Three Shielas swan song (for now)

6 December 09

"Four shielas" launched Little Dragon nearly two years ago, Lee, Nicky, Cathy and Pam. Cathy has been tied up with her family recently so that left "three shielas" and we have continued to sail (as well as swim) together. Now Nicky is moving to Lord Howe Island for a 2 year teaching contract. We wanted to make our swan song a positive memory.

It was still a dead calm at 10 am. We relaxed on the BRSC verandah, enjoyed the ambiance, chatted and watched the fishermen. Around 11 am a very light NNE wind arrived and we set off. It was a flood tide and we planned to sail against it towards Iluka. For at least an hour the tide was stronger than the wind and we went backwards almost as far as the sugar mill. Never mind, it was very pleasant just being together afloat.

Around noon a sea breeze sprang up and we headed on a run towards Iluka for an hour or so. It was magic. We had left lunch back at the BRSC so around 1 pm it was time to head back. Although the tide was still with us the wind was on our nose. The wind increased and with memories of the strong winds the previous day we decided to reef. It is the first time I have reefed while underway and all went well, I put on the motor (which still won't start immediately), then came head to wind. We anchored, put in the reef and were on our way. No worries. The observations at Yamba show that at 3.3o pm the wind was NNE 19 - 28 knots.

In no time at all we were back at the BRSC. The pack up went really smoothly, maybe we have learnt a bit in the last 2 years.

We enjoyed a picnic lunch and post lunch swim (well, we had missed our morning ocean swim). Then it was time to head homeward. Nicky and Lee both proclaimed that it had been an excellent sail and a great weekend. I thank you Nicky and Lee for being such excellent company and crew.

We retired before the start

5 December 09 Saturday is club day at the BRSC. In the morning there are Accessible Sailing and learn to sail sessions followed by racing at 1.30 pm.




The Accessible Sailing went like clockwork - disabled sailors, volunteers and carers seemed to work together as a well oiled machine. Ron Stone gave me permission to take a series of photos of him being winched out of his wheel chair and gently lowered into a ballast assisted dinghy. Then I went over and watched Hariet Woodrow and John Woods teaching two small boys how to tack in a small dinghy on land before letting them loose afloat. All the while Rod was cruising around in the rescue dinghy. The Accessible Sailing and learn to sail were over before the weather got "interesting".

Nicky and Lee had come down for the weekend and we decided to sign up for the race. Another first for Little Dragon. I haven't sailed a "round the buoys" course for 50 years but Nicky has a good sense of direction and said that she had got the hang of the compicated figure of eight course



I knew that the forecast included "late thunder". By the time we had the race briefing the word was out that the wind was expected to increase to 30 knots and the briefer gleefully predicted that boats would "crash" in the second race.




At 1 pm it didn't look too bad so we decided to give it a go - reefed and wearing life jackets (just in case ...). The wind was around 15 knots SSE and a huge storm cloud formed in the south, then there was thunder and lightning. The wind wasn't really strong (yet) but it was increasing. With memories of being caught out by a Southerly Buster once before on the Clarence River we retired just before we crossed the start line. Better safe than sorry etc. As it turned out the storm circled round to the east and never hit Harwood. With hindsight we could have continued, instead we sat on the deck watching the others and admiring the efforts of Sarah, a talented junior sailor.




That evening the trio headed to Maclean for dinner. Nicky and Lee stayed at the Top Pub (basic but friendly) and I returned to sleep aboard Little Dragon.

Ted is a poodle not a dog

4 December 09. John Woods had volunteered to meet me at the BRSC on Friday afternoon to see if he could fix the loud hum in the centreboard case. John arrived with Ted and I made a grave error in referring to Ted as "a dog". I was promptly informed that he is "a poodle". Seeing that John was doing me a favour it seemed wise to agree - Ted is a poodle. Ted the poodle later came sailing with us.
John got underneath the trailer to see what he could do. He found that the only thing he could access was the bolt holding the keel. So he loosened it 3 turns.




Then we went off sailing up to the bridge to see if this slight adjustment had made any difference. It had. The hum was almost, but not quite, gone. Thanks John.




However, next day when we went out the hum was back - not as bad as the previous weekend but much more than when I went out with John.




Andrew the shipwright told me that he had cut the new winch wire long enough so that the keel was fully down when there were 3 turns left on the drum. It seems that the hum is much reduced if I keep winding so that there are no turns left on the drum. The problem really is irritating. Just when one wants to enjoy the pleasant sound of lapping water there is this tiresome hum.