Had a fabulous sail single handed from Gosport to Plymouth arriving Friday morning. 22hours - not bad but it could have been warmer.
Araminta due to be lifted out on Monday 13. Hope it is not unlucky.
The hard work of winter preparation starts at the weekend.
Tuesday, 14 November 2006
Monday, 13 November 2006
Diary of the AZAB Campaign
November 2006
Trying to find a weather/work window to move the boat down to Plymouth where she will be lifted out for the winter. She should be back in the water for March and will probably stay in the West Country until June.
October 2006
A quiet month for the boat as James and Caroline were sailing in Croatia and Henry and Amy were concentrating on their house. A good month for fundraising. The owner’s gig from James’ great grandfather’s yacht, having been restored seven or eight years ago, was sold and the proceeds most generously promised to the charity.
The boat was supposed to move down to Plymouth by the end of the month to lay up but was stormbound in Gosport. Hopefully she will get there in early November.
September 2006
Henry and Amy, together with Tom and Josh (Henry’s brothers) and Alex and Zoe (Amy’s brother and sister), spent a very squashed week in Guernsey competing in the Guernsey CI regatta by day and partying by night. The daytime activity was not too successful as they never finished a race, due to the biggest tides of the year and no wind. They did, however, come second in their class in the Concourse d’Elegance despite having their signal flags backwards! Does anyone notice flag etiquette any more? Henry and Amy had a bumpy crossing back to Gosport in time for work on Tuesday.
August 2006
James and Caroline took the boat down to Poole with friends, and then on overnight to the Channel Islands where they had a super week although it did rain at times! They visited Sark and did a couple of round Island day sails culminating in a round Guernsey tour by car with friends. They left the boat in St Peter Port for Henry to collect.
July 2006
We made it! James managed to get a place on a safety course whilst Henry took the boat down to Plymouth. We managed to fit the radar and get to the start in Falmouth on time. The race was a mix of weather but very successful from our point of view. We WON on corrected time by over 4 hours. Not bad for an old cruising boat. We got back to Falmouth after the race on Thursday and after completing the formalities on Friday morning, left to go back to Portsmouth before the weather broke. This meant we missed the prizegiving but should catch up with our prizes in August.
June 2006
New handicap certificate arrived at last. Frantic labelling of all the new safety equipment as ORC requires everything to be labelled. James’ survival training weekend was cancelled and so he is rapidly trying to replace it before the Falmouth 500 race on 2 July. Planning to take the boat back to Plymouth on 17th June to fit the new radar and be ready for the start of the Falmouth 500.
May 2006
James and Henry took Araminta back up to Portsmouth to her normal mooring on first weekend in May in very little wind. Motoring for 24 hours. Henry and Amy had a sorting weekend in mid May and James and Henry managed a training weekend trying out the new mainsail and spinnaker.
April 2006
Out of the shed and mast stepped at last. Some minor rectification to the epoxy, topsides polished and launch at 8.00 am on Good Friday. Out onto a temporary mooring, only 18” under the keel on the way out. We were glad that the launch was on time! Congratulations to the staff as the launch was on time and without a hitch.James and Joshua did a quick delivery back to Plymouth as soon as they had sorted the rig. James spent the remaining weekends fitting the new electronics.
February 2006
Araminta still out of the water and being steamed every day. Very cold working on board and days are too short to achieve a lot.
March 2006At last into the shed and hot vac starts. Aiming for launch on 30th March. Looks a very tight schedule and eventually launch date postponed to 14th April. We can only launch at HW springs, hence the two week delay.
January 2006
The boat is out of the water and the mast has been taken off. The hull is being pressure washed daily in preparation for the ‘Hot Vac’ treatment. James & Henry are down working on her most weekends in the hope that she will be re-launched in time for the annual Easter Cruise to the Helford River.
December 2005
Araminta is lifted out and shot blasted. This reveals an extensive osmosis problem! James finds Pedros Yacht Services, based in Brixham. They have a system called ‘Hot Vac’ which speeds up the drying time and means she should be in the water in time for the summer. So back into the water and a cold sail up to Galmpton, Dartmouth where the work is to be undertaken.
November 2005
James and Henry deliver Araminta to her winter storage at Plymouth Yacht Haven. It takes some planning to find a weather window long enough in this rather windy month.
September 2005
Araminta is entered in the Guernsey Regatta with a brave and cramped crew of five (Henry’s girlfriend, Amy, the only female!) and skipper Henry. The Parkinsons Disease flag flew proudly alongside the Regatta colours during time in harbour. The weather was beautifully sunny but produced only light winds for the weeks racing, not Araminta’s preferred weather! The boat performed well but only one race completed. The only trophy to take pride of place in the saloon was for the prize for the zaniest crew (their words not ours!!) Thanks to the Regatta organisers for a good event, see you there next year!
Trying to find a weather/work window to move the boat down to Plymouth where she will be lifted out for the winter. She should be back in the water for March and will probably stay in the West Country until June.
October 2006
A quiet month for the boat as James and Caroline were sailing in Croatia and Henry and Amy were concentrating on their house. A good month for fundraising. The owner’s gig from James’ great grandfather’s yacht, having been restored seven or eight years ago, was sold and the proceeds most generously promised to the charity.
The boat was supposed to move down to Plymouth by the end of the month to lay up but was stormbound in Gosport. Hopefully she will get there in early November.
September 2006
Henry and Amy, together with Tom and Josh (Henry’s brothers) and Alex and Zoe (Amy’s brother and sister), spent a very squashed week in Guernsey competing in the Guernsey CI regatta by day and partying by night. The daytime activity was not too successful as they never finished a race, due to the biggest tides of the year and no wind. They did, however, come second in their class in the Concourse d’Elegance despite having their signal flags backwards! Does anyone notice flag etiquette any more? Henry and Amy had a bumpy crossing back to Gosport in time for work on Tuesday.
August 2006
James and Caroline took the boat down to Poole with friends, and then on overnight to the Channel Islands where they had a super week although it did rain at times! They visited Sark and did a couple of round Island day sails culminating in a round Guernsey tour by car with friends. They left the boat in St Peter Port for Henry to collect.
July 2006
We made it! James managed to get a place on a safety course whilst Henry took the boat down to Plymouth. We managed to fit the radar and get to the start in Falmouth on time. The race was a mix of weather but very successful from our point of view. We WON on corrected time by over 4 hours. Not bad for an old cruising boat. We got back to Falmouth after the race on Thursday and after completing the formalities on Friday morning, left to go back to Portsmouth before the weather broke. This meant we missed the prizegiving but should catch up with our prizes in August.
June 2006
New handicap certificate arrived at last. Frantic labelling of all the new safety equipment as ORC requires everything to be labelled. James’ survival training weekend was cancelled and so he is rapidly trying to replace it before the Falmouth 500 race on 2 July. Planning to take the boat back to Plymouth on 17th June to fit the new radar and be ready for the start of the Falmouth 500.
May 2006
James and Henry took Araminta back up to Portsmouth to her normal mooring on first weekend in May in very little wind. Motoring for 24 hours. Henry and Amy had a sorting weekend in mid May and James and Henry managed a training weekend trying out the new mainsail and spinnaker.
April 2006
Out of the shed and mast stepped at last. Some minor rectification to the epoxy, topsides polished and launch at 8.00 am on Good Friday. Out onto a temporary mooring, only 18” under the keel on the way out. We were glad that the launch was on time! Congratulations to the staff as the launch was on time and without a hitch.James and Joshua did a quick delivery back to Plymouth as soon as they had sorted the rig. James spent the remaining weekends fitting the new electronics.
February 2006
Araminta still out of the water and being steamed every day. Very cold working on board and days are too short to achieve a lot.
March 2006At last into the shed and hot vac starts. Aiming for launch on 30th March. Looks a very tight schedule and eventually launch date postponed to 14th April. We can only launch at HW springs, hence the two week delay.
January 2006
The boat is out of the water and the mast has been taken off. The hull is being pressure washed daily in preparation for the ‘Hot Vac’ treatment. James & Henry are down working on her most weekends in the hope that she will be re-launched in time for the annual Easter Cruise to the Helford River.
December 2005
Araminta is lifted out and shot blasted. This reveals an extensive osmosis problem! James finds Pedros Yacht Services, based in Brixham. They have a system called ‘Hot Vac’ which speeds up the drying time and means she should be in the water in time for the summer. So back into the water and a cold sail up to Galmpton, Dartmouth where the work is to be undertaken.
November 2005
James and Henry deliver Araminta to her winter storage at Plymouth Yacht Haven. It takes some planning to find a weather window long enough in this rather windy month.
September 2005
Araminta is entered in the Guernsey Regatta with a brave and cramped crew of five (Henry’s girlfriend, Amy, the only female!) and skipper Henry. The Parkinsons Disease flag flew proudly alongside the Regatta colours during time in harbour. The weather was beautifully sunny but produced only light winds for the weeks racing, not Araminta’s preferred weather! The boat performed well but only one race completed. The only trophy to take pride of place in the saloon was for the prize for the zaniest crew (their words not ours!!) Thanks to the Regatta organisers for a good event, see you there next year!
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