Chantilly is sold

Good news, I have new owners and they are already showing me some TLC, hopefully I'll be back in the water in a month or so. The new owners are club members so El Capitano will be reminded of what he is missing. Also, the new owners aren't considering changing my name. I hope they have as much fun as my previous owners.

Chantilly is for sale

So after his trip across the Atlantic where he didn't make it, he (El Capitan) has decided he only needs one boat and it isn't me 😟. Probably a good thing as he hasn't shown me any love for a long time and at least I'll get cleaned and hopefully put back in the water for some more adventures.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1223708715016031/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3Aad68b028-144d-4c1f-b429-b68bd019f477

The photos don't do her justice and she has an excellent sail wardrobe.

Engine refurb

There wasn't much wrong with the 1GM but it was starting to look a bit shabby. I lifted it out and into the cockpit where I de-greased it and scrapped off the loose paint and rust. After removing the alternator and starter motor, which are in good nick, I used Kurust to stabilised the surface rust which appears to be only on the main block. 

Next stage was to paint it with Hammerite smooth silver. The official Yanmar paint is almost 50 quid for a spray can!

Here is the painted engine en route back to its hole in the engine bay.

Using an old main-sheet block and tackle hanging off the boom. It went back in fairly easily and with a new rear engine mount the propeller shaft lined up first go. 

Refit

 Long overdue post to explain what is going on with my well being. El Capitano is supposed to be giving me a refit but it feels more like a demolition job to me. All my cabinet doors have been removed and the engine is half dismantled. The fore peak is full of junk and he hasn't visited me in months. 

Slap and Kiss

So El Capitano has decided to transfer (sell) Mischief, good riddance to the little trollop. We'll have to see how he gets on with the new floosie, Louisa.

On the other hand, he has shown me some love by polishing my topsides. After cutting back with Farecla G3 and then waxing with Farecla UV wax I feel great.

I'd rather be sailing a Macwester Rowan

Two years ago I completed the Jester Challenge to Baltimore with El Capitano. We had a great time and I kept him on his toes. He now appreciates the benefits I offer; comfort, safety, standing headroom, in-board engine (now reliable), decent sails, steering stability and character. Also, he has realised that a faster boat on paper isn't necessarily faster in the open sea. Check out his attempt to complete the Jester Challenge this year HERE. 

Starboard side leak

I have had a small leak on my starboard side for a few years and now it is time to investigate the source. It appears to be at the deck / hull join amidships and with the trim of the boat on stands it is more pronounced and fills the locker base with about 1/2" each time it rains. To move this forward El Capitano will need to remove the rubbing band and this appears to be a significant task!!

A well earned rest

After 2 years afloat I am ashore and looking forward to a well earned rest. I have a lovely slot at HNYC near to power and water and on the new hard standing. I am sure I will continue to be abused by El Capitano but at least he will be focusing his efforts on Mischief. The plan is that I will be ashore until late 2020.

Why no posts?

Apart from a great club rally trip to Brightlingsea in August I have been left alone. Occasional checks to make sure I am still afloat are all I see of El Capitaino. He is busy with another boat, Azores or Bust. 

The Not Norway Trip

Summer cruise 2018 to no where appears in cruise reports. It was actually quite fun and there is always next year. So long as he remembers that I am in charge and he is only there to bug me.

Norway Trip Preparations

The final stages of getting ready and the boat is full of stuff.

this is about 1/6 of the food, clothes, water, charts, parts and books I loaded up this weekend.

And here are some of the items in the cockpit, a friend lent the fool his liferaft and I have an EPIRB so fully kitted out! I might let water in and have an aversion to heading into wind and tide but I want to get home just as much as he does.

Conyer Creek

The club rally to Benfleet was cancelled. Various reasons circulated; not enough water, behavior of the club members last year, they were busy launching. This worked out to our benefit, we went to Swale Marina in Conyer Creek instead. It was tight getting in on the high tide and at low water everyone dries out.

The sail home was excellent, after we made it back into the Medway against the tide.

See the full report in the Cruise Reports section.

New (Old) Sails

So he does still love me ❤

He bagged a couple of sails and the fit like they were made for me.

The spinnaker came from Ebay and was flown without a pole. It pulled nicely.

 The jib came from an auction at the boat club. Very tired but a good fit and hank on so an ideal compliment to the furler for down wind sailing.

Also, engine fuel leak fixed and a couple of practice runs at mooring on the trot so a jolly good weekend.

Fuel Gauge

Following the incident where he let the fuel get too low he has made and fitted a fuel gauge. We will see how long that works for? Also, he seems incapable of taking a half reasonable photo!!

The fuel gauge is still working six months on and 5 litres equates to about 1 segment of the LED.

New Year Embarrassment

He offered to take crew and his friend and club member Tom Fisher joined us. Wind was strong enough for 2 reefs and we set off from Wilsonian beach where pick-up was easy. With two up and 2 reefs I don't tack well so we motored through tacks. My engine cut out after about a hour, thought it would add some interest to the proceedings! but he kept pushing on. We were caught out when we got stuck in irons and instead he tried for a gybe but the sheets became tangled and we were blown onto Bishop's Ooze. He put the anchor out to wait for some tide to lift us off which was when Nipos passed and kindly enquired of our status. After a very brief chat they left us with the message "OK, you seem to know what you are doing". This brought some much needed humour to the situation. Shortly after this we heard on CH16 that the Sheerness ILB had been launched and feared that someone had called our situation into the Coatsguard. Comments onboard about avoiding the cost of lunch were heard. 

After getting the engine going again, it had sucked in some air and needed bleeding, we eventually managed to extract ourselves once the tide turned by backing the jib and breaking the anchor out. We returned to HNYC moorings and had a late lunch. A VHF call from Nipos to check we were OK was nice. Tom's help and experience was a great support and he might actually crew for the fool again. He made it ashore and faced the 'bar committee' who made him feel better about the situation by sharing stories of their mishaps. A call that evening from Chas rounded off the the embarrassment. 

Lessons; 

I don't like to tack with reefs in and especially with two or more in the cockpit. 

He should have set off earlier. 

The engine needs a half full fuel tank when heeled over to avoid sucking in air. The fuel gets to the engine by way of a syphon!

I remain in control :-)

So he gets a prize for running aground!!

October 2018 Laying-up supper.

Winter Maintenance

Despite the 'other' boat and leaving me in the river all winter, he is actually doing some maintenance. Bright work and some minor repairs and upgrades. Apparently he is planning to go to the pub on 7th Jan and might be taking some friends. That he has any is news to me :-).

Another boat

So, what does he think he is doing? Another boat, I thought that I kept him busy enough. Let's see how things work out but I am not happy!!

Jester Challenge 2017

Moved to cruise reports

A funny year

It has been a strange year, his lordship has had work in dribs and drabs so hasn't paid me enough attention. To pay him back something broke each time he did make time to come out. We still managed to get to some new places; River Ore / Ald almost as far as Snape and The Swale and Medway to Hoo. A couple of short trips, mainly to Yorksfleet Creek or Colne Entrance, but overall a quiet year. Anyway, next year is already being planned. El Capitano has signed us up for the Jester Challenge. He has three pages of jobs to do before he thinks we are ready. We will see what happens but I will be amazed if he makes that start line. He needs to get the new self steering working and make a sea anchor. Hopefully he will take some before and after photos and post them here so everyone can see what a mess he has made of me!

Orford and back

Last week I had a few days free so went out on the boat with the intention of heading north on the tide. After a night at anchor in the Roach entrance I set off on the ebb early on Thursday morning. I made it all the way to Harwich on the tide and while I had some 3G I downloaded the chartlets for Deben and Ore entrances. The Deben entrance looked too tricky with a SW F5 wind and so I continued to the Ore. This is the first time I have entered the Ore and it was with some trepidation that I approached the Orford Haven buoy. It all went well but the effect of sailing against the tide crabbing towards the shingle bank then suddenly being with the flood up the river and between shingle banks was dramatic. I motored up the river with the engine idling and doing 6 knots. There were quite a few boats at anchor and they were from all over the world; USA, Netherlands, Germany, France and Belgium. I made it to a mooring buoy in Quay Reach before the end of the flood.

 


I used to work on Orfordness when I was a transmitter engineer for the BBC and we had an evening meal out on the Lady Florence, nice to see it was still is service even if it did come a bit close! 


The next morning I set off to head up river on the flood. It really is a beautiful area, spoilt by the transmitting station that was the Project Cobra Mist building. I think Babcock are due to dismantle the station and antennae but not sure when.


At Aldeburgh there are some beautiful boats. I think that this one is a local class, Loch Long One Design. 


Further up river past Aldeburgh there are some traditional motor boats that caught my eye. 

One sailing boat caught my attention, I wonder what she is like to sail?


I made it as far as Iken Mill before the tide turned and so did I. It was a lovely gentle sail / motor back down through Aldeburgh and Orford to the entrance. I only just made it with around 0.6m clearance as I was ejected out into the North Sea at 7 knots. 

Just behind me a Westerly ran aground and I heard the call to Humber Coast Guards but couldn't do anything as there was no way I was going back in even if I had the power to stem the tide. I waited around and a couple of other boats were in attendance on the river side but like me couldn't get close. It left a bad feeling to see it and not be able to help. 

I had a good run south but tide and wind pushed me out towards the Eastern limit of the Harwich deep water channel. While I was out there I took the opportunity to take a closer look at Sealand.



I didn't make such good progress heading South and so ducked into the Colne for a few hours sleep. The coast guard and RNLI had a busy day. Someone was air lifted from a racing yacht in the Kings Channel and there was another boat aground on the Maplin sands.

I had a great sail back on Saturday morning through the Raysand Channel and up the Crouch.