Travels and boat care
Due to the weather forecast we decided to cut our stay in Padstow short and use the remaining good weather to round Landsend. We therefore left the harbour in Padstow at high water at 0300. We arrived at Newlyn at about 1400 having motor-sailed in light airs most of the way.
As we had good weather we took the inside track past the Longships and related hazards. So this is a view I had not seen before:
We set off from Portishead on the lunchtime tide and reached Penarth after a fast sail against the wind. In addition to the first leg crew (Mark and Steve M) we had Pete and Josh M onboard.
Val and Pam drove across to meet us for dinner, and to take Pete and josh home.
We had an excellent meal at The Pilot up on Queens Road above the marina.
1st August 2021
A very smooth sail to Swansea on the morning tide. We noticed about half way there that the jib had a couple of sizeable holes in it from yesterday’s trip. After taking the jib down for an inspection, there was some relief that it was a couple of seems that had come undone. Unfortunately we had taken the spare jib off the boat to make more space – so a phone call home and many thanks to Jo and Caroline for driving to Swansea with the other sail in the evening.
As the conditions were good, and the tide was with us, we sailed in the Nash passage inshore of the Nash sands.
Great weather in Swansea.
2nd August 2021
On another fine day with light winds we left Swansea in the first lock (0700) and motor-sailed across the mouth of the Bristol Channel, past Lundy and arrived in Padstow Bay before dark, just after low tide.
The wind had some north in it, so as we were after low water we tucked ourselves right behind Stepper Point in calm water. However such waves as there were reflected in the bay and rolled Molia during our wait for enough water to enter Padstow. Despite the discomfort, the holding was very good and Molia hardly moved at all – as shown by the ‘anchor watch’ track we recorded on the iPad Navionics chart (zoomed to all the way in).
3rd August 2021
Around 1000 the crowds begin to arrive around the harbour to torment the local crabs with their newly purchased plastic fishing lines and buckets. Crabs are very greedy, and can easily be caught – unfortunately for the moored yachts, the bait of choice seems to be small pieces of uncooked bacon; and we were picking badly aimed ground bait from Molia’s decks for a couple of days after this!
Reviewing the previous evening’s anchorage at Stepper Point from the beach near Doom Bar.
The BBC weather site was 100% wrong about the wind. We had twice the amount published! But the wind was still warm; so we put the first reef in and had a fast sail on the tide, followed by refreshments once back on our mooring.
We went to have a quick look at the ‘Lower Shoots’ buoy.
David and Sheila onboard. Many thanks to Tim for taking these pictures.
An early start and a very hot motor/sail to Cardiff and back.
0700 lock out of Portishead and breakfast onboard.
In Cardiff barrage lock by 1000
Will checking the dingy works – with oars.
Skipper’s turn at the oars.
And the ePropulsion electric motor still works this year as well.
A great sail on the tide up to the bridge and back with a family crew.
So only 2 things not working at all today. The skipper’s pre-departure checklist, and the anemometer at the masthead.
The first problem became evident a few metres from our berth when the engine stopped. Tim earned a second Molia mug by leaping for one of the new pontoons to hold us, only to be almost immediately informed by the skipper that the engine works just fine if you remember to turn the fuel on!
There was never enough wind to turn the anemometer cups – we hope they are just stuck and will come loose in the next gale.
Our new chartplotter works really well. The autopilot is working to steer the boat, but when it is put on standby it really doesn’t want to let go of the wheel! I think I need to adjust the belt tension. For some reason the crew did not want to try out the revamped deck shower.
The rest of the trip was very enjoyable, included coffee and Garibaldi biscuits – and it did not even rain on us!
Many thanks to today’s crew.
Our deck shower head sprang a leak from its handle – I guess it had been dropped once too often.
This shower head is not identical, but is a perfect fit.
TREM shower head with press-button valve and 1/2 inch BSP thread.
See also: New Deck Shower Covers
Supplier: Brit Boat Parts (at Bourne End on the river Thames).
The shower head cover was easy to replace. I removed the old cover, cleaned off the sealant and resealed the new unit in place. The tap had to be detached so that it could be threaded into the new unit.
The completed covers, looking much better.
Remember the old ones?
We also replaced the shower head.
Molia was lifted back into the water today. Many thanks to the Portishead Marina crew and Steve for your help today.
Finally – it is already light!