However, when the harbour chappie came to collect the rent around 0900 he suggested I move anyway because a strong Easterly blow was expected later and my spot at the mouth of a side creek, going off to the East was a bit exposed. So I did move, not far - just a hundred metres or so to get in the Lee of the nearby woods. The tide was ebbing at the time. Now, at nearly 1900 it's flooding and sitting in the cockpit writing this I realise that we have swung in the opposite direction and am once again exposed to the wind which has indeed got up a bit. Never mind, it's not even choppy and when the tide starts to ebb again in an hour or so, we'll be in the Lee of the woods once again.
The manouvering also did me a favour, although I did not think so at the time. Just before I was due to leave the boat to go ashore and meet Neal an old school pal and Trina his wife, who live in Plymouth, I decided to shorten the anchor chain a little to avoid getting too close to a nearby boat on a mooring when the tide dropped (boats on moorings typically have shorter chains than those at anchor and so a boat at anchor will move more than one on a mooring when the tide changes). I operated the electric Windlass as usual by pressing the button set into the anchor well and released it when I had taken in sufficient chain. However, the windlass didn't stop and so the chain kept coming up! Bugger. I eased off the clutch to disengage the drive from the gypsy (the notched wheel that the chain runs in) and turned off the engine battery that powers the Windlass. The dam thing kept going! Next i tried to remove the fuse but in my flustered state, only removed the cover without realising it and so of course the Windlass kept going! What the 'F***' I thought. Finally, I turned the master isolator switch and that did the trick.
By now I was late for my meet-up with Neal and Trina and so left the boat in something of a rush. Halfway to Salcombe I realised I'd left my hat which I try to wear whenever out, to prevent sunburn. As I got near the town pontoon, I realised I'd left the bloody dinghy oars on the boat! If the outboard engine dies, I'd be at the mercy of the tide and wind. Dam and triple Dam! Nothing I could do now (except perhaps buy some more oars) so I tried to forget about it.
I met Neal and Trina and we had a most enjoyable lunch and caught up with news of our respective families. I last saw them in 2019, on my way back from the Jester Baltimore Challenge on Arctic Smoke.
After lunch I had a shower (which I had planned on having first) and did a little last minute provisioning and then headed back to the boat to do battle with the Windlass.
First I took the switch appart but that made no difference. Then I stuck my head in the anchor locker and saw that the wires from the switch went into a control unit which was VERY inaccessible. I reasoned there must be a short circuit in it/its wiring. I would have to remove two heavy duty cables to get it out and I could see that would be a battle and half and could easily wreck my plans for an early departure tomorrow. I could though just reach the connections and was able to remove the wires coming from the switch. I then squirted everything with libral doses of WD40, crossed my fingers and connected everything back up. To my intense relief and considerable surprise, it worked!
Next I had to get the outboard motor off the dinghy and stow the dinghy on the foredeck. A bit of a battle on my own, made more so by the strong tide that was running, but eventually all was done and the boat made ready for departure early tomorrow morning.
I anticipate a day of motoring in light winds tomorrow and should get across Lime Bay. Decent sailing winds from the South are forcast ti kick in on Thursday sround 0600, and these are due to gradually go round to the South West. I should therefore be able to get back to the Medway by Saturday and be home in time for our 34th Wedding Anniversary on Sunday!
No comments:
Post a Comment