We set off at high water to head downriver to Burnham
Our first problem was getting out of our berth. We need to swing the stern 45 degrees to port whilst hardly moving to clear a mooring buoy off our port quarter
Usually, it's no great feat of boat handing because the prop walk in astern easily accomplishes the maneuver
Today, though, the wind was easily overcoming the prop walk and in the end I had no option but to jam the bow into the corner of the finger pontoon and use a big handful of power to get the stern to swing (springing off isn't an option as the finger is too short)
To cut a long story short, we made it off without leaving much if any paint behind bit when we get back in going to be upping my gentle request to get the buoy moved to a not so gentle request!
We merrily set off with Jane on deck bringing in fenders and lines and as we cleared the moorings I engaged the autohelm, which I routinely do, to give her a hand
I'd barely stepped away from the wheel when the autohelm inexplicably turned hard a-port. That was bad enough but when I dived back to the wheel to take control it refused to disengage
By now we were pointing straight at one of the boats on the moorings and yards away from hitting it with considerable force
I managed to wrestle the wheel round just enough, fighting the autohelm all the way, and combined with the help of the tide we missed by, literally an inch or two
Jane had, in response to my frantic yell for help, dashed back to the cockpit, and responding without hesitation to instructions dived into the cabin and switched off the power to the autohelm
Disaster averted indeed. We were both shaking and promptly agreed that a new autohelm is a must before the end of the winter
We'd have probably popped the genoa, even if we didn't hoist the main or mizzen, without that little saga. As it was, we were happy to bimble down under motor
Coming alongside we achieved quite neatly despite the strong wind but when we tried to walk the boat forward so as not to be in the middle of the gap we popped a fender out and added some new scrapes to the paintwork to go with the ones on the bow
Hey ho, it'll touch up
After putting on a harbour stow, we headed off to the shops for fresh meat and veg. On the way back, we stopped off at the chandlers for a couple of odds and ends
Jane cooked up a delicious sweet and sour pork and then it was time to raid the No.1 Beer Hold
Tomorrow, if all goes to plan, we aim to fetch up in Bradwell
Our first problem was getting out of our berth. We need to swing the stern 45 degrees to port whilst hardly moving to clear a mooring buoy off our port quarter
Usually, it's no great feat of boat handing because the prop walk in astern easily accomplishes the maneuver
Today, though, the wind was easily overcoming the prop walk and in the end I had no option but to jam the bow into the corner of the finger pontoon and use a big handful of power to get the stern to swing (springing off isn't an option as the finger is too short)
To cut a long story short, we made it off without leaving much if any paint behind bit when we get back in going to be upping my gentle request to get the buoy moved to a not so gentle request!
We merrily set off with Jane on deck bringing in fenders and lines and as we cleared the moorings I engaged the autohelm, which I routinely do, to give her a hand
I'd barely stepped away from the wheel when the autohelm inexplicably turned hard a-port. That was bad enough but when I dived back to the wheel to take control it refused to disengage
By now we were pointing straight at one of the boats on the moorings and yards away from hitting it with considerable force
I managed to wrestle the wheel round just enough, fighting the autohelm all the way, and combined with the help of the tide we missed by, literally an inch or two
Jane had, in response to my frantic yell for help, dashed back to the cockpit, and responding without hesitation to instructions dived into the cabin and switched off the power to the autohelm
Disaster averted indeed. We were both shaking and promptly agreed that a new autohelm is a must before the end of the winter
We'd have probably popped the genoa, even if we didn't hoist the main or mizzen, without that little saga. As it was, we were happy to bimble down under motor
Coming alongside we achieved quite neatly despite the strong wind but when we tried to walk the boat forward so as not to be in the middle of the gap we popped a fender out and added some new scrapes to the paintwork to go with the ones on the bow
Hey ho, it'll touch up
After putting on a harbour stow, we headed off to the shops for fresh meat and veg. On the way back, we stopped off at the chandlers for a couple of odds and ends
Jane cooked up a delicious sweet and sour pork and then it was time to raid the No.1 Beer Hold
Tomorrow, if all goes to plan, we aim to fetch up in Bradwell
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