Mouflon's Blog

Brad at Marval Services

Colin — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 14:43:10 +0000

Time to get the boat painted again and, despite our now being based on the East Coast, I’m still too lazy to do it myself. That, and I’d be worried I’d get it all wrong. If I did it, the paint would probably all wash off as soon as she goes back in.

All things considered, Tracie at Chatham Marina recommended Brad at Marval Services to do the job.

Update: March 23: The boat is back in the water now. Brad and his team did an absolutely amazing job – she looks better than new.

Ramsgate and back – the last sail of 2010

Colin — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 22:59:59 +0000

Chatham – Ramsgate: 49.6 NM
Ramsgate – Chatham: 49.0 NM
Year to Date: 659.7 NM
Mouflon to Date: 1,507.7 NM

The last sail of the year. A very peaceful, gentle float over to Ramsgate, and a roaring chase all the way back.

Route

Karl, Maria and Rikara

Colin — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 21:59:59 +0000

Chatham – Medway – Chatham: 44.3 NM
Year to Date: 561.1 NM
Mouflon to Date: 1,409.1 NM

Karl, Maria and Rikara joined us for a little jaunt up the Medway, followed by a lovely day spent in Rochester.

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Locked out

Colin — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 22:59:59 +0000

Chatham – Chatham: 35.6 NM
Chatham – Chatham: 45.7 NM
Year to Date: 516.8 NM
Mouflon to Date: 1,364.8 NM

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TITLE TBA (2010-07-25)

Colin — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 21:59:59 +0000

Chatham – Chatham: 22.4 NM
Chatham – Chatham: 22.5 NM
Chatham – Chatham: 28.5 NM
Chatham – Chatham: 5.1 NM
Year to Date: 430.4 NM
Mouflon to Date: 1,278.4 NM

Outward Journey:

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Return Journey:

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Mayday on the Medway

Colin — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 21:59:59 +0000

Chatham – Medway – Chatham: 20.1 NM
Year to Date: 379.5 NM
Mouflon to Date: 1,227.5 NM

We try to help a boat with engine probs, before getting in a pickle ourselves.

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Over to Burnham on Crouch

Colin — Sun, 23 May 2010 22:59:59 +0000

Chatham – Chatham: 92.3 NM
Year to Date: 359.4 NM
Mouflon to Date: 1,207.4 NM

Magdalena, Valerie and I head over to Burnham for the weekend.

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Pottering about the Medway

Colin — Sat, 15 May 2010 22:59:59 +0000

Chatham – Medway – Chatham: 33.7 NM
Year to Date: 267.1 NM
Mouflon to Date: 1,115.1 NM

A very unambitious plan – potter up the Medway a bit, drop anchor and come back again.

We’re still getting used to the idea of East Coast sailing, and coming terms with the fact that there’s not an awful lot to visit – at least not within \\\”baby tolerable\\\” distances.

After the less than glorious first day out, it was difficult to paint it in a positive light. The Medway itself is quite industrial, and there’s a lot of it before you even get out the Thames – let alone another place to stay over.

So we took this chance to try out the anchor, having done surprisingly little anchoring last year. It went fairly well – initially, at least. We had a gentle little sail up the Medway, found a secluded spot, and dropped the big heavy metal bit.

This gave chance for some wine drinking and lounging about, before it dawned on me we might be getting stuck. It was a falling tide, and we had indeed grounded in the soft mud.

There then followed a few hairy moments and some tugging on the anchor. After a lot of powering in various directions we got her free, and very relieved motored all the way back to the marina.

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First day trip out of Chatham

Colin — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 22:59:59 +0000

Catham – Thames Estuary – Catham: 39 NM
Year to Date: 233.4 NM
Mouflon to Date: 1,081.4

This was the first time we’d set out from our new base, and with two babies on board it was sure to be challenging.

The first thing to worry about was how they were going to sit. In 2009, Eddie had been quite happy to roll about below decks. Or to bounce up and down in his little chair.

He actually preferred it – there didn’t seem to be much for him up in the cockpit and he found he just got cold. For most of the sailing season last year, he just slept.

Now, we had to work out a new regime. Eddie was too big for rolling about below, and with the addition of Chloe on the scene we had our hands full.

I had wanted to head over to Hayling Island, drop anchor, and then head back. But even that proved too much – it was just beginning to dawn on me what a difficult undertaking sailing out of Chatham is.

Everything is so far away.

In the end, we pottered about in the Thames for a while, Magdalena looking increasingly uncomfortable and nervous, until I’d had enough and headed back in. It wasn’t a great start to the sailing year.

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Radio Controlled Disaster

Colin — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 17:54:01 +0000

After much unsubtle hinting, I got a radio controlled yacht for my birthday. Unfortunately it didn’t fare so well.

33515|450

We went down to Leybourne Lakes Country Park with friends Mark and Sarah, and their kids.

It looked very nice on the sideboard. However, in a Force 6, it keeled right over so the sails were submerged. The boat listed over so far the outboard was completely useless.

33530|450

33499|450

I’m afraid I think I’m going to have to get a bigger boat. Or at least one with a bigger keel.

Still, as Mark pointed out, at least nobody drowned!

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