Wednesday 3 September 2008

Jaguar 22 for Sale

Aretia is for Sale.
I'm looking at upsizing boats, so after an enjoyable few years sailing Aretia she is for for sale.
A great example of this very popular 22ft trailier sailing yacht. Aretia is in good condition, fully equipped and ready to sail. In fact she is still on the water being taken out sailing. Aretia is a rare ‘pop top version’ meaning that the coach roof lifts to give additional head room at anchor or on the quayside. Onboard Aretia has benefited from a good refurbishment over the last few years which has included the following work being undertaken: Most Standing and Running rigging replaced All Cushions recovered New NASA Log New NASA Depth Sounder New Silva DSC Radio Harness Points attached Rewired New 85amp/h battery (2007) Solar Panel for charging the battery Keel removed and inspected for wear 2007 & 2008 New Keel wire and winch refurbished Sails include: Main (slab reefing) Furling Genoa No 1 Genoa Cruising Chute All brightwork stripped and re-varnished, now just need a fresh top coat Auxiliary power comes from a 5hp Mercury 2 stroke engine with 20l fuel tank Other equipment included: CQR anchor and 20m Chain Kedge anchor an warp Radar reflector Whisker Stick Boat hook Winch handles Back-up NASA Seafarer Sounder Removable Rudder Forward Water Tank Gin Stick for short handed dropping of the mast Four Wheel Trailer which has had new brakes, new indespension units, new towing hitch in the last two years. Aretia has been sailed around the East Coast and on fresh water lakes. The boat is idea for cruising shallow waters making her way up shallow creeks where she can take the ground, and is comfortable to sleep on for several days. Aretia is also capable of handling more stormy weather. I’ve sailed her in F8 off the Norfolk Coast and she gives confidence in these conditions. Available for viewing on the water near Skegness until the end of September and from then on her trailer in Nottingham. For Sale at £3995.00 ono Also for Sale is a 6hp mariner outboard engine with 25l tank. £390.00 For further information contact Chris Ball. 07717 826944 or email chris@one4allgroup.com

Wednesday 2 July 2008

Finally. Some Sunny weather pictures.

Just a quick update and to show some sunny weather pictures. A guest appearence was made by my brother. You may notice in some piccies a lack of light. That's what you get when setting out at 04.00am. http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/ballyabroad/July1st2008

Wednesday 7 May 2008

2008 May Trip to Wells Next the Sea.

Well, it's about time. Good weather, good tides and a boat still in one piece. Having to work over the weekend I planned to take a few days off to sail over to Wells on the Bank Holiday Monday returning on the Tuesday. Fully crewed up with Big John and Cabin Boy Killingworth everything fell in to place. Rob and myself went over to the boat on Sunday evening to get the fuel aboard and most of the kit. It was then off to Big Johns and Paulines Caravan at Anderby to kip over. With a stupid o'clock start we made our way back down to the boat and cast off at 07.00am. With a N. Easterly wind we motor sailed up Wainfleet Roads and over to the Wind farm. It was then off over to Woolpack and the Burnham Flats with a long beat to Windward along the North Norfolk coast past Brancaster and Burnham before entering Wells Harbour around 1730pm. By the time we got to Wells, we'd reefed the Genoa and taken a reef in on the main, so must have struck up to about a force 5, with a little bit of a chop. On the whole trip over the only glitch was the Radio blowing the fuse on the panel. The harbour master sounded like he was getting a little concerned after we just disappeared off the air! Tying up on the new pontoons we made our way to the Crown Inn for dinner prior to heading back for some well earned zzzzz's on the boat. The following morning dawned, with bright sunshine from the start and a nice N. Easterly wind. Having cast off at just past 1900am we made our way over the bar which ws just getting a little choppy and turned to port to head back to Skeg. Steming a strong tide we resorted to motor sailing until we got back to the deep waters of Woolpack and we could turn to the Windfarm.By now the wind had increased and we were skipping along at 4.5knts on a close reach. With a little time to play around with before high water at Wainfleet, we made our way on a reach up the coast past the Windfarm which they were in the process of cranking up some of the turbines. We then headed back down past Skeg and between the exposed sandbanks to gain a little shelter from the swell. We made our run into the creek at around 1730pm and it was possibly one of the most difficult navigation's I've done. With such a strong spring tide and a relatively strong swell from the N.E. it was hard graft trying not to ground on the Leeward side of the channel, and with the disturbance of the mud the Echo Sounder was of little use. Finally at 1830pm we tied up and kicked big John off the boat prior to the tide cutting us off as it crept over the marshes. Next outing late May. Day trip out.

Friday 25 April 2008

Final Sail for April.

Managed to get a quick day sail in this week on Wednesday 23rd April. With no crew, the weather had to be pretty good to contemplate going out, and the forecast was favourable. The main concerns were coming back in to the creek in the dark, locating where the split ring I had found on the deck on the previous trip suddenly manifesting itself and generally falling overboard. The clevis pin where the split ring had come from was located as being the backstay! Nothing important then.
Leaving Notts at 0430am and driving through fog, I made it to the boat for about 0630am and after loading the new cushions on an a bit of grub, cast off around 07.30am in to quite decent weather. F2. SSW. Sunny. It was a slow drag up to Skeg. with a SSE-SW fluky wind, but once past Skeg. the wind picked up a little, though the visibility dropped to just over 500yrds. Ian (Challenge) motored past on the way up the coast. With no intention of going too far up the coast due to the likely drop in the wind I reached to and from Chapel Point and the yellow nav. mark off Ingoldmells Point. Having got bored of this I decided to anchor off the Pier at Skeg. and await for the favourable tide to set in. Anchoring in 7m of water the rain came and went and the tide turned after. Waiting til around 1700pm I weighed anchor and made course back in to Wainfleet Roads to anchor off the Creek. At 1900pm, it was a remarkably uneventful trip into the channel and a spot on return to the mooring. All packed up and driving off by 2015pm. Next trip out 5-7 May. Wells here we come!
Anyone want to Buy and MGF. 1999 VVC engine with private plate for £2995.00 give me a shout!

Thursday 10 April 2008

New Boat. Seawych

Just a quick note on the new ship. Almost an impulse buy this one. Obviously an ebay special. Luckily the gentleman who was selling it lived in Yorkshire. As the boat didn't ome with a trailer, I got it pretty cheap. A little project for the Spring. http://www.seawych.org/ Piccies on the Piccasa link.

First sail if the year.

Well it's the first trip of the season on Aretia. We launched Aretia at the beginning of March in all those Gales, which made things interesting when trying to adjust the mooring at 06.00am in the morning! She went in like a dream, on the evening tide, and dropped her into her berth. we decided to stay overnight in the sailing club, to check her over in the morning. The wind came in over night, and so did the Police Alsatian. 4am to be precise. The wind had blown the front door open of the sailing club, and a Copper passing had decided to check it out. Not before sending K9 in. You can imagine, me not being to keen on the seeing Fido having been rudely awoken by the site of a growling hound. Now I was wide awake I decided to shut the door and put plenty of weights behind it.

On inspecting Aretia at first light she was well over on her side with the tide out. The wind was howling, so I had to get aboard and adjust the lines. All went well so it was off for the traditional Tesco breakfast in Skeggy.
April 6th saw the first trip out of the year. The original plan was to go up to Tetney in the Humber and the Humbermouth Yacht Club, staying overnight and then heading back to Gib. Point the following day. However the weather forecast wasn't the best according to the shipping forecast. F8-F9! I must thank Peter Sheldrick from HMYC for his assistance in providing great details of the entry and mooring plans for getting into the Haven.
So it was decided to go on a day sail on the Tuesday up the coast. The weather forecast was for F3-F4 with wintry showers and that was what we got! Up early, the boat was still covered in frost, Rob my crew was struggling to stay n the deck as we headed out of the Channel, which I have to say was really well marked after all the work gone in by the club members over the Winter. I didn't even have the usual twitchy nerve, as I approached the outer sand bar!
It was then up the coast in sunshine, using the new toy- Chart Plotter. Brilliant bit of kit, sure to keep the kids entertained.
With the Wind sticking steady around F2-F3 off the coast, we launched the Genneker, to enable us to reach up towards Mablethorpe pas the new Windfarm.
Later in the day the Wintry showers appeared, two full on hailstorms.
We even developed a couple of snowdrifts in the cockpit. Having put up with this is was back down Wainfleet Roads prior to anchoring off the entrance to the channel in 1.5m of water. 60mins later this was 8m of water with the tidal stream flowing at 3.5knots. Back in to the channel and on to the mooring. A successful first day sailing.

 
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