Where is Doris?...

Saturday 20 September 2008

Baiona (3)

On the Thursday I got Doris out of the marina after making sure all the tanks were full and into the adjacent anchorage where I can still access the Internet connection – result!
Nothing much to report really accept after anchoring I was whistled by none other than Niels (who I met in Camarinas) who had just also arrived.





Shortly after, Mark & Amanda on Blush made an appearance!

You will be glad to hear that on Friday morning Bruce finally arrived safely after being at sea for three days none stop sailing to get around the northern corner of Spain to reach some sunshine!
He was completely shattered and it wasn’t until he mentioned it that I realised he is seventy years old!!!! I take my hat off to him!!! Hope I'm in a similar state when I'm seventy years old!

Not much else to report really other than that the next time I enter e new port it will be in Portugal. The weather here is sunny everyday and everything is generally laid back with no agenda.

The general plan is to sail to either Povoa De Varzim or Leixoes and then do a big hop offshore to get past Aveiro, although the wind is forcast to be a bit light over the next few days. My new resolution is to sail everywhere and only use the engine as a last resort and try to minimise marina stops as much as possible preferring anchorages. This means only setting off when I know I will be able to sail so who knows how long I will be here in Baiona Spain.

My spare parts were ‘lost’ and did not arrive as promised. They ‘may’ arrive Monday and if not a new order can be made to arrive Wednesday – if I’m still here!

Still.. Mannana mannana, there no rush I spose, nowhere to be at any particular time.

One thing I really do need to get sorted and that’s some form of autopilot other than the Hydrovane. Since being in Spain, I have had to motor a lot due to light winds and that means I am stuck behind the wheel steering manually for hours on end – no fun.
The simplest things become a nightmare like making a ‘cuppa’ as I have to stop the boat and then it usually goes from rail to rail in the swell. I cannot afford the proper inboard autopilot as that approx £3k, but I can stretch to a tiller pilot (Raymarine st2000+) attached to the Hydrovane rudder, this should cost around £500 quid all in.

If anyone reading has any other ideas or feedback on this subject please feel free to jump in and comment or contact me directly.

Oh, before I forget. Sorry to all those who have tried to call me (Mum, Stu & Gr0m at least), since going overboard with the last phone I have stopped carrying my phone around while above decks. Please do not leave voice messages but simply call back later - cheers guys.
Anyways .. that’s all for now folks!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Add me to the list of missed calls!!

"Mannana" - welcome to Spain! Drives me mad when we stay with friends in Spain, everything get's put off!!

In case u haven't picked up emails, LEDs ordered and delivered (I didn't hear the bell so will collect Monday). They seem really efficient and prob could have got them to you before you leave current anchorage, oh well! Useful to know for the business venture we discussed ;-)

Re: not want messages left, you need to change the message to say hang up now at the end then repeat it a few times, I listened to the message the got dropped into recording a message before I had time to hang up - so u will have a 1/2 second message of silence from me I'm afraid!!!

Autopilot - £500 buys a lot of slave labour, can't you pick up another 'sea pikey' to hold course for you?

Anonymous said...

Just looked at the Raymarine, it's for tiller-steared boats, does the hydrovane have a tiller?

It's £350 online, would you be installing yourself?

Simon (Boo). said...

Re tillerpilot: Yup the Hydrovane can be used as an emergency rudder and has a 'stub' to attach a 'tiller' to. As its much smaller than the main ships rudder, a small tillerpilot should be fine. I can get it for £329, but probably cheaper via Dave (Brighton).