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.

Pottering - Part 66

As expected, I arrived home late evening. The journey was uneventful, apart from a short stop at the Dartford Tunnels where police stopped the car in front.

'Sandpiper' looks relatively unscathed. A touch of varnish and paint will have her looking almost like new. There was hardly any marine growth on her underwater parts, due to the antifouling.

What next? Most likely I shall do one or two local cruises perhaps to the Blackwater - no long-distance road trailering. Altogether on my recent cruise, trailering amounted to 645 miles. That's a long way.

Rail travel was a little less than half the distance, and the nautical miles sailed I have yet to calculate.

My Pottering cruise has come to and end with many valuable lessons learned. The most valuable one for me was trusting in God. He surely looked after me, kept me safe, and provided me with all my needs.

I had the privilege of meeting many lovely people; several of whom helped when I wanted it. Thank you to all of you, and thank you to followers of my blog who have travelled along with me and given me encouragement.

Thank you.

Pottering - Part 65

We all know from experience that now and again things do not go according to plan, and the attempt at retrieving 'Sandpiper' on Friday's evening tide proved the point.

Because high water was not until 22.10, the boat could not be floated onto her trailer before 21.00. 

There was a Force 4 from the NW, and the tide was against the wind. This made paddling the canoe to the boat a bit tricky, because she was being blown sideways to the waves. 

Having boarded the boat without mishap, I thoroughly prepared for proceedings at the slipway where my friend would be waiting. I put fenders out and made mooring lines ready. 

The plan was for me to berth 'Sandpiper'. Then my friend and I would guide her onto her trailer and haul her ashore with his 4-wheel drive Terios SE.

I started the outboard and slipped the mooring, or so I thought! Then I returned to the cockpit and tried moving from the buoy, but no matter what I did, there we stayed. I couldn't work out what was wrong. In fact, the rope loop to the mooring chain had caught around the bow fairlead.

At that point the outboard's prop snarled the canoe painter, causing the sacrificial locking pin to break, which meant that the outboard became inoperative. I tried replacing the pin. However, with the minimal tools I had I could not remove part of the pin.

There was only one thing for it, and that was to abandon that attempt at retrieving the boat.

Back at Point Quay, my friend's friend had been watching events unfold, and he offered to tow 'Sandpiper' to the slipway with his dinghy this morning.

Well, the retrieval went well, and I got underway for home at 12.45.

I don't expect to arrive there until late evening.

I am including photos of me in my canoe returning to Point Quay after the abortive attempt at putting 'Sandpiper' on her trailer; one of my friend's friend in his dinghy, and another of my friend standing by my boat.

Pottering - Part 64

I left home at 07.45 and arrived at Point Quay, Percuil Creek at 15.30. 

There was a small hiccup that could have been serious. Fortunately I discovered the nut and bolt holding the numberplate had parted; therefore I used one of the boat strops to hold the numberplate to the trailer.

My friend found a nut of the right size, and to stop the same thing happening again, he wound twine around the end of the bolt.

High water will be at 22.10; therefore I may be able to retrieve 'Sandpiper' and sort her out tomorrow morning before trailing her home.

Pottering - Part 63

Getting into Restronguet Creek an hour-and-a-half before high water went well. Only a short distance from Point Quay did the centreplate touch. I had to lift the rudder and steer with the outboard.

My friend turned up on time at 19.00 and we loaded the canoe onto his car. Five minutes later we were drinking coffee at his home.

The evening meal at a local restaurant with my friend and his wife was excellent, being well cooked and well presented. We had a great time together.

Back at the boat I adjusted the lines for a 3 metre drop of water. Only once during the night did I have to check them to make sure they were not too taught. I was rewarded with a moonlight scene.

On a rising tide this morning I readjusted the lines. When the water was high enough for putting 'Sandpiper' on my friend's friend's mooring I cast off and started the outboard.

I'm writing this at mid-day on a First Great Western train going to Paddington Station. From there I shall travel by Underground to Liverpool Street Station, where I shall board a train bound to my home town. The whole journey will take the best part of a day.

Tomorrow, I am hoping I shall be 

driving the car with the boat trailer in tow, en route to Point with the purpose of retrieving 'Sandpiper' on the evening tide.

Pottering - Part 62

This looks like the last day of the cruise.

Early this morning when the mist lifted, I paddled 'Sandpiper' out of Tolcane Creek, and allowed the ebb to take us south past wooded Turnaware Point where a zephyr warranted making sail.

The silence was broken by the call of birds; first a pheasant, then a wren, a wood pigeon, a crow and a chiff-chaff. I had this part of the Truro River to myself. Slowly the wind picked up and came in from the SW which had us on the wind, but there was no strength to it.

Once again I anchored 'Sandpiper' more or less where she had been yesterday - at St. Just Pool. A hazy sun gave a hint of promise for more brightness, which was the case until mid afternoon. From there on, there was a light covering of greyish cloud, enough to cool the air.

Landing on the beach was easily done, since the water was almost like a millpond. 

Because my canoe is an inflatable I have to take care not to puncture her. Just before arriving at the water's edge, I kneel facing forwards, then I step over the side. As soon as I am established with firm footholds I lift the canoe out of the water and carry her to a point above the high water mark.

The 2 mile footpath from St. Just to St. Mawes is well worn. At this time of year many people use it, and cattle, too!

I love combining my small boat cruising with walking, and for as long as I can remember I have derived great pleasure from the exercise and from things I see and experience.

Today was no different. In fact, walking to St. Mawes and back was as good as it can get. 

The coastal path runs through 'set aside' farmland, which I think is brilliant, because insects and wild animals have a really rich environment for their preservation.

One reason for visiting St. Mawes on foot was to repeat what I did when I sailed there with 'Ladybird' two or three years ago; that was to buy and savour a White Magnum ice cream! My wish was satisfied.

My plan is to put into Restronguet Creek for the night; then to return home by train tomorrow.