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.
Steve and Arwen

Wednesday, 12 May 2010

looking back over my RYA dinghy logbook.

My first sail in Arwen was 21st August 2007.  I went out in her for 4 hrs sailing on a circular route between the breakwater fort and the back of Drake's island in force 3 winds.  Since them I have done 37 other trips in her with a total sailing time of 120 hours (most of my trips are around 3 - 4 hours in length thus far). So with all this sailing time why is it I still manage to cock up coming alongside mooring buoys every single time? (it seemed so easy in a laser stratos on the RYA course!) I think it's time i did some more practice of picking up mooring buoys, MOB drill etc.  That should be put right in July when I'm off on a sailing course (RYA 1 and 2) with 20 teenagers - plenty of revision time then!

My most recent trip was 18th April  for 5 hrs when I went out with a friend who was launching his new boat for the first time....more on that perhaps in a separate posting.  Force 4, gusting F5, reaching and running around the breakwater and Drake's Island whilst my friend got a feel for his new pride and joy! I noticed he took far less with him in his boat! He's 30 odd years sailing experience......moral of the tale.....time to rethink what I carry on Arwen and have a 'sort out' before our next trip out!

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