Toucando took the opportunity of a daysail on Saturday, joined by Rob (who has much experience crewing on a variety of sailing vessels old and new) and Alison (who completed the Clipper 09-10 circumnavigation). We filled up with diesel at Itchen Towage and motored out into Southampton Water. There was very little wind, but we got the main up, then the staysail and jib, and sailed towards the Solent fairly slowly on a broad reach. As we went the wind built up and we finished up crossing over to Osborne Bay at a reasonable speed. Although it was bright, Alison spotted some threatening clouds to the west, so we got our waterprofs on. We dropped the anchor for lunch, which we ate in the cockpit. The sun continued to shine, even when we were bombarded by a hailstorm. To the north over Lee on Solent there was a large, shallow arched rainbow... or perhaps that should be hailbow? We didn't linger. The anchor was hauled up and we set off this time with two reefs in the main. Conditions were squally going back, with the wind varying between Force 3 and 5, gusting 6. It also moved round to the north west so we had to tack up past Hillhead towards Southampton Water. As we got closer we saw the first of five large liners come out of Southampton, including P&O's Arcadia. We put the engine on off Hamble, dropped the sails and motored in the dusk back to the Itchen. It was completely dark by the time Toucando was back on her mooring. Thank you to the crew!
On Sunday I did some more work on "varnishing" the woodwork. There is a lot to do! I will have to make the most of the opportunities that present themselves to keep on top of it. Tonight I go to the committe of the Solent Gaffers, where one of the big topics of discussion will be next year's Round Britain Challenge.
Monday 15 October 2012
Saturday 6 October 2012
Thursday 4 October 2012
Round Britain Trip: Summer 2013
I am considering the possibility of Toucando taking part in the OGA 50 Round Britain Challenge. The Old Gaffers' Association is the organisation which promotes gaff rig... that is, sailing boats with a four cornered mainsail raised by a spar called a gaff. In the nineteenth century most sailing boats were like this, but in the twentieth century the triangular sailed Bermudan rig has become the norm. In 1953 a group of enthusiasts set up the OGA to promote gaff rig at a time when it seemed in danger of dying out. 2013 will be the 50th anniversary and to celebrate a fleet of gaffers will be sailing round Great Britain, including stops in Dublin and Belfast. The fleet will be joined by boats from Belgium, France, Ireland, the Netherlands and maybe further afield, making it one of the biggest and most ambitious gatherings of gaffers for many years. Each of the OGA areas will be laying on an event as the fleet passes through, where local gaffers will join in the celebrations.
If Toucando is to do this she will need a crew.... but not necessarily the same crew for the whole trip. My experience so far is that a crew of three or four (including skipper) works best. There is a theoretical maximuim of seven. I would require one person with fairly substantial experience as first mate, and others with at least some experience. The arrangement would be on a cost sharing basis.
The OGA50 itinerary is shown below. The shore events are fixed, as they will be organised by local OGA Area Committees. The actual route and timings would be determined by the weather conditions and similar factors. There will be two options in the north of Scotland: one will be to go round the top, the other through the Caledonian Canal.
If you are interested in crewing any part of the trip please get in touch. I must stress that this is a feasibility study at present, with no final decision yet taken as to whether I will be taking part. I will be keeping the blog updated as things develop.
Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th May: Solent Area event - Hamble
Monday 6th to Friday 10th May: Leg 1: Hamble to Falmouth
Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th May: Cornwall and Devon area event - Falmouth
Monday 13th to Friday 17th May: Leg 2: Falmouth to Milford Haven
Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th May: Bristol Channel area event - Milford Haven
Monday 20th to Friday 24th May: Leg 3: Milford Haven to Holyhead
Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th May: North Wales area event - Holyhead
Monday 27th to Friday 31st May: Leg 4: Holyhead to Dublin
Saturday 1st June and Sunday 2nd June: Dublin area event
Monday 3rd to Friday 7th June: Leg 5: Dublin to Belfast
Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th June: Northern Ireland area event - Belfast
Monday 10th to Friday 14th June: Leg 6: Belfast to Campbelltown
Saturday 15th and Sunday 15th June: West of Scotland area event
[i]Monday 17th June to Friday 12th July: Legs 7 to 10: Campbeltown to Grimsby
There will be options either to go round the north of Scotland, via Orkney, or through the Caledonian Canal. The longer route will include stops at Stornaway, Lerwick, Arbroath and Eyemouth. In the case of going for the Caledonian Canal option the timings would allow for a couple of weeks cruising in the West of Scotland before going through the canal and working down the east coast including a stope at Newcastle.[/i]
Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th July: Humberside area event - Grimsby
Monday 15th to Friday 19th July: Leg 11: Grimsby to Ipswich
Saturday 20th to Tuesday 30th July: East Coast area event - Ipswich (not sure of the details of this - however it would seem to allow for some sailing around the Essex and Suffolk coasts, and maybe a trip up the Thames to London - or even a quick visit to the Low Counties)
Wednesday 31st July to Friday 26th to Friday 2nd August: Leg 12: To Ramsgate
Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th August: Kent area event - Ramsgate
Monday 5th August to Wednesday 14th August: Leg 13: Ramsgate to Cowes - could allow for some visits to French ports in the eastern channel
Thursday 15th August to Sunday 19th August: National OGA event - Cowes Yacht Haven
Monday 20th August: Return home???????
Anybody interested in crewing please get in touch via: toucando@citybeat.org.uk indicating which legs you may be interested in.
If Toucando is to do this she will need a crew.... but not necessarily the same crew for the whole trip. My experience so far is that a crew of three or four (including skipper) works best. There is a theoretical maximuim of seven. I would require one person with fairly substantial experience as first mate, and others with at least some experience. The arrangement would be on a cost sharing basis.
The OGA50 itinerary is shown below. The shore events are fixed, as they will be organised by local OGA Area Committees. The actual route and timings would be determined by the weather conditions and similar factors. There will be two options in the north of Scotland: one will be to go round the top, the other through the Caledonian Canal.
If you are interested in crewing any part of the trip please get in touch. I must stress that this is a feasibility study at present, with no final decision yet taken as to whether I will be taking part. I will be keeping the blog updated as things develop.
Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th May: Solent Area event - Hamble
Monday 6th to Friday 10th May: Leg 1: Hamble to Falmouth
Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th May: Cornwall and Devon area event - Falmouth
Monday 13th to Friday 17th May: Leg 2: Falmouth to Milford Haven
Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th May: Bristol Channel area event - Milford Haven
Monday 20th to Friday 24th May: Leg 3: Milford Haven to Holyhead
Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th May: North Wales area event - Holyhead
Monday 27th to Friday 31st May: Leg 4: Holyhead to Dublin
Saturday 1st June and Sunday 2nd June: Dublin area event
Monday 3rd to Friday 7th June: Leg 5: Dublin to Belfast
Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th June: Northern Ireland area event - Belfast
Monday 10th to Friday 14th June: Leg 6: Belfast to Campbelltown
Saturday 15th and Sunday 15th June: West of Scotland area event
[i]Monday 17th June to Friday 12th July: Legs 7 to 10: Campbeltown to Grimsby
There will be options either to go round the north of Scotland, via Orkney, or through the Caledonian Canal. The longer route will include stops at Stornaway, Lerwick, Arbroath and Eyemouth. In the case of going for the Caledonian Canal option the timings would allow for a couple of weeks cruising in the West of Scotland before going through the canal and working down the east coast including a stope at Newcastle.[/i]
Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th July: Humberside area event - Grimsby
Monday 15th to Friday 19th July: Leg 11: Grimsby to Ipswich
Saturday 20th to Tuesday 30th July: East Coast area event - Ipswich (not sure of the details of this - however it would seem to allow for some sailing around the Essex and Suffolk coasts, and maybe a trip up the Thames to London - or even a quick visit to the Low Counties)
Wednesday 31st July to Friday 26th to Friday 2nd August: Leg 12: To Ramsgate
Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th August: Kent area event - Ramsgate
Monday 5th August to Wednesday 14th August: Leg 13: Ramsgate to Cowes - could allow for some visits to French ports in the eastern channel
Thursday 15th August to Sunday 19th August: National OGA event - Cowes Yacht Haven
Monday 20th August: Return home???????
Anybody interested in crewing please get in touch via: toucando@citybeat.org.uk indicating which legs you may be interested in.
Monday 1 October 2012
toucando.net domain problem: normal service will be resumed as soon as possible
Unfortunately the toucando.net domain does not seem to be working: the problem has been logged. This is the website where details of Toucando's forthcoming voyages are published, amongst other things. I am hoping to go sailing on any decent weekend through to the end of November, except 6/7 October and 3/4 November. Anyone interested in crewing is invited to get in touch at toucando@citybeat.org.uk.
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