Hell hath no fury...

I think I bought the Heron nearly eight years ago. Time certainly flies by and I just thought that the wee boat seemed slower due to me becoming more familiar with it. I have however noticed that the foresail in particular was just getting too saggy to create any sort of decent shape. So a couple of weeks ago I bit the bullet and ordered a new furling genoa.

The last couple of weeks have had some fine sailing weather but unfortunately the dredger Shearwater has been back digging holes and breaking down. On Sunday the weather was overcast but very hot. The dredger eventually stopped about 2:30pm and I was off out of the harbour for a sail.

 

I passed Jamie on the "Ambition" with his daughters. He had hoped to sail along to Belhaven beach but it was getting more overcast and the girls were looking a little green when they sailed beyond the shelter of the rocks. A little further out another couple of yachts were motoring in.

 

They all disappeared into the harbour and that left me alone on the Heron with an empty sea ahead. Clouds were gathering but I had a new sail to play with and there was a good hour of tide left before I had to get back to my mooring.

And what a revelation the new genoa was. It's actually a little smaller than the previous one but far closer to the recommended sail size. There was a little weather helm, nothing to worry about, just enough to know the boat will round up in a blow. When I turned on to a reach I realised just how slow the old sails had been. I had to use two hands to sheet-in and will have to get the little winches running again. Brilliant!

I just sailed around the rocks, tacking for the sake of tacking and enjoying every minute. But time and tide don't wait, even for the mighty Heron, so too soon I had to squeeze back in between the dredger and the wall and pick up a connection to the land again.

Above is the stern of a boat built in the 1960's. Below is the stern of a boat built in the 1960's, although from an older design. I know which I prefer. Bob Clunas has done a wonderful job restoring the "Mareen" and she should be attending a few classic boat meets this season.

A great little Sunday afternoon sail, although the Heron might just be coming up for sale as I have been coveting another boat recently. A faster, flighty younger model. The poor Heron may be scorned!

Sun 10th June. Three Island Misery

Sunday was the Three Island Race at Dunbar Sailing Club. It's a long race for the wee boats around the Isle of May, The Bass and Craigleith. Myself and Stuart went in his boat, Ambition. Unfortunately for me I had my first ever episode of sea sickness. An hour and a half from land and I was feeding the fishes. We had made a reasonable time to the first transit and expected the breeze to drop so Stuart decided to retire. I was certainly not complaining. 

It was a cold sail back towards Dunbar. We knew it would be close for getting in before low water. Ambition probably could have made it but there was a swell breaking into the harbour entrance so there was no option but to wait for more water. Three hours of tacking back and forth. I felt terrible.

Got home, managed to eat something and then took Fly out for a walk on wobbly legs. I wasn't bothered, I was just glad to be on dry land. Found this egg which I think is a robin's. I'll try to spot the nest.

F2E varying, 3ft swell, and 7 cold unpleasant hours on a boat. Maybe the summer will arrive next week.

May 20th Sunday Sail

Sunday morning and the forecast was for light North Easterlies with a 2.5ft swell, dropping away. After the poor weather that we've suffered in Dunbar over the last two months I grabbed the chance for a sail.

Six Dunbar yachts had headed for Anstruther on Saturday. Unfortunately I couldn't make the cruise due to other commitments but I was able to head out for to meet them on the way back. 

The harbour looking very empty and very calm.

Leaving Dunbar. It's an 'interesting' entrance to a harbour.

The Heron settled into a steady 3-4knts. After a couple of miles things got surreal when I spotted something in the water. I made a point of treating it as a 'man overboard' and managed to sail on to a bundle of balloons.

I picked them up on the lee side which isn't strictly correct but I was quite chuffed at managing to get them in the tide, wind and drift. No idea where they came from.

About five or six miles out I met with the Dunbar boats coming back. The heron tacked around and as usual everyone caught up with me and soon started to pass. The Ambition is fair fleeing along in the next pic although the lack of foresail and the outboard in the water is a bit of a giveaway. Stuart is grinning, Alan and Scott were asleep on board.

As the wind strengthened I powered it up a bit and got the Heron to lift her skirts.

Not the most efficient way to sail but its a lot of fun. 

I tried to get the toe rails in the water. I've done it before but an Alacrity is not really designed for this sort of sailing. If I played with the back stays to adjust the weather helm...hmm?

I was out for around three hours and enjoyed the space. When I motored back into the harbour I spotted a Fulmar hanging from one wing by a tangled fishing line. I couldn't take the Heron in close enough so after tying up I went back out in my dinghy with a knife taped to a boat hook. I managed to grab the poor bird, got my hands pecked, and cut away the line. The Fulmar was not particularly grateful but I got a wee cheer from the collected tourists at the harbour entrance. I enjoyed the sail but saving the Fulmar meant a lot more. I used to get that sort of satisfaction from my work..

April 4th and a storm is passing, I hope...

Last week I posted pics of the Heron launched and the mast up. The weather was great but I noted that I wasn't to feel too smart as the forecast was poor! Oh yes it was poor.

The above pics were taken on yesterday, Tues 3rd April.

 On Monday Stuart (Ambition) had texted me saying the fishing boats were all moving to safer ground and Bob the harbourmaster had no problem with us sneeking our little twin keelers through to the Cromwell harbour. Lots of antics with dinghy rowing and plenty of rope and I was tied up in relative safety. Cheers for the help Stuart..and get your Ambition blog going!

North Easterly blowing in. http://magicseaweed.com/ predicted 11.5 ft swell. This is a great site for sea state if you have a location near you, try the search.

Stuart (Fladden suit) and one of his willing helpers! running more lines and springs to the Heron and Ambition.

Low water and the wind still howling but the Heron is safe.

Today, Wednesday, I had a day off to take E to the BGH. (this is a diary entry)  Snow on the road by Duns.

Got home after lunch so down to boat to check the damage. One back stay had come loose, the sail cover has lost some fixings, there was plenty of water in the bilges but no major damage. The rubbing strakes have taken a battering and I will take pics to show the damage. I think it will cover up with plenty of linseed oil. Hopefully this will be the advantage of oiling over varnishing.

Between the hail and rain there was occasional spells of sunshine. This is the view from inside the ambition as we checked for damage. And maybe had a beer. The wind is dropping and backing NNW. Friday is crane in for the big boats and also a long weekend for Easter.

Wind, blowing a hooley, Temp, Baltic.