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 28 August 2013

Plymouth Sound sailing

Today was lovely. Just enough breeze to give me between 3 - 4 knots. No fish though and boy did I try. I was using a Dexter wedge around 2oz and I cast in all directions, counted all depths and spun at different retrieves. I 'walked the dog', jerked  the lure, made it change sudden direction. Nothing. Nada! Not a sausage! Frankly it was depressing and I have clearly lost my touch. I've been fishing for 44 years.......humiliating!



As I left QAB marina and entered the Cattedown, these were the vessels that accompanied in that famous stretch of water

On the other hand, the sailing was great. Arwen and I bobbed along at 3 knots along Jennycliffe Bay. The wind, from the south west, built and faded throughout the day. The water was clear and that lovely deep green colour. The sun shone, the sky had high thin clouds which just hazed the sun slightly, enough to make it all very pleasant.

I tried catching him....but it wasn't to be

One of the new 'home made' blocks in action



We shot passed the eastern end of the Plymouth breakwater and tacked over towards Bovisand beach before tacking around onto a westerly course. We skimmed alongside the outer breakwater wall being careful to avoid the submerged and semi submerged large breakwater blocks.

The VERY large mooring buoys on the inside of the breakwater

slipping past the Bovisand/Jennycliffe bay shoreline

skirting the outer face of the breakwater and passing the fort which lies on its northern side



However, I missed the lobster pot float and we ran over it! It caught on the rudder and caused a near mishap as we stalled and started to swing inwards, alarmingly close to the submerged blocks. Hanging over the back to free the ropes and floats only served to accentuate the feeling of impending doom and grounding and some judicious use of the outboard was needed to get us out of trouble. Lesson learn't........keep a better look out!



passing inside the western end of the breakwater and on to Kingsand

A number of small fishing boats were out but there seemed to be few fish over the gunnel's. We bounced along at 4 knots into Cawsand Bay, noting the very large warship on our port bow which seemed to be making a series of slow turns around a large triangle. A quick look at the chart showed it was going backward and forward over the degaussing area. A tug was on standby just in case.  Another large inshore gas tanker boat was moored south of Drakes Island as well.

 
Kingsand, very picturesque

 

We skirted along the Mt. Edgecumbe  shoreline almost to Kingsand on a reach before having to make a series of tacks out to sea in order to gain an appropriate angle into Kingsand. The breeze over Penlee point became fickle at this point, gusting, fading, changing directions.  Sailing a little too close to one moored boat due to a sudden wind shift and clearing it only by a few feet, I decided to err on the side of caution and threaded my way between moored yachts and back out to the relative safety of the central bay.

Passing one of the channel buoys

By now the wind was coming astern and Arwen drifted downwind back to the Cattedown. She sails very well downwind and I was able to stand, secure the tiller on occasions to briefly go forward and tidy ropes and fenders. She made 2.7 knots all the way down wind avoiding the outgoing Brittany Ferry.


There were a number of yachts out today but very few small boats, a Cornish shrimper, a small folk boat and one very nice traditional old gentleman's sailing boat....Edwardian in looks and design. Very graceful.



In all we covered around 14 miles today. Our top speed was 4.5 knots. The sails set well and Arwen sailed herself for much of the time. Thanks to Joel's tips, I've started to get this 'no hand on tiller' sailing lark buttoned down. Quite often I change direction merely by adjusting jib or mizzen....its wonderful when you finally 'get the basics'!!!

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