Retiring from one career and looking at the options for another has given me the opportunity to take stock and see what is important to me.
Since a boy I have dreamt of owning my own yacht - as time progresses and my own boys grow it is clear that the size of the yacht isn't important - indeed having owned a Drascombe Lugger for the past 15 years, the amount of enjoyment has far exceeded the cost. The time has come to move on up - three of us camping in Poole Harbour last year in F6 and heavy rain brought matters to a head.
Using this experience I have decided to buy a Cornish Shrimper - at 6.7 m it isn't much larger than the Lugger but does have the obvious advantage of a lid (a proper cabin). It means that I am free to enjoy single handed sailing, but have the boys or my wife with me on occasions. I am also able to explore the more remote creeks and rivers, but also undertake some more adventurous voyages. The plan for June is to join the Drascombe rally in Dartmouth, sailing down over 4 or 5 days from Chichester.
I feel slightly disloyal to the Drascombe clan with my choice of a Shrimper, but I need the additional berths they provide, and have a preference for an inboard engine so I opted for the nearest tan sail alternative. It is testament to their attitudes that NAD (Not a Drascombe) boats are made just as welcome as any others.
I look forward to recording the details of that and other adventures via this blog.
So here's to the voyages and adventures of the South Coast Shrimper, or Daislebee, as she has come to be known.
