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 6 May 2020

On the road sailing

Still in lock down! So, I towed Arwen off the steep driveway to turn the trailer tyres. Well once she was off the driveway, it gave me the chance to grease various parts of the trailer.



After that, it seemed silly not to at least put up the mast. I can't raise sails due to overhead phone lines. I couldn't unfurl the jib due to a brisk easterly wind blowing along the road.


But I did some tidying up and took a close look at how to alter the shroud side stays and the saggy jib forestay.  JW has recommended I put in some stainless steel shroud adjusters rather than rely on lashings. As for the jib, well I'm not sure what to do. He did recommend something but I have to go back and look at what at was.


After daydreaming in her cockpit for a while - reliving a sail across to Cawsand - I then flaked out both anchor warps and added some soft leather strips at regular 2 m intervals to help me judge how much anchor warp I have put out over the side.


My large anchor, donated to me, is a 7.5 kg Bruce. Way too heavy I guess when you add in the chain as well; and a slight pain to store onboard. However, I have yet to ever shift when it has been dropped over the side! The smaller 'kedge/picnic stop' anchor is a Danforth weighing around 3.5 kg or so. It has an anchor buddy bungee cord permanently attached to it.


Arwen is ready for a quick escape when lock down is lifted. If lock down remains, then there is an opportunity to sand down her rub rails and re-coat them with Burgess sealer. I might even brave doing the trailer bearings and converting the trailer from rollers to bunk beds....if I can persuade SWMBO to sanction a release of some funds 😄


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