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

Thursday, 2 January 2014

A complete failure

The tarpaulin has given up. Three times in three days I have had to pump water out of the boat. It collects down towards the bow as the boat sits on the drive. Of course, water then seeps through the lower forward thwart hatches as well. It's a real pain. Anyway a new tarp has been ordered and in the meantime plastic sheeting has been placed over the boat as well.

Just as well for severe warnings have been given about the forthcoming storm due this evening. Coastguard teams and police are on alert for the huge storm and the very high spring tides. People have been asked to avoid promenades, going on beaches etc. there are a huge number of flood warnings and fear of strong winds and high waves overtopping sea defences. Tragically, one young man was washed off a beach New Year's Eve and the coastguard search was called off this afternoon with him not being found.  In Devon and Cornwall this evening we are battening down the hatches for what will be fairly major flood disruption in all low lying coastal areas.

The latest weather warnings can be accessed at
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/sw/sw_forecast_warnings.html?day=2
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast-video/21416949

News on the floods can be accessed at 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25572390

Steve 



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