Grafton to Brushgrove regatta

11 to 13 February 2011

Last year Noela and I competed in the Clarence River Yacht Club annual Grafton to Brushgrove regatta in very light winds and won our division. I was so chuffed that I decided to defend my title this year.

Many thanks to the hard working club members who had spent many hours cleaning the Boy Scout hall and grounds from the havoc caused by the recent floods.

Gina Baker volunteered to come along to crew. Gina has a dinghy sailing background but it was the first time we had sailed together. It went well - thanks Gina.

The forecast was far from ideal - stinking hot and not enough wind. We drove down on Friday morning, rigged and launched expecting a twilight race. It turned out that only the cats raced as not enough yachts made it on Friday. It didn't matter, we had a very pleasant sail in light airs. It was a good opportunity to prepare for the race the following day. The photo above is Gina at the helm (it is becoming a Little Dragon tradition for this blog to have a "crew at the helm" snap).

We anchored in the river overnight and rowed ashore in the Zodiac for the excellent spag bol put on by the Clarence River Yacht Club in their HQ aka the Scout Hall. Ditto on Saturday night for the regatta dinner.

Saturday morning was, as expected, very hot and not a breath of wind. There was a fair bit of jealousy that we were able to hide under the bimini and several enquiries about where I purchased it. It really did make a difference.

The start was shifted to the end of Elizabeth Island in the hope that the breeze would reach there in time for the 1 pm start. All the yachts milled around at the start very, very slowly. I would be surprised if there was 1 knot of wind. However we all got away and ghosted down river much helped by an ebb tide. As a "slower yacht" according to the official yardstick used I was told to sail a short course. My course was to Ulmarra and and back to the finishing line (which unexpectedly moved a few kilometres, which caught a few people out). The "faster yachts" went on to Southgate and some even made it to  Brushgrove. Luckily the wind picked up to a light sailing breeze, maybe it gusted 3 knots, but it was on the nose so we had to tack downriver.

The run home was very pleasant. The conditions were ideal for a spinnaker but I don't have one, so the best we could do was use our modified boat hook as a whisker pole so we could goose wing the jib. Unfortunately the clip on the makeshift whisker pole wasn't working properly and we lost it overboard. It floated beautifully and we watched it bobbing around behind us. We couldn't resist practising a "man overboard" drill, so I gybed and chased the pole. Lucky it wasn't a man (or woman) overboard as we never got it.

You never know, if we hadn't lost time by chasing the whisker pole we might have won our division... As it was we came second (out of three). The photo above is me modelling the Clarence River Yacht Club beach towel - our prize.

Sunday dawned hot and just got hotter. The outboard had been playing up the previous day and although it finally started on Sunday it cut out just before we got to the ramp. We were close enough for me to jump overboard and although I sank to my knees in mud I was able to pull Little Dragon ashore. Then we packed up as quickly as possible  as I was determined to get into my air conditioned car before the day heated up to the forecast 38c.

Gina is a gold plated crew. She is one of the few who has been able to come back to my place and help me with the home pack up. We pushed Little Dragon up into position in my back yard, a task that is too heavy for me on my own. Then Gina hosed her down and the two of us made quick work of tying down the unwieldy boat cover. It was good to retire inside for a glass of red knowing that next day I only had to flush the outboard, charge the battery, grease the rollers, empty the porta potty then set about getting the outboard fixed etc, etc. No wonder most trailer sailor owners seem to be retired. I could never have contemplated such a time consuming hobby while in the work force. But I love it.

I think that the [Big] river is a strong brown god

I do not know much about gods; but I think that the river

Is a strong brown god -  sullen, untamed and intractable,

Patient to some degree, at first recognised as a frontier;

Then only as a problem confronting the builders of bridges.

The problem once solved, the brown god is almost forgotten

By the dwellers in cities - ever, however, implacable.

Keeping his seasons and rages, destroyer, reminder

Of what men choose to forget. Unhonoured, unpropitiated

By worshippers of the machine, but waiting, watching and waiting.

T.S. Eliot, The Dry Salvages, Four Quartets. 1941

What Eliot says of the Upper Mississippi seems totally applicable to The Big River - The Clarence River.

Pam and Jill explore Yamba

29 and 30 January 11.
I wanted to give Jill Trevillian a really good weekend sailing on The Clarence to make up for the fiasco last time when the heavens opened and we got flooded in Grafton. The forecast for Saturday was 14 knot SE and for the Sunday 9 knot E. The tide was favourable for heading down rivcr from Harwood to Yamba  Saturday midday and returning on Sunday afternoon on the flood. I should also mention that the forecast said less than 1 mm rain each day. Sounded good, but...

The first hitch was at Harwood. The ramp was unusable from the recent flooding. After a brief discussion with Harriet and John at the Big River Sailing Club we decided to drive on and launch at Yamba. It was my first time at Yamba but luckily Jill knows the area from the water.

We launched at the excellent ramp adjacent to the fish co-op, roughly above the word "Yamba" on the map below. If I am allowed a little boast; I am getting better at backing down ramps. As we set off the wind was increasing way above the forecast 14 knots. Observations say it was gusting 23 knots at 3 pm. I decided not to venture out into the main channel. We just motored up and down the river inside the wall. It was a good opportunity for me to familiarise myself with the rather complicated narrow channels around Yamba. Good to have Jill aboard. We found a snug spot to anchor near the ferry terminal. There was just room for us between the oyster beds and the first mooring. I was towing my Zodiac and as I don't have an outboard for it I wanted to anchor close to a jetty as it is a beast to row very far across a strong current.

We enjoyed a glass of red aboard then headed ashore for some Thai tucker. Before we had finished dinner there was a very heavy shower. We hadn't expected rain so weren't prepared and ended up pretty damp by the time we get we got back aboard. My experience so far has been that no matter how much wind there is on The Clarence in the afternoon it dies down after dark. Well not this particular Saturday night. The observations show that from midnight to 10 am it was gusting between 23 - 25  knots and it rained continuously. The Zodiac needed bailing in the morning. We bobbed around and things went bang and clank. I kept peering out nervously to check that our anchor was holding. It did.

 Sunday morning and it was still blowing and wet so we brewed a cuppa and stayed in our bunks for a while (see the photo below Jill took of me). By the time we were up and breakfasted the rain dried up and the wind started to abate, although it never dropped to the forecast 9 knots. We decided to have a sail while the going was good. We needed to be back at the ramp by early afternoon.

We sailed off the mooring on a broad reach,  Jill helped navigate us up the narrow channel to the west of Freeburn Island (see top left of the map). It was shallower than I expected and I hit the bottom a couple of times. Luckily we were on a run so I could take the plate up and as we only draw 30 cm we managed to sneak through. It is a while since Jill has taken the helm so she took over while we were reaching but I took charge on the run. Once we rounded Freeburn Island Jill had a great time practising tacking down the main channel. I think we were both sorry that the gap in the wall which leads to Yamba appeared so soon. Then it was back to the ramp and the usual pack up.

New Year on The Clarence

At last, after weeks of  strong winds and torrential rain, the forecast for the New Year weekend was pretty good. Winds 8 - 11 knots (although they were more than that on the second day), NE and mainly dry. Worth a try even though the traffic on the Pacific Highway was likely to be horrific (it turned out not to be a problem).

Diana James and I set off for Harwood at 7.30 am on New Year's Day. We became friends over 30 years ago in Central Australia. My image of Diana used to be of someone completely at home living and working in remote Aboriginal communities and I never visualised her as having a nautical past. But recently I found out that she grew up sailing with her family and as a youngster raced dinghies. She was keen to get afloat again and volunteered to crew on Little Dragon. We agreed that the ocean (let's include The Clarence River) and the desert have many similarities. They both deserve respect and one has to learn how to survive in or on them.

On arrival at the Big River Sailing Club we found that two members, Paul Hargan and Col, were staying for the weekend so the clubhouse was open, a real bonus. We were underway by midday and it was one of those fairly rare sails from Harwood down to Iluka when the conditions were just right. The new bimini made summer sailing far more comfortable. We reached all the way and made almost record time pushed along on an extremely strong ebb tide.

At Iluka we spotted Rob Crosby out sailing in his picturesque boat SV Whisper (see photo above). We exchanged shouted best wishes for the new year and Rob suggested that we anchor near them for the night in one of his favourite haunts about half way between Iluka and Harwood (see below Whisper anchored in one of Rob's haunts). Unfortunately I misunderstood the directions and ended up stuck on a sandbar. Rob says that he watched our efforts to get afloat again while enjoying his sun downer beer. He was thinking of rowing over when we got ourselves off. The tide turned and I headed into deeper water and retreated back to Harwood for the night on a flood tide.

Rob gave me some specs for SV Whisper. 9.75 m hull. 12.3 m rig. 2.5 m beam. 0.6 m displacement. CB down 1.4 m Displacement 2750 kg. Ballast 1250 kg lead. Designed by Rob Crosby 1992 as a Shoal draft Canoe yawl, derived from Sharpie/Dory types. Closest to a Rozinante yawl. Built by Rob Crosby and Claire Daily with help of friends. Launched in 1995.

This sign is upstream of the Goodwood wharf and on the southern bank. I have never known why someone felt the need to threaten such drastic measures to protect what appeared to me to be a cane field. Rob tells me that it is a prawn farm that has at times been plundered.  OK, now I understand the rationale for the sign but  shooting trespassers is just not on.

The next morning was, as usual, a dead calm. Paul offered to drive Diana and I to the Wombah Coffee Plantation for a coffee while we waited for the wind to come up around midday. Phil has a classic Austin 1800 Mk2 and it was a real treat to ride in it. The coffee shop is well worth a visit, I had no idea that a German started growing coffee at Wombah in the 1850s.

After an early lunch we sailed up to the Harwood Bridge, I didn't want to get caught down river with such a strong ebb I wanted to be sure I could get back in good time to pack up and head home. The wind strengthened to a fresh 15 knots (Paul and my estimate) and we had a lively sail. Quite a contrast to the day before. Although it is a long while since Diana has handled a boat it must be like riding a bicycle, it all came back to her. I enjoy taking out complete novices but it is nuch easier with an experienced crew who knows what "head to wind" means and can do it. Thank you Diana. In fact Diana sailed us back to the ramp under full sail with great aplomb. The two of us made a great team for the pack up in, for me, a record 50 mins.

The new bimini

It really is too hot to sail all day in a Northern Rivers summer without some shade. I investigated getting one made to measure but baulked at the price. Then Peter rashly offered to install one for me if I bought an off the shelf model. We measured up carefully and I scoured websites for a reddish one that would fit.

The end result is splendid. John Woods came down to the BRSC specially to help me check if the boom would clear the bimini and it does perfectly.

 A huge thank you to Peter. It turned out (as often seems to be the case) a fiddly and rather time consuming job.

You may wonder why the photo of the U bolt on the bow of my boat. The story is that after sailing hard at the Bridge to Breakers regatta I found the cabin soaking wet. The U bolt had pulled slightly loose and was letting water in. The bolt looked fine to me until Peter pulled it out and it was like a honeycomb - electrolysis. Old age. As often seems to be the case it was not easy getting a bolt that was just right. Even Whitworths don't stock them. However I sourced one that was nearly right and Peter managed to modify it to make it fit tight. Peter also fashioned a splendid bush out of some super duper black plastic (look closely at the photo). Yet another fiddly maintenance task. Thanks again Peter.

PS from Peter

"You forgot to mention the O-rings, although If you had been here when I fitted it I couldn't find ones that fitted perfectly, so I used some slightly larger rubber bushes with a taper on one end and with a bit of lanoline applied they seemed to squeeze nicely into the countersink I drilled on the inside of the nylon pad. I'm pretty sure you'll not have any prob's with it leaking now."

PPS From Peter

"It doesn't matter Pam but I was trying to explain (not very well obviously) that between that black pad and the stem there is a rubber bush (instead of an O-Ring) that has a 45 degree end to it. I have drilled a good big countersink into the back of the black pad where the shafts of the D-bolt or U-bolt (or whatever you like to call it) pokes through it. I then slipped the two bushes onto the u-bolt with a bit of lanolin on it and the 45 degree end facing forward into the countersink so that as I tightened the nuts on the u-bolt it squeezed the rubber hard into the 45 degree hole thus compressing it around the bolt very tightly. I had to take it out and redo the countersink a bit deeper as there was a little too much squeeze the first time. So there you have it fully explained (I hope).

I think that proves my point - these seemingly simple jobs never are. Pam

Wooden spoon to joint third - Part 2

13 November 2010 - Bridge to Breakers Regatta

"The Sunday format consisted of two races. The lighter conditions during the morning race gave way to a marked freshening after lunch and the afternoon race featured some spectacular displays of high speed sailing as winds gusted above 20 knots. The catamarans and skiffs particularly reveled in the conditions despite the fact that some of the rides were interrupted by the occasional capsizes." [extract from the BRSC press release]

Noela couldn't stay for Sunday and another of my ocean swimming friends, Neil McKenzie, was keen to crew. Neil has a sailing background, most recently in windsurfers, but it was the first time we had sailed together.

The morning race consisted of 2 rounds of a fairly short course and we sailed a round each. Although we came in, as usual, close to the tail end were pretty happy that we had given it a fair shot. Neil was really getting back into the swing of racing and kept wondering if he should buy an NS14. Yes I know that I own a plodder and we just couldn't get her to point high enough. I still prefer cruising and giving novices the chance to give it a go on a very forgiving Little Dragon, but I know that racing will improve my sailing skills.

As the forecast for the afternoon races was over 20 knots we decided to reef. We motored into the middle of the river and anchored to put in the reef. Knowing that the luff of the main was not taut on Saturday we did our best to get it taut this time - but our best was not good enough. After the race John Woods came to see for himself how we were reefed and demonstrated that neither the luff nor the out haul on the boom were tight enough. If we had the sails setting better we might have been able to point higher.

The afternoon course was 3 rounds of the morning course. This time we got a pretty good start and initially we were right up there with the others in Division 7. It was quite dispiriting to watch them pull ahead. In the increasing wind we just couldn't point as high as they were. We retired after completing 2 rounds as everyone else had finished all 3 rounds and it was time for the prize giving.

We were a bit disappointed that the BRSC doesn't give a wooden spoon prize as we thought we would win it. To my amazement the race officer did some calculations with the handicaps and we found ourselves joint third out of the 7 in our division. A complete mystery to me but rather good to be able to boast to my ocean swimming mates "we came joint third".

Thanks to Russell Witt for taking the photos of Little Dragon under way. His images of all the competitors can be viewed at http://photos.dragmania.com.au/thumbnails.php?album=119

Thanks also to all the BRSC members who worked so hard to make this yet again a great regatta.

Sunrise at Harwood on Monday 14 November. So still and quiet. Hard to remember the well over 20 knot gusts the day before and to predict that Monday afternoon would be even wilder.

"Work the main!" - Part 1

12 November 2010 Bridge to Breakers regatta

"A fleet of 56 boats descended on the Big River Sailing Club last weekend to contest the annual Bridge to Breakers regatta. The event continues to be well patronised by regular visitors who travel from all parts of New South Wales and South East Queensland and this year attracted an entrant from Victoria... The fresh north to north east breeze tested competitors on the Saturday when boats made the grueling trek downriver from the Harwood Bridge to Iluka and return. By race end most boats had been on the water for three to four hours and it was a generally weary bunch of sailors that gathered on the Saturday night to rehydrate and recount the day's adventures." [extract from the BRSC press release]

A year ago I decided that it was time to stop being a total race refusenik. I got the additional insurance and chose sail number 98 (my birthday is the 9th August and I can do with help from all quarters. 9 and 8 are lucky numbers in Chinese cosmology).  Last February Noela Yates and I tried our luck at racing was in Grafton and that time there was hardly any wind. Despite that we had fun and decided to give it a go again but this time was quite different, there was more than enough wind. We reefed.   The "grueling trek" in the official account was almost 20 kms head to wind  down river against a strong tide. Soon all the off the beach classes that started 5 mins after us overtook us and the fast catamarans were our of sight way ahead. Our handicap shows that near the tail end is our rightful place.

John Woods, the BRSC training officer, was in the rescue boat keeping a watchful eye on the tail enders. He kept zooming up to us and yelling "Work the Main, Don't Cleat It!" Noela and I were taking turn and turn about tacking downstream.  We both knew the theory of easing off on a gust and sheeting in between gusts but the reality was that whichever of us had the main sheet felt as if our arms were being pulled out of their sockets. We just didn't have the strength not to "cleat it" some of the time. John also pointed out that the luff of our mainsail was not taut. Our sails should be as flat as possible in strong winds. I am still learning how to achieve that when the boat is reefed. 

 

It took us over 4 hours to reach the Goodwood mark which is around two thirds of the way to Iluka. We were quite relieved when the committee boat ordered us to shorten course. We were enjoying ourselves (at least in retrospect) but getting very weary. We fairly whooshed back to the finish line in less than 30 mins with wind and tide behind us, really exhilarating.

Luckily before I took to the water with this bunch of experienced and serious racers I had been practicing the excellent on line racing rules quiz  http://game.finckh.net/indexe.htm I felt reasonably confident that I knew who had mark room at a buoy although my intention was to keep out of every one's way all the time. The photo below shows us in the middle of the fleet with boats heading every which way.

We were still tacking downstream and the fast cats were returning on a spinnaker run for the second time. Justin Forrester, who skippered the winning fast cat Stingray, approached us like a bat out of hell. We just didn't see him and we tacked right into his path. We were just stunned and he somehow had the skill to swerve round us. We were 100% in the wrong. I know we should have done 2 penalty turns but I confess I didn't. After 4 hours at the tail end of the fleet in what I felt was more than a mere "breeze" it just seemed too much. However I did seek him out ashore and offer him a beer. He was very gracious and declined but he did remember the incident with the "THAT red mono hull". I will also remember the incident for a long while.

This photo shows most of the 7 "slower trailer sailors" in Division 7 stern anchored on Saturday night.

Pam goes solo

My maiden single handed voyage. 29 October I went from Harwood to Iluka on the ebb tide. Overnight in the harbour at Iluka and then back again the next morning on the flood tide. I hadn't intended to go solo, in fact I have always said "no way!" but my crew Jill Trevillian got a touch of flue and no-one else was available to sail on the Friday. So the germ of an idea developed "let's give it a go".

The forecast was favourable. Reasonably light airs SE to NE. In fact at times there was more wind than forecast. The observations at Yamba show 11 - 12 knots SE at 2 pm on Friday and 9 - 13 knots N at 10 am on Saturday morning. However my concern was not the sailing so much as the launching and anchoring.

When I say single handed that is true while I was underway but Dick, the caretaker of the Big River Sailing Club, did help me launch and held the boat while I got aboard to sail away. I was proud that I managed to get the mast up on my own using the technique that Peter had suggested some time ago. I also got help from a club member to winch Little Dragon back on the trailer on my return.

In some ways I quite enjoyed tacking down the Clarence River on my own. Without a crew to chat with/train I was more aware of the surroundings, the light on the water (see photo of the early morning in the harbour). But I don't think I want to do it often and certainly not with much more wind or where I need to check a chart while underway. Not enough hands. Little Dragon is not set up for single handed sailing and I kept my hand on the tiller throughout - it takes around 3 hrs each way. I thought I had been smart and put my water bottle in the cockpit before we left but I didn't screw the cap on properly and it all spilt. It seemed impossible to go below and refill it so I just stayed thirsty. On my return I drank too much coffee before I left. Easier for men. Red bucket gymnastics. Enough information. If I was going to do more single handed sailing - which I don't plan - I need to sort out a way of securing the tiller at least briefly.

I decided to motor through the narrow entrance into Iluka Harbour (see photo) and managed to get the engine on and sails down OK. Once into the harbour I had to anchor. I expect there is an approved way of doing it single handed. I just motored to the spot I decided to drop making sure that there was heaps of space to fall back without hitting anything. Went into neutral. Went forward and dropped the anchor then went back to the cockpit. It worked like a dream but it helped that there was little wind or current and plenty of space.

On the return trip I was saddened to see that the offensive sign on the southern bank of the Clarence River about half way between Yamba  and Harwood is still there "Private Property, trespasssers will be shot",  presumably if they dare to enter the cane field.

I have decided to wear a life jacket when single handed (see photo). No, pink is not an approved colour for a type 1 life jacket, but I am wearing an approved type 1 life jacket. Work it out for yourself.

Little Dragon enjoys a stiff breeze - Part 2

18-21 Oct 2010 -

Straddie trip Part 2.

I had checked the weather forecast carefully before we left home. On Monday the wind dropped away completely in late afternoon, wrecking our plan to sail all the way to The Bedroom, despite a forecast of 12 knots at 3 pm.

Tuesday was forecast to be 4 knots at 9 am but it dropped to a dead calm and again we had to motor a while to get round Jumpinpin and into Canaipa Passage. We know that we should plan to go with the tide but it seems inevitable that we go against it for part of the day. We reached Slipping Sands anchorage in time for a leisurely lunch break.

After lunch the wind picked up from the forecast 12 knots to blow SE 16-19 knots. Little Dragon was in her element. I (and in retrospect I think Cathy will allow me to say "we") reveled in an exhilarating reach north up Canaipa Passage. I say in retrospect as at the time Cathy did make a few enquiries about how far we could heel before we tipped over. I assured her that the boat specs say it is self righting. I didn't add that I hoped never to test out that feature. This is when Peter managed to take all these fantastic photos. Thanks Pete, it must have been quite a feat for a single handed sailor.

Wednesday the wind was forecast at 4 knots at 9 am and 12 knots at 3 pm. The observations recorded 18 - 22 knots ESE at 3.30 pm. Luckily Cathy was still smiling. We sailed right round the top of Russell Island and Karragarra Island and then turned south into Main Channel en route to Rudy Maas Marina.

Cathy was doing sterling work keeping track of all the port and starboard markers and occasional cardinal mark in Beacon to Beacon. She correctly told me when we had rounded Karragarra Island and needed to turn south. Peter had missed a cardinal mark and kept straight on. I had to make a snap decision - Cathy or Peter? I followed Peter. We nearly ended up high and dry on a sand bank with the tide ebbing fast.

Once in Main Channel we could see an ominous black cloud approaching. I am glad I decided to play safe and drop the sail and motor. When the squall struck we were drenched in seconds and it was a complete white out for several minutes. I reckon that the wind was at least 25 knots at the height of the squall.

The squall didn't last long and we hoisted the sails again and soon dried out. I thought about putting a reef in but the wind had dropped considerably. We kept on down Main Channel and wondered where and when Peter was going to stop for lunch. He was ahead and the plan was for him to find a lunch spot. Peter's mobile was playing up and he has a 27 meg radio and I have VHF, so we couldn't communicate which was a bit of a nuisance. Eventually we found him nestled into a mudbank munching his sandwiches.

Finally a huge thank you to you Cathy. You readily admitted to me that you haven't had much prior experience and I said "no worries" anticipating quite easy conditions. The conditions turned out quite challenging and you really rose to the occasion. I try to give all my crew the opportunity to take the helm but that proved difficult except when we were motoring. You are welcome aboard any time and next time with a spot of luck you can take the helm.

Rafting up at Straddie - Part 1

18-21 Oct 2010

Straddie trip Part 1

Unlike the fiasco at Grafton (see last post) this trip was a great success.

Cathy Jones was my crew and we sailed in company with our "big brother" Peter Barnes in his Farr 6000. Peter it really is time your boat had a name.

Cathy and I launched at Rudy Maas Marina at Steiglitz. The owners are still resisting all offers from developers and it remains the antithesis to the Surfers Paradise glitz which is visible not far away.

We reached The Bedroom anchorage and campsite on South Stradbroke just on sunset. To get to The Bedroom we had to battle a strong flood tide and when the wind dropped we were forced to motor the last bit. It was fun rafting up with Peter's nameless boat.

The next morning we went ashore and Cathy was blown out finding that right over one sand dune was the ocean. Two ocean swimmers couldn't resist a quick dip and Cathy also indulged in a spot of yoga.

Our anchorage for night 2 was at Canaipa Point on Russell Island near the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron. Peter anchored first and the plan was that I would raft up alongside. We got our sails down and headed back towards him under motor. Little Dragon developed a will of her own and veered off into the mangroves and we went aground. We got off the mud but found ourselves back on the mud several times. Cathy kept winding the keel up and down again. Eventually we managed to raft up and Peter, who had watched the entire pantomime, told me that I was steering on the boat tiller and the engine tiller was not centred. I won't forget that lesson.

When Cathy and I went ashore in the early morning a rather posh RQYS caretaker informed us that we couldn't use their facilities - not even their toilets. We hadn't even asked but I suspect that the little trowel I was carrying gave the game away. I tried to claim reciprocal rights as a member of the Big River Sailing Club but that didn't cut any ice at all.

The last photo shows mangroves only about 25 metres from where we were anchored near the RQYS. While I was cooking dinner in the cockpit a swarm of sand flies attacked me and I ended up taking anti-histamine tablets for days.

We spent our third and last night anchored in Main Channel not far from Rudy Maas Marina ready to pack up the following morning.

I reckon that it must be a first - a 3 day cruise and no breakages to report.

Clarence River Classic Yacht Cruise 2010

Sunday 3 October 2010

Jill Trevillian and I had signed up for the Clarence River Yacht Club's annual classic cruise [pub crawl] from Grafton to Iluka. So much preparation, such anticipation but we never even launched...

On Sunday 3 October the forecast for Grafton was for 20 - 40 mm rain and not much wind. It was due to improve on Monday with 5 - 10 mm rain and still not much wind then fine up by Tuesday. By the time we reached Grafton mid-afternoon on Sunday the sky looked very black. We rigged as quickly as possible in the car park adjacent to the boat ramp. I wanted to get the red awning up over the boom so we would stay dry in the cabin. Then the rain pelted down so we hot footed it up to the Scout Hall about 100 metres away which is now the CRYC HQ. We learnt that a severe weather forecast was issued mid-afternoon. There was over 200 mm (8 inches) rain that night.

Thank goodness for the Scout Hall which provided a dry, welcoming haven for the 40 or so would be sailors. Even though we slept snug and dry in Little Dragon in the car park the joke started to wear off when the deluge continued the next morning.

Not surprisingly the cruise was postponed on the Monday. The plan had been to sail and/or motor to Ulmarra for lunch then on to Brushgrove for dinner and overnight. The next day it was due to be Lawrence for lunch and Maclean for dinner and overnight. Then it was on to Iluka with the Pacific Highway bridge at Harwood being raised for us to pass through as a group. After a couple of days around Iluka and Yamba the competitive ones intended to race back from Maclean to Grafton; but we hadn't entered the race and planned to end at Iluka where Jill had left her car.

Monday evening it was still raining. We ate pizzas in the Scout Hall and and then waded down the very boggy track to spend another night on Little Dragon in the car park. We hardly got a blink of sleep as not only did we get another dump of around 200 mm of rain but it also blew so hard that Little Dragon kept bouncing around quite alarmingly on the trailer.

Next morning the weather was a little better although we learnt that Pacific Highway was still cut both north and south of Grafton. Some valiant yachties decided to start the cruise and headed off down the raging Clarence River. The rest of us decided to pack up and trail our boats home when it became feasible. Luckily the Pacific Highway reopened to the north and we managed to get to Iluka to retrieve Jill's car. We feared it would be flooded but luckily it wasn't. The estuary at Iluka was so wild that we were quite confident that we had made the right decision to pull out of the event and try again next year.

BOAT = Bring Out Another Thousand

When I returned from Fiji I turned my attention to getting Little Dragon ready for the new season. I had the outboard serviced and took the trailer to have the bearings checked. I was told that I needed a whole brake system. That is where the BOAT comes in. They turned out to be more expensive than my new mainsail and far less fun.

I put in a few hours hard yakka giving Little Dragon a general spruce up. Thanks are due to Savaad who dropped round and tightened the nuts on all the deck fittings - a task that could only be done by someone able to crawl into a very small space. Then I reckoned I was ready for a new sailing season. But I hadn't counted on a series of "happenings" on my season-opening sail at Harwood. My sincere thanks to both Peter Barnes (who never charges) and my insurance company APIA - without whom I would certainly have had to shell out more thousands.

When I was towing Little Dragon down the Pacific Highway to Harwood I felt her start to wobble. It turned out that the starboard skid had broken off. It is hard to see how it happened but it did. Luckily no serious damage to the boat. One can't just go and buy a new skid. It has to be custom made out of hardwood, covered in carpet and fixed in place with the correct brackets. Peter you are a saint!

Peter then decided that while he was working on my trailer he should even up my rollers, some of which needed raising or lowering. More effort.

That led onto my jockey wheel. I hate my jockey wheel and it urgently needs replacement. Peter said "no worries, easy". He suggested I purchase an Ezi-Walker model. I was delighted to find one in a Father's Day sale. I should have known. It is never easy. Peter put it on and it was seriously defective so off it came. Next I purchased a 10" swing leg jockey wheel to replace my old 6" one. Peter had to fabricate little plastic blocks as the U bolts didn't quite fit my trailer. Job done, but no - the new jockey wheel wouldn't go low enough to fit onto my tow ball. So Peter had to put the old one back on again while I work out what to do. I have tried to buy a Hayman Reese adjustable height tow tongue (I am learning new jargon all the time) on E Bay but now find that they are only made with 5o mm shanks and I only have a 40 mm one. Still thinking...

Next Peter almost dismantled my outboard engine. The problem was that despite the recent service it wouldn't lock down when in neutral. Unfortunately even Peter was defeated - it seems to be a flaw in my the design of my 5 hp 2 stroke Mercury.

In the meantime I have been going through the tiresome process of an insurance claim for the vital repairs to the hull. Now the boat is with the shipwright and just the repainting remains to be done. The shipwright has just rung to say that 2 pack is no longer made in Fire Red but only in Rochelle and heaven alone knows what colour that is...

Perhaps I should own up to the last minor drama on my season-opening sail. I got the forestay caught beneath the mast base and it was seriously kinked when I lifted the mast. OK - a bit of new stainless wire is quite cheap but I drove all the way to Ballina (28 km away) and found the Bolt Barn closed for some damn annual horse race. I returned the next day. They were open but said they hadn't got and wouldn't order the Ronstan toggle ends. The nearest place to buy them is Whitworths which is in Southport one and a half hours drive away. I have organised for these little bits to be mailed to me then it will be back to Ballina to have them swaged on.

Rob has pointed out to me that I really should cover the battery terminals to prevent a possible accident. When I was on Intention in Fiji Jim showed me neat little plastic terminal covers specially designed for that job which he buys in the USA. More internet research and I managed to track some down at Ballina Bearings. But (quite predictably) they are designed to fit round terminal leads that are different to mine. Maybe it can be modified. Thinking...

Next week I plan to replace my 27 meg radio with a VHF one. Another "simple job" - well may be...

I wish that Byron Bay had a chandlers, but I knew when I moved here that it is a surfing not yachting centre.

It would be far better if I had trained as a fitter and turner like Peter. My legal training is of no use at all. He can do almost everything himself in his well equipped workshop.

Andi and Jessie make it at last

29th August

Andi Davey (in orange) and I have known each other for many years, from when we both lived in Alice Springs. I never dreamed that one day we would sail together on the Clarence River. A 4WD camping trip was more likely. Andi's partner Jessie Blackadder (in blue) grew up sailing with her father on his 26ft yacht, so she has some salt water in her veins. It has taken a while to organise a date that suited us all and didn't blow a gale.

I went down to the Big River Sailing Club on the Saturday for the AGM and chatting to members about the season ahead. Then I rigged and launched Little Dragon. I enjoy the quiet of the river in the evening and early morning. So it was no hardship to sleep aboard stern anchored to the bank. I was ready for Andi and Jessie to step aboard when they arrived on Sunday morning.

It was an absolutely gorgeous morning, sunny and one of those days that were not too hot but not too cool. A shame we don't get more of them. There was a "just right" sailing breeze, probably around 8 knots mainly SE but it did shift around a fair bit.

We all took turns tacking and gybing, sailing close hauled, reaching and on the run up to the bridge and back. We put Little Dragon through her season-opening paces. Andi had never handled a tiller before but proved to be a natural. After a while we anchored and enjoyed a picnic lunch. A thoroughly enjoyable sail. Thanks Andi and Jessie for coming and helping with the pack-up.

All went well until I was almost back at the Harwood ramp. I was approaching on an angle almost parallel to the bank very close to the Harwood Slipway. Jessie was on the foredeck ready to jump ashore. She suddenly started yelling and indicating that I should turn out into the river NOW! She had seen a submerged post that I later learnt was a remnant of an old jetty. I almost missed it but not quite. Oh dear, although the damage looked minor it turned out to be a crack right through the fibreglass hull just below the waterline. Another insurance claim...