Hi
We are hopefully buying a 26X in the next couple of weeks. We live in Worcestershire.
I am keen to spend some time learning about the boat and practicing how to sail it with as few navigational distractions as possible. Does anyone have any suggestions about a good location to spend a couple of long weekends that is:
- deep water with a decent amount of space
- no difficult tides
- not too busy (March)
- easy launching, parking and visitors berths
I am thinking of Windemere, Poole or Cardiff at the moment but would welcome ideas / comments.
We have a mooring at our house on the River Severn just below Upton Upon Severn so will use the River to practice as well. If anyone is local and would fancy popping over and sharing their knowledge of rigging, slow speed manoeuvring, mast raising, modifications etc that would be great. Payment in beer and food!!
Steve
Hi Steve,
Apart from the fact that you have not yet bought your Mac, you appear to be in the same boat as me (no pun intended)!
I have had my Mac since September 2014 but have yet to take her sailing; this is mostly because I needed to do loads of work on her, and the trailer, before I felt she was ready, and partly because of filthy weather and a few health problems last summer. We have taken her up the Avon on a few occasions and have enjoyed it immensely, but I am keen to get her under sail. I have done a few "dummy runs" with raising the mast and connecting all the rigging, even unfurled the sails on a windless day, but all on the trailer where she is stored on a farm near us. So I'm familiar with the whole process of raising the mast and rigging the boat, I just need to find a suitable location to try it out - like you.
We live in Bristol, about 55 miles and an hour's drive from you, so a get-together is very much a possibility. I can't claim to be a seasoned Mac sailor like others on the forum, but I am happy to compare notes and give you as much help as my expertise allows.
It seems that the easiest place for both of us would be Cardiff Marina, but I have not yet contacted them regarding parking for car and trailer and the cost of a berth. I'm sure other MOA members can fill in the details who I know have experience of sailing in and out of Cardiff, but I'm willing to join you for a trial sail. The other alternative, and much nicer as regards interesting coastline and surroundings, is Plymouth, an area I know well. A lot further than Cardiff but somewhere I intend to go soon.
Regards
John
"Hogwash 26X"
Thanks John
I have done a bit of research on Cardiff Bay. There is a council slip and car/trailer park at the water activity center and berths at the city centre quay. There are also options at the Yacht Clubs.
Plymouth also sounds like a option, I have sailed into Plymouth but I was crewing on race boat and did not take much notice of the sailing area. Is it protected and easy? I think that the first time out it makes sense to have as little in terms of tides / current / traffic to worry about as possible.
I am hoping to buy the boat I have seen on the 5th of March - just waiting to get confirmation from the seller.
I will get in touch when I have actually bought the boat. I need to get the engine serviced, it was last done in 2011 but hopefully should then be good to go out and play.
Steve
Plymouth is a great area for sailing, with quite gentle conditions in the Sound inside the breakwater. It is a naval base so you need to keep an eye out for large grey ships bristling with guns, but the navy ribs will keep you away if they creep up on you. Also, best to keep well away from the Brittany ferries, but there's plenty of room to the east of the Sound with some really nice sailing off Mountbatten and Jennycliff. If it's not too choppy you can venture out of the Sound to the river Yealm or westwards towards Kingsand and Cawsand; and if it's really blowing there's always the rivers Tamar and Lynher to explore.
There's an MOA event later in the year in Plymouth, so you may want to wait until then when all the launching and berthing has been organised; but I can certainly recommend it as a good place to try your first sea trials.
Our new Commodore, Richard Greenway, lives in Worcester and keeps his X at Cardiff Yacht Club. He hosted an event down there a couple of summers ago, and Cardiff Bay is an excellent location for messing about finding your feet with an unfamiliar boat. I'd only just swapped my X for a 19 at the time, and it was my first big outing in it, with a lot of things needing shaking down. The sheltered non-tidal bay is a great location for that kind of thing, and if you want to try the sea it's easy to go out and in through the locks (no charge). I'd thoroughly recommend it. Wether Richard can arrange anything with the club I don't know. He's pretty busy with his business these days so may not have read this yet.
Rick Jones (Treasurer), former 26X & 19 owner, Isle of Wight
Rick
Thanks. I had picked up that Richard was local from the excellent magazine. Small world.
I think that Cardiff would be a good choice from what you say.
Steve
I have now bought a 2000 26X named Orion from an association member. A few little jobs to do then ready to go.
Well done, a proud new boat owner! I believe that is Tim Eyre's former boat, I was aware he'd put it up for sale.
Rick Jones (Treasurer), former 26X & 19 owner, Isle of Wight