Generator problems

Unfortunately the Generator has stopped working. If anyone has a generator not in use that they could lend to the boat could they get in touch with Keith 07716016019. He would be happy to pick up any costs involved in postage.

Audience stats

Over the last week the audience for this blog was made up of the following page views

United Kingdom 865
United States 102
Germany 75
Canada 74
Ireland 17
Denmark 7
Sweden 7
United Arab Emirates 5
Hungary 5
Belgium 4

Thank you to you all

Oban - rest day

After tying up on what we thought were visitors moorings, a nice gentleman asked for money for using his mooring - oops.
We will spend the time here fixing things and generally tidying up. Lots of small things, Danbuoy auto switch fixed, halyard guards on the mast steps, mainsheet block replaced, drying clothes, busy, busy, busy.
The weather forecast is not great, wind still to the SE to E but severe gale 9 predicted this morning in Malin. Hopefully moderating by tomorrow.

After the Gale - Part 2 - Calling potential circumnavigators.

 Day 2 tracking map Here

It's Monday afternoon in Oban (and presumably everwhere else) and we're sorting the boat (and ourselves) out after the 35 hour passage from Northern Ireland. I have come to the difficult decision to withdraw from this magnificent adventure for my own safety (and my health) and to allow Keith and Alasdair to continue around Britain. I have agonised for the past 24 hours after realising that, physically, I am not up to the demanding nature of long passages and working on deck in bad weather for prolonged periods.

It hurts, but I have to be realistic and retire while it is still safe to do so.

Alasdair and Keith are still determined to complete this venture and offer an invitation to a reader of this blog to join them - preferably from Oban but this is negotiable. Sailing experience would be extremely useful. Keith's phone number is 07716016019 if you are interested

I will continue to post blogs from Alasdair & Keith via the miracles of the internet and we think the tracking will continue from Ali's phone, although it may only be location data.

Cheers for now, Iain

After the gale

I write having just gone through a gale. Progress was good until Colonsay but then with the wind hard against us it has been a long slog and we are now 12 miles off Oban. The wind has dropped and the crew are busy shaking out a reef and I am at the chart table. Earlier Iain decided to go onto the fordeck for reasons I did not understand at the time. After a few minutes I heard shouting and promptly went to join him. On reaching him I found him on his hands and knees messing with some rope. I got down to join him and suddenly found myself joining in the shouting as I too then found myself being immersed in waves with water running down my kneck, up my arms and oh joy up my legs. I too had found myself in the same predicament. Iain then suggested that maybe we ought to start ripping up £20 notes as sailing is often equated to standing in the shower ripping up said items. Since then things have been steady although we did notice that we have lost a bucket over the side so people will now have to use the heads!

Last night was very dark and we did find a cruise ship getting a little too close for comfort so in time old tradition I put the torch in the sails. This normally has a good effect but not so then and a little alteration of course was required. Still tea was interesting with the sausage caserole I made with Theakston beer. It had clearly fermented somewhat and the bag was ready for exploding.

People suggested that I bring some books to read on this trip. Oh only if there were time. Things break and need fixing on a regular basis, sails need changing, navigation to be done and food to be prepared. Now and again we get a little sleep but not much and not often. However if you want to clear your head I can highly recommend a good gale to do it. It will shake the living daylights out of you and low and behold it is clear.

The loosing of electrical equipment goes on and on. Years ago you came sailing with a jumper now there are all manor of gadgets that folk have. I counted nine things on charge yesterday, but will they all stay in the same place, never!

Just as I end this entry the sun has come out and is beaming down into the cabin, wonderful. Tonights special mention is to Mark Sumner a true gentleman and thoroughly good diver, take it easy Mark.

A good evening to you all and may your week be a good one and if not there is always red wine and a good party on Friday.

Take care, Keith.

Rathlin Island - somewhere over there

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Well, not the start we were hoping for. After seeing the forecast for winds to stay in the south it seemed the only decision to turn around and head round clockwise. A short stop in Bangor in Northern Ireland gave us a chance to make a few repairs that were needed.It is incredible to think that not even two months ago Ruffy (Rough Diamond) was not even in the water and here we are back at sea together.

The boat is fitted with a wind vane for self steering. This means that most of the time the boat steers herself and only harbour entrances need attention on the helm.

We have GPS linked to a Yoeman chart plotter which makes light work of the chart work and if the electrics fail we have a paper chart on the table with positions plotted with time and log. Some people now seem to like electronic chart plotters but for the life of me I cannot get along with them at all. Ruffy is fairly traditionally rigged with slab reefing on the main and hanked on forsails which means you do have to change sails from time to time but means you have the right sail for the right wind and the centre of effort where you need it. Every time I have been on a boat with roller reefing the thing always has a problem and the sail never set properly. With a little more effort you have a more comfortable ride. The bunks are fitted with lee cloths to keep you in them at all times although had I thought to have mentioned this to our new crew he would have had a better nights sleep. Oh well he knows now.

We do not appear to be eating as much as I thought we might and the stock of food seems entirely satisfactory although I might say something else at Cornwall.The crew as a whole are working well together and we already feel a strong team and it is great having two guys on board who can fix things very quickly. This morning the generator surge protector decided to pack up and in ten minutes we had a working generator albeit minus the surge protector so power now runs through the boat system that has it fitted anyway.Future trips need more solar energy if we could meet our little demand we could give up the generator which would please me no end.

The issue of no engine has not been an issue so far. If anything it is less stress. However the proliforation of marinas and their ever smaller entrances may well dictate in the future we have to have something even just for marinas. It is not great though that you have to spend yet more money on something you don't really want so you can get in a crowded marina and pay them rediculous amounts of money for lets face it a shower.

The crew have been very supportive of my sudden need to be on shore for one day this week which is unavoidable. I will return to the boat within 24hours and off we go again. We intend to stop in Oban for a day so heaven only knows what state they will be in by the time I get back I have certainly had my fair share of nights out there and many that are to say the least hazy.

This time at sea is so precious to me. We spend so much of our lives doing what others want us to do and paying bills that to have some time that is to follow your passion in life is the greatest thing. For me a love of the sea started at such a young age with my Grandfather putting me on oil tankers with the pilot. He himself was a captain in the merchant navy and his uncle was a captain in the last days of sail. Maybe we have come full circle!

For me the best time is night sailing with a clear sky. You really do realise how insignificant you are in the universe which is no bad thing from time to time. Things that you worry yourself sick about over time become completely irrelevant and rightly so. Maybe prior to deciding to go to war polititians should go for a night sail
and comtemplate it thoroughly.

It is enjoyable not to worry any more about the future and just concentrate on getting to the next way point as that really is all that matters, well that and feeding the crew, although Iain has now taken more to Tunnocks biscuits than my breakfast which does not say an awful lot for my cooking. Ali has now gained the boat record for the biggest sandwiches ever seen. One of them and you are full all day although he seems to be able to motor through them.

Thanks again to all for messages of encouragement and a special hello those at Blackpool Area Divers and let me say there is no better place to learn to dive than with them. Hope you are all well and take care, Keith.

Off again

Leaving norn ireland - Ali on helm.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

What do you want to do today ?

Well we arrived in Bangor (actually Ballyholmes YC) last night after running away from the increasing strong South Easterlies which were impeding our progress south through the North Channell and south generally. The forecast is for them to stay for at least 3 days so our decision to run to port was good.
However, we have decided to adjust the passage plan radically and revert to plan B (or is that Z) i.e. a clock wise circumnavigation. We leave to travel north (hooray) this morning and have abandonded the non stop theme for obvious reasons and intend to stop in Oban by Sunday night via Islay, Iona and Mull. Keith has a job interview on Tuesday so we will have a day off then.
My time off work is rapidly depleting so I won't be able to complete this entire passage but hope to jump ship at Aberdeen or Edinburgh and travel home via Gourock to pick up my car - best laid plans of men and other small rodents blah blah blah.
Looking back, a lot of my adventures with KP tend to be epics and this has not dissapointed, so is this why I (we) do it ? - a total break from predictability and the opportunity to sort and fix problems (as if I don't have enough already) on the fly. I guess I love it really, (note to self : just don't get your hopes up about anything much - things turn out Ok eventually) and of course, the journey can be very exciting. So is that it? is it just the journey and not the destination. There are many routes possible from A to B and the important bit is the 'to', without losing sight of, or losing respect for B. So, I don't know what will happen over the next few days, I know the destination and I have a plan and part of that plan is that there is no plan. Good morning everyone, what do you want to do today ?

Change of tack

We've spent 4 hours making 10 miles. This weather system is predicted to be stable for at least 48 hours - winds SE 4 - 5 rising 6. Therefore we have a few options. Stay in race mode and spend maybe 3 days beating into a 6 in order to stop going North
Or
Spend 10 hours beating down to Mull of Galloway and anchor and wait
Or
Spend 4 hours reaching over to Bangor (N.I) and anchoring to sit it out
So we're off to Ireland
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Travelling South (again)

After a hairy few hours overnight we are moving south down the north channel. The wind has backed to the east which has allowed the southerly progress. This mornings entertainment is mainly avoiding the SeaCat ferries , oh joy.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Ailsa Craig

Passing the lump that is known as Aisa Craig. The GPS has failed so we've reverted to traditional navigation methods - sighting on lighthouses and landmarks, using dead reckoning. Maybe break out the sextant tomorrow. We can still get a fix off the tracker so there is a plan B (or is that C?)
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Sunset over Arran

Doing 4.5 knots, the sun going down, preparing for the night ahead.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Cloch Point - Gourock

Finally we are off. We crossed the start line at Cloch point at 1319 GMT today. Iain then promptly caught seven mackerel that have made a great meal. Now we are becalmed off the island of Bute waiting for some wind to take us down to the North Channel.

After a year so far that has been full of difficult times and if it could go wrong it did it is good to be back at sea. If you can’t do something right then sometimes you just need to do something good. Life is always full of challenges but this year has presented me with the most I have had in one go. The hardest has been emotional pain but I believe the sea to be a great healer so here we go and I hope this trip is a watershed from what has gone before.

Many people would ask why you go to sea for so long and the simple truth for me is that I can’t think of anything better I would rather do than to sail my boat and this feels like home to be at sea again. As for the hardship, it seems harder to do the same thing day after day making the same mistakes and waiting for something to happen. It seems clear that you have to make things happen if you ever want to get anything done.

As for the boat, I have never seen so much food on a boat. I am sure we have enough to get to the Caribbean let alone around Britain. It has been so nice for us get messages of encouragement from people so let’s hope we can see some of you for a beer when we get back. That of course seems a long way from here and doubtless a lot weather to go through.

Best wishes to all of you who read this and a special hello to our readers in the UAE.

Keith

Mackerel for tea

One, two, three four five, once I caught 8 Mackerel alive, gutted , cooked and ate them, all within 30 minutes.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Started

We started at Clock Point 13:19:30 UTC - pics to follow
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Weather

Big High 300 miles off Iceland still seems to be keeping the wind (what wind ?) to the Southeast - not a lot of good for us going anti-clock.We'll be lucky to get to Cumbria in 3 weeks at this rate.

Start and Finish

We have reviewed the logistics of this trip and decided to start and finnish at Gourock - hooray ! The clock starts tomorrow....... (I think) - watch this space - lets all think very hard about lots of nice Northerly, Westerly, Easterley - actually anything but Southerly please. Thank you. (I will be asking for other directions later).

The night before we go

Well it feels like it has been months of work on the boat for her to be ready for such a venture and it seems years since anything on this scale was done. I had decided at the beginning of the year to take the engine out and not replace it. Many if not all said I was mad but so far so good. The benefit of not smelling diesel and spending hours fixing and servicing the damn thing for me far outway the convenience. Years before I would worry about the engine failing as it often did and then all the stress of rapidly getting back under sail and doing manouvres that I had not done in a while. Now it all feels more controlled, more seamanlike and believe it or not less hassle.  Although the decision to go round Britain again but now to try it non stop, was taken only a week ago there has been so much work done before this moment. These last hours before departure make me think about what we are attempting to do and why we are doing it. There are no more jobs to do just the getting on with it now. Today we have had a change to our plan in that we are now joined by Alasdair from Gourock which takes us to a crew of three. This means hopefully a little more sleep each! No locker has any space even the toilet roll is now squashed in next to the rich tea biscuits oh and my sleeping bag. We have established a drinks locker in the form of a portable fridge that unfortunately cannot be turned on as it drains too much power but at least gives the look of an inviting drink. Ipods are now on board which is great but means I finally have to take off my favourite cd of Amy MacDonald which I have been listening for some time now but the crew are getting tired of to say the least. The vacuum packing of food seems good so far but one bag has already exploded, fortunately not in the locker.