Putting the headsails back on
Aug
5
Written by:
8/5/2010 10:50 PM
Well I decided to buy a small kayak trolley and go overland to the boat across the marsh. This is practical in the summer but impossible in the winter. In the summer the fields are dry and accessible but during the winter the marsh becomes impassable. I’m also probably not going to keep the boat on her mooring over the winter because it’s just not secure enough from flooding and river debris such as trees and other boats..
The trolley worked quite well and did the job fine. The only problem was the locked gate to the final field to keep the cows and horses in. I had to remove the folding boat and lift it over the fence. Still, it’s good exercise and better for the environment than getting in the car and driving to the dinghy park. Cheaper too..
Arrival at Caraway with “Carawee” on her trolley with oars.
It’s a pain that it’s so tantalisingly close. I could wade out but it shelves down quickly and at low tide there’s at least a meter. At high tide there can be nearly five feet under the keel. I notice she’s sitting up at the bows since I took out all the junk I’d been storing aboard. Will have to re-arrange and try and get her trimmed properly again.
With the folding dinghy ready to go.
Chaos down below while I was working getting the head sails on and tuning up the rig as well as countless other jobs.
Some more of the local wildlife came to inspect me as I was packing up..
Headsails are on, time to fold up the dinghy and head for home it’s getting chilly..
I’ve come to the conclusion that with the prevailing westerlies on the beam, getting off the mooring is not going to be easy. There is nothing to push off from and there’s no chance of getting steerage until the boat is moving forward. Any attempt to get off will end up in disaster. It might be that in some circumstances I can run the engine astern and let the bow swing to leeward and back out if there is enough water but it is risky. Instead I am planning to get an old anchor and some heavy chain and go and chuck it down in the channel. I will tie a line to this and attach it also to one of the mooring poles. Then I can use it to kedge off.
