Americano...

I have just realised I am becoming a stereotype blogger. I am sitting, pre-meeting, in Starbucks in Oxford, "blogging"...

Oh Woe!! Abandon hope all ye who enter here...

Gizmo

Winter Sailing??? Hmmmmm...

This is the only other thing that caught our eyes at the show. Is a diesel hot air heater in case you didn't know.
"Brilliant Idea" I hear you cry!!
Yup, you're right. It's only about 4kg's installed plus a couple of kilo's of diesel to run it, but there is another problem. It's about £1000 to install, and, unfortunately it isn't going to add a grand to Neraida's value. As she is a racing boat, and a little one at that, people aren't usually stupid enough to go cruising in a First Class 8, and wouldn't see a Webasto AirTop 2000s heater as a great selling point..

Shame really, I quite fancy waking up on the Beaulieu River, on a cold, crisp and hazy February morning....

We Survived!!

Firstly an apology to all my loyal readers (Ahem!) for leaving it so long between posts, but I have been a little busy again, and "blooging" is a bit down the list I'm afraid.

The Southampton International Same Show, sorry, Boat Show, has been and gone now, and we managed to make it through without any serious collateral wallet damage. As far as boats were concerned, our big weakness, the First 40.7 wasn't there, so that was easy (even though we had both vowed not to go on it even if it was, VERY close shave last year you see...) so we trotted about looking for something that would catch our eye amongst the acres of white gelcoat. It struck me at this point that an awful lot of boats are the same, just with varying degrees of trim and build quality. There are a few that stand out however: Firstly there are the big boys, the Hallberg Rassey's, the Najad's etc, which ooze quality, even if their styling is a little "conservative". Secondly, there are the Flash buggers, the Oysters, Swans etc which require long distance telephone numbers of folding to buy, and a wardrobe of haute couture to step on board.
Then, there are the "different boats". Most of which are just "odd" or aimed at a specific market niche. For example, I forget the name, but there were a range of motor sailers there, all with pilot houses and canoe sterns, and although lovely I'm sure, really required a skipper of octogenarain years to do them justice. Anyway, I'm rambling, I'll get to the point....
We stumbled across the Cornish Pilot Cutter on our travels, and were invited on board. The boat was truly delightful. The salesman was very attentive (probably as he fancied the mate rotten!) and I was rather taken by the whole thing.

The craft itself was very well put together. Gleaming stainless steel fittings, stunning spruce spars and a colossal ten foot Bavaria mashing bowsprit. She had her faults though too. Firstly she's a smidge too small at 30' LOD, we wanted a little more room, she has a linear galley, which is a bugger in a seaway, and finally, she has a pricetag which would buy you a 40 footer with the "big 3".

Food for thought however... who says you need to buy a brand new boat???

Dirty Thoughts

It is apparent, from Neraida's speed through the water, or lack thereof, that she has a dirty bottom. We have avoided laying her up this year so far for a few reasons which I will explain.

Firstly, it's always a faff. Yards bleat on about how they need to find a "hull supporting cradle" and "we're so busy" bla bla bla etc etc etc I know, taking my money is soooo inconvienient!!

Secondly, ANTIFOULING!! Urrghh. Horrible, expensive paint which is a bastard to put on, and never works as well as the makers claim. This annoys us, as for £100 a tin, you'd expect it to!!

Thirdly, it means that we wont be ably to catch a "quick sail" for a week or so as Neraida will be high and dry.

And finally "JobDread". I'll explain to you non-boaty readers. You can absolutely guarantee that once the boat is out of the water, and you can actually see the bit you ignore for 11 months of the year, there is going to be a glaringly obvious job that you HAVE to do and will also be horrifically expensive...

Solent Breezes

Barely Full!!

It's been a funny weekend of sailing really. The Solent has been beset by light airs all weekend. Saturday provided a more than light northerly, barely touching eight knots and Sunday began with bright sunshine and all but no wind, followed by a flukey and intermittant south westerly maxing at twelve knots or so.
We did, as you can see from the picture above, manage to muster the energy to hoist the asymetric spinnaker, but in the process we discovered that out Lewmar Syncro blocks which we use to gude the sheets , had been stolen!!
We have never had so much as a winch handle lifted from Neraida in all the time we have owned her, and to say that it left a bitter taste is an understatement. It's not the money, the blocks were only about £30 each, but its more the fact that Neraida was boarded, while in Ocean Village Marina, and these scumbags, whoever they are, no doubt took them for their own boat!
I would be less upset if something "non-boaty" was taken, I would blame the run-of-the-mill shithead who will perloin anything that isn't nailed down, but thses blocks were obviously taken by a so-called "fellow boater" for their own use. (They wouldn't fetch much on ebay, they were a couple of years old and faded from the sunshine)

Sods Law

Sitting in my office today, melting due to a duff aircon system, I had some consolation in the fact that; as I had to collect our car from its service close to home, I would be back early enough to get out on the water.
It had been a glorious day so far, and weather reports proposed a continuation of light winds (10knots or so) and a little cloud...

I made it, and we slipped lines and headed out. As we left the marina we noticed a bunch of murk over the New Forest, but we convinced ourselves that it was passing to the north and carried on regardless... Oh! What fools...

No sooner had we set the sails in a good 15knots of wind (funny... sure it was less than that earlier...?), The Mate said, "is that a bit of a squall coming?"
"Looks like it" says I.
The fastest reef in history was set and no sooner had the winch handle been removed, that Neraida tore off, with most of her leeward deck underwater, at "break-chandlery" speed towards Calshot, in 35knots of fierce warm wind, rapidly accompanied by lead like pellets of H2O.
As the marine dust cleared, glances were exchanged and a "see what happens when this has blown through" plan was formulated.

It didn't get much better, although the wind speed peaked at the 25ish mark so Neraida was quite happy with her one reef.
We went home after 2 knockdowns and a spinnakerless broach... ho hum.

Better day tomorrow hopefully!

A Fan!!

Just had a email, via www.neraida.org.uk, it reads...

Hello !!!

I don´t know if you are the owner of Neraida, or just the webmaster, but anyway I just want to tell you congratulations, I have been walking in the ocean village marina looking the boats several times in the last two weeks, and your FC8 is problably the best boat of the all marina, and is very well maintained !!!!!!! (is just my opinion)

So congratulations !!!!!!!!!

And believe me, I know what I am talking about.
I hope that I will be able to see Neraida sailing soon.

Ander.

Well, isn't that nice? Thank you Ander for your kind words!!

You just can't beat it....

Kersplash!!!

This weekend, we managed to blow off a few cobwebs (Literally.. Little omnilegged bastards) and took Neraida for some much needed exercise. A couple of beats down Southampton water in a fresh SE'erly, followed by some gentle dead runs home again. Neraida performed wonderfully, giving a steady 6 to 7 knots on the beat with very little "complaining" despite being slightly overpressed at times. We are still in awe of our new mainsail, the performance increase is great, coupled with a much lowered tendancy to gripe.

The mate and I need to get out on the water a lot more than we have been this year, however 2006 has not been the best, and the last 3 months have been solid work, and somewhat blown our season into the weeds. Nevermind, brisk autumn and winter sails will be the standing order, with maybe even a race or two if we can get some regular crew...

Too busy to Blog!

Meanwhile, here's a picture of the old fella's boat, Hephzibah...

In Your Face!

Neraida in all her glory

Lazy days. This picture was taken by a friend soon after the purchase of the spinnaker you see. When ordered, the original plan was to have a red, white and blue one, but the receptionist at the sailmakers said "why not pink and purple?"
A glint appeared in the mate's eye, and here we are!

That said, I am rather fond of it!

Temptation time approaches....

The Beneteau First 40.7.

Would you be tempted?

On the 15th of September, the Southampton International Boat Show begins once again. Neither of us particularly like the show, not because it isn't a well organised event, or because of the all day trudgery; mainly because of the huge temptation placed before us.
Last year, we all but succumbed to the beast above, a Beneteau First 40.7. We returned for 3 days, each time trying to find reasons why NOT to buy it, rather than the usual justification of a massive expense. We were well and truely smitten, the 40.7 had all that we wanted. It is 12m long, so will fit in our marina berth without costing us anything, it has an "L-shaped" galley for tea under way, it has a clear and simple arrangement down below, with a "ballroom" feel, and what's more, its FAST! Very very fast...
We survived however. We were strong. We are now quite pleased we didn't, as the events of this year, of which I will not bore you, would almost certainly meant that the pressure of a marine mortgage would have squeeked our pips!
Never the less, it's "Showtime" once more, and we are worried that we'll get tempted again. We should go anyway, we could do with some new hardware for Neraida, and the show is, without doubt, the best place to make "larger purchases".

TORTURE!!! Woe is me!! (and 'er)

More Earhole sailing...

And the Red Duster...

I've just realised that I haven't said what kind of boat Neraida is! She is a Beneteau First Class 8. Rather than bang on about what they are, how great they are, etc, I will point you in the direction of the "official" Neraida website.