Getting out on the water in the future

 I have always lived by the sea.

Except for a six year period in my twenties when I didn't. They were tough times!

As a kid and teenager, a twenty minute walk put on a fantastic surf beach or going west over the rocky cliff headlands, a fantastic bay with sandy beach, pebble storm beach to the rear and the best set of rocky pools and promontories I have ever witnessed.  Fun days crabbing, lobstering, and pulling out trapped shoaling mackerel in a bucket. And yes, that last bit is true.  Those were the days, sadly long gone now. A conservationist even back then, everything went back alive, I was just fascinated to study them for a short time. 

So, I am having to give thought to 'life after Arwen'. And that's hard. Being alongside the water and being OUT on the water are different things, are they not? 

Coastal walking? Absolutely, some of the best coastal walking in the UK. I am very privileged to have it only 10 minutes away by car.  A variety of beaches to walk and rock pool on? Yep, I still love rock pooling with my thirty something daughter when we can get together.

So, can I get out on the water over the next couple of years to keep hold of those experiences we all know and treasure? 

That very early morning start. Lifting the kayak off the car roof just as dawn begins. The sky changing to those peaches and pinks as the sun rises above the horizon. A glassy sheen to the Cotehele stretch of the Tamar. No wind ripples, just the lazy river flow and eddies. Two hours to high tide. The mists swirling wraith like above warmer waters. The chilly air, your breath condensing. The prospect of a gliding graceful kayak up to Morwellham and back. The ducks hiding in the reed beds, the fish catching errant midges, buzzards soaring overhead. 

 

Well, at the moment, I'm looking at kayaking once again; an outdoor activity I relished back in my twenties alongside my mountaineering. Nowhere near as skilled (not sure I ever was on reflection) in this as I was in mountaineering, I could manage it, just. Maybe! I still have reasonable safety awareness, navigation skills; lots that are transferable from my dinghy cruising of course. 

But, am I physically fit enough? Can I relearn basic strokes? Can I effectively self-rescue myself? And this last aspect is vitally important because I know that 'solo kayaking' is rightly not to be recommended for all sorts of reasons. Can I physically hump a Kayak around now; can I get it onto the roof rack?

In fact so many questions......here I go again, overthinking things yet again!

"Why do I want to kayak? Why not open canoe instead?" "Where are my paddling waters? And when, which seasons, what conditions, how often?"

"What storage room do I have?" "How do I move a kayak around across beaches - need a trolley?"

"Key requirements - stability, speed, safety?  "Kayak type - sit on or sit in; length, width, lockers?"

"Paddle choice, clothing choice, safety gear choices?"

 This morning I was very lucky and privileged to spend some hours with a friend from some time ago. After a frankly 'selfish'  out of the blue call from me, he generously gave up his morning to talk me through various issues and to take me up a local kayak shop to discuss options. He didn't have to do that, especially as we'd lost contact over the years, but then that's the kind of special guy he is. 

And he has made me think. As I knew he would. An open canoe? A sit in kayak with a larger cockpit. Discussions about scenarios, kayaking waters and more. 

So where am I now?

I had started with a firm view that a Wilderness systems Tarpon 120 sit on top kayak 12' 3" length, 30" width with a good hull design would suit my desire for some sensible low energy, pleasant kayak journeys around the Tamar and other estuaries,. Good glide ability, good stability etc, suitable for paddling Spring to September in benign conditions.  

 I haven't been able to get my head to open canoes despite all their advantages which I see and understand and which my friend succinctly outlined this morning. 

And the spanner in the works - the larger cockpit style kayaks such as a perception with retractable skeg. So many advantages to the latter but after a scary experience many, many years ago when I capsized in an old plastic tub kayak and couldn't get out because my leg was temporarily trapped between a foam block insert and a footrest - I just can't get those feelings of panic, claustrophobia, loss of control etc out of my head. I see the sense in one of these kayak types but I fear that single past experience will come back to haunt me and I will end up not using it as much as I could or should. So then, whats the point of it? 

Ho hum, so much to ponder over - a good thing; exciting but 'daunting' all the same. My friend from old has really made me thing. I knew he would. Maybe that's why I subconsciously reached out to him. I trust him, I trust what he says, I trusted he would challenge my thinking. He did. He's that kind of special. 

So, next step? Go try some demo kayaks to get a feel of them once more. 

One step at a time. Ho Hum! A new interesting journey starts once more. 

Arwen is for sale

 Arwen is for sale 

For various reasons I have come to the end of my sailing career for now and so I want Arwen to go to a new home where she will be cherished, looked after and sailed. 

You can find many pictures of Arwen on this blog and you can see her in recent action on my YouTube channel at www.YouTube.com/plymouthwelshboy  

You will also  find three detailed video tours showing her woodwork, rigging, fixtures, outboard and trailer conditions part way through this post. 

I am selling Arwen as a complete 'ready to go' package.

You will have almost everything you need to take her away and sail her the following day. (You will  need a first aid kit, your own sailing clothing and footwear, a hand held compass and appropriate charts and own camping gear). 

I have listed everything else that will come with her below. It is an extensive list.

If you are interested in purchasing Arwen then drop me a message with your contact details via one of the following:

·        my YouTube channel www.YouTube.com/plymouthwelshboy  OR 

·  

·       Facebook Messenger (PM message) - via the Dinghy Cruising Association or Small Traditional Sailing Boat Facebook groups

And then I’ll get back to you and we can have a chat. 

What you may want to know:

Arwen is a John Welsford designed 'navigator'; 14' 6" LOD (19' LOA with bowsprit and boomkin)  and 5' 10" beam, centreboard beach cruiser and day-sailer; stable, dry and safe in a variety of coastal, estuary and river conditions due to her standing lug yawl rig options.  Several articles about Arwen’s voyages in Dinghy Cruising Association journals. Long running blog and YouTube channel about her building, voyaging and adaptations. Kept under tarps on driveway when not being sailed. All equipment, spars, sails etc garage stored every winter.

Built in glued lapstrake marine plywood from Robbins Timber. Almost all other timbers on Arwen (sustainable Douglas fir and mahogany) were sourced by John Moody of Modbury. She can be sailed solo and/or with crew. She will take three adults or two adults and two children.

Her bottom hull and two bottom planks are epoxy cloth sheathed. She draws around 9" with centreboard up and around 2' 6" with centreboard down. With a standing lug yawl configuration, her wooden centreboard is weighted with a lead insert and has both downhaul and uphaul. The rudder and tiller assembly have a Huntingford helm impeder arrangement and Arwen sails well under 'locked' tiller when her sails are properly balanced. There is a homemade outboard bracket mounted on her transom.

You can read more about her design here:  https://jwboatdesigns.co.nz/plans/general-purpose-boats/navigator/ and also here https://smallboatsmonthly.com/article/navigator/ This latter article gives a really good summary overview of the overall 'navigator' design. 

The navigator is an excellent, well proven day sail, overnight beach camp cruiser boat. Some navigators have sailed vast distances across great seas! A YouTube search of the design will give you plenty to see, enjoy and admire.

The three sails (jib, main and mizzen) are in good condition and made by Jeckells. A cringle on the mainsail will need replacing at some stage in the next few years. All the other eyelets are sound but need a clean with a toothbrush. Sail fabric and stitching is still very good although there is a little fraying on the end of one of the sail batten pockets. The mainsail has half battens instead of full battens, as recommended by the sailmakers, to enable simpler furling and stowage of sails on the sprit boom. A new owner could get a sailmaker to alter this so that the top most batten is returned to its proper full size length should they desire so. The jib has a Barton roller furler controlled from the cockpit. All sail raising/control halyards and sheets can be operated from aft of the centreboard case. The mainsail and jib halyards can also be tied off on cleats at the base of the mast. Lazy jack system is controlled from aft cockpit and can be easily detached to allow quick erection of simple boom tarp tent. 

Deck and rigging fittings are generally sound. A new owner will probably want to rearrange some of these to suit their preferences.  One jam cleat on the rear of the centre case has rusted and is no longer in use. I have just left it there. All deck cleats are screwed and secure but the stern cleats would benefit from being bolted with backing plates instead. I just haven't got around to doing it and they are currently secured with very long bronze screws into the gunnel below.  One or two cockpit rigging jam cleats are slightly loose and need tightening up. A small one, whilst still working, really needs replacing at some stage.

Her trailer is newish. I have 'dunked it' no more than six or seven times since buying it. Made by Admiral Trailers at Honiton and adapted from one of their stock trailers, Arwen's hull rests on 'raised' keel rollers and two sets of rollers beneath her flat hull base. This is because being a wide bottomed lady, the mudguards were against the hull on the non-adapted trailer and so we raised the keel rollers slightly. She comes off her trailer easily but on some shallow ramps I have very occasionally had to use a rope from the tow ball on the car to the trailer so that it can be more deeply immersed.  A previous blog describes the simple procedure. Arwen could be moved further back along the trailer so that her stern has a greater overhang. Again, I just haven't got around to it. Retrieval is straightforward each time although it is trickier in crosswinds and currents and in such circumstances Arwen can come on slightly lopsided and so she needs to be pushed off again to realign. (There are no hull guiding poles on the trailer). The trailer has been washed down after every use. The wheel bearings have likewise been re-greased after every dunking via the grease nipple. The keel roller spindles are greased every 6 months. Tyres have barely worn from their new condition. There is a new spare wheel as well. She will come with a grease gun and two axle props as well.

Her hull, decking and rigging are all sound and free of damp and rot as far as I can see. There are scratches and scrapes on her hull and cockpit interior that will need sanding and touching up. These can be seen in the video tour. None of them are down to fibreglass or bare wood but in some places the primer is showing through and they will need touching up at some stage. Everything on her hull is watertight (buts see further notes below on hatches). When originally built she had three coats of aluminium flake undercoat (because a neighbour gave it to me), three of pre kote undercoat and three or four of Toplac international. There are some areas of 'rust' colour staining on her hull transom paintwork beneath the transom bracket and also on one of the bottom planks but the stainless steel bolts transom bracket bolts are secure and strong. Her rub rails would benefit from sanding down and re-sealing once again with Burgess sealer. Gunwale rub rails have odd scratches and dings but are sound and again sealed with Burgess marine sealer. The inside of her centre case (fibre glassed, epoxied and painted) was repainted two or three years ago but since then she has landed on many beaches and so after next season it would be wise to drop her centreboard and repaint the interior. The centreboard pivot pin was last inspected then. There have never been any leaks from it.  Any tins of paint and varnish I have in the box will come with Arwen as well. Her toolkit contains a spare stainless steel centreboard swing bolt.

Spars, coaming and masts are sound but with some scrapes and dings. The masts would benefit from another topcoat of Woodskin varnish at some stage.  Where I have moved fittings around over the years the holes have been filled, sanded and re-varnished properly. She is rigged as a standing lug yawl.

Essentially, Arwen is good to go but would benefit from some cosmetic TLC over this winter and all this is shown in the videos tours.

Arwen has plenty of storage space - an under-foredeck locker, two under the front thwart and one either side of the centre case. There is also a stern locker. There is one smaller locker under each side thwart - all are buoyancy chambers as well. In the front cockpit area - there are bungie cords to hold in overnight equipment dry bags against the hull sides. In her last capsize test five years ago all the hatches held and none leaked. However, I cannot guarantee that will be the case now. All the lockers/buoyancy chambers are dry and rot free but slightly grimy from continual use. They can be locked with small padlocks. However, the locks bought were marketed as stainless steel and evidently turned out not to be - they are functional but badly rusted and the locker lids are rust stained. Keys and small brass padlocks will be supplied. There are several deck eyes throughout her cockpit where jack lines can be secured so that you can attach a safety harness if need be, although I have never sailed her in conditions where I felt the need to (except when coastal sailing down to Fowey or up to Salcombe when I have clipped myself in, just for safety when sailing inshore in boisterous conditions).

Sleeping arrangements - a simple platform for one - which rests on three ply supports - all treated with burgess marine sealer - they rest flat on the aft cockpit floor. A very good idea stolen shamelessly by me from Joel Bergen, a very talented boat builder, sailor and owner of the wonderful navigator 'Ellie'. A very rudimentary white boom tarp tent provides overnight shelter on dry summer nights. It is included in package but don't use it in anything other than the lightest finest drizzle.

Arwen has a transom step and re-boarding strap/loops. Her mizzen sail makes her easy to hove to for reefing or a rest break out on the water and is a great asset when riding to anchor. 

She has always been stored outside on the driveway under a tarpaulin. Sails, spars and all equipment are stored in a garage over the winter months. During each winter she is regularly checked. 

With this description plus the video tours above, I have endeavoured to give a thorough honest review and summary of Arwen and all her accompanying bits and pieces. 

And now to the equipment also included in her sale:

Arwen will come with the following extensive equipment included in the price, much of which can be seen in my videos.

·        Trailer with spare new wheel, trailer wheel chocks, trailer wheel lock, trailer hitch lock, grease gun, lighting board and extension cable

·        Tohatsu 3.5 hp outboard engine seven years old, always stored over winter with fuel free carb. Serviced by me every other year. It had a new lower gear unit in 2019 because of a manufacturing defect I discovered. Tohatsu voluntarily replaced lower unit free of charge. It was an occasional design flaw in some units (blocked oil refill hole).  A YouTube of the outboard being serviced can be found on my YouTube channel. I also fitted a new fuel tank in 2021 due to a fine hairline crack around the cap neck. The outboard engine top cowl cover is scratched and warped but functional. The engine has normal wear and tear scratches. It starts first or second time and has been reliable every trip. Also included are outboard toolkit, 2 x1.5lt metal fuel bottles, one 5 lt plastic jerry can and new outboard lock. The engine can be seen running in many videos

·        Three anchors of various sizes and designs along with interchangeable 30m warps for two of them (Danforth, Bruce, fisherman). Also beach buddy anchor bungie cord

·        Four mooring warps and a longer mooring/anchor warp

·        Silva steering compass on centreboard case top

·        Small whale electric bilge pump with small 12v battery in a small Tupperware box plus charger

·        Rudder, tiller and huntingford helm impeder set up

·        Fenders x 6 small, 1 x medium 1 x large

·        Bailer - one large

·        Oars - one set 8' 6"; (optional - included free if you want them - one set 10' 6" dubious home made oars but you would need to alter the rowlocks - I built the oars with the intent of rowing Arwen from a standing facing forward position but then didn't get around to adjusting the rollocks accordingly); one set of leathered rowlocks

·        Mooring pole/boat hook

·        Two sets homemade halyard bags for rear cockpit

·        One collapsible sleeping platform - plywood

·        4 seat cushions Navy blue - weathered and stained but perfectly functional

·        2 purple square cushions - weathered and stained used to protect thwart top under foredeck

·        One centreboard unjamming pole

·        Boomkin and bowsprit

·        Main and mizzen masts

·        Jib, main and mizzen sails

·        Barton roller furler

·        Sail ties - various

·        Old but functional floatation bags x 4, of various sizes

·        Safety equipment including: sea drogue and rode, flares (although these will be a couple of years or so out of date now), Silva steering compass, radar reflector, harness and safety jack lines,

·        4 life jackets - manual inflation, one of which is a new Crewsaver and hardly used

·        Self rescue loops - port and starboard; knotted 'haul up' ropes - port and starboard

·        Spare shackles, blocks, screws, nuts and bolts kit, also epoxy repair stick and sealant and bronze top mast ring

·        Sail repair kit – including hand awl stitcher and thread, sailmakers leather palm, assorted sail repair tapes, leather strips etc

·        Assorted spare ropes, strings etc

·        Padlocks and keys for various lockers

·        Boom crutch and white 'temporary' tarp boom tent

·        Burgees - Small Traditional Sailing Boat and Dinghy Cruising Association

·        Sponges and cleaning cloths

·        Some spare 'used' tins of Toplac international paint and undercoat; and varnish for touch ups

·        Some pieces of leather to replace leather protection on spares when necessary

·        one empty galley box

·        basic tarp covers for boat secured by odd pieces of rope 

·        new, not used yet, ‘beach’ inflatable (to act as short distance tender) and pump

Essentially you will have everything you need to go sail her the following day.

Note....Arwen does not have a towing cover.

If you are interested in giving Arwen a new home, drop me a message by a comment below; or via a PM on DCA or STSB Facebook forums and lets have a chat. 

Numerous photographs are below and throughout this blog. The YouTube channel has 200+ videos of Arwen being sailed including the most recent sailing trip video - September 2024. 

I am looking to sell her to someone who will cherish her, use her well and get as much joy from her as I have. She is ready to go but could do with some cosmetic TLC. She also provides plenty of opportunities for tinkering with as well, should you like that aspect of boat ownership. Remember, I had never built a boat before Arwen and only learned to sail in the last year of building her! Despite this we have many, many miles under our belt along the SW Devon and Cornwall coasts and rivers.

You could be the new owner of a well-known, well proven, oft admired dinghy cruising boat. You could be having splendid micro adventures in her in the near future.

Drop me a message if interested and then we can have a ‘chat’

via Facebook Messenger (via DCA or STSB facebook pages)  or via a comment below or on my Youtube channel. 

Price £4500 ono - including everything listed above  Sold as seen

 

Fair winds to you and thanks for the interest.  

Steve 

caught napping by the local MOD Police boat patrol 

clearing up on return home 

😆

A solo sailor, I have very few pictures of Arwen sailing. Taken years ago when I didn't fully understand the dark arts of sail trimming. The crease now long gone 

 heading up the Lynher

Up at Treluggan on the river Lynher 

new owner might consider turning the top two batten sleeves into full width ones 

its changed a bit but essentially shows how much can be carried onboard

Engine serviced every two years. 

Outboard stand comes with Tohatsu

The new lower unit supplied by Tohatsu free of charge 

a cheap and cheerful boom tent but gives a cosy interior during the dry, warm spring and summer evenings 

the hatches were water tight five years ago but have not been tested since

the lock fittings on the hatches have sadly rusted somewhat. This was when they were fitted new. They still work fine but although sold as stainless steel - obviously they weren't

ready for towing down to the ramp 

it is surprising how much kit she can carry 

Up Cotehele Quay a few years ago - the shrouds have now been replaced with dyneema and lashings 

The bowsprit bobstay is now dyneema and a stainless steel turnbuckle

one of the three anchors included in the package

Up at Calstock 

the outboard and bracket. there are now a few more scratches on the outboard cover and rust staining on the transom below bracket 

homemade halyard bags to store loose halyards - some of which could still do with a little more trimming to size - just haven't got around to it yet 

the collapsible sleeping platform safely stowed

Originally I had a bronze mast ring fitted. I removed it for a slightly different sail arrangement up top.

The little blocks it sat on have been removed. The toolkit coming with Arwen includes the original bronze mast ring. 

The steering compass works perfectly. I replaced the sealant two years ago as it was showing signs of deterioration 

jib sheets come back to the aft of the cockpit

a small electric bilge pump - the battery is a very small 12v one in a sealed tupperware container stored under the side deck 

For one of her most recent trips up the river Lynher  - videos on my channel 

www.YouTube.com/plymouthwelshboy

navigation station 

The galley box is included in package but not the cooking stove and utensils

from a trip over to cellars beach on the river Yealm 

Voyage videos in a playlist on my channel 

green re-boarding loops are found each side. you just get a foot into the loop and then push your legs straight and outwards - this levers your chest up onto side deck

Several videos on the channel show me reboarding

The rub rails are stained but not rotten. they just need a re-sand and soaking with burgess marine sealer 

down on the floating pontoon jetty at the Barbican for a coffee break 

the sprit boom can be put into several different positions on the mast by using a sliding rope attachment 

More photographs from the last two years 

the shrouds are now dyneema and lashings rather than the blocks and rope

rudder was given maintenance and refurbishment treatment two years ago 

sails are in good condition - odd cringles are beginning to need replacing in the next couple of years 

I have various bungie cord stretchers along hull sides to securely hold dry bags in place 

Scary - but it shows how effective the re-boarding straps are 

She has an anchor well forward of the mast on the starboard front deck but being a small short armed skipper, I store her anchors in trays on the floor in the forward part of the cockpit 

Arwen: For Sale 

£4200 including new trailer, reliable outboard and extensive inventory

SOLD AS SEEN 

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, DROP ME A COMMENT WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS (WHICH I WILL THEN IMMEDIATELY DELETE)  OR  PM ME VIA DINGHY CRUISING ASSOCIATION FACEBOOK FORUM OR SMALL TRADITIONAL SAILING BOATS FACEBOOK GROUP  AND I WILL GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU STRAIGHT AWAY. 

Use the search bar on blog to look up any aspect of Arwen

And plenty of videos of her in action to peruse at 

www.YouTube.com/plymouthwelshboy