Coniston Water

 

We attended the Coniston rally, 22-25 May.  Unfortunately, the electrics on the boat had failed, so I wasn’t able to record tracks.  My estimate (from previous visits) is that, over the two days, we went about 10nm.

As seems to have been the way with this season, this trip resulted in some damage, this time to the stainless steel keelband. When launching, unbeknown to me until hauling out at the end of the trip, I managed to catch to keelband between a fissure in the slipway, which resulted in the keelband peeling off at the stern and doubling back on itself.  Consequently, we spent the entire trip dragging water around with us rather than slipping through it with more grace.

Initially, I managed to bend it back to this position, since it had been bent back on itself, pointing forward.  
I haven’t pictured the final repair, but it is now more or less attached to the hull, thanks to two longer screws and lashings of Sikalflex…

On our return, I managed to bend it almost back into position and applied sealant to hopefully plug any holes.  Alex, at Anglia Yacht Brokerage, said that the best solution is to pull it off altogether since he'd come to the conclusion that steel capping on the keel was more trouble than it’s worth.  That might be a close season task.  Hopefully for the remainder of the season, my repair will hold, but I shall have to return to this issue at some future point…

Norfolk Broads - Bureside Holiday Park

 

Cruising up the Bure towards the entrance to Ranworth Broad

Another Broads rally.  This one, for the first time, was based at Bureside Holiday Park, which made for an excellent venue.  There's a decent slipway and acres of space for camping, with electric hook-up all round for those that need it.  It's a good venue and, I am sure, one to which we shall return.

Kizzy came along and enjoyed her walks.

Lugger 'Jimbo' in action

On day 2, we took a short trip up the River Thurne to Womack Water, where there are some handy moorings for a walk into Ludham

7 September, 11.8nm

8 September; outward bound yellow, 2.9nm; return red, 2.6nm

I was pleased with the return trip from Womack Water to Bureside Holiday Park.  Beating into the wind, this track shows over 90 tacks (red track) which, when put together with the outward (yellow) trip, means that we went about well over 100 times...  Once out in the river, I managed the entire return trip without engine

Coniston rally, 1-4 July

 

Kizzy and Daisy IV on Wildcat Island

I attended the Coniston Rally which was the usual brilliant fun.  I'd been here once before with Daisy II and really wanted to bring Daisy IV for a repeat trip.  This one had the added bonus of being midweek and, of course, the company of Kizzy!

I made the following video compilation which gives  flavour of the trip.

2nd July, 9.3nm

3rd July, 14.4nm

Walton Backwaters: 23 May, 8-9 June

In May and June, I made two visits to Titchmarsh Marina in order to sail around the Walton Backwaters.  The first was a reconnaissance trip to prepare for the second which was a Drascombe Association rally I organised.

The following video gives a flavour of the event.

Track from 23 May, 8.8nm

8th June, 10.6nm

9th June, 5.9nm