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Epic Voyages

Started by Old Forum, April 10, 2014, 07:18:51 AM

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Old Forum

David_owens
Username: David_owens

Registered: 04-2010
   
Posted on Monday, October 25, 2010 - 08:33 pm:      
Thanks to Roger Parish - who sadly is selling Partan - I've immersed myself in the Forum. but where are the tales of epic voyages? I recently read the late Frank Dye's account of sailing to Iceland and Norway in a Wayfarer and capsizing several times in a gale. He even took his wife out on her birthday and nearly drowned her. Drascombes have sailed seas - as has the humble West Wight Potter. But where are the Winklebrig equivalents?
Are there no epic voyages? If not, is it the boat or the Winklebriggers? I suspect it may be the latter. I confess to having no wish to waterboard my wife, or capsize once, let alone three times.

Old Forum

Julian Swindell
Username: Julian_swindell

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Tuesday, October 26, 2010 - 09:45 pm:      
I sailed mine from Poole to Yarmouth and then on to the Hamble River once. But I fetched the trailer and hauled her out there to tow back to Poole, which rather spoilt the epicness of it.

Old Forum

David_owens
Username: David_owens

Registered: 04-2010
   
Posted on Thursday, October 28, 2010 - 11:29 am:      
Poole to Yarmouth is pretty good in my book. How did it go?

By the way I intend to trail Puffin to Poole next year, as I have friends there. It would be great to meet up with you.

I guess if I was into epic voyages, I would sail from Cardiff to Poole. Round Lands End.

Maybe not!

Old Forum

Adrian Evans
Username: Adrian_evans

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Monday, November 01, 2010 - 06:22 pm:      
I seem to remember there was a WB for sale on the forum a couple of years ago, on the Moray Firth I think, possibly the Firth of Tay, which had an account in its log of crossing the Minch.

Old Forum

Julian Swindell
Username: Julian_swindell

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Monday, November 01, 2010 - 11:33 pm:      
Our "epic Cruise" to Yarmouth was quite straight forward. The only disappointment was that the wind was so light we had to motor for much of the way. You have to time it to catch the tides. We left Poole after breakfast and got a flood tide into Christchurch Harbour at lunch time. We spent a couple of hours there waiting so that the tide through the Hurst Point narrows would be in our favour when we got there. Once past Hurst we were in sight of Yarmouth where we got a nice pontoon berth in amongst the RIBs because we were so short. Bigger boats were having a hard time finding space. Each leg, Poole-Christchurch-Yarmouth, took about two and a half hours.

Next day we sailed and motored into Newtown Creek, across the Solent, then round Calshot Point (against the tide, that was really difficult, we were barely moving over the ground) and then up the Hamble to the Elephant Boatyard, which belonged to my crew's cousin, so we got a free berth there and a very good meal at the Ferry Restaurant in Bursledon.

Next day we took my wife and her aunt down the Hamble and back for lunch at the Jolly Sailor, which was the whole purpose of the journey. She, the aunt, had always wanted to arrive at the Jolly Sailor by boat, so we had set out to do just that.

The next day I went through the rigmarol of catching the train to Poole, driving back with the trailer to Bursledon, hauling the boat out on the public hard and then towing her back to Poole and finally driving home to the Cotswolds. The things you do for old favourite Aunts!

Old Forum

Ben Fraser
Username: Ben_fraser

Registered: 10-2008
   
Posted on Tuesday, November 02, 2010 - 10:55 am:      
I Don't think I've done any epic voyages with Mudlark but I have done some pretty good ones.

Lossiemouth to Portsoy a few times which can be pretty exposed. We once had to admit defeat on return beating into a westerly and head into Findochty but it was just part of the adventure.

Largs to Lochranza but admittedly we motored almost all the way as it was mirror calm.

The best has been Dunstaffnage to Tobermory. The return trip was glorious. We had a consistent 5 knot run for over 20 miles in beautiful weather. That was august and I'm still grinning about it!

Old Forum

David_owens
Username: David_owens

Registered: 04-2010
   
Posted on Friday, November 12, 2010 - 03:45 pm:      
Thanks guys - inspiring. The Scottish trips sound marvellous. Who knows - one day maybe.

One thing I learned this week when I got Puffin out of the water for the winter, is how straightforward it is to lower the mast and sort things out. Easy to tow on the Winklebrig trailer too.

Next year I will venture to pastures new (uh - waters new)all being well. But it more likely to be Poole than Scotland. The dram of Tobermory whisky will have to wait sadly.