Yacht Capella

Dec 04 2009
SUMMER SPLASH
Written by Ron   
Friday, 04 December 2009


 Some pics of Kirsty, Stuart and Fiona when they stayed on Capella whilst attending a "Splash Course" at Port Edgar.


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Last Updated ( Friday, 04 December 2009 )
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Nov 25 2009
Hello Again
Written by Ron   
Wednesday, 25 November 2009
Been quiet for a while, very little sailing and not much enthusiasim either . I've decided to bring Capella's news up to date.
Last Updated ( Saturday, 05 December 2009 )
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Jan 13 2009
2008 Summer Cruise
Written by Ron   
Tuesday, 13 January 2009
Alan had been doing some course and needed tobuild up his sea miles so some night sailing was in order.

This summer's 'ha ha' cruise was to be a short trip to the Moray Firth and back home again and as Alan is doing his 'Yachtmaster' some night miles were needed.
Port Edgar to Peterhead is a nice easy (well sometimes) run of about 120 miles depending on tides, the helmsman and the wind. so we set off fromPort Edgar fully loaded with a variety of gins, some tonic, a crate of lemons and the new ice box packed, well, with ice. The evening sundownershouild be perfect!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
                                      
          Passing Inchkieth to the north                                                                               Edinburgh from the Oxcars light outward bound


The wind was fair all the way to the Bell Rock light, even the cruising shute was in use, then as usual for this year ziltch, nada, zero dead calm.
However the watch system of one hour on and two off worked well and Alan enjoyed his first experience of night sailing. It really can be quite special on your own in the cockpit with the moon and maybe phosphoressence on the water. Usually of course it's just wet, cold and miserable!


                                    
             THe Bell Rock lighthouse                                                                                  They appear from nowhere!


Another new toy (AIS radar) proved it's worth as we passed Aberdeen where the traffic is heavy with supply boats, ferries, and fishing boats going in all directions at once. The AIS shows them all on ythe chart plotter with speed and distance so that a passage through them can be made with out too much difficulty.
I called Peterhead harbour on the VHFfor permission to enter and Alan took us acroos the bay and into the marina where he proceeded to berth Capella immaculately only for Jim, the marina master, to tell him to shift  "'cos I need that pontoon for big boat due shortly".
Anyway Alan needs the practise and made just as good a job second time around.
We collect the necessary keys and turned in for a quick kip well satisfied with our 25 hour trip.
As, sadly,  Peterhead is not a very nice place since the decline of the fishing and ship repair work I will glaze over our stay, indeed whil'st I'm sure we ate ashore and had a pint or two I don't recall much. A Weatherspoons comes to mind but who knows.


                                                 
             David's galley----- Keep out!                                                                        A fine morning in the North Sea


0630 Friday loomed dull, flat calm and depressing as we cleared Peterhead Hrabour and entered the North Sea once more, motoring on a big gentle swell with the tide helping.
By 1000, each fortified by  two of David's huge bacon, egg and whatever else he can find, rolls, the wind came up (not from the crew) and all sail was set. With a healthy tide and 17Kts south east wind Capella flew past Rattry Head and passed Fraserburgh into the Moray Firth.
On the approach to Whitehills the wind, surprise, surprise, faded but it was a well satisfied crew who motored towards the harbour where Alan again took the boat into the quite narrow and awkward entrance. We were met by the deputy Harbour Master who informed me that my friend David was in Australia visiting family . I was sorry to miss him but the harbour is as welcoming as ever.
That evening saw us visit the tiny local pub for a jar or two before fish suppers all round and bed.


                                    
         Whitehills marina                                                                                                    Rattry Head--------- unusually quiet!!


Before turning in we had decided that a trip across the firth to Helmsdale would be nice so at a very lesuirely 0930 Alan (Again?) took Capella out of Whitehills harbour to sea. A pleasant 10 Kt easterly allowed us to reach northwards and soon the chute was up and pulling. After yet another splendid lunch from David the wind started to rise. With the chute  put away, the tops'l dropped and the flying jib rolled up we were still doing 5.5 Kts, fabulous sailing for this tub (sorry about that Capella).

As the afternoon wore on it got much colder but we didn't care as we carefully navigated the sandy channel and entered Helmsdale harbour. What a magical wee place! THe Harbour master was there to take our lines and as a trad boat man himself we had much to talk about.
He explained that Helmsdale was built from scratch to house displaced crofters on the Sutherland estates who had to learn to live from the sea, and took Alan and David off in his car to show them the original settlement nearby.


                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
                                   
       The approach to Helmsdale                                                                                  Capell ain the tiny harbour 

                                                                                      
                                                                                      The memorial cairn on the site of the old settlement.  


On their return we made use of the fine new shower building before visiting the village for a fine meal and liquid refreshment.
Sailing days don't come much better than this! 

                  

Fisheries protection boat----- creepy!                                                          Rexaxed of Helmsdale

After a leisurely breakfast  (waiting for the tide!!) we set of towards Lossiemouth at1130Hrs and made good progress under all sail motoing into the marina at 1700 after a very nice days sailing. David had cooked, Alan had sailed the boat and I read the Sunday papers, fitting in  the arduous task of filling in the log every hour. The skipper's job is so hard I sometimes wonder why I carry on.
We ate in an excellent restaurant, the name escapes me, that David and I have used before and retired to bed after some refreshments.
 After a stormy night Lossiemouth woke to a calm day but the sea was still pounding onto the beach due to a huge north easterly swell and the harbour entrance looked impossible. It is also pretty silted so we waited for more water hoping that conditions would improve.
At 1230 we decided to have a go and motored out into the swell which was very unpleasent indeed until we got a few miles offshore where things were a bit quieter. Enough wind got up to allow us to make sail and things began to improve as we tacked in towards Buckie and ate lunch. No sooner than we had finished  the wind died and on starting the engine I found we had no drive . The coupling bolts had sheared once more, served me right I should have sorted the problem once and for all in the wintert least we now know how to sort it out, we got some sail up and Alan worked his socks off  at the helm keeping Capella moving to give David and me a reasonably steady platform to work on.
Lying on my stomach in the wet locker I could access the rear of the engine and dismantle the flexible coupling from the gear  box and prop shaft.
Once out in the cabin David and I cut  and drilled out the broken 8mm studs and reassembled the unit with new bolts ( I was carrying spares this time!!)
Then it was back into the engine space to reassemble the whole thing. It all went well and Capella was back under power two hours after we broke down. I really will fit a new coupling when we get back to P.E., honest.

                                                               
                                                                An afternoon snack

We decided to carry on to Stonehaven through the night to make up for lost time and had to motor most ofthe way through some bad visibilty and very heavy rain. Coming on deck at night loses its charm when you have to put on the wet gear you discarde djust two hours before, ugh
, why do we do this. For fun of course you wimp!
Once again the AIS proved its worth as we weaved our way passed the Aberdeen traffic in poor visibilty.
Stonehaven was never a more welcome sight as we entered and tied up on the wall after twenty two hard hours. A shower and kip was just what the doctor ordered.
By noon the weather was positively tropical and we were able to lounge on deck with  papers and books, David totally covered in protective creams and hats to fend off the dreaded UV rays.
                                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                      Stonehaven harbour

                                                                                            

We left Stonehaven at 0800 on Wednesday with drizzle and a huge swell from the north east but as the day wore on the weather improved and Capella flew south passing  the Bell Rock with the cruising chute pulling us along at 5.5kts.
I dropped it before we rounded the North Carr buoy then as we passed Anstruther the top sail went into it's bag. The wind kept rising as we passed to the south of Inchkeith and the helm was becoming difficult to control. I  was heading across to the north shore for some shelter to drop the main when David, who was below monitoring the AIS  called to warn that a tug was approaching in the main channel. Alan saw the red port  light at the same time. With Capella uncontrollable we had to stand on and hope that they had seen us on radar or by eyeball. The green took forever to show but we made it and as the tug passed astern we saw that he had slowed to let us through.

                                                                      
We motored the rest of the way and were soon back on the pontoon where we toasted yet another successful passage.

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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 02 June 2009 )
 
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