Cape Cutter 19 Association Forum

Re-launched Mary Ann on Kielder water today after her foray on the East Coast Rivers with the ICCW 2015.

What a fabulous time we had. Fifteen Capecutter owners participated in thirteen CC19s, I think I have the numbers correct.

The highlight for me was casting off at Titchmarsh Marina in the Walton Backwaters at 4.30 am and creeping out in the channels into the North Sea with a dead run to the mouth of the Orwell and a reach all the way upstream to arrive at Suffolk Yacht Harbour at 7.00 am.
We did this to avoid some lively weather forecast from 10.00 am.

The memories will be with me for a long time.

I'm part way through a lot of days in the Suffolk area! Having been part of the rally based at Suffolk Yacht Harbour with my son, Andrew, I left Meisje at SYH and came back (after a weekend of night shifts) with my parents and their caravan.

My Dad and I have been to Titchmarsh Marina (wonderful), including a huge hailstorm the next morning that I have recorded on my phone. When I get home I'll try to upload it. We went from there to the Deben, staying at Pinmill. From there we went to the bridge at the top of the river with my Mum, then after dropping both of them off had a quiet afternoon sail down to Waldringfield last night. Today I got up at 5.30 then sailed with the tide down to Felixstowe Ferry to fix the annoying staysail furler, which kept wrapping the forestay inside it!

After this I headed out one hour before low water, with the centreplate up, into a superb sea with a NE4 and decent swell. I experimented with the centreplate and sails and found that downwind the yankee or yankee plus staysail, with centreplate up, was most comfortable. I lashed the boom onto the cockpit mooring cleat to stop it thrashing about. With this configuration I could sail her with quartering or stern seas with my fingertips. With the main up it was much harder work, especially with the plate down.

I went well out to see, crossing the shipping lanes very early, then enjoyed having the place to myself with no boats or ships around, just the noise of the roaring surf coming from the south, I think about 5 miles away. The close reach with double reefed main and staysail at 4 to 5 knots into Suffolk Yacht Harbour w as fantastic. This was my first proper offshore singlehanded sail, and one I enjoyed, though I am rather tired now!

Tomorrow my Dad and I hope to go out again, before I recover Meisje Wednesday and drive home Thursday into Friday. It's been a fantastic trip. Many thanks to Charles for arranging the rally. Without this incentive I would probably not have been sailing here, in an area I last sailed in 45 years ago as a toddler!

Adrian.

Hello all

I managed a good sail on Kielder Water on Wednesday 24th June.

I was the only boat on the lake, it was overcast but did not rain and there was reasonable breeze most of the time, I covered 22 Nm.

However, it may have been my last sail for some time
Whilst motoring back my mooring whilst simultaneously stowing my sails, the shock cord which I use to gather the mainsail to the gaff and boom slipped from my hand when under full tension, It was a bit like firing a crossbow, the nylon hook on the shock cord went straight into my right eye. Excruciating pain and instant blindness in that eye. Fortunately, I did not fall overboard.


The outcome is that I do expect top regain my sight, but it may take weeks or even months and it may require surgery to replace the lens.

If there is a moral to this story it should be, sail whenever you can, you never know what the future holds.

Dennis,
desperately sorry to hear of our accident,I always considered shock cords especially with hooks an accident waiting to happen.I hope everyone reading your plight chucks them away and use soft ties with a reef knot.
get well soon.
Jack

Sorry to hear about your accident, Dennis. I hope you're back sailing in the very near future.

Thanks Jack and Paul

Some vision has returned, albeit very cloudy and indistinct, I can now read a car number plate from a distance of about 2 metres.
However there is a small noticeable improvement each day. It is obviously going to be while before it is anything like acceptable.

On the basis that eyes are too precious, I am going to banish all shock cord/bungees from the boat and accept the inconvenience.

We managed to miss the meeting on the Orwell due to holidays and Grandparent duties , but escaped at the start of June , trailing to Dundee.
We were hugely helped by Ron Lorrimer and John Knowles of The Royal Tay Yacht Club , surely the friendliest of clubs. Not only did they store the car and trailer whilst we sailed , but even helped launch Minnie at Broughty Ferry slipway. We chose Broughty Ferry rather than Arbroath as the Arbroath Slip is very shallow with weed and shingle a problem .
So 3rd June saw us launched and heading the 15 miles to Arbroath , initially running with the genoa we made 3 to 4 knots down the Tay before turning North and raising the Main . Reefed and with tide support we broad reached to Arbroath at between 5 and 6.5 knots arriving at !8.00 , just 30 mins before the gate closed.
The weather forecast was beginning to deteriorate so the following day we decided to " push on " to Peterhead...some 65 miles away. The gate opened at 13.00 and with a light flukey wind we sailed and motor sailed . Passing Stonehaven , we reached Aberdeen at 23.00 as darkness fell. We tried and failed to contact Aberdeen VTS...probably the accent...theirs and ours ...so were very happy to have the AIS working . No incidents , but as darkness fell we couldn't see our nav. lights . Several minutes of panic later we concluded that they were duff ( subsequently found to be a corroded connection on the through the deck plug ) what was working was the all round white / anchor light.....legal for boats under 7m... .
At 04.00 we entered Peterhead harbour followed by a small pod of dolphins....more VHF accents....and berthed in the marina . This was to be our home for 3 days as gales and strong winds passed through. A good marina , very well sheltered , and good local advice.
Our next problem was Cape Wrath , or the Caledonian Canal ,3 days to think about it.

Hello Ian

Sounds like you are having a grand time.

I like the "cliff hanger" at the end of your post, I cannot wait for the next "episode".

It is really great to hear about a CC19 doing the sort of journey for which it was intended.
I look forward to the book being published.

I have just heard of Dennis's mishap leading to an eye injury. As we say here in Greece περαστικά Ντένις (get well soon Dennis)... We have been out today and are managing about 3 times a week at the moment. We tend to sail for 2 to 3 hours out from Platanias harbour and just go for a great sail, no where in particular. We always take our visitors (to our holiday cottage business) for a free sail if they like, this offer is very rarely declined. I have been off the forum for a few weeks having been following closely the Greek crisis... Still 10 years after moving here as our main residence we love the freedom of the place the warmth and friendliness of the people and feel we are doing our bit to help by paying our taxes.... So our thoughts to Dennis for a speedy recovery and you are welcome to come and join us for a sail on Kaliope if you decide to come to Greece for some R and R !! Best wishes, Chris and Kathryn

Returning to our home harbour today after some great downwind sailing f4 to 5 with gusts, double reef in main, yankee and stays'l and got hit by a squall just as we were about to furl away the yankee... Shipped a bit of water over the gunwale and then recovered very quickly... The amazing thing was that we were being photographed and the moment was captured... you can take a look on the FB page, www.facebook.com/capecutter19