I have started the changes I want to Lady Cindy’s interior this week with the V berth. I have lowered the bed by several inches which gives extra head room.
There is still a lot to do in there with a new cupboard, painting and work on the side and roof panels but the bed is structurally complete and much stronger than the old one. Behind the panels i found one deck safety rail stantion and one chain plate were leaking at the deck, this will be a major reason for damp in this cabin. These are easy fixes with sealant when the weather dries up.
I am back at Ffions parents for a few days to help her dad and help prepare for her test next week.
An overnight stay at Ffions parents house has turned into a week of driving, truck racing, car repairs and landscaping.
We drive to Cardiff and back via Swansea to see some friends and the car behaved flawlessly. The next day when driving to get some dog food there was a horrible scraping noise from the right rear. The shock absorber lower mounting bracket had rusted and broke. Luckily as a horse owner, Ffion had lots of baler twine in the car so we made a temporary fix to get back. The car is in a garage and we are in the process of sourcing a replacement bracket.
Baler twine fix to the car
We went to Pembrey to see the truck racing and had a BBQ for lunch.
This week, as well as helping Ffions dad move scaffolding and using a mini digger to move tons of soil, we hope to get a scrap car to strip for parts for Ffions car.
No, of course not 😊 A three day trip to Alton Towers that turned into four days, plus Ffions birthday week (why just have one day when can have a week?). Smiles and laughter have been the theme.
Ffions mum looked after Dotty while we were away. She howled, escaped across a busy road looking for me, climbed on the kitchen sides to look for me out of the window and pood in their front room. Does anyone have a collar of shame i can borrow for a month 🥺
Meanwhile Ffion and I were doing this…
We had so much fun we booked an extra day.
This week its Ffions birthday so had chinese with her parents and her niece, went to Folly Farm and moved a sheep at her field..
Today I got the wood needed to start structural changes to the interior of Lady Cindy and later will drive down to Ffions parents to stay overnight. We plan an early start for a day out.
I have moved the boat to Aberystwyth Marina on a 6 month winter mooring package a week earlier than planned. The weather has changed this week with a colder and windier outlook.
When preparing to leave Aber laat week, i noticed a leaking fuel hose, I managed to find a replacement online.
Leaking pressurised fuel line
During the winter I have lots of plans for doing improvements based on my first 6 months experience living on the boat. I want to move the anchor winch further forward, improve interior storage spaces, lower the front V berth beds to give more headroom, make the table a drop sided one so i dont need to keep putting it away when not in use, I also want to get the boat lifted out for anti fouling and other hull maintenance
I also have other things i want to do this winter. It’s Ffions birthday and driving test next month so today Ffion and I have a 3 day trip to Alton Towers planned, it should be a lot of fun plus great driving experience for Ffion with new unfamiliar roads and following SatNav.
Ffion and her dad need help up at the field to do some work in the farm shed and they are also preparing for a house move.
I want to restart developing some computer software etc which will eventually provide me with an income.
I also want to do sone winter sailing to gain more experience before heading off to the Med.
I have had a fantastic first summer living on Lady Cindy, the regular company of Ffion aboard made it special, we have had so much fun. Its not all been a bed of roses though, plans were made and changed all the time. Flexibility is an absolute must for this lifestyle. I have had diy jobs that i had to redo, some several times, until i got things right, i have had my low moments, but without them you would not appreciate the highs. I have done many miles of sailing (i will work out how far some day soon) sailed in lots of different conditions and got a good feel for how Lady Cindy handles and likes to be trimmed. I have spent time in New Quay talking to old friends and customers. Looking back on it, I definitely made the right choice for this lifestyle and looking forward to the next steps.
So whats next? I am booked into Aberystwyth marina for six months and plan to use that time to refit the interior with better storage, lift the boat out of the water for hull maintenance and spend time with Ffion and other friends. Next April I will sail South via Southampton to say farewell to family there and then head South to the Med for the Summer.
These are just random photos from my phone taken since I moved aboard that remind me of a few of the many things I have done…
I have sailed from New Quay to Swansea to see my eldest daughter and grandsons, I am now on my way back to New Quay.
Towy Lock in Swansea
On the way down I stopped at Fishguard and Milford Haven. The last and longest leg into Swansea was a bit touch and go because the Towy lock closed around 9.30pm which was my eta at one stage. Motoring and a turn of tide meant I eventually arrived with an hour to spare.
It was great to spend time with family again, we went to a museum and had a meal.
I am currently on the way back, I broke the Swansea to Milford Haven leg in two this time and caught a nice Thornback Ray while at anchor.
Since returning to New Quay I have spent as much time ashore as on the boat. I have spent a lot of time at Ffions house and their field where Ffion keeps her horses. I have been helping her dad by moving tons of ballast, dismantling a shed, moving swings etc.
I have done some smaller jobs on the boat such as installing a rain collection and storage system including a pump and cockpit tap. It uses an old original tank at the back of the boat that I can also fill at marinas. I will use this water for washing and deck showers. Ffions dad gave me a gas cylinder so I have a more plentiful supply for cooking. Previously I only had two small cylinders in the cockpit which were not enough for liveaboard.
There was some excitement in New Quay last week when somebody got stuck on rocks at target rock on the headland in New Quay. The Coastguard helicopter was called out to airlift him and his dog back to safety.
Due to northerly winds and now high winds, we have spent the last week first in Aberystwyth marina and now in Pwllheli marina. The forecast for the next two days are for 20knot plus winds so the plan is to stay till Saturday and then head back down to New Quay.
The sail up to Pwllheli was actually a plan to sail to Caernarfon. Although the sailing was great with ideal winds for the direction we wanted to go, there was a big swell making the ride uncomfortable. Discretion being the greater part of valour, I decided to divert.
Due to northerly winds and a storm we are back in Aberystwyth but before then had a lovely day sailing with another friend.
Rosie joined me for a day on the boat, we had variable winds so ended up motoring back but we also saw some dolphins and did some fishing.
Unfortunately the uncomfortable swell at anchor in New Quay was making Ffion sick so when a storm blew in, we moved to Aberystwyth for some shelter. We are taking the opportunity to do some chores ashore and on the boat.
We have been to Ffions parents house and the field where she keeps her horses and taken some drone footage, done laundry, helped with the shop VAT return, fixed a friends computer, sorted backups on Ffions phone, tablet and computer to free space, been shopping etc.
We will stay here a few more days as we have appointments at the optician and then decide what’s next. We may sail to North Wales or may return to New Quay.
After a week away in Milford Haven and Skomer Island we are back in New Quay. The forecast for the next few days is for a heat wave and little wind so the plan is to do some swimming and some jobs.
Some of the highlights of the last week include: Dolphins, Puffins, Seals and Pysgod Wibbly Wobbly (Welsh for Jelly fish). We also did a lock to get into and out of Milford Haven marina and travelled through Ramsey Sound with 7-8 knots of current, surrounded by whirlpools. Much of the trip was done under motor as we have been becalmed more often than not but that’s a good excuse for loud music and listening to Ffion’s singing.
Today we are off ashore to do a few jobs at home and do some driving plus we need to resupply.
