March

Not a good month for work on the boat. I seemed to be working every weekend and Henry was off to weddings – not even his own! The liferaft failed its MOT or more precisely it needed its contents renewing, the batteries had expired and it needs new gas bottles by November. All at a cost of about £800 and we still have a 30 year old liferaft. Tom managed to find a new one for us from M J Safety in Plymouth for £1,000 and, despite Henry’s email asking if I would think we should have paid more when we were marooned in it, we ordered a new one. Don’t know if the bank manager will approve. Araminta was finally launched on 15 March and still floated. Henry was due to take her down to Pendennis Marina, who have kindly agreed to let us have a berth until mid May, but the forecast was not good so he did not go but wired up the stereo instead! I then agreed to take her down the following weekend. The forecast was deteriorating, North West 3-4 backing West 5-6 and 7-8 on Saturday and even 10 on Sunday so I rushed down to move her on Friday. Stayed with Henry and Amy on Thursday night having a very good evening with them so did not get down to the boat until after 11 o’clock. Finally got away in glorious sunshine, after fitting the spray hood and lifelines, by midday. The forecast was a bit optimistic in that the wind was nearly due West with a lumpy sea running. Had to motorsail to have any hope of being in by dark, but even so did not make it, but got soaked in the process. The autopilot would not cope and as I had’nt set Aries up I ended up steering for most of the way although off Rame she was well enough balanced to steer herself if the engine was off. The weather deteriorated as forecast but quicker. The anchor, a new spade and as yet unused, threatened to escape from its locker and knocked the lid off. I went forward and replaced it, quite exciting and wet, only for it to happen again about half an hour later so I took the key with me and locked it shut which kept it in place. We have never had to lock it before and it never jumped out with the old CQR which is the same size. The family seemed to start getting concerned as it got dark and kept ringing on my mobile. Each time I had to retrieve it from the companionway, get back on course and then move my hood to be able to hear. Inevitably, each time I got at least one wave in the face and they wondered why I was getting bad tempered! Arrived in Carrick Roads about 8.30 and discovered that I had stood on the autopilot plug and so it was u/s. Got the sails down off Governor quite successfully despite lack of autopilot to hold her head to wind. I decide that we were getting too close to St Mawes reef (a lee shore) so put the engine in gear and kicked the throttle open only to be greeted by a loud clunk and the engine stalled. A quick investigation showed a jib sheet round the prop, it must have shaken free as I furled the jib and I did not notice it in the dark. DO NOT PANIC. Considered anchoring but I would have been in the main fairway so got the main back up again and sailed slowly up the harbour. The wind was still fairly strong outside the harbour but inside it was a bit gusty and variable. Called the marina on the radio a few times but got no response, same result on the phone. Caroline, meanwhile, having driven from Plymouth, rang the Harbourmaster’s Office and surprisingly got through. They were not interested in my problems. I decided to sail on in as there is a long visitors pontoon shown on the chart (I had never been in there before) which would be almost into the wind. I stopped to get fenders and warps ready. Meanwhile Caroline eventually found the pedestrian entrance to the marina but the codes we had would not open the gate so I was on my own going alongside. Sailed in to have a look and discovered the nice long pontoon neatly divided up by a lifeboat, a 40’ French sailing boat and a 120’ superyacht, none of which seemed to be occupied. Came in for a second look and decided on the gap ahead of the superyacht. As I turned into the wind it died and we stopped about 15 feet away. Needless to say Araminta gently swung round until she was pointing directly at the French yacht, beam on to the wind which conveniently filled in! Just managed to bear away enough not to hit her and rounded up and stopped in the other gap, bows in but near enough for me to get ashore with a warp. Almost fell in picking up the stern line which I had hung on a winch, must remember to put it on the hood next time. Dropped the main and then spent some time finding a gate with an exit button and managed to let Caroline in. By this time (midnight) she was cold and had sat in the car for three hours in the car park so was not in the best of moods. Had a drink (much needed) and supper and so to bed. Next day re-fitted the fluxgate compass, fitted the MOB alarm but could not complete the wiring as I was a dipole switch short (electronics supplies not Falmouth’s forte on a Saturday afternoon). Amy (Tom’s exgirlfriend ) came for supper and we spent Sunday morning scrubbing decks and generally cleaning before going home Sunday evening. Henry and Amy then spent the next weekend cleaning and sorting, complete with two dogs. I wonder how long it takes to clear dog hair from the bilges?