Too old to crew a basic boat or do I just feel it !
Oct 18, 2016 13:53:42 GMT
quaysider, peterboat, and 3 more like this
Post by JohnV on Oct 18, 2016 13:53:42 GMT
The Beagle of Leigh is a pretty 25 foot (excluding bowsprit) wooden gaff rigged yacht approaching her centenary, owned by a friend.
On Friday we set off from Hullbridge motoring down the River Crouch passing Burnham down to the entrance of the River Roach. We anchored up here for the night as it was too late on the tide to get across the sands in the Raysands Channel and running out to the end of the Buxey sands adds 10 miles and meant we would be late for the tide for getting into Bradwell.
On Saturday morning we ran gullwinged down to the mouth of the Crouch dropped the sails and pulled up the centre plate and slipped over the Raysand Channel (there was about 4 foot under the keel so we could probably could have sailed but it would have been too close for safety)
We got all the rags on and dropped the centre plate and tore up the coast. An excellent reach, on one tack the whole way to Bench End buoy (the mouth of the Blackwater)
We motorsailed into the Blackwater (Beagle does not like going to windward) arriving at Bradwell Marina at the same time as many of the modern yachts from the yacht club.
(of course we totally denied that we had used the engine ...... "use the stinkpot ? How dare you suggest such a thing !")
Normally of course we arrive hours later ..... if at all
Homeward bound on Sunday was another matter
Leaving Bradwell we were heading straight into the wind and the tide. We struggled down towards the Bench End buoy where the sea was really beginning to get up, lots of white horses.
Our speed dropped to 0.7kts with the prop coming part out of the water and the bow slamming hard.
It was unkind treatment for an elderly wooden boat and the slow progress meant we were going to be too late to get over the Raysand channel. That meant an extra 9 miles further out to sea to get round the Buxey Sand.
It didn't take much discussion before we called the rest of the fleet and told them we were turning back.
With the wind and tide up our arse it didn't take long before were in the bar telling tall tales about monstrous seas and hurricane force winds that increased at the same rate as the consumption of Adnams
(it was about 6/7 probably nearer the 6 but together with the strongly running tide it kicked up a very nasty short sea)
Monday morning we sneaked out of the marina almost slithering over the mud we were that early in the tide.
We motored out across the river towards Tollesbury to give us sea room to put up the sails. We then found that a chain (part of the rigging) had wrapped round the bowsprit and we couldn't lower the sprit properly. Working out on the bow of Beagle is not without it's dangers. There are no guard rails and you are very exposed stretching out along a wooden pole to reach the end. Nerve wracking for both the person doing it and for the person on the helm (in this case me).
We could possibly have returned to the marina, but we would have still had to have the bowsprit lifted to enter and leave the marina, which meant it could happen again.
(The thought of the damage you could do to a modern boat with a 12 foot jousting pole sticking out of the bow
)
Although we lost half an hour or more mucking about sorting things out we were soon hammering down the river. We passed a smack going the opposite way. I tried very hard to take a photo (in fact several) but unfortunately they are all crap (so much for point and shoot) . It is almost impossible to do extras when you are trying to see the depth gauge, take a bearing, check the chart and helm all at the same time (Eric was down below making the tea) We came out at over the bar at a stonking speed, such a difference to the previous day !
We turned South down the coast but the wind was coming round a bit and onto the nose so we motorsailed down the coast again changing to motor when we got close to the sands and slipped into the main channel of the Crouch. There we continued to motor through a very rough confused sea over the bar. With the tide fully up our arse but with a head wind we charged up the river at over 6 knots reaching all the way to Fambridge on the flood only having to push the tide the last bit passing Brandyhole and mooring up on her buoy at Hullbridge.
A very quick passage for her 26 nautical miles in just over 5 hours !
The crappy picture of the Smack
This shows the bowsprit on Beagle clearly
On Friday we set off from Hullbridge motoring down the River Crouch passing Burnham down to the entrance of the River Roach. We anchored up here for the night as it was too late on the tide to get across the sands in the Raysands Channel and running out to the end of the Buxey sands adds 10 miles and meant we would be late for the tide for getting into Bradwell.
On Saturday morning we ran gullwinged down to the mouth of the Crouch dropped the sails and pulled up the centre plate and slipped over the Raysand Channel (there was about 4 foot under the keel so we could probably could have sailed but it would have been too close for safety)
We got all the rags on and dropped the centre plate and tore up the coast. An excellent reach, on one tack the whole way to Bench End buoy (the mouth of the Blackwater)
We motorsailed into the Blackwater (Beagle does not like going to windward) arriving at Bradwell Marina at the same time as many of the modern yachts from the yacht club.
(of course we totally denied that we had used the engine ...... "use the stinkpot ? How dare you suggest such a thing !")
Normally of course we arrive hours later ..... if at all
Homeward bound on Sunday was another matter
Leaving Bradwell we were heading straight into the wind and the tide. We struggled down towards the Bench End buoy where the sea was really beginning to get up, lots of white horses.
Our speed dropped to 0.7kts with the prop coming part out of the water and the bow slamming hard.
It was unkind treatment for an elderly wooden boat and the slow progress meant we were going to be too late to get over the Raysand channel. That meant an extra 9 miles further out to sea to get round the Buxey Sand.
It didn't take much discussion before we called the rest of the fleet and told them we were turning back.
With the wind and tide up our arse it didn't take long before were in the bar telling tall tales about monstrous seas and hurricane force winds that increased at the same rate as the consumption of Adnams
(it was about 6/7 probably nearer the 6 but together with the strongly running tide it kicked up a very nasty short sea)
Monday morning we sneaked out of the marina almost slithering over the mud we were that early in the tide.
We motored out across the river towards Tollesbury to give us sea room to put up the sails. We then found that a chain (part of the rigging) had wrapped round the bowsprit and we couldn't lower the sprit properly. Working out on the bow of Beagle is not without it's dangers. There are no guard rails and you are very exposed stretching out along a wooden pole to reach the end. Nerve wracking for both the person doing it and for the person on the helm (in this case me).
We could possibly have returned to the marina, but we would have still had to have the bowsprit lifted to enter and leave the marina, which meant it could happen again.
(The thought of the damage you could do to a modern boat with a 12 foot jousting pole sticking out of the bow
)Although we lost half an hour or more mucking about sorting things out we were soon hammering down the river. We passed a smack going the opposite way. I tried very hard to take a photo (in fact several) but unfortunately they are all crap (so much for point and shoot) . It is almost impossible to do extras when you are trying to see the depth gauge, take a bearing, check the chart and helm all at the same time (Eric was down below making the tea) We came out at over the bar at a stonking speed, such a difference to the previous day !
We turned South down the coast but the wind was coming round a bit and onto the nose so we motorsailed down the coast again changing to motor when we got close to the sands and slipped into the main channel of the Crouch. There we continued to motor through a very rough confused sea over the bar. With the tide fully up our arse but with a head wind we charged up the river at over 6 knots reaching all the way to Fambridge on the flood only having to push the tide the last bit passing Brandyhole and mooring up on her buoy at Hullbridge.
A very quick passage for her 26 nautical miles in just over 5 hours !
The crappy picture of the Smack
This shows the bowsprit on Beagle clearly
