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

Sunday, 11 October 2015

All done....

compass repaired, rather nicely, if I say so myself. New mounting position with all holes filled and sealed. The downhaul cleat for the centre case has been offset to one side. Moisture has been wiped away and cushions removed to the garage. And that has got me thinking about winter jobs


  • Sail batten pockets are unstitching so they need to come out and over to a local sail loft for some TLC
  • The trailer needs TLC too......bearings need checking; one of the rollers has broken and one has come lose. 
  • Having moved fittings around on the boom, I forgot to fill some holes! Don't say a word, very poor boatmanship. 
  • My sleeping platform needs attention and to be truthful, I'm thinking of trying out Joel's flat pack version which sit on the cockpit floor when not in use
  • I'm looking to recut the tent as well to make it easier to put up and down. I am taken with Joel's idea of hanging water bottles as weights
  • The mast needs resealing in places too. 
Then there are spring Easter sailing plans. I would next year like to

  • Sail from Plymouth to Darthmouth and up the Dart, taking the boat out at Totnes. 
  • Go the other way down to Fowey and up to Lostwithiel and back again
  • I'd like to trail the boat to other places too. Milford haven looks interesting. I'd quite like to sail a big lake as well and further along the coast Poole Harbour and the Solent..... And finally the Helford......that one is unfinished business left over from the summer

2 comments:

Bursledon Blogger said...

Let me know if/when you're coming to the Solent and any help we can give you, who knows might even be able to drag Tosh out for a sail in company.

steve said...

Thanks max. It would be great to catch up
Steve