Log – 2011

DateTimeCommentLogCumulative logEngine (mins)Engine (total hours)WeatherOn board
04/05/2011George & Andy
12:55Left marina4902
13:20Nass abeam4905.5
13:301 reef & 2/3 jib, engine off35
14:30Bench Head port beam4912
Tacking up through Wallet, full jib out. Craccked sheets round Stone Banks and in through Harwich HarbourNE/E 3
17:30College Red - entrance to Orwell4930
19:00Tied up to RHYC visitors berth4939.410
Total:37.437.4450:45
05/05/201107:35Left RHYC - main 1 reef up4939.4
08:55N.Shelf red - harbour entranceSE3
Motorsailed down river - short tacking main only
09:05Jib out, engine off, Cliff Foot abeam494990
One tack out to Stone Banks to clear Walton Pier
10:10Walton Pier abeam, eased sheets to head down coast4956.2
10:55Clacton pier abeam4962.5
12:10Nass, engine on, sails down
12:30Picked up mooring in Fleet20
13:45Tried getting into a new berth - J5, made a complete mess of it and so moved back to F464975.620
Total:36.273.61752:55
09/05/2011Andy & Pete Bettles
04:30Left marina4975.6
05:10Cleared Nass, engine off, full sail40SE3
05:40Bench Head4982.3
Wind died, drifted much of way 1-2kts
08:00Wind built from S - running into Harwich
09:35Stone Banks abeam4994
10:10Landguard cardinal - stbd beam4996
Headed down R.Stour - beating on port making 7.5-8.5kts
11:30Turned round just after No.6 red post5005.1
12:40Engine on - sails down
12:55Moored up to Halfpenny pier5013.215
14:30Left Halfpenny pier
14:40Engine off, full jib out, heading up Orwell10SE/S 4/5
15:30Engine on, jib in off RHYC
15:40Alongside RHYC - a little tricky, wind blowing off hammerhead5019.3
Total:43.7117.32404:0
10/05/201110:25Left RHYC5019.3
11:10Main up - 1 reef45SE4/5
12:55Walton pier abeam 0.75M. Took one tack out and then tacked to clear pier. Reef not really needed but going nicely.5035.7Wind eased SE3/4
14:20Colne Bar5047.4
15:25Sails down and engine on at Nass
15:50Picked up marina buoy5054.825
17:10Headed in off buoy
17:25Moored up in marina. TSC tide table HW 17.30 3.98 6ft9in on sill at 17.30.5055.6
Total:36.3153.63105:10
20/05/2011Anne & Andy slept on board
21/05/201103:40Left marina - just enough light to see.5055.6
04:20Motored around to W.mersea and picked up buoy.5058.240
08:35Engine on. Left W.Mersea mooring.No wind.
09:00Hoisted main.SE2
09:10Full jib, engine off35
10:20Wallet Spitway - min.depth 2.5m just after LWS5069.2
11:55Between Maplin & W.Swin5080.1
Made it through the W.Swin channel on one tack. Cracked off towards Medway. Turned down Medway channel. Beat into Sheerness harbour.S4-5
13:45Jib down, engine on.
14:05Picked up visitors buoy S of all tide pontoon.5094.520
Total:38.9192.54056:45
22/05/2011HW London Bridge 18:07Wind gone round to W5-6. Band of rain went through early morning.
10:10Left mooring5094.5
12:20Mid Blyth N Cardinal5108.7W6-7
13:40Off Tilbury port5116.4Wind eased slightly and calmed down but v.bumpy and gusting 8 on previous stretch
14:45In Erith Reach just past Erith SC. Capsized dinghies, coaster and tanker all at once - chaos.5122.2
Thames choppy all way down till around Greenwich - wet, soggy, slow and uncomfortable!
16:30Locked into Limehouse
16:50In Berth C085132.3400
Total:37.8230.380513:25Headed back to Essex
25/05/2011Anne & Andy back on board
26/05/2011Jen and Dene visited for a coffee, went to Greenwich for lunch. Anne headed home via Stratford. Doug joined at 6.30pm - ate in CA.
27/05/201109:00Locked out of Limehouse5132.3
09:12Cleared lock into river
10:10Through Thames barrier5138.5
11:30Under QE11 bridge5147.2
13:05Mid Blyth N.Cardinal to stbd5158.6
14:55Cant beacon close to stbd5171.1
15:15Spile green buoy close to port5173.7
15:30Unrolled full genoa - engine still onNW4 - increased over last half hour
17:25S.Margate SHM abeam
17:40Main up, engine off520NW4 - making around 6kt
18:35Gybed round to stbd, about 1m to Longnose buoy5198.1
19:40Jib in, main down, engine on
20:20Arrived in Ramsgate marina - E pontoon, next to another Starlight 395206.940
Total:74.6304.9136522:45
28/05/2011Gas ran out - bought new one in Ramsgate
Stayed for day to wait out poor forecast
29/05/201108:15Left marina - full waterproofs5206.9SW5-6
10:45Deal Bank buoy5219.5
Supports have dropped out from mast gate, so heading into Dover. Short chop, wet motoring.
13:40Alongside in Glenville Dock5233.2265
Total:26.3331.2163027:10
30/05/2011Overnight in Dover
08:20Left Glanville Dock & went to fuel jetty - added £76.085233.210
08:45Left fuel jettySW2-3
Motoring - too tight to sail
12:45Dungeness Point abeam 0.75M5259.5
16:35Off Royal Sovereign tower5284.5
20:15Hoisted full sail - engine off715NW3-4
20:30Shortened sail - one reef and stop II on genoa. Eased motion and improved visibility under genoa.NW4
21:45Wind headed us - took in main and genoa, started engine. Engine died - possibly fuel starvation? Pulled out 2/3 genoa and headed for Brighton.
23:00Called marina - told us all workboats were out for 3-4 days. Called Solent CG - suggested calling lifeboat on 'private' call. Agreed reluctantly. Considered Newhaven but reluctantly agreed to lifeboat
23:55Lifeboat alongside - towed us into marina.
00:20Alongside. Moored on casualty berth. Lifeboat v.friendly and incredibly efficient. Just 3 crew because not a formal call.5323.7
Total:90.5421.7235539:15
01/06-05/06/2011Waited around in Brighton while engineers fixed engine. Found a faulty stop solenoid, but still no fuel supply. Investigated further and found a case of diesel bug. Emptied tanks through a spin filter, cleaned tanks and refilled. £1200 bill.
02/06/2011Anne joined me - saw Alex that evening and ate out. Alex stayed on board. Walked to Rottingdean, saw Kipling Gardens and windmill - nice spot.
04/06/2011Met Mike and Gayle in Brighton. Had a meal, walked back and had a coffee on board. Drove Anne home and Ric and I returned by train on 5/6. Ric mended half boat by 9.30pm!
06/06/201106:45Motored to fuel berth. Added approx 501 with treatment.5323.710
07:15Left fuel berth, heading out.
07:30Main up, engine off. Jib just greater than II15N/NE 3/4
08:40Off Newhaven Pier/breakwater5332.2
09:45Off Beachy Head light5340.8
10:45Royal Sovereign red buoy close to port5348.7
13:55Dungeness5374
Made good progress to Dover - tide well with us all way. Wind headed slightly off Dover and dropped to N3. Tacked off SW Goodwin and tacked again off Deal. Tacking in and out off Deal.N2-3
17:45Deal Bank buoy to stbd. Making 5.5kts OG on 045 approx5398.5
18:15Wind dying, engine on and sails down. Heading round to N.Quern.
19:15Tied up to E Pontoon in Ramsgate marina5406.660
Total:82.9504.6244040:40
07/06/201106:50Left marina5406.6
08:15E.Margate buoy 0.5M stbd beam.5417.1
09:40Fisherman's Gat R No.2 0.5M stbd beam5427.1
Cutting across Fisherman's Gaat to top corner of Long Sand. Min. depth of 5m across spit Sw of Outer Fisherman.
10:40Barrow Deep E.Cardinal No.5 close to port5434.2
Heading up eastern edge of Sunk Sand to crossing point.Increased to S4/5 but still motoring till after crossing of Sunk
11:02Started crossing at 51 41.105N, 1 24.509E Min depth 4.6m
11:15Across Barrow crossing - course approx 275T. Engine off - hoisted main 1 reef and jib II. Making 6.5-7kt OG.265
12:20Swin Spitway 0.25M port beam5447.3S/SW 4/5
Bore away through Spitway.
12:30Wallet Spitway 0.25M stbd beam5448.5
Min depth 3.3m 1.5hr after LW Sheerness
13:35Sails down, engine on, close to Nass. Saw Malcolm P acting as committee boat for Sonata nationals5457.2
14:05Picked up marina buoy545930
Min.depth 2.5hr before HW in channel 3.0m. Min depth in leavings 2.0m around FACT buoy.
16:10Back to berth in marina5459.1273545:35
Total:52.5557.1
09/07/201106:10Left marina5459.1
06:45Nass5462.7
07:00Engine off - full jib50SW3/4
09:20Walton pier abeam5477.5
10:55Engine on - jib in just by Levington
11:35Alongside at RHYC - allowed us in on up-river hammerhead. A little whinge by them as lots of EAST (partially-sighted) cruisers coming in later.5491.740
Total:32.6589.7282547:5
10/07/2011Met Doug, John, Anna etc for a walk round Holbrook and the Royal Hospital School. Lovely walk.
11/07/201113:40Left Woolverstone5491.7
Main up in river by docks. Motorsailing.N 2/3
15:00Jib out, engine off. Approaching Landguard cardinal.80
16:05Walton Pier 0.25M stbd beam.5504.9
17:10Clacton Pier 0.5M stbd beam5510.5
18:20Jib in, engine on.
Bore away at Bench Head and v.slow progress so turned engine on.
19:20On Tollesbury marina buoy 1552160
20:55In berth - after hanging around waiting for someone to move.5521.710
Total:30619.7297549:35
03/08/2011Andy, Andy Leake and Robert
15:30Left marina5521.7
16:15Engine off - full main and jib45E 3/4
18:15Off Walton Pier5538.1
19:30Had a look at Halfpenny Pier - full, so kept heading up river
19:45Engine on, jib in
20:00Main down
20:15Picked up buoy off Levington5549.630
Total:27.9647.6305050:50
04/08/201110:35Left buoy5549.6Rain and poor vis. Light winds.
11:05Engine off, jib out. Headed up to Woolverstone. Tacked back down to mooring opposite Levington again.30
12:10Engine on
12:15Picked up mooring5555.9
14:10Left mooring - having problems with starting engine - poor starter motor and haaving to turn it over a lot before it picks up.
16:10Tied up at Titchmarsh. Motorsailed all way, dropped main at entrance to Walton Channel. Murky and horrible all way.5567.6120SW 4/5
Total:18665.6320053:20
05/08/2011French Marine looked at engine - nothing they can do.
12:00Left Titchmarsh5567.6
12:40Engine off. Min depth around Stone Point 2.9m 1.5-2 hrs after LW40
14:00Off Walton Pier5575.8
Drifted around for a while and then wind settled in, but shifted right round and set in SE3SE3
15:35Wallet Spitway5587.5
Tacking through Spitway and heading for Burnham
16:45Buxey No.15595.6
17:25Inner Crouch SWB5600.5
18:00Engine on, just entering moorings
18:10Sails down
18:30In H32 Burnham YH560730
Total:39.4705327054:30
06/08/201108:20Left Burnham YH5607
08:40Full sail up, engine off20SSE 2/3
09:40Buxey No.2 stbd5614.3
10:50Wallet Spitway5621.7S3-4
One tack into Nass, then tacked down riverSW4-5
13:15Anchored off Stone5638.110
14:35Engine on, anchor up - windlass all worked fine
14:45Engine off, jib out10
Nice quiet run down river
15:50Engine on, jib in at Nass5644.5
16:20On No.1 waiting buoy5646.930
17:10Back in berth5647.610
Total:40.6745.6335055:50
29/08/2011Anne & Andy
12:40Left marina5647.6
13:25Engine off, main up45W4-5
14:05Finished lunch jib III out
16:45Sails in, engine on, just past Fagbury Pt.
17:10Picked up mooring off Levington5675.625
Total:28773.6342057:0
30/08/201107:15Left mooring5675.6
07:50Main up in Harwich Harbour by Shotley Spit
08:10Engine off, full jib55W3
Reached down past Walton pier and then on wind. Wind v.variable and often dying.
10:150.75M off Clacton pier, tacked down river5690.3SW/W 2
12:10Engine on, sails in by Nass
12:45In berth5702.235
Total:26.6800.2351058:30
24/09/2011Andy, Dad and George
09:40Left marina5702.2
10:10Full sail, engine off, just beyond Nass30SE2
11:40Bar buoy5709.4SE2-3
Tacked once across river to make Bar buoy
13:20Walton pier 0.25M port beam5718.1
14:55Shotley Spit buoy, running dead downwind down river5724.3
15:20jib in, engine on just after Fagbury Pt.5726
16:10Alongside at RHYC alongside Betelgeuse (Starlight 39)573050
Total:27.8828359059:50George went home with Mum and dad after meal.
25/09/2011Andy, Anne, Kevin and Linda
13:35Left RHYC5730
14:25Turned round off Felixstowe, engine off50SE3-4
Slow run back up river against ebb under full jib only.
15:30Engine on
15:50Back alongside Betelgeuse at RHYC5739.420
Total:9.4837.4364060:40
26/09/2011Just Andy on board
09:30Moved away from alongside Betelgeuse to directly alongside pontoon10
16:45Moved again alongside a boat just arrived to enable early departure without disturbing them10
Total:0.4837.8366061:0
27/09/201106:20Left RHYC - delayed start due to light/fog. Fog still there!5739.8Just Andy on board
V.poor visibility - crept downriver on plotter and AIS
07:30Shotley Spit - dash across river. Still no sign of clearing.
07:50Water warning light on engine came on. Sails up, engine off.90SW1
08:10Engine on - low revs to try and get into fair tide
08:35Stone Banks buoy 0.25M port beam5749.5
08:40Engine off30SW2
Tacked out towards Medusa and back in towards shore - wind very variable and not making good course
09:55Wind dying, engine on at just 2k revs
10:30Visibility improving marginally - occasional glimpses of shore at Clacton
10:35Clacton Pier 0.75M on stbd beam - just visible5758.3
11:20Colne Bar buoy close to stbd5762.2
12:30Tied up in marina, Anne met me to tie up5768.1155
Total:28.3866.1393565:35
Charmary's logbook for 2011 sailing