The Winklebrig Forum

I think it is about time I reported back on our trip to Lower Lough Erne.  The road and ferry journey over went very smoothly, no problems at all.  Manor House Marine is a superb base for exploring Lower Lough Erne but because the weather was so (unusually) unpleasant, it was great that we were staying in a chalet overlooking the lough and we day sailed if the weather allowed.  Some days it was blowing a gale and/or pouring with rain but there is plenty for landlubbers to see and do in the local area.  Enniskillen is a lovely town, but a bit of a pain to drive through in the rush hour.
The facilities at Manor House Marine are near enough perfect, an excellent slipway that goes down in to the marina main basin, so well sheltered, plenty of parking for cars and trailers with/without boats on-board.  And we had our own private floating jetty, a little tight for getting in when it is blowing a gale, but we managed it (a few attempts needed on one occasion).  To top it all we did not have to pay a single penny for any of the marina services used (as we were staying in one of their chalets), fantastic.
As for sailing on Lower Lough Erne, it is paradise for a Winkle Brig, lots of islands with (deserted at that time of year) jetties to visit and open water sailing to the north.  A lot of fetch built up one day but we motored through it and found very quiet overnight moorings at Castle Archdale and up the River Kesh.  You do need a good chart as it is very easy to mistake one island for another and there are some areas with a lot of rocks but they are mostly well marked with buoys and markers.  Only once was I worried and decided to retrace my tracks and take the long route round.  But it was great fun navigating through the channels and going ashore and exploring.
There are a few public slipways with parking and facilities that are available free of charge and water is available at a lot of jetties.  If you want to do some serious inland sailing, or just potter around some islands, Lower Lough Erne is perfect, well worth making the trip.

We are hoping that we will be able to visit the broads next year, possibly over the first May bank holiday.  We would again use Swallowtail Boatyard for launching etc., plenty of space to rig, so easy to launch, long straight run down the slipway and secure parking.  Colin who owns the yard might allow overnighting in the van or on board ashore or there is a touring caravan park opposite the boatyard.  For overnighting on the water, Hunters Yard is next door but not on a Friday when the fleet is in.

Another video from our Ireland trip showing how easy recovering a Winkle Brig can be with a breakback trailer arrangement.  No wet feet and no dunking wheel bearings in water.  Also the tow car is kept well up the slip.
Search youtube for 'VID 20170918 101523'

We have returned from our Irish travels, Lower Lough Erne is a great place to explore with a Winkle Brig, some fantastic sailing in a fantastic landscape.
Our new mast lowering and raising video is now live on youtube.
Just search for 'VID 20170918 103744'
or search for 'winkle brig mast'

The only way to do it safely single handed is to moor up before and after the two Potter Heigham bridges.  There are dedicated moorings for yachts which are raising/lowering masts, west bank downstream (south west) by Herbert Woods quay and upstream (north east) on the east or west bank.  With experience, shooting Potter Heigham (with a motor) is no problem with two on board.  We do a lot of mast lowering and raising when on canals for bridges, power lines and tunnels and it only takes 5 seconds to lower and less than 10 seconds to raise with the boom and gaff jaws safely stored away from the mast.
Sorry my video has got well and truly lost with time, but it did show how holding the running forstay halyard with your teeth and taking up the slack whilst simply pushing up the mast comes in handy.  I will try and make a new video when we are next out on Markie, September in Northern Ireland. 

Ross, have a look at an earlier subject, strangely enough titled 'Raising & Lowering the mast' on page 2 in 'The Rig' section.  Everything you would like to know has been posted there.   I still find it so quick and easy to dip the mast using my system, even with my advancing years.

Hi Ross,

Yes welcome to the WBers world. 

I normally leave the mast in the tabernacle, makes life simpler. But for the trip to Northern Ireland in September I will be moving the mast forward because of going on the ferry.

The photos above, first one is obvious, second one I am assuming your crutch looks like this, third one shows the position of the foot of the crutch and notice cord around upstand securing crutch in position and finally inboard shot of cord fixing/crutch sitting.

So below is a rear view of Markie as trailed, the all over cover makes life very easy and streamlined for towing and holds the mast securely in the crutch.  Also a photo of the ratchet strap securing Markie to the trailer.  Strap must not be too tight as the hull that sits on the cradle rollers is not overly strong and flexes.  Have a search through earlier posts about this and my hull to trailer support fitting and trailer cradle repairs  Finally check the suspension units and tyres are rated to say at least 1100kg (mine are 1300kg), the earlier trailers were 860kg rated and that is not enough.

Best of luck David

Here are some photos, description in next post (hopefully)

Thank you Rick for keeping the forum going
David WB15 Markie

Hi Matthew
Yes welcome.  If you are new to gaff riggers, it can take a bit of time to work out the rigging.  We took 4 hours to rig Markie the first time using Eric's original drawings and we are experienced sailors.  And of course over the 30 years we have owned Markie we have tweaked and modified the rigging, most radically with the running forestay.  So your rigging is probably a bit different to the original spec. anyway.  Have you got the topsail?  Great fun to play with and makes a WB so much better looking when under full sail. 
If you post your postcode here in this topic, I am sure a WB owner will get in touch and be only too pleased to offer to visit Holly and help you out.   

Just booked ferry, Cairnryan-Larne return car+boat mid September 10.30 sailings, £200, a bargain I think.  A slight change of plans, now going to Lower Lough Erne, renting a cottage for a week at Manor House Marine and mostly day sailing (will spend at least one night at the north end of the lough), we are getting soft in our old age.  We are then planning a 3 day voyage through Enniskillen to Upper Lough Erne before returning to the marina and pulling out.  Anyone fancy joining our mini cruise?

Hi Roger,
Welcome to the forum and the world of owning a WB.  We are fast approaching 30 years of WB ownership and have kept 'Markie' virtually standard with the only major changes being a running forestay and modifying the trailer to break-back, both make life so much easier.
Wheel clamps - are you with Saga by any chance, they specify a wheel clamp is required, but it can be one of the very simple and light types such as   http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRAND-NEW-HEAVY-DUTY-KEY-LOCK-CAR-CARAVAN-SECURITY-WHEEL-CLAMP-TRAILER-/302064390625?hash=item465470d1e1:g:SeAAAOSwLF1X~fyL  as long as it is sold as a wheel clamp, that is ok with Saga.  This type may not be the most secure, a hack-saw can cut through the steel but meets the requirements.
If you have a question regarding a WB, it has probably been discussed before, so a good rummage through this forum should give you an answer.
Enjoy sailing Jenya Tan
David

Thank you for the link Paul, Lough Derg sounds delightful, I will investigate further.  The ferry crossing Cairnryan-Larne is the painful bit, costs wise.  £300 + return

Hi, I am thinking of taking Markie next year to the Shannon Earne Waterway (ferry from Cairnryan to Larne).  Has anyone any info re slipways, good mooring spots, anything at all?

Hi Dave,
I completely agree with what Martin and Mike say.  Having owned Markie, WB15 from new (29 years), I have never regretted the purchase.  In 1987 we were looking at the Cornish Shrimper at the London Boat Show, but one of their salesmen told us of a review in Yachting World which featured the Cornish Shrimper and also featured a Winkle Brig.  We bought the magazine at the show, compared the boat specs. and decided there and then it was no contest.  The Winkle Brig, on most counts, won hands down, smaller, lighter, easier to tow, launch and recover, had more space below decks and looked so pretty.  And was half the price.  Out and out performance was of no importance to us, but being out in a fun boat with lots of bits of string to play with and comments from the general public and other boat owners about how lovely Markie looks, that is worth the few shortcomings.
Yes the performance to windward is not brilliant, but as long as you are not punching the tide, progress is ok.. Downwind performance is excellent, especially with the topsail rigged.  And on a broad reach we have logged a sustained 6 knots, a fantastic feeling. 
Earlier WBs had GRP rudders and bilge plates which can survive life afloat whereas the later plywood versions with iron shoes can/will suffer if left in water.  Also all the remaining woodwork takes a hammering if left exposed to the elements. 
We are fortunate in having the space to store Markie at home, if we did not  I would expect a local caravan storage facility would be willing to store her.
Go on Dave, go for it.