View from the Itchen

It has been a wonderful week from a weather point of view: sunny, almost cloudless skies.  The barometer has been way up.  I have been busy with appointments ashore in Southampton, so no sailing was possible, but I have been working on Toucando's plumbing systems to make sure they do what they are supposed to.

On Friday I took the Red Jet over to Cowes for the Committee meeting of the Solent Gaffers.  There was a lot of talk about how terrible the summer had been.  Numerous events had been cancelled or curtailed as a result of high winds, not to mention people's cruising plans.  I guess we have to try to make best use of the autumn weekends.  Mike and Dan Shaw (respectively the national and local presidents of the Old Gaffers) remembered when they saw Toucando being built.  They were circumnavigating Great Britain on Susan J, their 28' Falmouth Working Boat and had called in at Howth.  David and Barry invited them up the hill to see Toucando taking shape.  They had enjoyed they stop in Howth. I am continually meeting people who had known Toucando in her former life, and all have fond memories.

I have added some pictures  to the earlier blog entry: http://toucando.blogspot.com/2011/09/windy-weekend.html ... thanks to Michele for providing them.

And as an extra treat here is a link to a Youtube clip of Falmouth Working Boats racing during Falmouth Week 2010.  Local bylaws require that oyster dredging in the Fal estuary is done under sail, hence the continuing demand for working boats.  Many of those in the clip are wooden, but they are also made with GRP hulls.  Toucando is a larger version of the working boat, and the similarity in hull shape and sail plan is clear.  Now, wouldn't it be great to get some footage of Toucando sailing like that?  All we need is someone with a video camera and a rib... and a decent summer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA3f5RGuVf8&feature=related

Underway

Andy and Steve arrived yesterday afternoon. We checked out the boat and set sail at 0945 this morning. Visibility was poor as we rounded Howth Head, but is better now we're off Bray. We hope to be in Arklow late afternoon.

Drying out

Dried out today - that's Toucando, not the skipper. We motored round to the posts at Howth Yacht Club at 0930. Low water was 1400. Toucando got a good wash and had her anodes replaced. The fin on the steering gear was attached, and her new port of registry was applied to her stern. Things are coming together for the homeward voyage. She's now safely afloat, and back on her berth. (Thanks to David for all the hard work and Gerry for helping in moving Toucando in challenging windy conditions.)

Preparations

Toucando is being prepared for her voyage to Southampton.  All the necessary supplies are being stowed.  All the equipment checked.  The crew will assemble next weekend, ready to catch the tide down the east coast.

History to date

Toucando's hull was built by Martin Heard of Gaffers and Luggers at Mylor in Cornwall.  The 35' hull is made of glass reinforced plastic (GRP) and is strongly laid up.  The design is described as a "Falmouth Quay Punt", although most such boats were rather smaller than Toucando.  FQPs serviced larger sailing vessels entering the English Channel, delivering supplies, ferrying people ashore, taking messages etc..

The late Martin Heard: builder of Toucando's hull

 

Toucando's hull was taken to Howth at the north end of Dublin Bay where her original owners completed the build, adapting the Gaffers and Luggers design to give more headroom below.  The boatbuilding, engineering and joinery skills of David Hopkins and Barry O'Loughlin combined to create a yacht with traditional working boat lines and the advantages of modern materials and technology.

Bought by Andrew Hind in January 2011 Toucando is preparing to relocate to Southampton.  On or about Sunday 17th April she will set sail towards the Solent: the voyage will take about a week.  All sailing plans are weather dependent so we will have to wait and see what it looks like as the big day approaches.

The blog will be updated as and when possible... the availability of a 3G mobile signal being a key factor.  Family, friends and followers are welcome to visit when we arrive home at the Easter weekend.