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eel28

Settler
Aug 27, 2009
599
11
Bedfordshire
For the most part, BONNNNNGGGG does not bode well in the marine environment.

BONNNGGGGGG never sounds good in any environment, but as I'm sure you know, No Idea will have a comical twist to it :) - well at least he usually does, and I sure do hope he does in this instance too
 

No Idea

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 18, 2010
2,420
0
Dorset
Sorry...

Had to do some stuff..

The boat sort of stopped.

THere was this grinding noise.

I looked out the front....

Nothing.

However, boats were laid out by lunatics, so I could only see from the middle of the front and all the way right.

To the left all I could see was sail.

Which was getting closer as the boat started to tip over.

Ive hit a buoy!

Someone has parked this 6 ft tall, 5 ft thick bright red buoy right in the way!

I had thumped it with the left front and it almost stopped me before grinding all the way along the side until the boom hit it.

The boom which was on the bottom of the big back sail was sort of stuck straight out the side of the boat as I was reaching...

Just to be more awkward, the buoy pushed the boom back into my boat.

Stupid buoy. I had set my sail sort of right. Having it in that far meant the wind stopped pulling my boat along...

It started pushing it over instead.
 

No Idea

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 18, 2010
2,420
0
Dorset
It sounded like the buoy was ripping the side out of the boat.

Watching in helpless fascination as the sail was dragged over it....

I even managed to forget the water still running out of my nose.

I quick dragged in the mainsheet - the rope that you use to pull in the back sail before it could catch on the buoy.

Been there before.

I almost threw myself off the other side of the boat trying to balance it and stop the wind tipping it over...

It just kept tipping.

The buoy suddenly dropped the boom as I finally passed the buoy.

The end of the boom splashed as it dropped into the sea.

Er.....

If a boat tips so far that the end of the boom hits the water....

It turns over.

Swimming time.

I was still practising my swearwords.

The boat was sort of balanced.

The end of the boom in the water, the side deck under, the shroud was under too with water frothing off it as the boat was still going.

I was hung off the side desperately hoping it would come back.

It just stayed there, gently sailing along on its side with teh tip of the mast about 8 ft above the water.

I looked back at the buoy. It was already 40 yards or so behind.

I looked at the sails, sort of wondering how the wind was still tipping tipping the boat as it was pretty much flat on its side.

The back edge of the back sail had wind in it, as well as the back of the front sail.

I had no control over the main, but the front was still cleated to catch the wind.

I leaned in to uncleat - free the rope that keeps the front sail pulled in and felt the boat tip some more as I stopped leaning out...

Sorry....School run.
 
Last edited:

No Idea

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 18, 2010
2,420
0
Dorset
I was practising my swearwords again.

I was hanging off the side, trying to get it to come back up.

The boat had practically stopped.

The rudder was completely out of the water. I guess the centreboard was too.

It was just sort fo ballanced there.

I was carefully trying to rock it so it would come back.

The wind sort of stopped.

The boat started moving.

Slowly at first then faster as it righted itself.

Stupidly, I stayed on the side far too long. almost turned the boat back over on the other side.

But it was back up.

It was off the buoy, the sails were still on it and it might have been half full of water, but it hadnt quite sunk.

I had a good look for anything else I could hit and set the sails.

I opened the bailers. Havent quite got my head around bailers. These are little flaps that open holes in the bottom of the boat. Somehow if you are going fast enough, the water runs through them and out into the sea, despite the holes being in the bottom of the boat and the water level being higher out there. As far as I am concerned, if you have a hole in the bottom of the boat, its going to sink. As I said, I dont understand bailers.
 

No Idea

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 18, 2010
2,420
0
Dorset
Still....

I can cope with 3 or 4 mph more wind, I can copw with the traielr wheel getting damaged, I can handle not having any crew and losing 2 hours. I can handle desperate needs for toilets, I can handle the odd knock on the head. I can handle almost falling overboard trying to get the rudder down. I can handle having water up my nose. I can even handle BOIIIINGGGG buoys that someone had left in the way. I can handle getting the boom caught and almost capsizing. I can also handle the boat almost flicking itself out ont the other side.....

But not all on one pigging 2 hour trip!

The hammock will just have to wait. Im heading back.

Thats too much superstition running around for me.
 

bojit

Native
Aug 7, 2010
1,173
0
56
Edinburgh
I too can handle the fact that even with holes in the bottom of the boat the water goes out not in .

I don't understand bailer either but they work !

Craig..........
 

No Idea

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 18, 2010
2,420
0
Dorset
I set the sails to run back....

They wernt setting properly. No Idea why.

The back sail was really tight down the back edge where the battons were but really baggy and actually flapping in the middle. The boat was also trying very hard to tip over.

It just felt horrible and unstable.

Then there was this cloud.

It wasnt very big, but it was dense.

Clouds do weird things to wind.

The sund doesnt shine under a cloud. Obvious, I know, but whats not obvious is the temperature under the cloud drops. As the temp drops, the air shrinks and wind happens where the air runs under the cloud to fill the gap.

I was already pretty close to terrified.

The sail doing horrible things wasnt helping, now the cloud was making the wind change direction and strength. If it was constant, it wouldnt be so bad, but this was gusting in different directions.

I just hung on and hoped I made it.

I hadnt had a phone call for two days. In that 10 minue run, it rang 6 times. I ignored it. How come all these people know exactly the most awkward time to ring me.

I was still worrying about how much damage hitting the buoy had done and if the boat was leaking.

I was absolutely delighted to make it around the corner and up to the slipway.

As I arrived in 3 ft of water, the wind changed direction and tippped the boat over and me out.

I didnt care. I was back and still not full of water.

I just let the boat blow up onto the beach and went for the trailer.

As I pushed it down to the water, this old bloke said "Hope you dont mine me saying, but if you want to keep your boat upright, you ight want to let your kick strap off enough that your sail can set to a propper shape."

With that he wandered off.

I looked at it lying on its side on the beach.

He was right. Somehow I had sailed all the way back with it like that and hadnt worked out what was wrong.

Had a look at the side. It had a red streak off the buoy, but no damage.

Looks like superstition didnt get me after all.

Could be a little while before the lumps and bruises all go and I get the urge to go again though.

Pulled the boat home, packed up my stuff and curled up for an hour or so in my hammock in the garden.

I like hammocks - they dont try to drown me.
 

eel28

Settler
Aug 27, 2009
599
11
Bedfordshire
Glad to hear it wasn't a total disaster :)

Not being a boaty type myself, I'm with you on the holes in the bottom of the boat, but if they were designed that way I guess they work!
 

No Idea

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 18, 2010
2,420
0
Dorset
Hi Lee28 lol BONNNG News at 10... didnt think of that.

Hi Bilmo I agree. BONNGGGG in the marine environment usually involves a loss of money and a swimming lesson.

Hi Bojit - not just me with the bailers then. Apparently, they work the same way as a spray gun. The water flowing over the flap sticking out the bottom of the boat leaves a "dent in the water surface just behind the flap. The water in the boat simply falls into that dent. I sort of understand it intellectually - just not when I am looking at it.

Thank you Robbi ! Checked another couple of hulls while I was out, but still no joy. Sorry.

Lol Lee28... Not sure you could ever really think of me as a boaty sort of person either.

Well maybe in the disaster sense. lol.

Told the kids about my trip when I collected them from school.

My little one was really upset that I didnt take him.

er.....
 

bojit

Native
Aug 7, 2010
1,173
0
56
Edinburgh
Glad to hear it wasn't a total disaster :)

Not being a boaty type myself, I'm with you on the holes in the bottom of the boat, but if they were designed that way I guess they work!

I think there is some kind of trickery or witchcraft involved with them as they make a strange noise as the water is sucked out of the hole that you can see right out of .

Craig.............
 

No Idea

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 18, 2010
2,420
0
Dorset
Lol yes... they actually gurgle and slurp.

When they have sucked out all the water, you can actually look down them and see the dent in the water under the bottom, which at that point is about 6 inches below the waterline.
 

No Idea

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 18, 2010
2,420
0
Dorset
Surprisingly, they are also dead quiet if you forget to shut them and they get the chance to fill the boat back up.

Then they make absolutely no noise at all.

Witchery lol yes. silent in the hope you wont know they are trying to sink the boat.
 

No Idea

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 18, 2010
2,420
0
Dorset
The wife decided that I should pick her up so she could see the kids.

She also didnt want to go anywhere as she didnt want to spend any money.

I thought that was a bit mean.

So.....
 

No Idea

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 18, 2010
2,420
0
Dorset
When I picked her up, I had Little ones boat on the back and skateboards etc.. in the trailer.

Oh...

....and a fold up armchair for her to sit on.

and one for me.

I dont think that was quite what she wanted.

But she could see the kids....

Just.

Thats Little Idea on his way back.

b-dscf3626.jpg


Ive forbidden him to sail it again, so I cant get him off of it.
 

No Idea

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 18, 2010
2,420
0
Dorset
She was definitely a little grumpy.

Well... a lot grumpy.

b-dscf3627.jpg


He has actually got his front sail on it, but its rolled up.

b-dscf3631.jpg


He loves that boat.

b-dscf3631a.jpg


She is grumbling about having a cough and how its my fault its getting worse taking her out where there is all this air.

I wandered off to go get my pack....

b-dscf3640.jpg


Biggest has nicked my chair!

Well, that made her happier.

Havent tried this here...

b-dscf3641.jpg


Im using a coke stove in it so it doesnt smoke.

b-dscf3642.jpg
 

No Idea

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 18, 2010
2,420
0
Dorset
Think I need to go build a lid..

Oh dear!

He saw all those little boats and decided to go see what they were doing.

b-dscf3650.jpg


They had to restart the race and asked him to stay down our end.

Even with that little sail,his boat is still matching their pace.

b-dscf3652a.jpg


Biggest went and got the wife and himself some chips.

b-dscf3658.jpg


She was waving this chip around muttering about how bad I am when this big seagull flew down, took it and a piece of her finger.

She got even more noisy.

I sort of had to concentrate on my stove so she didnt catch me laughing.

Biggest got thumped as she caught him.

Almost there lol

b-dscf3660.jpg


He snuck in and grabbed a fistfull of chips and a can of drink and raced back out with his booty.

b-dscf3664.jpg

Er....

He set it to go..

b-dscf3665.jpg


He dragged it out so he could get the rudder down and got ready to get on...

b-dscf3666.jpg


He slipped as he climbed in and smacked his head on the steering arm...

Nearly knocked himself out.

I think thats a really clumsy thing to do and I think I should tell him to be much more careful

b-dscf3668.jpg


Of course...Im not admitting I got a bleeding lump on my forehead a few days before doing exactly the same thing..

b-dscf3669.jpg


But then he shoudl do as I say not as I foul up.
 

No Idea

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 18, 2010
2,420
0
Dorset
Was fidgetting with my wind meter...

b-dscf3677.jpg


It was blowing 9.5 and gusting past 12 mph.

The little propellor at the top spins round like a windmill. a sensor counts its rpm and converts it to mph and puts it on the screen.

b-dscf3677a.jpg


Er......

You carefully line up a line of stones and then hit eachone with a lump of rock.

er....

Then you do it again...

b-dscf3680.jpg


He decided this was more exciting than canoeing today.
 

No Idea

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 18, 2010
2,420
0
Dorset
The wind picked up later.

We had to go back to the beach - just to make sure no one had stolen all the water.

b-dscf3690.jpg


The lifeboats were dragging back two boats that had apparently gone out with too many people on each and only one lifejacket for ever two people.

b-dscf3694.jpg


Seems like they sank.

Just goes to show...

you have to be careful out there.

I hope I never need the lifeboats.

I am also so grateful that they are there.

b-dscf3700.jpg
 

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