We are Sailing
The Golden Cloud 8.6.12
Once again I've left you lovely people for too long. So much has happened in so little time with me and the boat, and now I type sitting onboard my boat as she sways in the Gales.... Maybe this wasn't the best week to give her some sea trials!
About 10 days ago I had a bit of an issue at Uni, and as a result I was frustrated with life. The result of this frustration was me deciding I should spend a week or so tending to my Boat.
As I started working me and Lloyd the boatyard manager, started talking and we decided that it was probably better for me to work on getting the boat to sea for a short period of time, to suss out any issues she had before I spent out on the interior. For all I know I could spend thousands making her gorgeous inside and then the engine might not work or the hull might have a massive leak!
First I repaired the mast, her spreaders (the arms that keep the mast upright) had snapped over winter. To save the extortionate cost of buying Yacht Spreaders, I went to a metal merchants, brought the tube raw and manufactured it myself!
Then I got to work on was sanding down the hull to check for any dodgy repairs... I found a few!
Turns out at some time in the past her long keel had hit bottom and got damaged. Whoever owned her at the time did a quick repair job with car filler fibreglass, and never got round to going over the job properly.
Needless to say this area now leaked,and so needed a repair.
So I sanded the area down, chipped out the fibreglass, drilled it around the hole, and left it to dry.... Apparently 40 years of soaking water into a concrete cored keel meant it didn't dry, and as time past it kept seeping water.
In the end we decided to mark down the affected area, reseal it quickly and come back to it in the winter, put the boat in a barn and let her dry out.
Next on the list was getting the engine started. So we charged up the battery, put a hosepipe on the water intake, and next morning started her up.
Amazingly she started first time!!!! Turns out the engine name SABB (not SAAB like the planes and cars) which is Scandinavian for hard working and reliable, is quite fitting.
Then I unpacked the sails to check for damage, all sails were the original 1970 sails no damage, just a bit of oiling on the Hanks! This was too easy!
Then the issues began....
1st I noticed that the prop shaft was disconnected with the engine. meaning although the engine worked it didn't turn the propeller!
And because of the engines age, the bolts were not modern metric dimensions! So out with the hack saw and manufactured some new bolts.
Then all bolted up. Me and the lads from the boatyard slowly hoisted the mast up by resting it on the roof of a shed! By the end of the beautiful evening, we sat around with Golden Clouds on the horizon, sharing a curry and a can of lager! Wonderful!
Then to make her ready for sea, I removed the infamous freezer, and put in a worktop to give me space for chart work. While a porta potty was installed in case I journeyed to Aberystwyth Marina, where the bucket and chuck it method isn't accepted.
Soon it was time to get her afloat, and after a day of cleaning her up and cleaning the area where she once sat, Lloyd picker her up in his tractors slings, and down to the water. Mick from the yard who also owns a Falmouth Gypsy, came on-board to help with proceedings.
Down into the water, and away we went FANTASTIC! She sat beautifully in the water! And she reversed with ease out of the slings.
oh
wait
She could only reverse!
NO FORWARD GEAR!
Mick ran to the front of the boat and prepared the Anchor!
OH NO!!!!
Luckily the beast of a rudder this fantastic boat has meant she steered OK in reverse. So we gently reversed her onto the mooring, with a bit of help from the nose of Lloyd's rib.
When low tide game I got down underneath the prop, and saw that too big an anode (piece of metal to stop the propeller deteriorating) had been installed. So I unscrewed it, put it onboard, and readjusted the bolts on the propshaft.
Tide returned. FORWARD Gear existed.
Since then, I've happily lived onboard, and every high tide myself and Mick have gone down the estuary to try and iron out any issues with the boat.
Yesterday we even got a jib sail up, and in the wind this was enough so we didn't need the engine.
Needless to say these sea trials are showing a few faults (3 a4 pages so far) but nothing that cannot be worked around.
This weekend when the weather dies down I'm going out without Mick for the first time, but with some friends out fishing. Safe Seas and Tight lines!
The Golden Cloud - 04/02/12
The Self Preservation Society
You may all be wondering why I have not updated for a while, you'd think the coldest week of the year would be a big talking point! Well it would be if I were cold!
The other night I had an indepth boat conversation with another Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences boat person who lives on a 47ft Ketch in Aberystwyth Harbour. He's a lecturer, and researches in Greenland based from said ketch!
His main comments during the conversation were that "I should be careful on the boat, as every man (or woman) has installed inside themselves a certian amount of passion for thier boat. If I were to spend too much time on her, or didn't get back enough good experiences, this passion will waste away and I'll soon be trying to sell a half converted boat!"
With these comments in mind I came into work last weekend, during my shift myself and the boss saw the weather forecast.... minus temperatures, east winds, and snow for the week....
And so just to give the night porter a week off you understand, I offered my services for working nights in exchange for a bed and a round of toast a day! Thankfully the boss accepted!
Thus the last few day's I've taken a welcome holiday from the boat as a Night Porter at the hotel, warm sleeps, hot showers, wifi... this is the life! See how i'm living it up at ... http://www.richmondhotel.uk.com/index.php
With the wifi, I've made steps to insure I don't need the hotel. On Thursday I ordered the insulation for the boat, once installed I should be as snug as a bug in a rug.... mainly as it will probably be summer by the time I'm finished!
Another bonus of the hotel is I've been in easy access of Uni, and as a result I have obviously spent the week not at uni but in the field!
Fieldwork has been slow but beautiful. Days out with friends in stunning (frozen) scenery, by a river, on a van-road-trip, with hot spiced apple and/or cake breaks, and lots of playing with Icicles makes for an awesome week!
Sadly all good things come to an end and so as "the warm air wins" and Aber is drowned in a bath of cold rain, fieldwork is put on hold. But further good news is on the horizon as I see good friends from the not so distant past are headed towards Aber.
A week of frolicking, catching up, and hopefully insulation installation parties are on the way!
Chin up! Worse things happen at Sea!
Golden Cloud 11/1/12
The Adventure Begins
The ferry pulled away out of Yarmouth on a cold winter's morning. Below decks my Kayak, for years neglected as I studied at uni, was coming up to aber for the first time. No longer a device of pleasure, but a working vessel, a platform for fishing and lobster potting, as well as collecting wood.
I sail across with mum, and once we dock on the other side, I'm greeted by the smiley face of Jo who offered to take the kayak up on her roof rack for me! Incredibly kind of her!
From there I went by train to Wolverhampton to spend and evening with grandma and watch a football game, before heading on to Aber to prepare for what was to come...
I took the early morning train to Mach, to meet my friend and colleague Keith. From there keith drove us up to Porthmadog to the Golden Cloud. This was a special day, the day I moved in.
Armed with a bag full of tools and a sleeping bag (as well as keiths ample toolbox), we made our way through the wild and windy mountains of Wales, the twin geography geeks pointing out every morainic feature and erratic on the way. We made Porthmadog in good time and so I headed off to the shops to get a few things before I headed to the boatyard.
Upon arrival we made quick work of taking down the boom tent, mast and rigging, with help and knowledge from the boats old owner Brian (or Keith as I kept calling him). I say quick work, it was probably quicker than we would have liked. We carefully lowered the mast on her hinges with keith holding the rope forward, and me taking the weight of the mast with an old a-frame underneath. As we got nearly there the mast was but a meter from finishing point. Here we hit a snag... well actually my right ear!
I suddenly felt the weight increase dramatically through the a-frame, the rope had gone parallel with the mast, so from here the rope would have little strength to slow the fall. I told keith to tie the rope off as he wouldn't be able to stop her... at that the a-frame started to creak, a crack then appeared in the top of it... it was buckling under the weight, I shouted "keith tie her off she's gonna slip" to a response of ..."it's ok I've got it" ...bollocks had he!
With that the mast slipped out the a-frame, and through keiths hands, as I saw it coming I quickly dropped the wood, got my hands up to catch, but the weight of 9m of aluminium mast was to heavy to catch. As I caught her, she slid veraciously down the side of my head, ear, cheek, and neck, before resting (with a thud) on my shoulder!
An inch higher drop, an ounce heavier mast, or microsecond slower reactions, it would have slipped all the way, and smashed through the cabin roof, or worse still through my collar bone!
But all in all this was a good job, we lashed the mast to the railings and cabin roof, knowing that we'd saved a fair wack off crane fee's. Once we'd tidied a few more things ready for the move, we headed off to town to price up a freezer for onboard. On realising every electrical shop in Porthmadog was a rip off, Keith headed home to look at what was on offer online.
I spent the evening playing endless games of solitaire, moving things about and making plans for the boats future. When I thought the night was drawing in I headed to the local only to find it was still only 5.15 (It felt more like 8) and I'd have to wait like a seasoned alcoholic before I could get in.
After a scrumptious Steak and Ale pie, bed called me as if it was half one in the morning. I tootled back to the boat (by this time it was 7.15), before laying out the sleeping bag and getting ready for bed.
Morning came with utmost beauty. There is nothing quite like waking up just before dawn next to a river, and watching the wild birds flock and feed across the sand bars, this was something I'd soon become accustomed to! As the sun rose over the welsh landscape the beauty of the scenery was breath taking (see pictures). There's also nothing quite like a big fry up on a big day!
By 7.30am I was ready, fed, and had prepared the boat to the nines for the haulage company. The HIAB was booked for 9.30 and it wasn't till 9.20 I got the dreaded call. The lorry had broken down between Betws-y-Coed and Porthmadog. Some radiator pipe had burst, these things happen I suppose. Never the less the driver said he had the part and he'd soon be on his way.
To fill the time I scrubbed the decks top to bottom... If I hadn't already paid the difference would have added thousands to the price of the boat!
11am no lorry, I phone up... the spare he had onboard didn't fit, so he'd had to get someone to come out from base with an alternative, he wouldn't be long an hour at worst...
3pm the lorry turns up... but my what a spectacular piece of kit this HIAB is... the crane arm folded out of the back of the cab like some mangled velocoraptor arm, swung over and with ease manoeuvred the boat peacefully onto the flatbed. The driver looked liked the worlds strongest man as he pushed the 4 tonne boat into position with ease.
Soon we were on our way, I called ahead and informed Ynyslas we'd be there before sundown...
Or not.
10miles out of Porthmadog, is a big hill... big hills and bodged pipe repairs don't mix. A sulphurous smell filled the cab and as we slowed steam surrounded us from all angles, like some 1940's romantic film at the station! We got out the cab and while I went for a walk to find the source of the sound of a beautiful river, the driver got to work on a repair.
The HIAB's next party trick was awesome too... with the flick of a button in the cab the whole front section levered itself forward, to reveal the smouldering remains of the driver's repair!
The magical jubilee clip just couldn't hold the pressure, and had come loose.
So away the driver went (it was now tipping it down, and I couldn't wait in the cab because the cab floor was at 45 degrees and the door was now about 8ft up in the air!
Soon a Haulage repair company turned up and set to work on the repair. Thinking it would be a quick job I stayed to watch. Turns out it wasn't and so before I got trench foot, I got the ladder out and went up into my yacht on the back of a lorry, went and sat at my desk and played cards...
Now I'm not the best at cards, in fact I'm pretty hopeless, ask my housemates of 67 pjm. So when it looked like I was gonna finish off my game of solitare, you can imagine my disappointment as the driver tapped on the hull of the boat and said time to go!
The disappointment was soon reduced as we sped off down to Ynyslas.
Upon arrival we were greeted by the staff and other people who live at the yard. In the dark, wind and rain they stood at the gate, wearing matching red head torches, and guided us in to the boats eventual mooring spot.
As I made my apologies for the delay, while introducing myself to my yard mates, I was soon whisked away to be shown the woodburner Lloyd had made me... I had been pricing up alternative places to get a stove from fearing this stove would be a bodge job. Oh no she was a beauty, the smallest wood burner I've ever seen, but beautiful. The yard had been working on her all winter to perfect her, and she was now, well perfect!
Once everything was sorted with the haulage and chocking up the trailer I headed into Borth to get the bus or train back to Aber, get a few things and sort out a few things.... Borth's further away than I remembered! Luckily I hitched a lift in with a lovely gent who owns a Snapdragon at the yard as luck would have it. He drove me into Borth, where I used the payphone (I know they do still exist!) to call in the ex that made this all possible to give me a lift back to Aber.
On arrival back in Aber, I charged my phone just enough to txt Jo who'd kindly brought up my kayak to say I was now here. And within moments we were back on out way with my kayak to the yard to slot her under the boat! (The bilge keel hugs the kayak light like a mother monkey to her child!)
One last sleep in town, in a bed, tho for this night before moving out properly.
Next morning I buy some things the boat needs, before heading to the yard to have the burner fitted. Out with the toilet in with the stove, fair swap I feel!
As the welsh rain fell, I quickly devoured a tin of beans before a few knocks with the hammer made a cowl to stop the rain coming down the chimney.
Soon after I started my first meal on the stove, Eggs and Bacon, my god was it tasty!
The boys at the yard have been fantastic so far, they've sorted everything out I could ask, they've lent my any tool I need, and they've given every piece of advice I could ever ask for. for this I'm forever grateful.
The next day I had work 9-5 cleaning up and preparing the hotel I work at for the new season, a long day, but good fun. The staff at work (and almost everyone I've met along the way) have all been so accommodating helping me out. At work they offered to help find me anything I needed for the boat, while also giving me a supply of firewood (in green grocer crates) some food (in the store of apples left from this years harvest), and various utensils I required. Bless the boss he's also lent me a shed for storing my excess gear, and is letting my mother stay over at the hotel when she comes to help me out onboard.
After work I cleaned out the old flat with the ex as the contract ran out the following morning. Moving is always a stressful thing, but something about cleaning out a flat, that represents the future you were building was quite hard to take.
The boss then drove me back out to the yard, and the expressions from his face when he viewed the boat were a sight to behold. When I've brought mates to the boat they've seen that yes its small but its got everything and its perfectly adequate. He just had blind fear in his face, its making me chuckle just thinking about it.
This brings me back to a conversation I had with the ex that evening. She said she felt sorry for me, in that I had little cash, and had almost been forced into taking the option of this tiny yacht, and she thought it might make me sad.
When I thought about it though, I realised at the moment, I'm feeling the happiest I've ever felt. I've got a cool quirky house that has my every need, I'm living in a way that's frugal and relatively good for the planet, every penny I'm spending on my boat is something I am more than likely gonna make back when I sell her instead of going into the pocket of some landlord, I live in a amazing beautiful place, I can go kayaking whenever I feel (indeed yesterday morning I kayaked up river collecting firewood before breakfast), I get to cycle across some of the most gorgeous scenery in the world to get to uni, I'm surrounded by brilliant funny people who want to help me and want to have a good time, I have so many opportunity's with these people to do amazing things. Many people only have the experiences I've had in these first few days once in there life. Most only get to do the things I'm doing on holiday. Most people never have times like these. And for these reasons, I feel the richest and happiest I have ever felt... Long may it continue!
The Golden Cloud 21/12/11
When I was a teenager my mother always used to say, "as soon as my savings got to £300, I couldn't take it any more and would spend it". Ooops I did it again!
Sat on the sofa, with top of the pops 2 on the telly, I've had one of those evenings where the boredom pushed me to a moment that I checked how my banking looked. After working for a friend of my mum, cleaning my great aunties car and selling my old speakers I'd amassed about £300... time to go and blow it then!
So onto ebay, look at my "watch list" and I soon see that oh wait, there's a 500w wind turbine on there, I've been watching it because it suits what I want... And look here, its on at £155, £300 less than I priced up. Well how could I resist a bid, i'll say a £180 maximum!
30 seconds left, no bid from me £155, I'm holding out to make sure there's no time for anyone else to bid... 20 seconds left no bid from me, this holding out is hard £155... 15 seconds, Now's my time! £180 maximum bid.... 10 seconds OUTBID!... 3 seconds left quick £185 bid, .... 0 seconds ... WIN!
God my heart was about to explode....
 |
| I'm the winner!!!! |
However, this is quite exciting, I now own a 500watt wind turbine, a source of power beyond my needs! (I'd planned for 100watts).
Before any geographers point out a big problem with turbines, I did think about it! A wind turbine, doesn't produce its rated output all the time. The output of this turbine increases from 0w at 0mph wind, up to 500w at 35mph wind. Some turbines won't produce any energy at usual wind speeds, and only produce an output at hurricane force wind! Luckily this turbine has an output of 100w at the average wind speed in the Aberystwyth area so that will do me nicely.
I'll probably also get a small solar panel to see me through the not so windy days of summer.
Exciting stuff!!!!
It's been posted to the boatyard which makes it more exciting! However, he doesn't know it's coming so fingers crossed he doesn't send it back!!!!
Seatbelts on the roller coaster of The Golden Cloud is about to start!
Merry Christmas
The Golden Cloud 19/12/11
And so the Christmas season is most defiantly upon us. I'm sat now curled up in a blanket on mums rocking chair, sat by the fire while the dogs sleep to either side of me. It's so nice to be home and the Christmassy homely feel is definitely what the doctor ordered.
I spent the first few days after getting home doing a RYA Powerboats License. I sometimes find myself doing something fantastic like this. I spent 2 days courtesy of my job at uni, spinning around in a high spec. powerboat, doing over 35knots, racing ferry's, the rib's equivalent of a handbrake turn, j turns, 8 turns and donuts! FANTASTIC. Apparently this will also be something that will help the work I do, and will mean they give me more hours. What more can I ask for!?!
I've come back in the evening and spent my spare time reading the various books I've bought off amazon as reference material for the project. Many things have caught my eye, from chutneys and jams, to fish traps and lobster pots. Fingers crossed I'll have the time to try them out.
One particular book has been fascinating bedtime reading; Low Cost Living by John Harrison. One chapter that has captured my thoughts Energy.
Energy on The Golden Cloud is something of a critical point. The boat is designed to run on 12v produced by the inboard 10hp diesel engine. However, this has a number of stumbling blocks. 1st the previous owner was in the middle of an electrics refurb, as a result the boats internal 12v circuit is incomplete and not operational. 2nd if the electrics were operational I will not be going to sea for the foreseeable future, and as such, the diesel engine that charges the batteries will not be running to charge the battery, the battery will soon run dead.
Now I also have a number of decisions to make with regards to energy. I could a) run off the extension lead that I will be supplied with from the boatyard, on metered mains 240v, at ~15p per unit. Or b) spend some of my years savings on a solar panel or wind turbine to charge the battery, and then set up the 12v circuits, with the free power from the sky!
The answer that slaps me in the face is GO FOR THE RENEWABLE, after all I want to be sustainable, and this will also be adding value to the boat. However, going down this route will cost me ~£500 for a set up for a 100watt panel, or £700 for a 500watt turbine.
It will also limit me in the wattage I can use onboard. Yes I will not use all my electrical items all the time, and yes by producing my own energy I'm more likely to be careful with what electric I use, but it does mean I need to work out what wattage is a want and what wattage is a need.
So I wrote it down and worked it out. If my heating comes from the wood burner, and my cooker runs on gas. I'm left with the fridge (optionally works on gas) ~50w, the Laptop ~30w, phone charger ~5w, lights over the cooker, bed, forward cabin <10w each. Total under 100w. Other things I may need are optional extras, they're wants, not needs, The TV, the PS2, I really don't need in all honesty, I don't need lots of lights. Its also more than likely that I will only have the fridge, the laptop and a light on at one time. If I find I need something that I haven't put down for, worst comes to worst I can use the extension lead supplied.
In a lot of ways this final bit of the blog is more of a survey than anything else. Other than light, laptop, phone and fridge is there anything anyone can think of that I will need electricity for?
Merry Christmas.
