Portchester Rally 28th April - 2nd May

The fleet set out from Ashlett on Thursday...not ideal conditions for 3 skippers with new boats or indeed the first sail of the season ..challenging would describe it..Siobhan trailed from Poole to join us at Ashlett for the weekend.

Usually pleased to achieve 5 or six knots under full sail - 5 knots under jib alone !!!!  The trip from Ashlett to Cowes normally take 90 minutes or so...not just over an hour....

We arrived at Shepards Wharf to find Sundance already in residence. The voyage across produced the need for the usual sail readjustments together with some breakages that required fixing, before adjourning to the Duke of York just up the road form the marina.

We opted for a quiet day on the Friday so motored up the Medina to Newport with the rising tide and spent a quiet evening in the Bargeman's Rest, listening to the live music.

The next day was an early start to escape with the tide,stopping for breakfast half way down the river just above the Folly. We then took the easterly tide across to Portsmouth.Nick in Isabella departed early for home (Ashlett) and some repairs.

Tea was taken at Salty's cafe at Wicormarine where we meet up with Simon and Sharon from Churchouse and then we made our way round to our hosts at Portchester Sailing Club. Sharon crewed for me, so it was unfortunate that the heavens decided to open a heavy squall passing through with very strong winds. She stayed below to keep dry whilst I tamed sails and moored up. Sharon and Glenys Cowie fetched in fish and chips (thank you both) for the fleet who made themselves comfortable in the bar of the club. We were joined by Little Dipper crewed by the St Deny's gang.

The next morning we again had to be up and about early to avoid drying out on the club pontoon so we moved off onto unused buoys but the sun was warm and no wind so we lazed in the sun ...shorts were even briefly produced. The wind soon filled in and we set off down the harbour. At the entrance there was a big crane and divers to negotiate, apparently getting ready for dredging the channel for the new aircraft carriers.

We set off back towards Cowes, where Sundance continued to her home port of Newtown. The rest of the fleet after a night in Shepards crossed back to Southampton Water to haul out.

A cold, bright and at times wet rally... but very enjoyable all the same. Thanks to all who came, tried to come or supported us from a distance.

Ready to go...almost

Thursday saw me back at Ashlett - servicing the engine and making last minute preparations for next weekend's cruise.

Sharon came down to see how the engine service went..and as usual with someone watching it took far longer---tools didn't seem to fit,,,some gaskets in the service kit seem to have been left out..

We had to visit Lymington to get the extra bits,,but Sharon knew the chandler from working at the Boat Shows so handy discount obtained.

Once all the bits were obtained it went very smoothly, even the fuel flow was established with ease...the hardest bit being Sharon's giggles as she blew down the fuel line.

The main benefit was having a note taker who religiously recorded what size tool and and part went where...very useful for next time.

Rigged and ready to go...almost

Launching is planned for Thursday,,,with departure on the tide for Newtown.

I still have a couple of jobs to do ..the main sail isn't properly laced on, and I need to replace the lifting line on the drop rudder as well as not forgetting to tighten the bolt on the lifting rudder or risk losing it at sea......

Roll on Thursday...and hope the weather outlook improves...

Progress ..slow

Grabbed a couple of days to start getting ready....and by the time I had to head home I'm sure there were more jobs to do than I had done.....

I touched up the wood work and fitted the brown shampoo bottle as my patient device to stop further mast rub.  Having sorted out all the ropes and re-threaded them , I was grateful for Sharon's help in raising it, especially as it needed to come down again to untangle some crossed wires, as it were.

Even now it needs to come down again as the masthead lights look as though they've been knocked and look a little tilted at the top.

The Rhino sheathing came off........but left behind the glue that proved very time consuming to remove...so much so that I have put the idea of sheathing the whole side, on hold. Just too much effort in a few years to replace it.

So I only managed to get one side polished, but it does look much, much better.

I tried out the ClitIt Bang on the coral bloom residue and it worked like a treat, but it was too cold to be lying under the boat so I'll finish that other day.

I emptied the cabin - completely ..Sharon's face as box after box of bits and bobs emerged was a picture...Like the one below...

Contents of Daislebee

A good sort through and it was amazing what went to the skip or potential charity bag - but the cabin looks spic and span...for awhile at least

So a good session, but still to put sails on,, polish the port side and service the engine before the season can begin.

Getting there.....

List of jobs...some will get done...some...well you know how it is...

The visit to the Ashlett Dining Club gave an opportunity to work out what needed to be done before the season starts...what could be done...and what it might be nice to try and do,....

1. Clean and Polish   - hull looking shabby and marked so a must do job.

2. Rhino tape sheathing                          

 - the experiment I covered in a blog at the beginning of 2014. It has lasted 2 years as an experiment and is  working well so looking to fully cover the hull in a clear protective layer.

3. Engine service  - Service kit ordered

4. Spare fan belt  - Ordered

5. Repair white gel coat chips - Gel coat acquired

6. Sort out mast rub from blocks

 - Solution acquired - to be fitted (brown shampoo bottle cut  to fit blocks and allow rope travel and stop mast rubbing/ chafe.

7. Battery maintenance - Solar panel purchased- to be fitted


8. Boat tidy and review of contents - Severe clear out of accumulated 'useful' bits and pieces


9. Measure for cockpit cover  - Done - purchase of material next step


10. Cockpit tent     - Chase up Habitent or make my own ???

11. Clean up anti fouling   - needs abrading and touch up in places - apparently Cilllit Bang will remove the white deposits left by coral bloom picked up in Chichester harbour

12. Wash ropes  - Done ..re-fitting ...ummm errr.

13. Replace mooring ropes  - Getting worn and besides a different colour would stop people using the anchor warp in error.

14. Inside storage  - explore the creation of large 'halyard bags' to provide stowage along inside on hull. (Glenys ,you are going to be busy - never mind weddings)

Anything else that occurs ....... in between must remember to go sailing

Ashlett Dining Club

The night before had been minus 3 so it was little wonder that my wife looked at me strangely as I packed up my bags to go to the second Ashlett Lunch time dining with plans to stay over night. I wasn't the only one who was mad enough but armed with a fan heater and extra sleeping bag I set off.

Lunch at the Mill was a very sociable affair with many Drascombers emerging from the winter shadows and gleefully contemplating the season ahead. Not only was socialising going on but Sharon from Drascombe Boats was showing round a potential Drifter 22 purchaser, who took full advantage of gleaning all the information he could from the assembled crowd - not sure he went home any the wiser !!

The afternoon passed in the clubhouse, together with Glenys, trying to work out how the club sewing machine worked - it seems it didn't but Stewart had a solution - a sewing machine he had acquired form the late Douglas Hopwood, which it seems may now be put to good use making covers for Drascombes and, hopefully, Shrimpers .....

The hardy few spent the evening in the Mill, listening to the various contributions offered at the Open Mic evening - some good, very good...others...not so.

Adjourning to our boats it wasn't long before a tap on the hull and the query, "Do you have a spare fan heater?"...well of course I did...doesn't everyone...

It just happened that on the way down I had stopped for some supplies and whilst shopping in Tesco has spotted numerous fan heaters going very cheaply..and all much more sophisticated than the old one I had brought with me...so I did in fact have a spare..lucky for some..another chilly night otherwise.

As it was snug as a bug..

Breakfast was taken at the Top Club and we departed for home..but the first night on board of 2016.....in February......