Maiden voyage...

[Stephen Whiteside]

For anybody who is interested, our new boat has just made her maiden voyage.

I posted some information last year about a new boat I wanted to buy. My son was expressing some disillusionment with the world of dinghy racing, and wanted a boat he could take his mates cruising/camping in - but not a trailer-sailor, still something with a bit of bite to it (ie. another dinghy).

I eventually plumped for a Lazy E (or National E, as they are now called). It is a 15 foot centreboard dinghy designed by Englishman Jack Holt for off the beach sailing. It is slightly undercanvassed for its size, and has a very large cockpit - wide and deep - ideal for passengers and extra gear. It's still got a good turn of speed in a blow, though, and you can capsize it without too much difficulty.

They are largely outdated now. You don't see many around. Ours is about thirty years old (it was very cheap), and has been quite a challenge to bring up to speed. In fact, the challenge continues. Just as soon as you think you've finally got everything right, something else breaks!

Thomas and I and two of his friends headed down to Emu Bight camping ground in The Lakes National Park (near Lochsport) on Sunday. We set up camp, then took the boat down to the shore of Lake Victoria.

Actually, this proved a bit tricky. First, the spreaders' bracket came off the mast. The rivots had all corroded through, and we didn't have a pop rivet gun. My resourceful son managed to put it all back together with cord and duct tape, though.

Next we had to deal with the obstacle of two wooden posts placed across the path to prevent vehicle access. Are sailing dinghies vehicles? I suppose they must be. We managed to lift it shoulder high once we had emptied it out, and then we had to carry it about fifty metres through the bush to the water's edge.

Of course, we couldn't resist going for a quick sail, which meant cooking in darkness. Stupid dad (that's me) had only brought one small lantern, so we ended up cooking under the car head-lights.

Next morning we packed the second tent, together with sleeping bags and food, into the boat, and headed off into the wide blue yonder - destination Point Wilson (Sperm Whale Head) or Duck Arm, on Banksia Peninsula. Turned out we were able to camp on the beach at Duck Arm, so we joined the various keel boats moored close to shore, and the rows of kayaks and canoes of the various schools that use the beach. (It's very easy to push tent pegs into sand.)

Then it was back into the boat for a quick sale to Paynesville to buy an ice cream, and a few more supplies. We arrived after five so most of the shops were shut, but we managed to pick up an 8 pack of ice creams from the supermarket. Then back into the boat for a gentle spinnaker run back to Duck Arm in the fading breeze. (We've rigged my old 1969 Cherub spinnaker onto the boat, because it is a bit bigger than the E's - it's a bit moth-eaten, though.)

Next day, the weather looked a bit ominous. A thunderstorm was coming sometime - in the morning, at midday, or in the afternoon or evening, depending on who you talked to. We could hear thunder rumbling in the distance, and didn't fancy the idea of being caught out on the water if lightning hit.

We decided to make a quick run for Point Wilson, where we knew shelter was available. With the wind falling right away, and the thunder getting ever closer, we broke out the paddles, and moved with surprising speed!

Lunch - tinned minestrone soup cooked on the little gas stoves, with hot buttered toast - was served in the large shelter at the BBQ, while rain fell on the roof.

Incidentally, the bird life around there is incredible. A black smudge on the horizon turned out to be a huge flock of cormorants, liberally interspersed with pelicans, swans and gulls. I'm sure there are many more birds than when I was there forty years ago.

The storm behind us, we tacked back into a gentle but rising breeze. (We tacked out into a northeasterly the day before, and then tacked back into a southwesterly - such are the joys of sailing!)

Shortly after our return to Emu Bight, the wind built to 20+ knots, so we emptied all the gear and went for a burn. We took a fair bit of water in over the sides and that, combined with a bit of water already in the tanks, caused the boat to behave a bit more like a submarine - especially with a crew of four on board. Feeling rather anxious that the boat might disappear beneath us (we were the only boat on the lake, after all), I decided to head for land to drain the boat. A second effort with a drier boat went much better, but I eventually pleaded exhaustion, and we called it quits.

Then it was into town for a pizza, our own food supplies being by now all gone.

We worked out a better way to lift the boat over the poles the next day, packed up and headed off - although the spreaders' bracket snapped completely in half while we were driving home - so it's back to the boat repairer again.

All things considered, though, the voyage was a great success.

I'll try to put some pictures up just as soon as I've had them developed.

[alongtimegone]

Congratulations Stephen. Sounds like quite an adventurous few days. Also sounds like it might make an interesting topic for some verse.
Wazza

[Heather]

You can still get photos developed?

[Bob Pacey]

Sounds more like an adventure than a voyage Stephen.


Bet you enjoyed it

Bob

[Stephen Whiteside]

Well, it was an adventurous voyage and, yes, I can certainly still get photos developed!

This one shows our set-up well.

[manfredvijars]

... so when's your maiden trans Tasman crossing planned for ??? ...

[David Campbell]

Hmmmm...is this what mad yachties mean by 'sailing on the edge'?

[Stephen Whiteside]

Don't think we'll take it to NZ, Manfred, though one of these boats did get across Bass Strait and back - though I think they eventually washed in a rather ragged condition. I wouldn't fancy it myself. I think a kayak would be much safer.

Looks a bit odd having the boat on its side like this, doesn't it, David. Once it is, though, it can't blow over in the night. Sort of like putting it to bed. Of course, there's always the chance it could be blown upright again, but if you put something heavy on the top of the sail/mast (usually the rudder, as we have done), you should be pretty safe.

You'll notice we are sharing the inlet with keel boats - not many other dinghies around.

Most of the time, we were the only boat within our range of vision. This photo gives the impression pretty well.

[Stephen Whiteside]

Love these kangaroo tracks...

[Stephen Whiteside]

...and these cormorants.