Fort William (1)

I am sure you will rember that there would be photos in this instalment.  Sadly, you will have to wait until I can find a faster internet connection: in the meantime you will have to be content with my prose. Indeed, you may have to be content with prose for the rest of this trip; my camera has "done a runner". Either I have put it away in such a cunning place that I can't immediately locate, or (more likely) I have left it somewhere. I could, I suppose use the phone....

Nonethe less, I am pleased to report that we're almost on plan. The crew has departed to the south, exchanging the Scottish Highlands for the wineries of Portugal and Spain and Vagabond and I are bouncing to buoy off the yacht club in Fort William, ready to join Sail Caledonia after a few necessary tomorrow.  

But it was a close run thing.

I'd left you all bouncing to a different buoy off an un-named hotel in a north facing gat just south of Ballachulish. We returned to Vagabond, after a delightfull evening meal in the Holleytree hotel to find that the wind had changed in an unforecasted way. It was now from the north, right into our shelter. The dinghy ride was interesting and we boarded Vagabond with some difficulty before spending a noisy and boisterous night. 

We set off to go to the north east, up towards Fort William. We didn't even get as far as the Corran Ferry narrows. The wind reach 25 knots and stayed there for several hours. After an hour motoring into it (in a vain attempt to catch the tide at the narrows), I gave up and we turned east into Loch Leven, under the Ballachulish bridge into the Bishops Pool, a delightful pool, surrounded on two and a bit sides by steep, wooded hills. In the other directions was a view of the loch and the forbidding, snow covered* mountains of Glen Coe.

We found a buoy of dubious heritage, with it's slimy mooring rope the home to long strands of kelp, numerous small fish and an angry shrimp. There was no wind to speak of, and little tide so it seemed safe enough. Meanwhile the gale blew through the woods. Bluebell still carpeted the floor; gorse, rhododendrons, azaleas  and elders bloomed in the clearings. We were there until the wind died down.

But there was a problem. The crew had to be at Fort William to catch a train on the following morning and Vagabond had to be there too, admittedly a day later, to catch the Sail Caledonia "raid". We adjourned to a local hostelry to consult taxi companies and bus timetables. A bus was selected. Tide table were also consulted and I found that if Vagabond and I left our pool at about 9 o'clock the following morning we'd catch the last of the ebb** to get out of Loch Leven and the first of the flood*** to get through the Corran narrows. 

Perfect!

So, after another pub meal we retired to bed, to wake the following morning to find the wind had dropped - a bit. 

The crew and her bags were put ashore, Vagabond was made ship shape, the main hoisted (with one cautious reef), the buoy dropped and we were off. 

Read all about our thrilling  adventures, how the jib repeated the Liverpool bay trick just as we approached the narrowest point and a lost shackle pin nearly caused a major incident, in the next edition!

* Well, in the gullies.

** The outgoing tide

*** The incoming tide

We're off!

Gentle, loyal reader, your will be delighted to know that Vagabond is now happily afloat and has shaken  the slate dust off her decks (Balvicar and the Isle of Seil being entirely constructed out of the stuff). She is now moored to a buoy off King***** Hotel just south of Balachulish whilst my crew * and I have a rest. We spent Monday morning rigging her - as always it took longer than I thought and we missed the tide to launch her. So it was early on Tuesday that we launched her. She was a bit reluctant to leave her trailer, but a few runs (in reverse) down the ramp, followed by sharp braking, allowed the laws of physics to prise her free and she was afloat! 

We sailed south to the Cuan sound and had to wander about in Loch ?? to wait for the tide to turn. It was the only sailing we did that day, as the wind dropped when we reached the Firth of Lorne and we had to rely on Freddie to reach Dunstaffnidge by 19:30. After some hassle, we were able to get the important key to the loos and, after some amazing Scallops and Black  pudding at the Frog, we retired for the night. It was prescient of us to put the tent over the cockpit before turning before turning it in because it threw it down overnight and we awoke to gray skies and the promise of more rain. 

We turned north east anayway, to find a 14 knot wind from the South West. Vagabond flew along. At one point 7 knots was noticed on the GPS. We reached our destination in just over 4 hours. To add to the day, the rain held off and we were in sunshine for most of the way. We anchored of the hotel, rolling  uncomfortably in the swell. We went ashore to have a welcome swim before dinner. The forecast says the wind will drop later on this evening.

Photos to follow.

* Regular readers will know of my view about crew. My daughter (who currently lives in Nova Scotia) had timed her visit to Europe to crew with me for a few days. She was not to be refused!!

Not long now.

Three days from now, Vagabond's keel should be tasting salt water again and, on the following day, we'll  be off to the North East for Fort William and Sail Caledonia. The forecast weather for the forthcoming week is for rain (varying between light and heavy) and the wind, of course, from the North East.

Touch of Light Maintenance in Scotland

The other day I left you in suspense, wondering about the conditions inside Vagabond after the winter. Worry no longer - apart from some mould in one of the cockpit lockers, a good layer of grime in the cockpit and a layer of dust inside the cabin, Vagabond had weathered the winter unscathed. 

A thorough sweep inside and the cabin was as good as new. The gas heating worked. The kettle was boiled and various bits were washed. The batteries were checked and both seemed to be in good condition. The solar panels appeared to have kept the winter discharge at bay. 

But this is procrastination - avoidance activity. It's time to get on with the most important task - fitting the spreaders and baby stays to the mast.

Attentive readers may recall that I had started this last October by drilling two groups of holes in the cabin roof and then filling them in with solid epoxy. Now I had to fit D rings on either side of the roof to provide the securing point for the baby stays. The problem was that this required me to hold the heads of the securing screws still from inside the cabin whilst tightening the bolts on the outside. My arms weren't long enough by about 6 feet! I had worried about this on and off throughout the winter. My solution was to make a special  "self locking 3 screw" screw driver which grip all three screws for one D ring at the same time, provided I could wedge in place inside the cabin. 

Bolts and washers were slathered in silicon and pushed up through re - drilled holes in the deck. The triple screwdriver was wedged in place and, with fingers crossed, I went on deck to slather more silicon around and place the D ring in position.  I carefully tightened the self locking nuts and was mildly pleased that everything stayed in place. The first D ring was secured! The second was secured with similar ease. Phew. Time for lunch.

Now came the tricky bit - the mast. Swallow boats had provided me with a fitting to place on the mast which would form the upper securing point for the baby stays and the mounting point for the spreaders.

Measure twice and cut once - or so I had been taught. The mast was measured - various datum points were identifed and marked out with masking tape. At this point, doubt set in - perhaps I had better check this lot with Swallow Boats. 

I've just realised that this is degenerating into one of those nausiating "how to do it" articles in magazines like PBO. And, sadly, it's not a parody. So I'll stop.

Suffice it to say, the fittings were fitted, the spreaders were spread, the stays were stayed, the mast raised, the rake adjusted and ithe mast was lowered again. Job done.

Now to fit the extra solar cell - mains charging sockets will be in short supply where we're going. this proved to be surprisingly easy and by the next afternoon the cell was fitted and happliy charging the batteries. In full sun, the combined panels provided enough power to continue to charge the batteries even when the VHF was running. Job 2 done. 

Freddie was unearthed from the car boot and lifted into position (aren't these 4 stroke outboards heavy!)

Friday morning brought heavy rain. And it was time to head south.

Don't drive on the M6, south, on a Friday.

Brakeless in Balvicar

One week ago I motored north, up ta strangely quiet M6, across the border (no passport required - yet) into Scotland and up to Pitlochry for an overnight stop with the Scottish Herbalist in her downsized abode. After doing the usual chores (hanging curtains, in this case) and a good nights sleep, I arrived at Balvicar at lunch time on Monday to find Vagabond in pretty good shape.

The condition of the tarpaulin and the rope holding it on was another matter entirely!

The new 6 mm rope had been utterly shredded down to one or two strands in several places. The tarpaulin exhibited some interesting wounds wherever it had been in contact with a deck fitting, and also showed pin hole along almost every fold. In some places it looked as if it had perforated deliberately to enable the wind to "tear along this line".

So it was "off with the tarpaulin" and down to work. First, underneath. Knock of the little bit of week growth along the stainless steel strip on the keel. Move the front anchor point of the trailer so that I could pull Vagabond further forward to keep the flap valve for the ballast tanks clear of the trailer rollers. Visually check  the pin for the centre board - fine. Visually check  the hull for damage and general fouling. None. Gosh this Copper Coat stuff is really good.

Now for a job I'd been meaning to do for some time - adjust the various rollers on the trailer so that Vagabond is given better support. This means crawling under the trailer with a big spanner to hand,

Wait a minute, what's that silvery bit there flapping about on the brake rod - shouldn't it be attached to the brake cables?  What's happened to the bits stuck on to the cables that attach them to the silvery bit?



Help, there are NO BRAKES ON THE TRAILER. How long have they been like that?

 I searched about and eventually (a day later after a significant shower of rain) found them in a puddle nearby. As you can see from this photo of the ends that should have been attached to the cables. the metal had failed (cracking where the swageing tool had bent them to fix them to the cable).

I called  Swallow Boats, really to let them know there might be other trailers like mine with the same problem. They are now in discussions (meaningfull, I hope) with their trailer supplier.

 

No doubt I'll be given a fix in due course: it is of little consequence at the moment as I am not intending to tow Vagabond more than a couple of hundred yards until we have completed the bit round Scotland.

 

So it was back to adjusting the brackets and rollers as it came on to rain; at least I was sheltered by the hull...

 

Tomorrow, I'll get inside Vagabond to find out how she really weathered the winter.

 

 

Almost time to get ready

The regular reader will know that the owner and his boat have not seen each other for at least six months. 

The owner is now imagining all sorts of scenarios about how Vagabond has withstood the winter.

Will the cabin be infested with mould?

 Have rats or mice chewed the cushions or the sails? 

Will the tarpaulin still be intact?  

And what about the trailer wheels - will they have become flat?

Don't forget the batteries...

One week to go before we find out how Vagabond has fared during the winter. 

This summer takes shape

Wake up gentle readers! Wake up!

There is only about 8 weeks to go before Vagabond and I resume our slow peregrination* around Britain. I'd better get cracking.

Firstly, the purchases/improvements planned.

Existing readers will know about the immersion suit - I had wanted to test it out in the relatively warm water of a swimming pool but couldn't persuade the authorities to let me do so. The local river is flowing well for the moment (what a surprise) but I've rather been put off that by the farmyard near the source. So it will have to wait.

Have I mentioned the pump up foghorn? Up to now, Vagabond had sported one of those red plastic trumpets. I've discovered that it takes more breath than my lungs can spare, so we have acquired an air powered one that works with a pump.

Another solar panel lurks in the garage, waiting to be installed, together with the rig modification kit, to provide spreaders and two sets of shrouds.

Lastly, I've been investigating the battery charging and use arrangements and realise that having two batteries in parallel is not the best arrangement, so the system will be changed to have the two batteries on separate circuits with a new on off switch to change from one to t'other. This requires a new approach to the way the solar panels charge the batteries and a new controller has been obtained. I'm crossing my fingers that the new solar panel and the new charging controller will enable Vagabond to operate with the benefit of shore power for about a week, given reasonable weather.....At least the daylight hours are many in June in Scotland....

Oops - I forgot Freddie. He's been serviced and dirt was found in the carburettor. So the petrol tanks need a thorough clean. Motto, don't let you outboard share petrol cans with the mower or hedge trimmer!

All of this represents a few days work on Vagabond, before I think of polishing the hull or varnishing (at least the copper coat means that her bottom doesn't need cleaning).

So, I'm heading north in the first full week of April to put this lot into effect....then coming back south before setting out again in mid May.

Perhaps at the end of this summer I'll bring Vagabond back to Bucks.....

Meanwhile, other stuff happens.

The Sail Caledonia team have wrought miracles and sent us all the detailed plan for the week. I notice it includes this rather ominous phrase: 'Monday 26th May Afternoon fun section - capsize drill' The immersion suit might get tested after all.......

The wife of the farmer (currently resident in Nova Scotia) has announced she wants to sail with me from Balvica to Fort William. BUT (and there's always a but) she has to be back in London on the 30th May. So now we are sailing against the clock before any racing with Sail Caledonia.....And I have had to advance purchase her train and plane tickets from Ft William to London.





Pedants bit

* Not strictly a peregrination as we are not going on foot**.

**Well, not all of the way