The Sailing programme has been updated once again:
Now that your new Dufour has been delivered the Yacht Husband team have started on their list of 60+ items whilst allowing the electronic systems to be installed, set up, tested and calibrated. Further work includes compass swings, surveyors examinations, modifying the operating manuals, completing and submitting documentation for entry onto the UK Ships Register, preparing notes for and conducting short Axiom Multi Function Display courses and the familiarisation of Approved Skippers.
It might be necessary to eat into some of the programmed sails in the latter half of May to accommodate them. Hence the attached sail programme shows the Taster Days, Sea Time and Rob Stephens charter slightly greyed out to indicate that they could be under threat of truncation or cancellation.
Our brand new yacht, a Dufor 390, is now on here inaugural Summer Cruise.
Documentation such as the Operations Manual and Familiarization Guide is available to skippers through a new menu on this website underneath the ‘Sea Essay’ menu. The password for this page is available from the webmaster.
Historically CSD have provided a training pathway from novice to RYA Yachtmaster. Following a change in RYA criteria for Recognised Training Centres we have been unable to offer the complete package in-house and require collaborations with external RTCs and instructors, these have had varying success.
We are now in a position to formalise an arrangement and have RYA Instructors who are prepared to put in the effort to make it happen if there is sufficient call for it among you.
So if you are contemplating any sailing training next year or further in the future, particularly Competent Crew, Day Skipper, Yachtmaster Coastal or Offshore, please contact our Training Organiser Andy Rankine (training@channelsailing.org) as quickly as possible.
A report on a West Country Cruise on Sea Essay (18-26 June 2021)
I have been wanting to explore the West Country for several years and finally my stars aligned. After checking availability with a prospective mate and other crew, I took the plunge, booked the charter and time off work.
With the rule of 6 in force we sailed with 6 POB. All on board had experience and all but one had previously sailed on Sea Essay. Skipper and Mate had both attended a Skippers Refresher event organised by another club prior to this event.
Since we had heard that restaurants might be fully booked we victualed on the basis of eating on board on at least 4 evenings. This worked out very well in practice.
Saturday
We took over Sea Essay at 1200 and slipped our lines around 1630 for a short passage from Mayflower Marina to Newton Ferrers on the River Yealm. When East of Drake’s Island we raised the main with the intention of sailing with one reef but encountered an issue with tangled reefing pennants. With this resolved we had an enjoyable beat until we made the leading line to Wembury Church. With the wind increasing we took in a reef and then in a light drizzle, we entered the River Yealm under engine. Met by HM near the visitors’ pontoon and allocated a residential mooring for the night.
Peaceful moorings on the River Yealm
Sunday
Little to no wind – Carefully exited R Yealm after LW. Passage to St Mawes, Famouth Marina and rafted at Falmouth Yacht Haven. Ate ashore at the Pizza place on the foreshore.
St MawesThe foreshore at Flushing
Monday
Inclement weather forecast. Spent day in Falmouth with some crew exploring the town and others visiting the Cornish National Maritime Museum.
Falmouth Yacht Haven – from the Cornwall National Maritime Museum
Tuesday
Passages under sail to the River Helford.
Then a passage towards Fowey.
Responded to a PAN PAN call from two dinghy sailors in a swamped dinghy. Photo below is of the dinghy after a tow to Portscatho.
The RNLI arriving on scenePassing Polruan
Our mooring for the night was on pontoon No 5
Wednesday
Topped up with water – Purchased Gas. The latter is only available at Mixtow Creek which is shallow at LW.
We then took in some of the coastline en-route towards Polpero which turned out to be a fantastic lunch stop.
Polpero – Not for the feint-hearted
Fore and aft mooring here for yachts either side of the entrance channel for the harbour. Local fishing boat had other ideas.
We then had an exhilarating downwind passage to Salcombe.
Sea Essay rafted outside of madness, on the pontoon in the Bag.
Thursday
Took advantage of the Salcombe Yacht Club’s showers. Passage under engine to Burgh Island for lunch at anchor.
Passage under sail to Newton Ferrers.
Headland off Noss Mayo
Used leading lines and transits to enter the River Yealm.We were unable to book and outside table but ate ashore at The Ship in Noss Mayo after using the tender to get ashore.
Issue with the Fwd heads – would not pump in water.
Symptoms were that “water did not come in and handle springs up if pushed down” Seacock was open. Flush lever was fully open already.
Clear inlet pipe was very dark. After disconnecting this pipe from the pump this marine growth was pulled out of the pipe. The remainder was blown back out through seacock using air pump.
Friday
Tidal Gate at LW in R Yealm at the Bar. We then took the opportunity to for MOB Practice under sail and engine in Plymouth Sound and sailed to an anchorage at Cawsand. After an excellent salad lunch and with a moderate breeze we has an exhilarating sail, short tacking all the way up to Saltash to check our clearance under the bridges.
We then explored the R Lynher ….
A minesweeper moored on the River Lynher
before leaving two crew at the Mayflower marina and mooring in QAB. We ate ashore at the Murghai Restaurant close to QAB marina.
No one spotted my deliberate mistake in SNL 02/2021 in identifying the tap for the Aft (No.2) Water Tank. It is in fact the top one on the manifold and is very obvious when you look at the arrangement of the pipework. An update to the second skipper’s newsletter for 2021 has been sent to all regular skippers of Sea Essay.
Website Author and Administrator is a proposed new role for CSD. It will involve working with the Webmaster and the Programme Sub-Committee to keep the CSD website and CSD facebook group up-to-date.
This website is currently produced using WordPress, a web-based tool for creating and managing blogs and other types of website.
Experience in similar roles would be useful but is not a pre-requisite.
Access to a computer with Windows 10 or MAC OS and internet connectivity is likely to be essential. Some updates can be done using a smartphone or tablet.
Familiarity with posting messages on facebook and other internet forums or blogs is highly desirable.
This role would provide an opportunity for a volunteer to contribute to the club and to gain knowledge and experience in the following:
How the club operates
Use of WordPress & other related tools
Information management
Website management
Aspects of IT security
Publicity / Marketing
This is not a time consuming role as we do not often receive more than two time-sensitive requests to updates the website each month. However, we are short of people with the necessary skills to make the most of the website and we would like more volunteers to be able to carry out such updates.
If you are interested in discussing this opportunity please complete the form below or contact the Webmaster though other channels.
