A blog about dinghy cruising a Welsford 'Navigator' around the coastal waters of SW England
Arwen's meanderings
Hi everyone and welcome to my dinghy cruising blog about my John Welsford designed 'navigator' named Arwen. Built over three years, Arwen was launched in August 2007. She is a standing lug yawl 14' 6" in length. This blog records our dinghy cruising voyages together around the coastal waters of SW England.
Arwen has an associated YouTube channel so visit www.YouTube.com/c/plymouthwelshboy to find our most recent cruises and click subscribe.
On this blog you will find posts about dinghy cruising locations, accounts of our voyages, maintenance tips and 'How to's' ranging from rigging standing lug sails and building galley boxes to using 'anchor buddies' and creating 'pilotage notes'. I hope you find something that inspires you to get out on the water in your boat. Drop us a comment and happy sailing.
Except for a six year period in my twenties when I didn't. They were tough times!
As a kid and teenager, a twenty minute walk put on a fantastic surf beach or going west over the rocky cliff headlands, a fantastic bay with sandy beach, pebble storm beach to the rear and the best set of rocky pools and promontories I have ever witnessed. Fun days crabbing, lobstering, and pulling out trapped shoaling mackerel in a bucket. And yes, that last bit is true. Those were the days, sadly long gone now. A conservationist even back then, everything went back alive, I was just fascinated to study them for a short time.
So, I am having to give thought to 'life after Arwen'. And that's hard. Being alongside the water and being OUT on the water are different things, are they not?
Coastal walking? Absolutely, some of the best coastal walking in the UK. I am very privileged to have it only 10 minutes away by car. A variety of beaches to walk and rock pool on? Yep, I still love rock pooling with my thirty something daughter when we can get together.
So, can I get out on the water over the next couple of years to keep hold of those experiences we all know and treasure?
That very early morning start. Lifting the kayak off the car roof just as dawn begins. The sky changing to those peaches and pinks as the sun rises above the horizon. A glassy sheen to the Cotehele stretch of the Tamar. No wind ripples, just the lazy river flow and eddies. Two hours to high tide. The mists swirling wraith like above warmer waters. The chilly air, your breath condensing. The prospect of a gliding graceful kayak up to Morwellham and back. The ducks hiding in the reed beds, the fish catching errant midges, buzzards soaring overhead.
Well, at the moment, I'm looking at kayaking once again; an outdoor activity I relished back in my twenties alongside my mountaineering. Nowhere near as skilled (not sure I ever was on reflection) in this as I was in mountaineering, I could manage it, just. Maybe! I still have reasonable safety awareness, navigation skills; lots that are transferable from my dinghy cruising of course.
But, am I physically fit enough? Can I relearn basic strokes? Can I effectively self-rescue myself? And this last aspect is vitally important because I know that 'solo kayaking' is rightly not to be recommended for all sorts of reasons. Can I physically hump a Kayak around now; can I get it onto the roof rack?
In fact so many questions......here I go again, overthinking things yet again!
"Why do I want to kayak? Why not open canoe instead?" "Where are my paddling
waters? And when, which seasons, what conditions, how often?"
"What storage room do I have?" "How do I move a kayak around across beaches - need a trolley?"
"Key requirements - stability, speed, safety? "Kayak type - sit on or sit in; length, width, lockers?"
This morning I was very lucky and privileged to spend some hours with a friend from some time ago. After a frankly 'selfish' out of the blue call from me, he generously gave up his morning to talk me through various issues and to take me up a local kayak shop to discuss options. He didn't have to do that, especially as we'd lost contact over the years, but then that's the kind of special guy he is.
And he has made me think. As I knew he would. An open canoe? A sit in kayak with a larger cockpit. Discussions about scenarios, kayaking waters and more.
So where am I now?
I had started with a firm view that a Wilderness systems Tarpon 120 sit on top kayak 12' 3" length, 30" width with a good hull design would suit my desire for some sensible low energy, pleasant kayak journeys around the Tamar and other estuaries,. Good glide ability, good stability etc, suitable for paddling Spring to September in benign conditions.
I haven't been able to get my head to open canoes despite all their advantages which I see and understand and which my friend succinctly outlined this morning.
And the spanner in the works - the larger cockpit style kayaks such as a perception with retractable skeg. So many advantages to the latter but after a scary experience many, many years ago when I capsized in an old plastic tub kayak and couldn't get out because my leg was temporarily trapped between a foam block insert and a footrest - I just can't get those feelings of panic, claustrophobia, loss of control etc out of my head. I see the sense in one of these kayak types but I fear that single past experience will come back to haunt me and I will end up not using it as much as I could or should. So then, whats the point of it?
Ho hum, so much to ponder over - a good thing; exciting but 'daunting' all the same. My friend from old has really made me thing. I knew he would. Maybe that's why I subconsciously reached out to him. I trust him, I trust what he says, I trusted he would challenge my thinking. He did. He's that kind of special.
So, next step? Go try some demo kayaks to get a feel of them once more.
One step at a time. Ho Hum! A new interesting journey starts once more.
For various reasons I have come to the end of my sailing career for now and so I want Arwen to go to a new home where she will be cherished, looked after and sailed.
You can find many pictures of Arwen on this blog and you can see her in recent action on my YouTube channel at www.YouTube.com/plymouthwelshboy
You will also find three detailed video tours showing her woodwork, rigging, fixtures, outboard and trailer conditions part way through this post.
I am selling Arwen as a complete 'ready to go' package.
You will have almost everything you need to take
her away and sail her the following day. (You will need a first aid
kit, your own sailing clothing and footwear, a hand held compass and
appropriate charts and own camping gear).
I have listed everything else that
will come with her below. It is an extensive list.
If you are interested in purchasing Arwen then drop me a
message with your contact details via one of the following:
·Facebook Messenger (PM message) - via the Dinghy Cruising
Association or Small Traditional Sailing Boat Facebook groups
And then I’ll get back to you and we can have a chat.
What you may want to know:
Arwen is a John Welsford designed 'navigator'; 14' 6" LOD (19' LOA with bowsprit and boomkin) and 5' 10" beam, centreboard beach cruiser and day-sailer; stable, dry and safe in a variety of coastal, estuary and
river conditions due to her standing lug yawl rig options. Several articles about Arwen’s voyages in Dinghy Cruising Association journals. Long running blog and YouTube channel about her
building, voyaging and adaptations. Kept under tarps on driveway when not being
sailed. All equipment, spars, sails etc garage stored every winter.
Built in
glued lapstrake marine plywood from Robbins Timber. Almost all other timbers on Arwen (sustainable
Douglas fir and mahogany) were sourced by John Moody of Modbury. She can be
sailed solo and/or with crew. She will take three adults or two adults and two
children.
Her bottom hull and two bottom planks are epoxy cloth
sheathed. She draws around 9" with centreboard up and around 2' 6"
with centreboard down. With a standing lug yawl configuration, her
wooden centreboard is weighted with a lead insert and has both downhaul and
uphaul. The rudder and tiller assembly have a Huntingford helm impeder
arrangement and Arwen sails well under 'locked' tiller when her sails are
properly balanced. There is a homemade outboard bracket mounted on her transom.
The navigator is an excellent, well proven day sail,
overnight beach camp cruiser boat. Some navigators have sailed vast distances
across great seas! A YouTube search of the design will give you plenty to see,
enjoy and admire.
The three sails (jib, main and mizzen) are in good
condition and made by Jeckells. A cringle on the mainsail will need replacing
at some stage in the next few years. All the other eyelets are sound but need a
clean with a toothbrush. Sail fabric and stitching is still very good although
there is a little fraying on the end of one of the sail batten pockets. The
mainsail has half battens instead of full battens, as recommended by the
sailmakers, to enable simpler furling and stowage of sails on the sprit boom. A
new owner could get a sailmaker to alter this so that the top most batten is
returned to its proper full size length should they desire so. The jib has a
Barton roller furler controlled from the cockpit. All sail raising/control
halyards and sheets can be operated from aft of the centreboard case. The
mainsail and jib halyards can also be tied off on cleats at the base of the
mast. Lazy jack system is controlled from aft cockpit and can be easily
detached to allow quick erection of simple boom tarp tent.
Deck and rigging fittings are generally sound. A new
owner will probably want to rearrange some of these to suit their
preferences. One jam cleat on the rear
of the centre case has rusted and is no longer in use. I have just left it
there. All deck cleats are screwed and secure but the stern cleats would
benefit from being bolted with backing plates instead. I just haven't got
around to doing it and they are currently secured with very long bronze screws
into the gunnel below. One or two
cockpit rigging jam cleats are slightly loose and need tightening up. A small
one, whilst still working, really needs replacing at some stage.
Her trailer is newish. I have 'dunked it' no more
than six or seven times since buying it. Made by Admiral Trailers at Honiton
and adapted from one of their stock trailers, Arwen's hull rests on 'raised'
keel rollers and two sets of rollers beneath her flat hull base. This is
because being a wide bottomed lady, the mudguards were against the hull on the
non-adapted trailer and so we raised the keel rollers slightly. She comes off
her trailer easily but on some shallow ramps I have very occasionally had to use
a rope from the tow ball on the car to the trailer so that it can be more
deeply immersed. A previous blog
describes the simple procedure. Arwen could be moved further back along the
trailer so that her stern has a greater overhang. Again, I just haven't got
around to it. Retrieval is straightforward each time although it is trickier in
crosswinds and currents and in such circumstances Arwen can come on slightly
lopsided and so she needs to be pushed off again to realign. (There are no hull
guiding poles on the trailer). The trailer has been washed down after every
use. The wheel bearings have likewise been re-greased after every dunking via
the grease nipple. The keel roller spindles are greased every 6 months. Tyres
have barely worn from their new condition. There is a new spare wheel as well.
She will come with a grease gun and two axle props as well.
Her hull, decking and rigging are all sound and free
of damp and rot as far as I can see. There are scratches and scrapes on her
hull and cockpit interior that will need sanding and touching up. These can be
seen in the video tour. None of them are down to fibreglass or bare wood but in
some places the primer is showing through and they will need touching up at
some stage. Everything on her hull is watertight (buts see further notes below
on hatches). When originally built she had three coats of aluminium flake
undercoat (because a neighbour gave it to me), three of pre kote undercoat and
three or four of Toplac international. There are some areas of 'rust' colour
staining on her hull transom paintwork beneath the transom bracket and also on
one of the bottom planks but the stainless steel bolts transom bracket bolts
are secure and strong. Her rub rails would benefit from sanding down and
re-sealing once again with Burgess sealer. Gunwale rub rails have odd scratches
and dings but are sound and again sealed with Burgess marine sealer. The inside
of her centre case (fibre glassed, epoxied and painted) was repainted two or
three years ago but since then she has landed on many beaches and so after next
season it would be wise to drop her centreboard and repaint the interior. The
centreboard pivot pin was last inspected then. There have never been any leaks
from it. Any tins of paint and varnish I
have in the box will come with Arwen as well. Her toolkit contains a spare
stainless steel centreboard swing bolt.
Spars, coaming and masts are sound but with some
scrapes and dings. The masts would benefit from another topcoat of Woodskin
varnish at some stage. Where I have
moved fittings around over the years the holes have been filled, sanded and
re-varnished properly. She is rigged as a standing lug yawl.
Essentially, Arwen is good to go but would benefit from
some cosmetic TLC over this winter and all this is shown in the videos tours.
Arwen has plenty of storage space - an under-foredeck
locker, two under the front thwart and one either side of the centre case.
There is also a stern locker. There is one smaller locker under each side
thwart - all are buoyancy chambers as well. In the front cockpit area - there
are bungie cords to hold in overnight equipment dry bags against the hull
sides. In her last capsize test five years ago all the hatches held and none
leaked. However, I cannot guarantee that will be the case now. All the
lockers/buoyancy chambers are dry and rot free but slightly grimy from
continual use. They can be locked with small padlocks. However, the locks bought
were marketed as stainless steel and evidently turned out not to be - they are
functional but badly rusted and the locker lids are rust stained. Keys and
small brass padlocks will be supplied. There are several deck eyes throughout her cockpit where
jack lines can be secured so that you can attach a safety harness if need be,
although I have never sailed her in conditions where I felt the need to (except
when coastal sailing down to Fowey or up to Salcombe when I have clipped myself
in, just for safety when sailing inshore in boisterous conditions).
Sleeping arrangements - a simple platform for one -
which rests on three ply supports - all treated with burgess marine sealer -
they rest flat on the aft cockpit floor. A very good idea stolen shamelessly by
me from Joel Bergen, a very talented boat builder, sailor and owner of the
wonderful navigator 'Ellie'. A very rudimentary white boom tarp tent provides
overnight shelter on dry summer nights. It is included in package but don't use
it in anything other than the lightest finest drizzle.
Arwen has a transom step and re-boarding strap/loops. Her
mizzen sail makes her easy to hove to for reefing or a rest break out on the
water and is a great asset when riding to anchor.
She has always been stored outside on the driveway under a
tarpaulin. Sails, spars and all equipment are stored in a garage over the
winter months. During each winter she is regularly checked.
With this description plus
the video tours above, I have endeavoured to give a thorough honest review and
summary of Arwen and all her accompanying bits and pieces.
And
now to the equipment also included in her sale:
Arwen will come with the following extensive equipment
included in the price, much of which can be seen in my videos.
·Trailer with spare new wheel, trailer wheel
chocks, trailer wheel lock, trailer hitch lock, grease gun, lighting board and
extension cable
·Tohatsu 3.5 hp outboard engine seven
years old, always stored over winter with fuel free carb. Serviced by me every
other year. It had a new lower gear unit in 2019 because of a manufacturing
defect I discovered. Tohatsu voluntarily replaced lower unit free of charge. It
was an occasional design flaw in some units (blocked oil refill hole). A YouTube of the outboard being serviced can
be found on my YouTube channel. I also fitted a new fuel tank in 2021 due to a fine
hairline crack around the cap neck. The outboard engine top cowl cover is
scratched and warped but functional. The engine has normal wear and tear
scratches. It starts first or second time and has been reliable every trip.
Also included are outboard toolkit, 2 x1.5lt metal fuel bottles, one 5 lt
plastic jerry can and new outboard lock. The engine can be seen running in many videos
·Three anchors of various sizes and designs along
with interchangeable 30m warps for two of them (Danforth, Bruce, fisherman).
Also beach buddy anchor bungie cord
·Four mooring warps and a longer mooring/anchor
warp
·Silva steering compass on centreboard case top
·Small whale electric bilge pump with small 12v
battery in a small Tupperware box plus charger
·Rudder, tiller and huntingford helm impeder set
up
·Fenders x 6 small, 1 x medium 1 x large
·Bailer - one large
·Oars - one set 8' 6"; (optional - included
free if you want them - one set 10' 6" dubious home made oars but you
would need to alter the rowlocks - I built the oars with the intent of rowing
Arwen from a standing facing forward position but then didn't get around to
adjusting the rollocks accordingly); one set of leathered rowlocks
·Mooring pole/boat hook
·Two sets homemade halyard bags for rear cockpit
·One collapsible sleeping platform - plywood
·4 seat cushions Navy blue - weathered and
stained but perfectly functional
·2 purple square cushions - weathered and stained
used to protect thwart top under foredeck
·One centreboard unjamming pole
·Boomkin and bowsprit
·Main and mizzen masts
·Jib, main and mizzen sails
·Barton roller furler
·Sail ties - various
·Old but functional floatation bags x 4, of
various sizes
·Safety equipment including: sea drogue and rode,
flares (although these will be a couple of years or so out of date now), Silva
steering compass, radar reflector, harness and safety jack lines,
·4 life jackets - manual inflation, one of which
is a new Crewsaver and hardly used
·Self rescue loops - port and starboard; knotted
'haul up' ropes - port and starboard
·Spare shackles, blocks, screws, nuts and bolts
kit, also epoxy repair stick and sealant and bronze top mast ring
·Sail repair kit – including hand awl stitcher
and thread, sailmakers leather palm, assorted sail repair tapes, leather strips
etc
·Assorted spare ropes, strings etc
·Padlocks and keys for various lockers
·Boom crutch and white 'temporary' tarp boom tent
·Burgees - Small Traditional Sailing Boat and
Dinghy Cruising Association
·Sponges and cleaning cloths
·Some spare 'used' tins of Toplac international
paint and undercoat; and varnish for touch ups
·Some pieces of leather to replace leather
protection on spares when necessary
·one empty galley box
·basic tarp covers for boat secured by odd pieces
of rope
·new, not used yet, ‘beach’ inflatable (to act as
short distance tender) and pump
Essentially you will have everything you need to go sail
her the following day.
Note....Arwen does not have a towing cover.
If you are interested in
giving Arwen a new home, drop me a message by a comment below; or via a PM on DCA or STSB Facebook forums and lets have a chat.
Numerous photographs are below and throughout this blog. The YouTube channel has 200+ videos of
Arwen being sailed including the most recent sailing trip video - September
2024.
I am looking to sell her to someone who will cherish her,
use her well and get as much joy from her as I have. She is ready to go but
could do with some cosmetic TLC. She also provides plenty of opportunities for
tinkering with as well, should you like that aspect of boat ownership.
Remember, I had never built a boat before Arwen and only learned to sail in the
last year of building her! Despite this we have many, many miles under our belt
along the SW Devon and Cornwall coasts and rivers.
You could be the new owner of
a well-known, well proven, oft admired dinghy cruising boat. You could be
having splendid micro adventures in her in the near future.
Drop me a message if interested
and then we can have a ‘chat’
via Facebook Messenger (via DCA
or STSB facebook pages) or via a comment below or on my Youtube channel.
Price
£4200 ono - including everything listed above
Sold as seen
Fair winds to you and thanks for the interest.
Steve
caught napping by the local MOD Police boat patrol
clearing up on return home
😆
A solo sailor, I have very few pictures of Arwen sailing. Taken years ago when I didn't fully understand the dark arts of sail trimming. The crease now long gone
heading up the Lynher
Up at Treluggan on the river Lynher
new owner might consider turning the top two batten sleeves into full width ones
its changed a bit but essentially shows how much can be carried onboard
Engine serviced every two years.
Outboard stand comes with Tohatsu
The new lower unit supplied by Tohatsu free of charge
a cheap and cheerful boom tent but gives a cosy interior during the dry, warm spring and summer evenings
the hatches were water tight five years ago but have not been tested since
the lock fittings on the hatches have sadly rusted somewhat. This was when they were fitted new. They still work fine but although sold as stainless steel - obviously they weren't
ready for towing down to the ramp
it is surprising how much kit she can carry
Up Cotehele Quay a few years ago - the shrouds have now been replaced with dyneema and lashings
The bowsprit bobstay is now dyneema and a stainless steel turnbuckle
one of the three anchors included in the package
Up at Calstock
the outboard and bracket. there are now a few more scratches on the outboard cover and rust staining on the transom below bracket
homemade halyard bags to store loose halyards - some of which could still do with a little more trimming to size - just haven't got around to it yet
the collapsible sleeping platform safely stowed
Originally I had a bronze mast ring fitted. I removed it for a slightly different sail arrangement up top.
The little blocks it sat on have been removed. The toolkit coming with Arwen includes the original bronze mast ring.
The steering compass works perfectly. I replaced the sealant two years ago as it was showing signs of deterioration
jib sheets come back to the aft of the cockpit
a small electric bilge pump - the battery is a very small 12v one in a sealed tupperware container stored under the side deck
For one of her most recent trips up the river Lynher - videos on my channel
The galley box is included in package but not the cooking stove and utensils
from a trip over to cellars beach on the river Yealm
Voyage videos in a playlist on my channel
green re-boarding loops are found each side. you just get a foot into the loop and then push your legs straight and outwards - this levers your chest up onto side deck
Several videos on the channel show me reboarding
The rub rails are stained but not rotten. they just need a re-sand and soaking with burgess marine sealer
down on the floating pontoon jetty at the Barbican for a coffee break
the sprit boom can be put into several different positions on the mast by using a sliding rope attachment
More photographs from the last two years
the shrouds are now dyneema and lashings rather than the blocks and rope
rudder was given maintenance and refurbishment treatment two years ago
sails are in good condition - odd cringles are beginning to need replacing in the next couple of years
I have various bungie cord stretchers along hull sides to securely hold dry bags in place
Scary - but it shows how effective the re-boarding straps are
She has an anchor well forward of the mast on the starboard front deck but being a small short armed skipper, I store her anchors in trays on the floor in the forward part of the cockpit
Arwen: For Sale
£4200 including new trailer, reliable outboard and extensive inventory
SOLD AS SEEN
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, DROP ME A COMMENT WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS (WHICH I WILL THEN IMMEDIATELY DELETE) OR PM ME VIA DINGHY CRUISING ASSOCIATION FACEBOOK FORUM OR SMALL TRADITIONAL SAILING BOATS FACEBOOK GROUP AND I WILL GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU STRAIGHT AWAY.
Use the search bar on blog to look up any aspect of Arwen
And plenty of videos of her in action to peruse at
A welshman displaced to wonderful Plymouth in SW England; a novice sailor, motorhomer and boat builder with a passion for all things to do with the sea. Follow my journey as I learn to sail Arwen, grappling with charts, tide tables and passage planning so that I can become 'a dinghy cruiser'
And by the way, just occasionally, little snippets about our travels and adventures. Subscribe on this blog and at www.youtube.com/c/plymouthwelshboy for videos about dinghy cruising. I look forward to hearing your comments, tips and thoughts.
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