2025 2nd April Day 3 - ?, Weather and options,

Wednesday 3rd.

Contrary to my previous post I have shown great restraint and there is no big whinge but anoraks on, intended to get my thoughts together and to keep track of trends. It’s probably mainly of interest to yachties. 

Written in several stages as I go through the planning process.

Lunch time:

Very unusually all of the models are consistent into next week, differing only in local details mainly waves on the isobars around the high pressure area, unfortunately the detail matters to me and they will almost certainly change!

The ECMWF and UKMO models for lunch time on Sunday
the GFS, Spire and Predictwind's PWG models are very similar
only Predict wind's PWE is different and not around UK, it
shows a second Atlantic low south of Greenland.

Close predictions from the ECMWF and UKMO for Sunday
lunchtime 

Winds start getting lite on Monday evening and very lite on Tuesday and turning to the North in places so a dash north as soon as the weather permits is the preferred option.

So the draft plan is to leave early Sunday but where too? The only viable options given the wind direction are likely to be Ardglass, Bangor or Larne / Brown's Bay. Ardglass gives the chance of more sleep but if the wind is stronger than forecast the entrance can be tricky and it is not that far north. The others are long legs and dependant on the getting through or bi-passing Donaghadee / Copeland Sound at the entrance to Belfast Lough. From my piece "Passage Making: The West Coast"

"The admiralty chart notes that "Only power-driven vessels with local knowledge and a speed of at least 10 knots should use the sound against the stream". Note also that the tide can switch very quickly, I have sneaked through north bound with the last of the favourable tide at Foreland Point and then had 2 knots against off Carn Point."

Tides run strong north from Strangford but there is not a lot to be done about that unless the arrival at Donaghadee is towards the end of the ebb (North of Dundalk the ebb runs north).

The tide turns N in the Sound @ HW Dover -01:15 and turns S @ HW Dover + 04:45

On Sunday

HW Dover is at 06:20 and 19:00

So a favourable tide from 05:05 till 11:05 & 17:45 till 23:45 and about 50 minutes later on Monday.

I have been through The Sound a number of times and am OK going through in the dark, especially a day from neaps. Care is required at all times and without local knowledge going through on a spring tide in the dark could be challenging if the GPS failed at the wrong moment.

I already had a route planned from Howth to Bangor from when I was last in Howth in 2023 (link opens in new window), although it needed a few tweaks to avoid Howth Sound at night which I have not been through before and to go outside Lambay Island - inside has loads of pot buoys.   This shows Bangor is feasible but at 4 knots is a very long day at 22 hours:

Seapro timings UCT, GMT in old non PC money.
PL = Port Lateral Buoy, NC = North Cardinal, etc.

Browns Bay would also be possible but Bangor gives a chance of a few hours sleep before heading further north, especially if I can make better than 4 knots which I should do. The model shows that at 4.5 knots I arrive at 23:34L, at 5 knots 21:53L and at an unlikely but possible 5.5 knots at 20:27L, probably +/- 30 minutes given it will be almost on neaps. In 2023 I took 19 hours.

Life is so much easier having the computer to do these calcs than working it out on paper, I doubt I would have done more than one or two manual sets of calcs.

Now I have to see if Bangor, across the north Channel to Gigha is feasible or if a short hop to Browns Browns Bay is in order. Unfortunately places further north on the Irish coast such as Red Bay are unlikely to be tenable after prolonged easterly winds.

Time for a break to ease my back and get a shower.

Late Afternoon:

Diesel replenished so in dire straights I have a range of 300 miles with a small reserve. Back to planning.

From Bangor the tide runs north from about 09:00, so time for a reasonable amount of sleep if I start c 08:00 it is an easy trip to Browns Bay but possible issues later with little or no wind. An option to test is a direct route across the North Channel from Bangor, something I have not done, although I did the reverse in May 2022 and June 2024 (links open in a new window), both were very tiring. 

The models all predict very favourable S - SE winds on Monday (I have heard that before!) but dying away starting in the east in the early evening, if that happened I would be under engine making c 5 knots at most economic speed which might help the average speed. Not something worth factoring in 5 days ahead but something to consider on the day.

Machrihanish bay (the Green anchor)
might be an option.

Unfortunately an 08:00 start from Bangor making 4 knots would not get me to Gigha until midnight and the anchorages I have used are not that easy to get into and are unlit. Ardminish Bay is lit and should be practical. To make it in daylight I would need to leave at 07:00 and make 4.5 knots or more realistically leave earlier and / or use the engine to make >= 5 knots for at least part of the way. At 5 knots leaving at 08:00 I would arrive at approximately 19:00.

A better alterative if the sea is calm, which it might well be after easterly winds, would be to anchor in Machrihanish Bay, 11 miles north of the south point of the Mull of Kyntire which at 4 knots I could get to at dusk. A good option but one that I can't rely on with a decision to anchor there only possible when close by.

[2 tables added Thursday]

08:00L start at 4 knts.

The earlier the start the better for the tide around the Mull
of Kintyre but after a long day on Sunday it is best to be
realistic and assume a sensible start time, if I'm awake I'll
go earlier. Times UTC.

A well lit alternate that I am quite familiar with is Port Ellen on Islay or the near by anchorage.

Route plan to Port Ellen.  at 4 knts and starting at 07:00 UTC.

I'll have to decide this on the day, depending on the then forecast and how tired I am but it is a good starting point and all options will work a day later, probably starting an hour later.

Once I am at Gigha, Islay or Machrihanish light winds are of less concern as I can while away the days making short hops visiting some new places, as long as I am somewhere safe if the promised strong winds arrive at the end of the week, a dash to Loch Aline on the Sound of Mull is probably favourite.

If the |ECMWF is correct I'll need to be somewhere safe by Friday
week. The GFS disagrees and the UKMO does not release info
that far ahead.

Will be updated through the week.

Update Wednesday evening. 

Weather anoraks or anyone particularly interested in the weather next week and for later in April this Met office video may be of interest. https://youtu.be/KjHVYPms76g?si=5ORMcvdZACQXM4ZT 

Update Thursday.

Some divergence between the models for Sunday , if the UKMO is correct it could be rather more  blowy than I would like until lunch time. You never know this might be what happens.

ECMWF & UKMO models for early Sunday.

Lunch time Sunday

Sunday evening.

A bigger divergence on Monday, if the UKMO is correct it could get a bit rough in the North Channel, especially when the tide turns south at around 14:30.

Monday morning

The ECMWF is backing off on the strong winds on Friday week with the stronger winds further to the NW, but with the stable weather pattern briefly breaking down (see the met office video above) it is anyone's guess what will happen,

2025 1st April, Day 3 to Howth.

Needing sleep and with the tide setting north at around 07:30 I did not set the alarm and was awake about then, tidied up, reviewed the weather - not good for the rest of the week, but I will leave the whinge for a separate post on the weather so it can be skipped and left at 08:40.

Wicklow anchorage.

Some wind set in as I was taking the above video and I was away shortly after in a nice but again chilly SE wind, mainly around 10 knots over the ground (less over the water with the strong tide) but occasionally reaching F5 and I had a quick passage to the north entrance to Dublin Bay.

The wind died away as I reached the main shipping channel and for once there was no traffic although the fast ferry was not too far away, so not wanting to hang around in the shipping channel and less than 4 miles from Howth I put the engine on and got the sails in for an orderly entrance to Howth at high water.

Ireland's Eye guarding Howth Sound, Howth marina out
of picture left.

Sunset close to low water 1 day after the spring tide.

Low water 2 days after the spring tide.

26.4 miles in 4:30.

Click here for my likely next steps.

2025 30-31st March, Days 1 & 2 to Dale and Wicklow.

I left on Sunday evening during free flow (for convenience, it turns out the lock gates were fixed but for some reason I was not on the email list and no one thought to put a note on the Facebook post to say it was fixed) with a promise from the models for a week of good weather and helpful winds, the first prophesy still looks correct but the wind forecast changed for the worst that evening and at the time of writing (Tuesday pm) still looks problematic, more of which later.

A present but cool trip to anchor off Dale for an early start next morning.

Dale anchorage, later in the season there would

be quite a few boats anchored here when the

wind is from the west.

With the highest, and lowest, tides of the year I anchored a bit further out than usual as the forecast, which was wrong again, said the wind would turn easterly but light but enough to swing me into shallower water.

I was up and away at 04:15 with no wind and a smooth sea. Butting out against the tide was a bit slow but the tide turns westerly of St Anne's Head well before high water in The Haven.

I over estimated how quickly the west doing tide increases in strength and was half an hour late to my waypoint off of South Bishop but things then speeded up in a big way:

Making 5 knots through the water and almost 12 over the
ground thanks to the highest tide of the year.

Unfortunately none of the promised wind arrived and it was an 18 hour motor.

Despite the curved track I did not change course by
more than 5 degrees from passing the S Bishop Lt
west of St David's Head until north of the Arklow
bank a few miles short of Wicklow.

Sunset over Arklow Bank

Anchoring off Wicklow was  risking a disturbed night and a possible early exit as there is no shelter from the easterly wind forecast for the area but the evening download of the main models suggested a wind slightly south of east on this bit of coast so I opted for some needed sleep and was lucky, there was little or no wind and I had a quite night and 6 or 7 hours of rather broken sleep, it being particularly cold and I could not get my feet warm.

 

Contrary to the forecast yesterday, quite a bit of wind is coming, and on Wednesday or Thursday likely from the NE - realistically I can’t get to Ardglass before it arrives and there are no anchorages I would want to be in with a F6 SE backing NE so if the forecasts are the same in the morning I will sail to Howth just N of Dublin in a promised fresh breeze and stay in the Marina, probably till Friday.

96 GPS miles in 18 hours from Dale. Sunny most of the way, even warm at times with a spot of sun bathing but cold early and late,

Video of the anchorage in the next post, click here for Wiklow to Howth.

2025, 18 - 28th March. Ready for sea but when can I leave?

I made a quick trip down to ready the boat for sea in case I decide to leave at relatively short notice as, given the medium range forecast, could be necessary.

"Confidence is lower than normal, but blocked or slow-moving weather patterns are most probable for the first half of April. This can lead to slow-moving areas of low and high pressure and, depending on their location..." - UKMO19/3/2025.

The ECMWF and GFS models are quite far apart although both show a low to the NE the rest of the pattern is rather different. Neither look that good around the 29th (as far out as I can easily get copies of the models) and I am sure both will change, but no one knows how.

The ECMWF model for midday Sat 29th via Predictwind. A brisk
north westerly is not what I want!

The GFS model for the same time.

The tide is best for heading north from the 30th till the 3rd or 4th with the 2nd optimal, starting at 06:00 from Dale to allow for reasonable sleep before what could be a long day to Wiklow or Dublin. Earlier gives a bit more tide but earlier starts and the 31st has the highest tide of the year which could make for very lumpy seas wind against tide. 

I will need to make a decision 3 or 4 days before departure, one to take bedding, cloths and fresh food to the boat, one to bring the car home and a third to return by train and get out of the marina to overnight at anchor off Dale for an early start next day. 

Leaving direct from Milford means leaving at least an hour earlier and a lock gate at Milford Marina is currently (Thursday 20th) broken with no date for repair, so I can only get out in the two hours before high water, on the 2nd this would be from 07:35 delaying me by about 3 hours and loosing half a tide so I might need an extra days notice to get down earlier and spend a day at anchor.

As is usually the case, I'll have to wait and see and hope that I'll not be delayed till the next favourable tide in the middle of April.

Update 22 March.

Great 😠😠. The GFS is showing poor weather for next weekend but the more reliable ECMWF looks more promising, although I don't like the look of the low out to the northwest.

Its a long way off, but the ECMWF is currently showing a couple
of days of near ideal conditions for heading north on
Sunday the 30th.

So I went to confirm train times for Saturday to find engineering work is taking place between Didcot Parkway and Chippenham / Bristol Parkway, closing all lines. There is further disruption on Chilton railways. A bus replacement service is operating but it would take for ever and the system will not even give me a price. The only alternative route is via Birmingham on slow trains, a very long trip not arriving until evening and costing more than double the normal fare.

So, if the weather still looks good early next week it will be down to Milford on Wednesday evening after a Chiropractic appointment, home on Thursday and back by rail on Friday for very early start on Sunday if the forecast holds, a day before the very high tides so care will be needed. It looks like my trip down on the 18th was unnecessary as I'll have time on Saturday.

An aggressive plan to get to Tobermory, taking full account of tides,
I'm sure it will change but a good starting point and I have nothing
else to do whilst waiting. A few days delay at any point will make
for fewer early starts.

Friday 28th March

On board and ready to go but the weather is not cooperating:

St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, backing westerly or southwesterly 2 to 4, increasing 6 to gale 8. Slight or moderate. Occasional rain or drizzle later. Good, occasionally moderate later.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Southwesterly 4 to 6, veering westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 or 3 later. Slight or moderate. Rain or drizzle for a time at first. Moderate or poor, becoming good.

I guess I’ll be moving to Dale on Sunday evening to head out on Monday.

And he is Off! Click her for the first couple of days to Wicklow in Ireland

My review of anchorages and marinas around UK has been updated to April 3rd 2025 with .GPX download.

Anchorages and Marinas covered as at Feb 2025

Updates Feb 2025: 

• It is now possible to download a .GPX file with all of the covered locations identified (as per above) plus a long list of places I have checked out on paper and may visit.  This can be imported into Memory-Map and other charting software, Details below.
• A few boundaries have been rationalised to run between headlands rather than anchorages to remove confusion and avoid further changes when I add new locations, descriptions on some older links may not be updated but they will still work.
• The Isles of Scilly split from SE Ireland to make more room, there are now 12 pages. 
• Now having a 5G phone, 2025 notes will include O2 5G coverage although I suspect very few will appear, Milford Haven despite being a reasonably sized town is not currently covered.

Sancerre in the anchorage at The Holy Island of
Lindisfarne, 2021, the Farne Islands and Bamburgh
Castle in the distance.  A trip line is required in
this anchorage, to see why click here.

Update Nov 2024: Updated with those visited through 2024, to date I had been to 155 different locations since getting Sancerre, almost all have at least some comments.  

I now include:

• Harbours and Marinas.
• Some info on fuel & gas availability but I would not have checked at many locations. 
• Cell coverage, Vodafone and O2, for those I have visited recently.
• Videos of anchorages when weather, daylight and time permit.

Be sure to check out Reeds and / or the appropriate pilots for more detailed information and alternates, this is just an overview of likely candidates, but I have been to all of them over the last few years. Some notes on passage making using some of these can be found here:  "Planning a round GB trip" , a list of charts and Pilots I have used round GB can be found here: "Charts and Guides for a round GB trip"

Updates Winter 2023/24: Further updated during a boring winter 2023/4 to include some information on access to and from marinas. Done from notes but largely from memory but fortunately that is good for this sort of thing, I just wish that I always knew why I went into a room or opened a browser page 😕. See my page Marina & mooring notes (opens in a new window) for some general tips, definitions and the context (handling of my boat) in which I comment.

Village Bay Anchorage, St Kilda 2023.

Hunda Sound anchorage looking towards Scapa Flow, Orkney at 03:30.

Note that these "Pages" do not show up under "Post Labels" (right). There will normally be more photos of each anchorage on the linked post and sometimes subsequent ones (I normally only "tag" the first post in a sequence) the associated slide show, or by clicking on the Post Label right:

• The Solent.
• The Needles to Rame Hd (Plymouth).
• Rame Head to Lands End.
• The Isles of Scilly 
• Lands End to The Mull of Galloway excluding Ireland.
• The East Coast of Ireland from Carnsore Pt to Fair Head.
• Ireland clockwise from Carnsore Point.
• Mull of Galloway to Ardnamurchan Point.
• Ardnamurchan Point to Rubha Reidh (west of Loch Ewe).
• The Western Isles.
• Rubha Reidh to Duncansby Hd, including Orkney (and hopefully Shetland soon!).
• Duncansby Head to The Solent.

GPX download of locations.

A small chart section showing places I have visited (Red and Blue)
and those I would go to in the right conditions.

I have the entire collection and the charts on my iPads, iPhone and laptops
so if I need to choose a destination or make a diversion I don't necessarily
have to do further wide ranging research, just check tides, the pilot and
charts for the detail.

At the time of writing there are 102 possible locations mainly from Scilly,
Ireland and Lands end to Shetland via Cape Wrath, in addition to the c 150
places I have been to at least once in the last few years.

The chart at the top of the page is a snap shot of some of the places I have visited, they are marks / way points in "Memory Map", I have exported these for back up and so that I can share them to my other devices, I have now made them available so that others can down load them for reference. They are stored in a .GPX file which most charting packages can access, the categorisation may or may not make sense in other software but the marks should appear. If in doubt, back up what is already in your package so that if you can't manage the two or three hundred marks you can bulk delete then restore.

An example of a single mark exported from "Memory-Map for All"
to a .GPX file and imported into my Seapro 3000 navigation software
as a waypoint. Category and symbol information were ignored although
 the name and position did come over. Care must be taken using these
as an actual waypoint - as noted below positions are only indicative.

For software geeks this is how a single point is described coming out of Memory-Map.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<gpx version="1.1"

creator="Memory-Map for All 1.3.1 https://memory-map.com"

 xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"

 xmlns="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1"

 xmlns:xstyle="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/gpx_style/0/2"

 xmlns:xgarmin="http://www.garmin.com/xmlschemas/GpxExtensions/v3"

 xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1 http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1/gpx.xsd http://www.topografix.com/GPX/gpx_style/0/2 http://www.topografix.com/GPX/gpx_style/0/2/gpx_style.xsd http://www.garmin.com/xmlschemas/GpxExtensions/v3 https://www8.garmin.com/xmlschemas/GpxExtensionsv3.xsd">

<wpt lat="51.7073036414" lon="-5.1566832963">

<time>2025-02-10T12:51:51Z</time>

<name>Milford, Dale Shelf, Free Pontoon</name>

<src>mmid:F2364F57A0B3A561</src>

<sym>Anchor</sym>

<type>Anchorages and Marinas:Scilly to Mull of Galloway</type>

<extensions>

<xstyle:fill>

<xstyle:color>00ff00</xstyle:color>

</xstyle:fill>

</extensions>

</wpt>

</gpx>

Overlay list in "Memory-Map for All", items
ticked and those below will be displayed. 

Despite referencing a Garmin schema importing this into Garmin "Active Captain" has the same result as into SeaPro except that the name is truncated further.

Note positions are indicative and do not necessarily mean that you can anchor in the exact location, I sometimes place them close to an anchorage so that the icon does not obscure charted information. E & OE! - check out charts, in particular the Antares charts for West Scotland, Pilots etc. Naming conventions are not altogether consistent as things have changed with time and software upgrades and as selection is graphic from a chart ninety-nine times out of a hundred I am not spending time to improve it further.

I will probably update the files at some point in the future, it is not practical to just issue changes as the the .GPS file does not manage changes or deletions so if you plan to take updates put your own marks under a different category so that mine can be mass deleted and reloaded. The overlay list shows routes, these will not be made available as these may not be up to date or validated, my masters are in SeaPro and exported to the plotter and/or MemoryMap if and when required. Also I am not taking responsibility for your navigation!

Some places have a combination of a marina and moorings (e.g Tobermory which also has some possibility of anchoring), Moorings and mid river pontoons (e.g. Fowey), etc.. I flag them by the type I have used most or the most prolific (e.g. Fowey is shown as moorings although there are a number of mid stream pontoons) but occasionally when there are two significant facilities (e.g. Tobermory marina and moorings or Plockton with significant moorings and anchorage) I put in a mark for both.

The sub category expanded to show the
anchorages, right click + view takes you directly
to the point and an appropriate chart, doing the same
on a category or sub-category shows all selected.

In "Memory-Map for All" they will be shown as overlays under different categories and sub categories so they can be hidden as required, and will be locked in position (but can be unlocked), other software may not support this. I have done basic testing on an iPad and another PC, both using "Memory-Map for all". The older versions of Memory Map did not support sub-categories and I guess they would be turned into categories, early issues with "Memory-Map for All" have been resolved and as the basic software (not the charts which are still remarkably cheap) is free I see no reason not to move to the latest version.

Places I have been to, and therefore have notes on the web site for, are grouped together under "anchorages and marinas" with sub-categories roughly equating to my regional categories above. Anchor Icons ⚓  are coloured to differentiate anchorages (Red) from marinas, moorings and pontoons (without walk on access) that usually have to be paid for (Blue). None of the anchorages I have flagged have to be paid for (unlike Salcombe, Falmouth and Kinsale) but there may be a charge to use landing facilities, usually with an honesty box or on line payment e.g. Plockton (where you can land on the beach for free and it is a shorter walk).

Link to download visited anchorages etc. as a .GPX file to import into Memory-Map (or other mapping software with care).

There are two other categories; in a second downloadable file:

• Possible Anchorages - places I have done at least some research on and so for instance know there is normally sufficient water for Sancerre to stay afloat as low tide and I would, in the right conditions, anchor there overnight. Clearly there are lots more! They will show Green if displayed. They are not categorised further due to the work that would be required.
• Possible marinas - as above, show in purple
• Link to download possible anchorages and marinas. 

There are few possible anchorages on the south coast as I have been to most of the more important anchorages and none on the east coast as I have not done any research on them since 2020 and although I have some noted in excel spread sheets I would have to sift through them and manually enter them, as I don't plan to go that route again I'm not going to put the work in. 

Ireland is a different matter, a round Ireland trip has been on the bucket list for a while and I planned some routes out in detail a couple of years ago, as they are in the system I have put the end points of each planned leg into a third  down loadable file under the category "IRE" that covers Cape Clear west about to Loch Foyle, the coast from Cape Clear east about to Fair Head is covered in the other two files.

The anchorage at Canna, the Small Isles, on route from
Tobermory to S. Uist, 2022. The Isle of Rum in the distance.

Winter work - January through March

20 & 21st January

With poor forecasts through until early February, a storm due this weekend and the desiccant moisture traps likely needing recharging I took the opportunity of a brief improvement in the weather for a trip to the boat taking more freshly cleaned and dried gear with me.

The desiccant had run out and the boat was rather damp but running the diesel warm air heater all afternoon dried things out nicely.

I spent half a day on odd jobs, none of which are of any great interest and on the second day redid a small but important bit of non-slip paintwork. I also tracked down a source of Camping Gas, the marina no longer stocks it and a couple of other places had none in stock but a very helpful lady at the Cross Ways Service Station pointed me too a coal merchant in Milford, just a few minutes from the marina who also does gas. They had none, they sell little in winter, but was quite happy to get some in for me and hold it for a month or two until my next visit.

A good bit of news is that, as far as I can see, there is no growth on the hull at all, it has only been a month but in that time on the Hamble even with fresh anti foul it would be green.

I don’t think there will be an excuse to go again until early March when the desiccant will probably need replenishing and I could start the big exterior clean down, and there is nothing left to do at home except to varnish the tiller which is coming home with me.

Here was an oddity found when checking that Seapro was still
working properly with AIS (I had forgotten to take the security
dongle when I was on the boat last time). Milford Haven VTS
(Vessel Traffic Service a sort of ATC for ships) were operating a
"Class A" AIS station as if it was a vessel, no idea why and nor
does someone who works there.

23 January.

The tiller has not been varnished for a couple of years and it had degraded significantly in the last frew months so it would be more than a quick couple of coats, first the hardware came off. I have never had the tiller out of the tiller head and it was about time I did to check that the condition of the timber, being covered up could mean lots of rot. I was a bit apprehensive as damaging the tiller would be bad, damaging the head a major and expensive issue, I have a spare but it is on the emergency till where it should stay. 

I need not have worried, once decades of varnish over the join had been removed it came off relatively easy with no damage and the timber is in excellent condition.

The head looks rather sad and will need a lot of work, it looks as if someone took a hammer or winch handle to the back top.

What appears to be a crack in the middle left of the height
adjustment screw is a surface mark that does not penetrate.
Interestingly the holes for the bolts are bushed with metal and
the hinge bolt with some type of plastic, and the bolts are
UNC, almost Whitworth but not quite.

Fittings from right to left: Attachment point for the tiller extension,
attachment point for the wind vane steering chain, pin for the
autopilot ram, the metal running from there is to protect the
tiller when the wind vane chain is not connected, e.g. when tacking. 

Looking somewhat better. I continue to be impressed with the
International "Schooner" varnish, a traditional Tung oil based
varnish with UV filters etc. added, easy to apply and a very
good finish.

27th January - A surprise replacement.

I nice surprise (I hope) this morning, I sent the autopilot ram to Raymarine for repair and service over the Christmas break paying an inspection fee, last week they came back:

CUSTOMER REPORTED FAULT:

Excessive play in ram, sideways (and end float?) new sleave bearings needed?

TECHNICIAN OBSERVATIONS:

Confirmed excessive play in drive assembly. Annulus snapped and planet gears missing.

And with an offer to repair it under their fixed price scheme with a years warranty, I was a little reluctant as that would be a fair proportion of what appears to be an overpriced new one (a replacement ram is more than half the price of the complete set up with colour display / head unit, 9 axis sensor, computer, cables etc.). But I gave the go ahead commenting that it had done pretty well with c 15K NM under it's belt but expressing surprise that the planet gears were missing as the unit had never been opened [I would have expected at least the remains to be there and it was working]. 

This morning a new unit arrived unannounced and with no invoice - I imagine that will follow! Unfortunately without the 2" extension but those are readily available.

Update: the invoice arrived and charged me for the inspection that I paid for up front, I won't be paying that, it they want me too they can sent the old one back as a spare as I would have been as well off buying a new one!

£700 worth of tiler drive ram.

22 - 25th February

With very warm weather for the time of year forecast I decided to visit the boat to scrub down the decks, clean and reproof the sprayhood and some other jobs. I had planned to get there at lunchtime on Saturday for the best of the weather but other things got in the way and I arrived early evening. Sunday, as expected was a wash out with winds gusting close to 50 knots so not a lot was done but at least I was not driving in those conditions and could start first thing on Monday which I did.

All of the main jobs were done and I didn't get frozen in the process, dodgers fitted, main and spinnaker halyards re-rove and, with no wind at 07:00 Tuesday, I got the headsail back on, always a fiddly job single handed but much easier now that the sail is more flexible and I have got the hardware sorted with a clutch on the mast so I can heave and sweat it up from forward.

All I need now is a day and a bit to fit the rest of the running rigging, refit the tiller, do a few odd jobs and I am ready to sail.