Sea Trials

We're on the water!

We got to West Mersea around low water this morning and Alison rowed us out in the Worm. As expected Robinetta was aground on her mooring, but by the time we were ready to make a move we were swinging nicely. I found a nasty rip on the new-ish UV strip on the jib.Nothing to stop us using the sail but annoying.

We nervously started the engine and left it running while we finished setting up the foresails. She started first time and sounded fine. We dropped off the mooring and headed down the channel. Alison took the cockpit floor up and the yard had attached the new anode to the gearbox and the shaft seemed to be turning without any problems.

The new depth transponder works! And we could hear Thames Coastguard on the VHF clear as a bell.

We passed Rumba on a mooring - he must have just come in - and were told that it was a bit lumpy out in the river. More wind than forecast certainly.

We had a very nice gentle sail on reefed main and staysail, and picked up our mooring under sail, which gives a good feeling.

So everything seems good. Two things to investigate or keep an eye on.

1. We throttled up to get past a dinghy race and the engine sounded a bit harsh
2. There is still some water coming in at the bows, quite high up. Hopefully this is just taking up.

It's six months since we took her out, and it certainly felt like a long winter of work, but it's worth it now we're sailing again.