses told me the building was out of equilibrium, and yet it did not collapse. When viewing the scene from Exeter Street, looking up the hill, the explosive effect was exaggerated by the upright spire of the blitz-damaged Charles Church.

Pottering Photos – Sun and Moon

 

In the month of June, here in the UK, we have our longest daylight hours; therefore it is a good time for cruising sailboats. The BBC shipping forecast is at 0520, and by then the sun has risen. If the weather is fine, one can be away on the morning ebb or the flood, as the case may be. The aim is to have enough daylight hours for arriving at one’s destination before nightfall, and to make the best of the tides.

 

Of course, there is no reason why one should not sail at night, especially if there is a full moon for providing visibility, but the tides will be springs, which may be an advantage or disadvantage, according to where and when one wants to go. Strong winds and fast tides are not generally a good combination, unless the boat is going with both, and the wind is not too strong for handling the boat safely, particularly at the destination where windward sailing may be required, and where close manoeuvring could be expected.

Because most of my sailing started at around sunrise, I had several fine views of the sun heralding the morn. Every one of them were different: some bold and bright yellow, others mellow orange or crimson red. Such descriptions are simplifications of those momentary transitions between night and day, referred to as dawn. For some reason, I did not take a satisfactory photo of a sunset at the onset of dusk.

 

I sailed at night across Lyme Bay, and not long before sunrise a half-moon rose above the horizon. Early morning at sea between Poole and Weymouth brought a breathtaking scene of cool lights and a tiny half-moon high in the sky. On waking in the middle of the night at Helford River while ‘Sandpiper’ was rafted beside a Falmouth Pilot, I was mesmerized by a brilliant white moon. The sky was clear and the wind was strong, but what a sight!

None of my photos render the scenes as I remember them. Photos do not have feelings, and they cannot project their imaginations, because they are lifeless; they are soulless. The camera can only react to light, measure and record it. In turn the human who sees the photo can compare it with what he remembers. There is a two-dimensional image of the actual moment, but the moment is lost for ever, only felt and known by the one behind the camera.

Pottering Photos – ‘Sandpiper’

 

Some digital photos are fabulous. They capture momentary images, frozen in time that can be shared with others. In a fraction of a second, light, shade, colour, shape, space and movement are recorded on a memory card or hard drive. They can be reproduced on the screen of a computer, smartphone or tablet, and by magic they can be projected onto a large screen for in-depth scrutiny and appraisal.

 

An artistic photographer will be concerned with composition and aesthetic content; whereas a reporter will want to record significant events, and a casual photographer will only be interested in taking snapshots of places, things or people. I try combining all three approaches to my photography. Because of my artistic background I am always conscious of composition, and because I value every moment of this life that can never be repeated, I am concerned about the quality of the present. I use my photographs as aides-memoires, in the same way snapshots are used.  

 

When on my Pottering Cruise along the South Coast of England I took hundreds of photos with the camera of my iPhone 4s, and I would like to share a few of them with you. To that end I have placed them into subject categories. The first will be photos of the star of the show, ‘Sandpiper’, my ‘C’ Type West Wight Potter. Tomorrow and subsequent days I shall upload photographs taken when in harbour, at sea or on land. Each will come under a subject heading, such as: ‘Boats’, ‘Shore and Land’, ‘Sun and Moon’ etc.

 

Instead of restricting the size of the photos, I shall upload them in full format. I guess Blogspot will reduce them, but they should be large enough for copying to your own computer for your own personal use.

Caring for 'Sandpiper'

There’s nearly always something that can be done by way of caring for a boat. Why should I care for ‘Sandpiper’? I should look after her because am her custodian. She was manufactured in 1972, and she would be considered to be a classic trailer sailer. I expect I shall not own her for much longer, because I seldom keep my boats for more than two or three years, but I have the responsibility of preserving and improving her for the next custodian who, hopefully will carry on the good work.

It’s obvious that not all owners have cared for her. The evidence is plainly seen; for example, there is a brown stain in the cockpit obviously caused by rainwater trapped there for a long time. She could have been propped up, bow the air, and left in the open uncovered, perhaps neglected in a farmer’s field or a garden of someone who lost interest in her.

All of that was in the past. She now rests undercover in my garage until I feel the urge to take her sailing again or maybe to sell her.

Today I gave her rudder stock another coat of varnish, and I resealed the slots where the chainplates pass through the side decks – not that this was absolutely necessary, because they were not leaking, but I did it to make sure water will not enter the hull in future. I also filled a small crevice between the tack plate at the bow and the foredeck.

 

Attention to such detail pays off. There is no joy in having a boat that leaks, either through the hull or the deck. I was grateful during my recent escapade sailing along the South Coast of England that ‘Sandpiper’ remained absolutely watertight. Even the tiny drains at the aft end of the cockpit worked to perfection. I was expecting they would not cope, and that rainwater would overflow into the lazarette, but it never did - despite times when the rain came down by the bucketful. 

Attaching the Propeller

 

The shear pins and split pins for attaching the propeller to my Honda 2 HP outboard motor arrived this morning. I ordered two of each from Lings Ltd, at Mendham Lane, Harleston, Norfolk, IP2  9DW. The total bill was £12.84 which was a bit pricey, but I only had to click the mouse of my computer. They were delivered to my door with no hassle on my part, no travelling expenses and very little time spent ordering them.

Now I have a spare shear pin and a spare split pin, so that if the propeller snarls an object, and the new shear pin breaks, I shall be able to fix it there and then. Attaching and fixing the propeller takes only a minute or so.

Things could have been much different when the old shear pin broke if I had carried a spare one with my tools. However, at that time, nightfall was imminent, and I doubt I could have extracted a part of the pin that was trapped in the drive spindle in time for me to take the boat to the slipway before it was dark.

I can only learn from my mistakes and shortcomings, and I think I have learned to carry a spare shear pin and a replacement split pin.

Link

Lings (Honda Parts)

http://www.lings.com  

Pottering – Part 65 (The abortive attempt at retrieving ‘Sandpiper’ when the shear pin broke.)

http://bills-log.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/pottering-part-65.html

Varnishing 'Sandpiper'

 

The weather was almost perfect for varnishing the exterior wooden parts of ‘Sandpiper’. In a little over an hour the job was done. The only thing that will require a third coat is the rudder stock. On parts of it I took back the old varnish to the bare wood, and I think four coats will be the minimum for them, especially the lower edges that come into contact with the water when the boat is afloat. The sliding hatch, handrails and washboards are all good for the remainder of the season, and into the next.

Day with the Grandchildren

 

I have seven Grandchildren, two of whom are girls. Today my wife and I have had the privilege of looking after triplet boys born to our youngest daughter. At six years of age they are now old enough to entertain themselves for most of the time; therefore supervising and engaging with them is not onerous – rather the opposite, stimulating good fun. They were happy to do their homework, one at time with me. The subjects were: ‘Months of the Year’, and a spelling test.

A visit to the local play park and ASDA for refreshments before returning home for messing around in an inflatable paddling pool was more than enough to satisfy their physical and mental needs. On a bright sunny day what more could they or we want?

As I write, Murray and Djokovic are battling it out at Wimbledon. Murray has a two set lead. I wonder who will win. History could be in the making; the first and only British male singles finalist winner since Fred Perry in 1936. Perhaps by the time you read this, the trophy will have returned to Britain.

Footnote
Andy Murray won.

Link

Fred Perry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Perry

Mid Season Touch-up for ‘Sandpiper’

Function is more important than aesthetics. Well, that’s the policy I have for maintaining ‘Sandpiper’. She’s quite a pretty boat with loads of character; the latter is both by design and use. One of the great things regarding her is that I’m not afraid of working her. Brand new boats like Boat Show exhibits are sometimes so perfect that one is scared of causing any blemish while sailing them; that is not the case with my darling little boat.

What does it matter if she sustains a few scratches here and there? That’s precisely what happened when I recently cruised her along the South Coast of England. The worst damage occurred when I tried docking at Plymouth Yacht Haven. My first attempt at coming alongside went wrong when the Force 6/7 wind took control and pushed her bow onto a piece of sharp metalwork. There was nothing I could do, other than let her fall back as she scraped against the offending piece of metal. Considering the force of the wind and the movement of waves that played their part in ‘wounding’ ‘Sandpiper’, she was not damaged as much as I thought she would be – only a few indentations to her rubbing strip near the bow on the starboard side.

This afternoon I sanded parts of the boat’s woodwork and applied varnish and paint where appropriate. The rudder and stock required most doing to them, because I had not thoroughly varnished the stock at the beginning of the season, nor had I painted the rudder. The lower parts of the rudder and stock were often immersed in water, and consequently they were subject to marine growth in the form of weed. Once during my cruise I scrubbed weed off them, but it wasn’t a great chore, as I could easily and speedily remove the rudder and stock while the boat was afloat.

Once again, I am reminded of how little maintenance my ‘C’ Type West Wight Potter requires. Likewise, because of her diminutive size, she is cheap to keep.

Refixing the Honda Outboard's Propeller

 

Over a year ago I bought a 1997 second-hand 2HP Honda outboard motor through Ebay. I was not convinced at the time that I had a bargain. (See link below.) However, since then the engine has given me good service.

On two or three occasions I failed to start it, because of applying too much choke, which in turn clogged the plug. If the air temperature is warm, there is no need for the choke. It will start first time when the accelerator is set correctly – that’s at a little more than idle speed. Twice the engine was dunked into the water, causing it to stop, the reason being too much back-pressure on the exhaust. Any petrol engine will stop if the exhaust fumes cannot escape.

I shall have to devise a system for pumping fuel from a supply tank located in the lazarette to the outboard’s tank. Paul from New Zeeland has given me an article* showing how such a system was made for a Seagull Outboard.

When I was trying to retrieve the boat from the water on Saturday, 29^th June I got into a pickle. Things didn’t work out. (See link – Pottering – Part 65) The upshot was that I managed to snarl the propeller on the canoe’s painter, causing the shear pin to break. I was unable to extract a piece of the shear pin from the propeller shaft and had to abandon the attempt at taking the boat out of the water.

Today, by sawing off one of the burred ends of the broken shear pin I was able remove the remainder. I’ve ordered two new shear pins and two split pins from a Honda parts centre. The split pins prevent the propeller from falling off, and the shear pins link the propeller to the driveshaft.

While I was tending to the propeller I checked the engine oil and the carburettor drain plug. I was pleased the engine started on the first pull and that no petrol was leaking from the carburettor after my adjustments.

I doubt I shall have the replacement shear pins and split pins until Tuesday of next week, but when they arrive, I should be able to fit them within a minute or so.  

 *Extract from the British Seagull Newsletter (Supplied by Paul)

 

Links

Sunday, May 6^th (Purchasing my Honda Outboard)

http://bills-log.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/engine-note-there-is-no-honda-insignia.html

Pottering – Part 65

 http://bills-log.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/pottering-part-65.html

Lessons for Learning from Pottering

What lessons are there for learning from my Pottering cruise?

From Part 8 I should learn to carry spare sail battens. I have replaced the upper ones with carbon fibre battens which are unlikely to break, but they may jump out of the sail pockets and be lost overboard; therefore I should be vigilant when underway.

Part 12 reminds me that I had to refill the outboard tank 14 times between Dover and Sovereign Yacht Harbour. I really should try designing and making a pump for filling the outboard tank from an inboard supply.

‘Sandpiper’ was stranded on the beach near East Head when the morning tide was not as high as the evening one. This is often the case. Part 22 tells of such a happening. Therefore, when it came to beaching in a little cove at Helford River, I did not beach her until more than an hour after high water.

Part 54 reminds me that I should not turn on the GPS, unless there is a clear horizon all around, and the boat is stationary. Only then will the GPS have a good chance of locating satellites.

The engine let me down more than once, but on each occasion it was my fault. There was no way the motor would continue working when the prop was too deep in the water, because backpressure on the exhaust was too great for fumes to escape. Parts 34 and 60 tell of two such situations. The lesson I learnt was to avoid taking the boat into short, steep breaking waves when motoring – but that is easier said than done!

‘Sandpiper’s’ road trailer is essential for transporting her overland, but if I don’t check the trailer periodically, something serious may happen. Part 64 tells of a nut vibrating off a bolt that retained the number plate, causing the plate to part from the trailer. If that were to happen at high speed, the consequences could be disastrous. Someone could be injured or killed! My friend came up with a solution for preventing the nut from vibrating loose by binding twine around the part of the bolt that protruded beyond the nut.

As I mentioned in Part 66, the most valuable lesson learned by me, was to always trust in God, no matter how bleak the situation.

Proverbs 3:5, 6: ‘Trust in the LORD with all you heart, and lean not on you own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.’

 

 

 

Pottering Costs

I have analysed the costs of my Pottering Cruise that took place over a period of 9 weeks. Amazingly the cost per day, including harbour dues, total travelling expenses, ie., rail travel and petrol for the car and boat, plus food, amounted to £17.80 per day.

Where can you find such value for money? That includes absolutely everything, even dining out with different friends!

The major portion of money went on marina and harbour dues at a cost of £534.46. Food was the next biggest expenditure at £353.63, but I had to eat, didn't I? Considering food costs, including dining out with friends, and twice on my own, £5.61 a day was amazingly cheap.

The total bill for travelling was £233.51. That was the combined amount for road and rail travel. I had to return home from Truro by train; then take the road trailer to Point for collecting the boat.

Trailer-sailing a small boat such as a Potter must be the cheapest way of cruising. You do not have to be rich, but you must have the freedom for doing it. 

My lovely wife has always supported and encouraged me in my pursuit of sailing and building small sailboats. I am indebted to her for her generous love. She asks for nothing in return.

Routine

Not exactly humdrum, I'm back into home routine.

Several things happened when I was away, the sort that I would normally have dealt with. When my wife was cutting the lawn, the mower bust into flames, and there was a gas leak from the pipe that supplies the house. I'm relieved both incidents were separated by time and place.

My wife dealt with these situations, which shows that she can cope without me. That's good to know. 

However, the day I arrived home I noticed something she had not; water was seeping from the central heating overflow pipe. It had dampened and stained the outside wall. In time, if not attended to, the wall would have been damaged.

Before the forecasted rain arrived this afternoon I was able to attend to several jobs, including taking rubbish to the local tip, cleaning the interior of the car, tidying the garage and stowing 'Sandpiper' there.

Sunny weather is forecast for this coming weekend, by which time the boat will be thoroughly dry. Hopefully I shall be able to touch her up with varnish and check everything to make sure all is good.

A New Chapter

Yesterday I gently eased myself back into the home environment. The bed kept still and I could hear traffic passing along the road outside the bedroom. Resident robins chirped their cheerful songs and doves cooed as they had done before my Pottering adventure.

Today I thoroughly cleaned 'Sandpiper' inside and out. When a few things have been done to her she will be ready for more adventuring - most likely short local cruises. 

Over the next day or so I'll examine the logbook of my cruise to Falmouth with a view to analysing certain situations to ascertain if lessons can be leaned.