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

Monday 5 May 2014

the repaired rudder

The offending 'ding' can be seen to the rear on the top of the rudder blade.
It is worse this side than far side
I'm beginning to wonder if I caught it accidently on the propeller blade. this shouldn't have happened as I have installed stops either side on the transom which prevent the rudder from reaching too far over towards the outboard. It has never happened in the past but maybe I didn't mount the outboard correctly in its normal position. I will check things over next time we are out just to make sure.
 
 
Next time out will be my 300th hour sailing in Arwen and our 75th trip out together. A milestone worthy of a celebration. I'm hoping to sail up to Calstock at May half term and camp overnight before coming down on the tide. Watch this space for passage planning over the next few weeks.
If it takes 10,000 hours to become 'an expert' in something, then with only 300 hours under our belt Arwen and I are positively amateurs! But the more we do the better we become and that is half the fun isn't it. As long as we don't endanger others.
 
 
In the meantime, two tragedies. My overboard waterproof rucsac has sprung an as yet undetected air leak and so no longer floats. My yellow over the shoulder overboard bag of eight years has finally delaminated and is no longer waterproof either. It has seen sterling service and I have had my money's worth from it. My waterproof rucksac is only three years old though and that is another matter all together!

2 comments:

Steve said...

"Next time out will be my 300th hour sailing in Arwen and our 75th trip out together."

Very cool. Congrats.

steve (the one on the other side of the pond)

steve said...

Hey steve
Glad to see your plans for trip coming together. Look forward to reading all about it as always.
Safe trip, fair winds

Steve