Wander Lost

Author: John

  • Wind vane steering

    Lady Cindy was fitted with a monitor wind vane steering system in 2006 by the previous owner. Just before I bought the boat it was removed and sold separately from the boat. Wind vane steering uses the power of the wind to keep a boat on course much like an autopilot would. If the yacht wanders off course, the perceived wind direction changes, which pushes a vane over, which adjusts the steering to bring the boat back on course. It requires no power so is perfect for long voyages.

    I managed to contact the buyer to see if he had fitted it to his boat and would he be willing to sell it back to me. After several months, he agreed so today I sailed to Portsmouth, did the deal and together we fitted it back on Lady Cindy. Fortunately I was able to redrill out the original mounting holes so the whole process was completed in less than three hours.

    The trip back was ‘fun’. 25 knot headwinds and 3-4 meter swells. I decided to motor back rather than sail and I am glad I did. Another yacht was under sail and had to tack about a mile to my starboard side and back several times. I overtook him and got back before him plus had a more comfortable ride with my bow to the waves, he had the waves on his beam giving him a very rolly ride.

    I was involved with another emergency with the coast guard on the return. A mayday call came across the radio but the vessel did not respond to the Coast Guard calling back, a DSC distress message also came up on the radio. A short while later a yacht about 1/2 mile behind me made a pan pan call saying they were taking on water but pumps were controlling it. I thought it was all related but later the Coastguard put out a call asking if anyone else heard the mayday. It turns out they were seperate incidents. I reported what I had heard and gave the MMSI number from the DSC message. Later they reported the incident was closed.

  • New plumbing, pumps and taps

    I have spent the last two days ripping out the old sink plumbing, laying new hoses and installing new taps and water pumps.

    Lady Cindy new cold water system

    Originally there was hand operated pump taps at the galley sink and in the heads pumping fresh water from a 150L fresh water bladder tank. Have you ever tried to wash your hands and pump water at the same time? They leaked and the galley counter top has rotted around the taps. They had to go.

    My options were a foot pump or electric pump, I found a water pump with a built in pressure switch, I was not sure if it would work without a pressure vessel but they were not expensive so thought I would give it a go. I mocked up a system before starting to rip out the old taps and it worked.. really well 🙂.

    The taps are designed for hot and cold water supply, I don’t have hot water but I do have sea water, a very big supply of it. Most people seem happy with salt water washing and fresh rinsing so I plumbed the ‘hot’ supply to sea water from the toilet supply through hull. This line has its own seperate pump mounted slightly higher to keep it above the waterline (in case it leaks).

    Both taps have pull out hose attachments so now I can take a hand held shower. Water can drain into the bilge but I will make sure most of the soap goes down the sink and I run a flush of water down afterwards. My bilge pump is in automatic and in testing coped well with the flow.

    I read a lot of conflicting views online on using the bilge for this. Many reported no problems, others said yuck it will smell. Time will tell but my view is as long as I run lots of sea water through the bilge at the end of the shower, this may result in cleaner bilges.

    Due to the rot around the old galley pumps. I sacrificed a chopping board to cover the old holes, create a mount for the new tap and provide a watertight seal to halt the rot. Visually it’s not great but it is functional. At a future date I will replace the entire counter top.

  • Break in

    Somebody broke into the boat today

    Damage caused by breaking in

    Scandalous!!! OK, truth time.. it was me 🥺. I was planning to run upriver in the dinghy to meet my mum to collect some deliveries and do some shopping. I got everything ready and locked the boat… and then remembered the keys were still in the boat.. sh$t! OK, use the spare hidden one, that is behind a sun cover… the cover that I did not put back yesterday so was still inside the boat… sh$t, f$%k, said repeatedly, good job nobody was there to hear me.

    Eventually after a bit of fettling, including to my knuckles, I got it open with minimal damage. I now have another repair job 😥.

    By this time, my mum reported from shore that the location I planned to land was mud flats, plan B, go to a marina and if doing that I might as well book in for a couple of nights and use the facilities. So that’s where I am, just back from a hot shower, glass of wine in hand and chilling. My mum ran me to a chandlery and to lidl so it turned out to be a very expensive but enjoyable and productive day.

  • Learning to live afloat

    The last few days have not been as the forecasters predicted, why am I surprised? 🤣. It has been useful though because I am learning about living afloat while waiting for better weather. This is something I will be doing a lot of in the coming years.

    Simple things such as having a full body wash including my hair in just a few litres of water. How much power I can expect from the solar panels when overcast, how much power various devices and the heating use in normal operation, how to stay warm while minimising power consumption plus lots of other stuff.

    I am also being more adventurous in the galley, using the oven more, including doing some baking. I plan to make some bread today. I have been reading and listening to music a lot as well. Yesterday we proved remote support for my old shop and a charity I was treasurer for can work

    I am investigating options for a haul out next month on the Isle of wight where its cheaper.

    I have set up links from this blog to Instagram and twitter, lets see if this post arrives there.

  • We are sailing

    No more waiting, conditions this morning were flat calm with no wind, so up went the main for the first time so I could check out everything. The third reefing line was missing and the two spares aboard are too short. I used one of the spares but terminated it at the first reef cleat. That will do for now, if I need the third reef, there will be enough free line to reach its proper cleat, its only when the sail is fully up that the reef line is fully extended.

    By lunchtime the wind started to rise so we were off. I motored out of the harbour and tried to raise the main, it jammed about 2 foot from the top. It was fine earlier but there was no pressure on the sail then. I lowered it and reclipped to a second position at the head of the sail, up she went, no problem. A few minutes sailing with just the main and I felt ready to unfurl the genoa, I quickly found the sheets needed repositioning outside one of the stays, that done and we were off.

    Lady Cindy was predictable and well behaved and although I made no effort to trim the sails, she sailed well. The tell tales were all over the place but I did not care, we were doing 6.5 knots in about 15 knots of wind varying from close hauled to beam reach and I was happy with that.

    I should have stayed out longer but I came in with the tide going out at full race. I nearly turned around but decided to plough on, lets see if she can do this. I throttled up and although the speed through the water read 6 knots, I think we were actually doing 1 knot ground speed. The garmin GPS instrument was not showing speed over ground, I need to see if I can configure it to do so, it was ok when I was tracking a route so I know it can do it.

  • Solent coastguard, Solent coastguard, Solent Coastguard….

    This is Lady Cindy, Lady Cindy….

    I had chance to practice my radio skills today, a yacht ran aground about 500m away from where I am anchored. I first heard about it on Channel 16 (emergency channel) from a conversation between a rib reporting the grounding and the coast guard. I followed them to channel 67 and after their conversation, I cut in reporting I could see the vessel and monitor it until it refloats on the incoming tide. The Coastguard have been calling me hourly to check on the situation.

    Who put that sand bar there?

    I decided not to raise the sails today, the winds were high this morning, the weather gods obviously had a different forecaster than me, more importantly the wind was from the north and freezing. I decided to stay put and do some odd jobs around the boat and have a chill out day reading in the warm cabin.

    I think Dotty has hurt her hip again, probably while sliding around the deck yesterday, the rest will do her good as well.

    Rest day for Dotty

  • First big trip

    I left Deacons marina at 10am and headed across the river to get some fuel at premier marinas… none left 😳 ok there is another one near the entrance to the hamble, I’ll phone them as they need an appointment. Booked in for 12.30 so off down the river I went. I arrived around 11.45 but was told they are taking a delivery and nobody allowed on the fuel pontoon while they transfer fuel, so come back in an hour. I tied up across the river and had a cup of tea. An hour later I returned, still delivering, be another hour 😳. Back across the river for a coffee this time. The marina phoned me to apologise and said they would call back when ready. It turns out they had a problem with a valve. £100 lighter, and 90 litres heavier in fuel, I was off.

    I decided not to raise the sails today, 20knot winds with squalls gusting up to 40 knots were forecast, not the day for a solo sailor to raise the sails for the very first time on an unfamiliar boat. I decided to motor all the way and boy am i glad I did. Two squalls hit me, one just after Portsmouth that heeled the boat with bare poles, the second as I just entered Chichester Harbour. Luckily it had mostly blown through by the time I set the anchor.

    A squall passing through near Portsmouth

    Setting the anchor was not without problems but I did it, and so far it seems to be holding. Another squall has just blown through so I we passed that test. First the anchor chain jammed in the winch, it looks like a guide is bent so the chain can get under it, I will look tomorrow, it may need what is technically called a whack, with a precision instrument called a hammer. The second problem was the chain jammed in the pipe to the chain locker, simple fix but nerve wracking to go below when the anchor is half down.

    So I think today was a success, all the instruments worked, including speed through the water. I ran most of the way using the autopilot which worked like a charm. Neither dotty nor I was seasick despite the conditions and I arrived safely. Tomorrow and the next few days look ideal for a novice sailer, sailing solo for the first time, on a new (to me) boat to practice sailing. Light winds and sunny conditions 😎

  • Track me live

    You can now track me live via this web site.

    [tsmap user=@]

    Track Me

  • Panic!!!

    I had planned to move the boat to a cheaper marina today, hire a car for the 2nd to get my covid jab in wales and move to an anchorage on the 6th. Everything was booked and confirmed. I arrived at the new marina, my booked berth taken so went into the one next door. Went to the marina office, they did not know of my booking😳 I showed them the email confirmation and told them my plans, oh! We don’t allow liveaboards 😳😳 I explained their web site suggested they did! OK, she will speak to the boss but I had to be prepared to move off on the next tide 😳😳😳 spent the last hour looking at hotels and other options including cancelling my jab 😳😳😳😳 just had a phone call, I can stay aboard for the week 😭 I need a stiff drink 🤣

  • First trip out

    After several days of more work on the boat including fitting a new radio, dressing the new wiring, organising and cleaning cupboards, plus selling the car, I finally felt ready to take Lady Cindy out for a run down the river and back. All went well, the speed through water is not working but everything else worked great.

    I got her up to 6.2 knots when I reached Southampton water, that was not full throttle but fast enough for me. She was comfortably doing about 4.5 to 5 knots at revs that felt about right (she has no rev counter). No pictures I’m afraid, I wanted to focus on the boat and it’s a narrow channel with lots of other boats moving about. I did misjudge docking though and touched the boat behind me, luckily no damage done but it was embarrassing.

    Tomorrow I move the boat across the river to Deacons boat yard as its a bit cheaper. I need to be tied to the Dock another week and will hire a car on the 2nd to go back to Wales for my covid jab. Lockdown restrictions eased on Monday so I no longer need to rely on the goodwill of marina staff to sleep aboard.