NWCC 2023 Yearbook

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www.nwcc.info Contents / 3 Welcome Club information On the water Ask the expert New member profiles Register Members’ reports on cruises Almanac section Club training programme Sailing Captain’s Report 8 Sailing Programme 2023 11 Club Social Events, Club Membership & Launch Service 13 Members’ Boats 14 More Racing Spiel 17 RYA Training at NWCC 28 Club Officers & Committee Members 4 Editor’s Welcome 5 Commodore’s Welcome 7 AIS 19 Cost Effective Digital Navigation 23 David, Lydia, Tabitha, Florence Bishop 58 Brennig Jones 59 Tribute to Alex Whittaker 61 Summer Cruise to the Isles of Scilly 2022 31 To Stornoway and Beyond 35 ‘Breezer’ in Ireland 43 ‘Free Will’s’ Summer Cruise 49 Sailing Directions Conwy Harbour 63 Chart of Buoys Position 63 Buoyage and Lights into Harbour 64 Useful Numbers/Contacts 68 About us Contents The North Wales Cruising Club was established in 1928 for those who enjoyed boating around the beautiful anchorages of Anglesey, North Wales and the Irish Sea. Today, the club remains very active arranging events on a regular basis, including weekend trips to the Menai Strait and around Anglesey as well as longer trips which take advantage of the expansive sailing area accessible from the Conwy Estuary, including the Isle of Man, Ireland and the west coast of Scotland. It also has a growing racing programme for yachtsmen and is also increasing activities for motorboat owners. In addition to the on the water activities the club also has an active social programme, including many beach-based barbecues as well as an Annual Dinner and prize giving night. The club also offers members a wide range of RYA training courses to help develop skills and build confidence on the waters. What’s more the club has its own launch for ferrying members and crew to and from boats in Conwy harbour or across the river. On the water (power) Pets’ Corner Motorboating 54 56

4 / Club Officers & Committee Members www.nwcc.info Club Officers & Committee Members Alan Courtney Vice President Steve Gorst Vice President Sailing Captain Harbour Representative Mike Ousbey Secretary Terry Worthington President Pat Sale Vice President Minute Secretary Social Committee Trevor Wilson Year Book Advertising Gordon Byrom Treasurer Bob Angell Commodore Launch Secretary Sally Ousbey Social Committee Mark Godwin Vice Commodore RYA Principal and Chief Instructor Rob Boughton Year Book Editor Austin Goudge Membership Secretary Website & Newsletter Kevin Coleman Rear Commodore

www.nwcc.info Welcome / 5 Welcome to the 2023 NWCC Yearbook. Thanks first to all those who took the time and trouble to write articles, it would be a lot of blank pages else. Other people to thank for their help include, once again, Trevor Wilson, who has done splendid work selling the advertising space, Pauline Caleno for putting the publication together and for David Boughton (no relation) at Scarbutts for the printing. I would also like to say a big thank you to our advertisers, your support is fundamental to this publication’s existance. We really appreciate it. This year marks a few changes for the club. Firstly, the Club house in Conwy has been sold, so whilst we have no permanent base anymore, there will still be plenty of opportunities for people to meet at various venues. Also, we have a new Commodore, Bob Angell, who got his “extra stripe” late in 2022, welcome Bob, and best of luck in the new role. I am delighted to say the yearbook is packed with articles from what was a bumper year in ’22. Cruises to far flung places around the British Isles, an extended racing programme attracted many new faces to the racing world, and the local supplies of charcoal were put under considerable strain by the number of club barbecues that took place during what was a glorious summer. On a sad note 2022 witnessed the sudden and untimely death of one of last year’s contributors, Alex Whittaker. Steve Potten, of Ribster 13 Photography, has kindly written a heartfelt tribute to Alex, a true character. He will be missed. For those readers who are opening their first copy of this esteemed publication, welcome! I hope that more than anything else, this yearbook conveys the pleasures of boating with friends around the beautiful coastlines accessed from Conwy. There can be fewer things more agreeable than sailing (or motoring) in company. Finally, please do not forget, that as members, this is your Yearbook. Its contents are determined by each and every one of you, and as such represents a shop window for our club to the wider world. Thanks to our contributors, this yearbook illustrates why being a member of the North Wales Cruising Club is such an excellent idea for anyone interested in getting onto the water, whether powered by wind or motor, or even human hand! Please enjoy and I wish you safe and happy times on the water in 2023. Rob Boughton, Editor Picture credit: Ribster 13 Photography

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www.nwcc.info Welcome / 7 COMMODORE’S WELCOME Firstly, I would like to thank the members of the NWCC for voting me in as Commodore. I will endeavour to make a success of the position, by working closely with both the club’s committee and members (new and established) over the coming months. This year is going to be a bit different; it will be the first without our club house that provided a land base for briefings, training and, of course, socialising. However, most members now get their information via electronic devices through our Email newsletter, WhatsApp group and text messages so adapting to this change will hopefully not prove difficult. Looking forward, there will, of course, still be times when we will meet for event briefings, socialising and catching up, as before, and venues for such activities will be arranged. I look forward to seeing as many new and current members as possible. 2022 was a successful year for sailing after the previous two were interrupted by covid regulations.  With a greater series of races in the bay, these proved popular among both members that didn’t usually race as well as to our newer joiners, and it was good to see the prizes spread around different boats. Last year also saw many cruises take place, including a mix of NWCC and members organising trips. We saw boats sailing to the Isle of Man, Scotland, Cardigan Bay as well as the club’s Summer Cruise; a three-week odyssey to the Isles of Scilly. There are tales from some of these adventures to be found within the pages of this book and it was great to see that such trips consisted of both established and new NWCC members.  Several NWCC boats clocked up impressive mileages over the summer with the Roamer Cup eventually going to Austin our previous commodore; let’s see who gets the highest mileage this season. 2023 has a full calendar, details of which can be found in Steve Gorst’s report. Here’s to a packed year ahead, and I look forward to seeing you all both on the water and at social events. Happy sailing and motoring! Bob Angell, Commodore Picture credit: Ribster 13 Photography

8 / Club information www.nwcc.info SAILING CAPTAIN’S REPORT Event Cup Winner Strait Cruise/Lifesaving Swan Trophy ‘Freedom’ Boatfolk Race 1 BJ Clark Trophy ‘Mayreau’ Boatfolk Race 3 Midsummer Cup ‘Talaris’ Boatfolk Race 4 Charles Hampson Trophy ‘Annica’ Boatfolk Series Quay Marinas Cup ‘No Dramas’ Bart’s Bash Graham Bourne Trophy ‘Grand Slam’ Best Racing Yacht of the Year Tennant Trophy ‘Mayreau’ Most travelled Yacht of the Year Roamer Cup ‘Mahalo’ Most Participation Commodore’s Cup ‘Free Will’ Best Newcomer Scimitar Cup ‘Helgi Wen’ Cock Up Cock Up Trophy ‘Split Decision’ 2022 was our first full season for three years and participation returned to pre pandemic numbers for our events. There were some super cruises including the Isle of Man Experience where we visited four ports. There was the Strait Cruise, The Pen y Parc BBQ and, highlight of the year, the Summer Cruise to the Isles of Scilly organised by Steve Wade. We also enjoyed a very successful River Festival and LaLa Rally which saw the numbers of participants climbing steadily again. Our first cruise of the year was the Strait Cruise to Caernarfon. Unfortunately, one of our members was caught out by the infamous Platter Rocks. But, fortunately our trusty motorboaters were on hand and, once again, John and Phil came to the rescue. So, I’m delighted to say that they are both worthy retainers of the Swan Trophy, our lifesaving award. In addition to the cruising programme we also produced a very successful racing programme which saw the Cruising Club pursuit races going from strength to strength. 2022’s trophies were awarded as follows. Boatfolk Race 1 was raced in very light airs and the first club boat home, on his very first club race, was ‘Mayreau’, winning the BJ Clark Trophy. Boatfolk Race 2 was called off due to the wind dropping to zero just as ‘Split Decision’ took the lead - sorry Steve no trophy for this one. Boatfolk Race 3 was sailed in more lively conditions. Second, third and fourth places were incredibly close (‘Breezer’, ‘No Dramas’, and ‘Mayreau’ respectively) but there was a bit of a gap between them and the winner, ‘Talaris’.

www.nwcc.info Club information / 9 A familiar face returning for his first race in a while. The winner of the Midsummer Cup was Dave Parkman. Boatfolk Race 4 saw a return to lighter airs and one boat sailed brilliantly to come through the fleet and gain the lead. ‘Annica’ was that boat and so the winner of the Charles Hampson Trophy was Trevor Wilson. However, as the Boatfolk trophy is an open trophy, kindly donated by the Boatfolk Marina organisation, the overall winner of the 2022 series and the Trophy was the well-known local sailor Arthur Davies sailing ‘No Dramas’. NWCC organises an annual race on behalf of the Bart’s Bash foundation, in September. We had an excellent turnout and the winner started right at the back of the fleet but overtook everyone in the club to win the trophy for the first club boat home. The winner of the Graham Bourne Trophy was Mark Roberts sailing ‘Grand Slam’. During the year we alter the handicaps depending on where you finish in each race, like a golf handicap and the boat that achieves the greatest positive adjustment to their handicap wins the Racing Yacht of the Year title. Last year, in his first season, the Tenant Trophy went to Roger Littin sailing ‘Mayreau’. Next up was the Commodore’s Cup which is awarded to the club member who essentially participates in the most club events. It was a close competition, but the overall winner was yours truly, Steve Gorst, sailing ‘Free Will’. We then move on to the most valuable cup in the club which is awarded to the member who clocks up the most mileage covered in their yacht. Again, it was very close, and the mileages were even higher mileage than last year. ‘Breezer’ recorded 859Nm, ‘Split Decision’ tallied 1049Nm, ‘Free Will’ chalked up 1091NM but the clear winner was ‘Mahalo’ with a grand total of 1217Nm. The winner of the Roamer Cup was outgoing Commodore Austin Goudge. Well done, Austin. We introduced another cup in 2022 which I’d like to award to the keenest newcomer, but not just to the club but also to sailing in general. He has taken part in several club races and held his own against some vastly more experienced sailors. He’s also gone to great efforts to join us at club BBQs as often as possible. I’d like to award the Scimitar Cup to Storm of ‘Helgi Wen’. The final cup of the year is much coveted, and I have to confess I’ve won it several times myself. It’s the Cock Up Trophy. I maintain that there is Continues on next page Picture credit: Ribster 13 Photography

10 / Club information www.nwcc.info no shame in winning this as the more miles one covers the more likely you are to experience the occasional mishap. There were two stand out contenders for this prize. The early leader was the unfortunate who placed his boat accurately onto the Platters Rock during the Strait cruise and, to be fair, we all thought that was unbeatable. However! One member was not to be outshone! It’s fair to say that this contender wasn’t an enthusiastic racer at the start of the summer but he gradually grew keener throughout the season and by the last race he had positioned himself for a perfect start. With five minutes to go until his allotted start time he dutifully switched off his engine. All was now set, all he had to do was set his sails and head for the start line. With two minutes to go his sails were hoisted, his tell-tails were drawing, and he was pointing at the line. So, why wasn’t he moving? Bang went the starting gun but he was still no nearer. Puzzled, the committee boat radioed him to say that the gun traditionally means go. Radio Silence. One by one the rest of the fleet got under way. Finally, ten minutes later, our intrepid contender nosed across the start line. All was explained after the race. Apparently with five minutes to go, our prize winner pulled the engine shutoff lever, but unfortunately, he released it before the engine had actually stopped; so why did he not pull it again, one ponders? Evidently, the sound of the boat’s wind generator covered up the engine noise and, to make matters worse, the engine was in reverse! On reflection, the first cock up contender suffered from a momentary lack of concentration, however, the second cock up took place over a whole fifteen minutes so, with that hard to ignore fact in mind, the winner of the 2022 Cock Up Trophy was Steve Wade on ‘Split Decision’. Looking to the future I have prepared and published the 2023 Sailing Programme which you can view on the opposite page. In addition to the usual racing we are also going to compete for the Coronation Cup in honour of King Charles III which will take place on the 6th May, forming part of the Boatfolk Series of Races. Please note The programme features the official club events for which points are awarded for the Commodore’s cup. I am sure there will also be a lot of ad hoc events going on as well organised by many other club members. As far as possible we will try to keep you informed of such events should you wish to join in and many of them will be on the club Whats App group. Regular visits are Menai Bridge and the beaches of Anglesey. In order to encourage the participation of under 18s we are introducing an enhanced handicapping system to the racing events so that inexperienced helmers will have an improved chance of winning. Please let me know before the race if you intend to use this so I can adjust your start time. Roamer Cup This cup is awarded for the most miles covered by a club boat. This is an opportunity for the long distance cruisers to win a cup. You will need to keep a detailed log of each trip to verify that you have done the journeys and help to add up the total mileage covered. The total distance can be submitted to the sailing captain each month so it can be reported in the monthly newsletter and promote some competition. Boatfolk Trophy The Boatfolk Trophy will be awarded for the winner of the Boatfolk series of races. There are five races and two of them will be discarded so if you can’t make all the races you are still in with a chance of winning. The handicapping system will be rolled over from last year so you will have the same handicap in the first race as you did at the end of last year. The Boatfolk Trophy itself is open to all clubs but the trophies for the individual races are to be awarded to the first NWCC boat in the race. Racing Boat of the Year There will be a Trophy for the boat that achieves the largest adjustment to their handicap through consistently high places in each race. Coronation Cup This year is the year of King Charles’s Coronation and we are going to have a race on the Coronation day, 6th May. A special cup will be awarded for that race and we will also have a social event afterwards.

www.nwcc.info Club information / 11 NWCC SAILING PROGRAMME 2023 8th April 13:00 (7.9m) Round Puffin Island Seal Spotting Cruise Leave moorings at 10:30. Sail around Puffin Island. Return to moorings for 14:00. A chance to test out our boats before the Round Anglesey Cruise, last year this proved very useful for some of us. Prize for the best seal photo. 29th April - 1st May Shakedown CruiseMay President’s Cup. Our first Strait Cruise of the year to Caernarfon via Felin Heli. 6th May 12:10 (7.8m) Boatfolk Series Race 1 of the Boatfolk Cup 20th May 12:10 (7.7m) Boatfolk Series Race 2 of the Boatfolk Cup 27th May - 4th June 13:30 Spring Cruise - the Isle of Man experience Douglas - Port St Mary - Peel - Port Erin. 17th June 11:10 (7.2m) Boatfolk Series Race 3 of the Boatfolk Cup 1st July 10:00 (7.0m) Boatfolk Series Race 4 of the Boatfolk Cup and BBQ Weekend away 14th July 09:30 Conwy River Festival - La La Rally 15th July 10:20 The usual festivities with a visit to the Royal Welsh Yacht Club and a 16th July 11:10 BBQ at Aber Menai. 22nd July 14:40 Conwy River Festival Racing 23rd July 15:10 A series of races for all kinds of Yachts, Conwy One Designs and Nobbies. 24th July - 12th August Summer Cruise st Wither the wind blows, to minimise our use of diesel and maximise our time under sail we will make a final decision on the destination much closer to the time. However if the conditions are favourable the aim will be to go to Scotland. 26th Aug 06:40 (6.2) Bank Holiday Cruise 27th Aug 08:10 (6.3) Round Anglesey Cruise if conditions allow or a suitable BBQ beach. 28th Aug 09:30 (6.7) 2nd Sept 13:20 (8.1) Boat Folk Series Race 5 of the Boatfolk Cup The final race of the series. 16th Sept 12:30 (7.5m) Bart’s Bash An open pursuit race where we can compare our results with yachts from all over the world. 14th October 11:40 (7.5m) Trafalgar Rally Commemorating the Battle of Trafalgar on 21st October 1805. The season finale features the usual frivolities and an evening dinner. Details to follow. Unless otherwise notified final briefings will be held on the Friday evening before the event at 21:00. At this point in time the venue has yet to be confirmed but it’s likely to be in the Comrades Club in Conwy. The programme will be subject to, hopefully, only minor changes throughout the season as circumstances dictate. There is also an open invitation for members of CYC, NWCC and Bay of Colwyn Sailing Club to participate in each other’s programmes but cups will only be awarded to the members of the clubs that are running the events.

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www.nwcc.info Club information / 13 Club Social Events 2023 will see the Club hosting a variety of Club social events. The first event will be a meal held on Easter Saturday, the 8th April, in the George & Dragon pub in Conwy, after the opening sailing event of the season, the ‘Round Puffin Seal Spotting Trip’. Throughout the season the plan will be to organise events to coincide with the Club’s sailing days and the local racing events as well social gatherings which will take place during Club sailing trips and cruises. Fast forward to the end of the season, we will be holding the ever-popular Annual Dinner and Trophy Presentation on Saturday 18th November at Conwy Golf Club. Look out for the Monthly Newsletter, Website and Members’ WhatsApp group for regular updates on and how to book future social events. Club Membership If you would like to join the North Wales Cruising Club then please visit our website at the following address: https://nwcc.info/join-us/ and complete the online form. Various categories of membership are available, ranging from Full Membership for boat owners through to Associate Membership for people who wish to take part in club activities but who are not currently in boat ownership. Full details and terms and conditions are on the website, including annual subscription rates. New members, when signing up with Direct Debit, are entitled to a 20% discount. Launch Service After 21 years’ service, unsurprisingly the launch’s engine was worn out (it contained more water than oil) and needed to be withdrawn from service earlier in the season than planned. After investigating several options, the most economical solution was to get the engine repaired. This involved replacing the cylinder head piston rings, the big end bearings, and the lift pump. These repairs were carried out by Blue Point Marine of Liverpool for only the cost of the parts for which we would like to pass on our sincere thanks. This overhaul should enable the engine to provide many more years of sterling service. This year will see the same drivers as previously with Gary and Kevin covering the weekdays and Lewis on weekend duties. During the week, please call Gary or Kevin to book availability, as the launch is not manned unless required. At weekends either ring Lewis or radio him on Ch37 and please remember to look out on the Club’s WhatsApp page for updates and the Club’s website for pricing. Lewis: 07719194767 Gary: 07532115151 Kevin: 07824 963061 

14 / Club information www.nwcc.info Aloe Vera Terry & Vera McMenamin Angels Whisper Hunter Legend 30T Emily Peer Annica Hallberg-Rassy 342 Trevor & Sue Wilson Anyway Westerly Griffon Frank Cook B Chewsy Bob Chew Beluga Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 440 Robin and Wendy Sanders Bokhara Dream Moody Eclipse Llew Williams Breezer Beneteau 331 Clipper Rob & Kate Boughton Canna Achilles Achilles 24 Richard Pollard & Eleonora Ghivarello Carousel of Hamble Mike Harrison Celtic Breeze Jeanneau 32 Al & Bev Dukes Cloud Nine Moody 38 CC Ken & Anne Timmis Deva Dehler 35 Colin & Debra Davies Diamond Lady Trev & Jenai Howard Finmara Finnclipper 35 Roger & Tim Nicoll Free Ken & Beryl Dobson Free Will Moody 33 mark 1 Steve & Lorraine Gorst Freedom Channel Island 22 John Nicol & Phil Wilkes Gadabout Keith & Chris Wright Goldcrest Copland Foxhound 24 Dave Howard Good Mood Sadler 32 Brennig Jones Good Mood 8 Colin Boswell-Williams Grand Slam Westerly Typhoon Mark, Lorraine & Ellie-May Roberts Happy Daze Jeanneau 349 Les & Margaret Hall Harlequin Moody S336 MkII Mark & Lesley Godwin Harvester IP23 Alan Courtney Hegri Richard Lawn High Spirits Draco Motorboat Tony & Amber Wilkes Island Runner Island Packet 29 Bri Symington La Marissa Moody 30 Colin Thorniley La Vie Deux Beneteau Oceanis 37 David & Lesley Smith Laura Nobby sail no FD319 Michael Leahy Leisurely Leisure 23 Steven Murphy Lindos Bernie Darwin Mahalo of Conwy Malo 38 Austin & Mary Goudge Marlin Moody 33c Alan Simcock Maud Leslie James Sunrider Tony and Linda Shaw Boat Name Boat Type Name

www.nwcc.info Club information / 15 Maya Bob Angell Mayreau Beneteau 311 Roger & Peta Littin Mercury / Escape COD / Nimbus 320 Colin & Linda Lee Midas Tony Edmonds Morgan le Fay John & Maureen Alder Morning Mist Moody 33 Ken & Mary Robinson No Dramas Parker 27 Arthur and Sandra Davies North Star Beneteau First 40.7 Cris Miles Nutcracker of Conwy Moody 376 Graham & Dany Frankland Pamela May Moody 333 Nigel and Kate Northwood Penny Diamond Fox Hunter 28 John Broadhead Phantom Westerly Oceanranger Craig Booth Pisces Beneteau Patrick & Hilary Pisces of Stone Contessa 32 Ken Young Sanderling Sirius 35 DS Adrian Hall Seaspray Macwester Brian & Angela Seiriol Churchhouse Drifter 22 Vernon & Lynn Turnbull Seren Y Mon Sadler 25 Ian Crowley Serenity Westerly Pentland Mark Ridder Silvery Sea Peel Marine Offshoreman Ian Ross Sirena Beneteau Antares 76 Graham Price Skeabost Alec Farrell Skybird Gulfstar 50 Bryan & Sue Hughes Split Decision Moody 31 Steve & Yvonne Wade Stormbird Cobra 1050 Kevin & Fiona Coleman T2V Westerly Longbow Steve Tibbetts Talaris Beneteau First 345 David Parkman Time Out Jaguar 22 Clive Winstanley Troppo Bella Dehler Dehler 34 David, Lydia, Tabitha & Florence Bishop Una Vida Solamente Jeanneau Oceanis Brian Farmer Wild Silk White Silk Paul Tilley If your boat and names are not mentioned above it is possibly because you have not given permission for this. With the introduction of GDPR we have to request consent for your name and boat name to be published in the Yearbook. An electronic version of the form is available from the Privacy Policy page on the website: https://nwcc.info/privacy-policy/ which you can email to [email protected]. Austin Goudge, Membership Secretary Boat Name Boat Type Name

16 / On the water www.nwcc.info ■ complete on-site & mobile rigging service ■ stainless & composite standing rigging ■ yacht ropes, mooring lines & splicing service ■ deck gear, winch & furling gear servicing ■ Seldén regional centres ■ insurance repairs & reports ■ over 20 years experience

www.nwcc.info On the water / 17 more racing Rob (the guy that incredibly pulls this whole thing together) is a tough taskmaster: persistent; resilient; determined. But if he has to use as much energy persuading other potential contributors as he has spent on badgering me, he’ll have none left for racing. There you go, my first tip right there: ‘Wear your opponents down’. Since I come from a background of one design dinghies, I used to be a bit sniffy about yacht racing. I mean six inches can make all the difference, (stop sniggering at the back), and it’s not quite like that with yachts, is it? Well, is it? The last Sydney-Hobart was decided by just fifteen minutes on handicap after three days of racing. That amounts to eking out roughly ten seconds every hour on your opponent, or 0.17 of a second per minute. Think about that for a second. NO DON’T! That second’s just lost you ten minutes worth of gain. Perhaps the hardest part compared to dinghy sailing is to maintain that level of concentration that gives you 0.17 seconds of gain every minute over three days! This doesn’t just happen in the big-name races, though. From personal experience there has been less than ten seconds between first and second after 24 hours of racing on the Scottish Islands Peaks race on several occasions. A couple of years ago the race was even decided in the harbour at the finish in Troon! So after a race I like to discuss with the crew where we ‘lost’ time. There’s absolutely no room for excuses in my book; instead absolute honesty with all on board (including self). The conversation might go something like this. “We had a poor start, there’s fifteen seconds.” “On the first beat we were slow easing the main in that gust - probably nearly ten seconds.” “Overstood the mark. Another ten seconds and that hoist wasn’t pretty - five seconds.” “The gybe was a killer, maybe fifteen seconds gone there.” “Wrong way up the second beat- another fifteen seconds, plus that tack where we had the sheet round the winch the wrong way another ten seconds.” So that adds up to eighty seconds when we lost the race by seventy-five! Therefore, we might have won the race if we had sailed almost perfectly, but what that tells me, is that we’re probably not quite on the pace for boat speed because nobody sails the perfect race. What’s the point of my blathering on about all this? I hope it gives you a way of looking at your race, and if the desire is there, a means of improving your performance. (NOTE - I said performance, not results. Your competitors may well be improving their performance too, so don’t rely on results to illustrate where you’re at). Once you’ve appraised the race, honestly now, you will see that your time penalties tend to fall into the following categories: crew work; tactics; decision making and boat speed. Continues on next page Cris Miles Spiel Start line at Wayfarer Nationals 2017

18 / Ask the expert www.nwcc.info There are some simple answers to improving each of the above, but sometimes they are beyond where you’re prepared to go. To illustrate this, let’s say you’ve sailed with Fred for years, but Fred can always be relied upon to cock up at least one tack per race! If you can accept that, that’s fine if you’re enjoying the craic and have realistic performance expectations. But it’s usually the winning crews having the most fun. If you want to improve your performance, there’s a painful decision to make. I’m not trying to provide you a manual in this short article, besides there are other sailors that have already produced prodigious volumes on how to improve tactics or get better boat speed. All the tools are available for you to use if you have the desire and the honesty to recognize where the gains may be made. Permit me a plug here. We offer race places aboard ‘Jezebel’ our thoroughbred J111. It’s unlikely we’ll win (we are racing against the finest boats that sail the Irish Sea with crew that are looking to develop their own skills) but you will get an insight into how we approach and then break down a yacht race. Perhaps in that process you will get something to take away for your own racing or you’ll simply enjoy an incredible experience for your memory locker! Hope to see many of you out on the water this year. Have a great season whatever type of sailing you do. Very best to all – Cris. ‘Jezebel’ Three Peaks start

www.nwcc.info Ask the expert / 19 Picture the scene, the wind is on the nose, as always, and you need to get to where you’re going so, you’re motoring. You spot a ship in the distance on your port side. You grab your hand-held compass and take a bearing to the ship. Your boat is rocking so you get the best bearing you can. You take another bearing after a few minutes and it looks to be less but to be sure that you’re not going to get into a possible collision, you make a large course change so you can safely pass behind the ship. If you had an AIS receiver, you would see the ship well before it pops over the horizon and would have noted that the CPA (Closest Point of Approach) was one mile behind you and so no need to change course. You’d have the ship’s position, course, speed over ground and heading so you could plot it on the chart if you wished. You would also have their callsign and MMSI number to call them up on the VHF and if your AIS setup is a transceiver, then your boat’s details would show up on the ship’s AIS display. AIS sends and receives vessel data over dedicated VHF channels. The transceiver is a special type of VHF transmitter that sends data in a quick burst each time and a receiver on another vessel or on shore receives the data and displays the information on a dedicated screen, chart plotter or tablet. There are two basic types of AIS transceivers. Class A is required for most commercial vessels over 300 tons, passenger vessels and fishing vessels over 15 metres. Class B may be used on other commercial vessels and leisure vessels. Class A transmits at 12.5W (Watts) and sends more information and at a higher frequency than class B and has priority if there is congestion on the system. Class B transmits at 2W and sends less data, less frequently. Recently, there has also been a class B+ added which transmits at 5W but has the same priority as class A transceivers. At speeds over 23 knots, it will transmit data more frequently than regular class B transceivers. When looking for an AIS transceiver, it’s important to decide how the data will be displayed. Some units will have a dedicated display or if you have a compatible chart plotter and a NEMA-0183 or NEMA-2000 network then the information can be presented directly on the chart. If the AIS receiver has built in Wi-Fi, or you have a Wi-Fi adaptor on the network then you will also be able to view the AIS information in a navigation app, such as Navionics or Open CPN, on a tablet, phone, or computer. When I brought ‘Mayreau’, she came with a very basic AIS receiver that supposedly plugged directly into a Windows laptop to display the information on a navigation program running on the computer. I could not get this to work so it was time to invest in a new unit which heralded the start of a major system upgrade. After quite a bit of research, I decided on the Vesper XB-8000. It has its own dedicated GPS antenna and has both NMEA-0183 and NMEA-2000 networks and a built in Wi-Fi hotspot so any Wi-Fi enabled devices on board can connect to the boat’s network. Because it has both NMEA networks, it can be used as a hub to connect both older and newer instruments. For me, the Wi-Fi and NEMA-2000 were the important features. Continues on next page Roger Littin AIS ‘Mayreau’

20 / Ask the expert www.nwcc.info Installation is straight forward. For a basic setup, there are just three connections to make. Once I had selected the location for the main unit, under the chart table, it was just a matter of mounting the GPS antenna on the pushpit and running the cable to the unit, connecting a VHF antenna, and then hooking up the power cable via a fuse and switch. The unit can either use its own dedicated VHF antenna or use the main radio’s VHF antenna via a splitter. Vesper can supply a powered splitter that will give the main radio priority, so I went with that option. You may also need to connect to a chart plotter via one of the NEMA networks, but this isn’t necessary if just viewing via an app like Navionics. After everything is installed, it needs to be configured. This is normally done via an app that runs on a tablet or phone, using the Wi-Fi hotspot. The unit needs to be configured with the boat type, name, MMSI number, and basic dimensions. The app can also be used to view AIS targets and information from the boat’s own instruments. It also has an anchor watch alarm. From within Navionics, you will need to set up the AIS receiver as a Paired Device to start but once connected, AIS targets should start appearing on the Navionics chart. Selecting a target, should let you see the information about it.

www.nwcc.info Ask the expert / 21 An added advantage of pairing the AIS receiver with Navionics, is that Navionics will use the AIS receiver’s GPS antenna instead of the tablet’s meaning battery life should be vastly improved. Navionics will also display depth information if it’s available on the NMEA network. As I sail mostly single-handed, AIS is one of the most important systems on the boat.

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www.nwcc.info Ask the expert / 23 The Project Our 1994 Dehler 34 ‘Troppo Bella’ has a good sized nav. station but it was out of date and the wiring was past it so last winter I decided to revamp our boat’s digital navigation set up. There was a number of fully and partially decommissioned navigation devices and, on long sailing passages or at anchor, there were not enough switches to reduce the power consumption down to the essentials. We set a couple of goals for the revamp. Firstly, we wanted to share instrument data such as depth, speed, wind and position easily with all our navigation equipment including our iPhone and iPad. Secondly we needed to be able to use the navigation station to plot a route on a screen and then push it to our legacy, but weatherproof, Furuno GPS and Raymarine C80 Chart Plotter as we didn’t want to rely on an iPad in a storm and not having the passage in the GPS felt irresponsible. While a laptop can achieve a lot of this, space at the chart table was tight, plus recharging such a computer during extended trips would be a hefty draw on house batteries. We’d need something small and low power to use as a computer.  A Boat Computer It won’t have escaped your notice that computers have got smaller, think of your phone, your watch, your wireless speaker, even your fridge! A UK charity, geared towards STEM Cost effective Digital David Bishop ‘Troppo Bella’ Dehler 34 Navigation Continues on next page

24 / Ask the expert www.nwcc.info education, designed a cheap (£50) and easy-toprogram computer called the Raspberry Pi.  Fun fact: Why the silly name? Well it’s not so silly. Raspberry were not the first successful computing organisation named after fruit and Pi is short for Python, the easy-to-use programming language which is commonly used on them. The great thing is these computers are really small, just the size of a pack of cards, and are easily hidden behind a boat panel, safe and dry and can be driven from a standard 3.4V USB port. Therefore you can leave them on while sailing without draining your house battery. Yachting enthusiasts have embraced these little computers for all kinds of purposes. There is even a software package called OpenPlotter, designed specifically to be easily installed on a Raspberry Pi which comes with OpenCPN and some software for sharing boat data called SignalK. Digital Chart Plotter OpenCPN is the software application at the heart of this solution which is an open source (free to use) digital chart plotter which can be downloaded onto a PC, Mac or Linux computer.  Compatible digital charts are available from Raspberry Pi www.o-charts.org, which for a UK pack costs Me at nav station

www.nwcc.info Ask the expert / 25 around £20 a year. These high-quality charts receive updates from the UK Hydrographical Office and are suitable for navigation and are considered as good as you would find on Navionics or other commercial marine systems. Connecting to your boat data There are various methods of getting the data from your instruments to your Raspberry Pi. Many boats have a boat data multiplexer, which has multiple instruments connected directly to it with a PC USB output. This is by far the easiest way to connect to data. On a boat the depth sounder, boat speed, wind instrument, GPS and AIS all talk to each other using the same format. They ping little text messages like “Depth below transducer 2.3m” or “The wind is 13 knots” from the instruments along the wires to the cockpit displays where they are converted into your analogue or digital readout.  Just like ropes, it is possible to splice these cables and share the instruments’ text messages between multiple devices. On ‘Troppo Bella’ I have spliced the output from my GPS so that I can use it for my VHF DSC, Raymarine C80 Chart Plotter and also for my OpenCPN chart plotter. Connecting your boat data Open-cpn Continues on next page

26 / Ask the expert www.nwcc.info Boat Network Now that your data have been collected into your Raspberry Pi, you need to share it with your wireless devices. The easiest way to do this is to set up a Wi-Fi hotspot on your boat and you can purchase a small USB powered Wi-Fi & 3G hot spot device for around £30. You’re ready to go. So, with a £50 Raspberry Pi, free open-source software and a £30 Wi-Fi hotspot you can now create a new level of shared access for your boat data. From here you could use a tablet computer as a chart plotter driven by OpenCPN (via a shared computer screen to your Raspberry Pi) or feed your depth, boat speed and wind information to a configurable instrument display on your smart phone. Over the winter of 2021 I built this new navigation station and, whilst I do have a technical background, getting your own digital chart plotter set up is not as hard as it sounds, so I wanted to share how to do it. On the NWCC Isle of Man trip and the summer cruise I was delighted with the interest that fellow club members showed in my tinkering below deck. There are now a few of us at the club who are playing with this concept so we have created a NWCC WhatsApp group for those who are having a play with their boat data. Do join, ask questions and share your experiences. Marine Surveys Pre-Purchase Insurance and Damage Surveys on Sailing Boats and Motor Cruisers up to 24 metres John Crompton Member I.I.M.S.—Yachtmaster www.smallboatsurveys.com Mobile: 07738 356299 Office: 01253 731099 [email protected]

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28 / Club training programme www.nwcc.info RYA TRAINING AT NWCC Courses for Beginners and Experts Since we don’t have our own classroom just now, we have sought out other suitable venues in or close to Conwy, so it’s business as usual! Please check the website for available courses. [email protected] Dr Mark Godwin Principal and Chief Instructor NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION The above title is typical of the warning that we see when we switch on our chart plotters. So, what does it mean and why is it there? The first question is very easy. It means exactly what it says, i.e., don’t rely on the plotter to navigate your boat. The answer to the second question is probably not what you would have guessed. The warning is stipulated by the National Hydrographic Offices, such as our UKHO, that provide data to plotter manufacturers. They do this because the charts created by the plotter manufacturers from their data are not required to conform to any recognized standard. All this leaves users of electronic chart plotters in a very uncomfortable position. It’s not just leisure sailors like us who are affected, so are many small commercial vessels, the UK Border Force, and even smaller Royal Navy vessels. Big ships don’t have this problem because they use a system called ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display and Information System) which is approved for use as a main source of navigation, making it unnecessary for them to carry paper charts. ECDIS is far too big and expensive to be used on leisure vessels, unless of course you own a superyacht! A few countries have tried to develop their own approval systems for small vessel plotters, but none has gone the distance. An attempt to produce a mini ECDIS also didn’t result in a viable solution. Fortunately, there is now a consensus to develop an international standard specifically for electronic charts for small vessel plotters. This won’t make future plotters anything like as powerful as full-blown ECDIS systems, but at least it will ensure that their electronic charts are tested to appropriate standards. That’s good news but it doesn’t help with our current “unapproved” charts. However, if you follow the RYA’s Training Guidance to check what we see on our electronic chart plotters against reality, for example by using transits and bearings to visual references, your navigation will be safer. This will also preserve your traditional navigation skills which you may need if your plotter suddenly dies on you!

www.nwcc.info Club training programme / 29 UNDERWAY AND MAKING WAY Do you know what these terms mean? They crop up throughout the International Rules for the Prevention of Collision at Sea, better known to most of us as the Col Regs, or simply the Rules. Underway According to the Col Regs, Underway means that a vessel is: • Not at anchor • Not on a mooring or tied up in harbour • Not aground In other words, a vessel that is not somehow attached to the ground is Underway, even if it is not being propelled through the water. Except when in harbour or on a mooring, vessels that are Not Underway display the following shapes and lights. At Anchor Aground Small vessels At Anchor show one ball by day and one all around white light by night. When Aground, three black balls in a vertical line are shown by day, and two all around red lights arranged vertically by night. Probably only a small minority of pleasure vessels carry the shapes and lights to display when it’s their turn to run aground! Making Way According to the Rules, a vessel is Making Way when it is being propelled through the water by engine, sails, or oars. A vessel that is Underway, but Not Making Way, is said to be Stopped. Reasons why a vessel might be Stopped include: • Mechanical failure • Underwater Operations • Fishing • Waiting • Sailing vessel becalmed Not Under Command (NUC) A power vessel Underway, but not Stopped due to engine failure, has no ability manoeuvre. In this unfortunate situation the vessel falls into the category of Not Under Command. It is possible for a vessel that is Not Under Command to be Making Way. For example, if the engine is working but the steering system is malfunctioning, the vessel can’t follow the normal Steering Rules. There is a section in the Rules called Responsibilities Between Vessels. This section describes a hierarchy of vessels that are in some way hampered in their ability to manoeuvre. Not Under Command is top of the pecking order so all other vessels must keep clear. The basic signals made by a vessel NUC are two spheres arranged in a vertical line by day, and two all-round red light arranged in a vertical line at night. Not Under Command By Day By Night By Day By Night Continues on next page By Day By Night

30 / Club training programme www.nwcc.info Whether or not a NUC vessel is Stopped or Making Way is important in deciding how to keep clear of her. During daylight the aspect of the vessel (i.e., starboard side, port side, bow or stern,) is obvious. During darkness, when Making Way, a vessel NUC also shows her port and starboard lights, and stern light (but not steaming light), so that other vessels can see which aspect she is presenting to them. Sailing Vessels Not Under Command: The Rules say that NUC means a vessel which under some exceptional circumstance is unable to manoeuvre to keep out of the way of another vessel. Sailing yachts fitted with auxiliary engines can still manoeuvre when the wind fails. Solo Saiiors: Single handers can’t claim the priority of a vessel NUC when they are off watch. Solo sailing is not illegal, but no exception is made to the Rule requiring a Look-Out to be kept at all times. The Rules do acknowledge that the degree of look-out can be relaxed in open ocean conditions. Restricted in Ability to Manoeuvre (RAM) Second on the priority list are vessels with limited maneuverability due to their work, for example Dredging, Cable Laying, and Diving. The unique signals identifying RAM are ball over diamond over ball by day, and red over white over red all-round lights by night. Additional shapes and lights are used, particular to the work in progress, to show which side of the hampered vessel it is safe to pass on. If Underway the hampered vessel also shows her running lights, i.e. masthead light(s), side lights, and stern light. Instead of the above shape, a small vessel with a diver down can show a rigid replica of the swallow-tailed, blue and white “A” flag. (In practice many dive boats use an ordinary fabric flag which can be very difficult to spot if it’s hanging limp in CALM conditions.) Vessels Constrained by Drought Vessels Engaged in Fishing There are Fishing Vessels and there are Vessels Engaged in Fishing. They are not the same thing. A Fishing Vessel is simply a boat that you use to go fishing. A Vessel Engaged in Fishing, according to the Rules, is. Sailing Vessels and Power Vessels You might interpret it as the prop rotating on a power-driven vessel, or the sails drawing on a sailing vessel, but just how fast does the prop have to rotate, or how hard do the sails have to draw, to make way. Dr Mark Godwin By Day By Night By Day By Night By Day By Night Trawling Other

www.nwcc.info Members’ reports on cruises / 31 Summer Cruise Saturday 23rd July was the date when ‘Split Decision’, ‘Maya’, ‘Free Will’, ‘Mayreau’, ‘Phantom’ and ‘Troppo Bella’ set sail from Conwy in not very pleasant weather with the ultimate aim of cruising to the Isles of Scilly. The intention was to reach Porth Dinllaen by evening, but worsening weather dictated otherwise, so unfortunately we had to take shelter in Victoria Dock, Caernarfon for the first three nights of our trip. This would have significant implications later... Whilst there, Bob Angell managed to recruit a new crew member, called Napoleon, who managed to complete the cruise by being passed between various boats and he even put in an guest appearance at the NWCC Annual Dinner! Tuesday 26th July saw us leave Victoria Dock and enjoy a cracking 36 Nm sail towards Aberdaron via Bardsey Sound through which some of us even managed to ‘goose-wing’. It was a pleasant evening, but it was early to bed ready for an early start next morning. Leaving Aberdaron at 0630, ‘Free Will’ sadly developed engine problems Steve, Lorraine and Nelson, their dog left the fleet to get attended to at Pwllheli marina. The rest of us enjoyed a pleasant 59 Nm motor sail to Porth Melgan in Whitesands Bay, a lovely little anchorage sheltered by St. David’s Head. It is an ideal anchorage to call at whilst travelling north or south, and perfect for timing passages through Ramsey and Jack Sounds. Due to that enforced stop in Caernarfon, the Scilly Isles were no longer achievable for Craig and Natalia on ‘Phantom’ and David, Lydia, Tabitha and Florence on ‘Troppo Bella’, within the time they had available, so ‘Phantom’ set off for Porth Dinllaen and ‘Troppo Bella’ headed for Dale in Milford Haven, accompanied by Bob Angell on ‘Maya’, who had problems with his alternator, looking to get repairs for a possible rejoin later. Thankfully, Derek Ridgewell came to Bob’s aid and got him up and running again in double quick time. to the Isles of Scilly 2022 Steve & Yvonne Wade ‘Split Decision’ Continues on next page Napoleon at the helm

32 / Members’ reports on cruises www.nwcc.info So, on Thursday 28th July it was only ‘Split Decision’ and ‘Mayreau’ that started out from Whitesands Bay on a mostly uneventful 133Nm, 25-hour voyage to St. Mary’s. We entered via the northwest passage, picking up moorings in St. Mary’s Pool, Hugh Town. Only Napoleon managed the trip without getting tired. The harbour was pretty packed with yachts, many having taken part in the Falmouth/Isles of Scilly race. After resting up, we set off exploring. Roger and Pepper, his dog, from ‘Mayreau’, went to meet his wife Peta off the “Scillonian” ferry, she not being a lover of small sailing vessels. We stayed in St. Mary’s Pool overnight, but on Saturday decided to move to New Grimsby Sound to shelter from an incoming bout of windy weather. It was only a three mile trip, and we picked up a buoy in the sound between the islands of Tresco and Bryher. Due to unfortunate circumstances Peta had to return home on Sunday leaving Roger and Pepper alone once again. We woke on Monday to the wonderful sight of Bob Angell on ‘Maya’ cruising serenely down New Grimsby Sound after a grueling 26 hour slog from Milford Haven. It was a great to have him back on the cruise. While he rested up, we went exploring on the island of Bryher. A circular walk ended up with a well-earned pint at the Fraggle Rock Bar. We left New Grimsby Sound on Wednesday 3rd August, to anchor in Porth Cressa on St. Mary’s. Porth Cressa is on the opposite side of Hugh Town from St. Mary’s Pool, but only about 400 metres separates the two beaches. The weather by now was glorious, and although the water appeared inviting, Bob and I discovered it was bitterly cold. We didn’t stay in for long. We spent the next few days chilling out around the islands, visiting St. Martin’s among others. We also watched the men’s and ladies’ gig races out of St. Mary’s, a must for anyone wishing to see local rivalry at its fiercest. On Saturday 6th August Steve, Lorraine and Nelson on ‘Free Wil’ sailed into Porth Cressa after having sorted their engine problem in Pwllheli and it was great to be back up to four boats again. Beach at Porth Cressa St Mary’s Pool, Hugh Town

www.nwcc.info Members’ reports on cruises / 33 Next day was probably the highlight of the cruise. Roger entered ‘Mayreau’ into the ‘Round the Island Race’ which circles St. Mary’s in a clockwise direction finishing at The Turk’s Head pub on St. Agnes. With Roger helming, Bob and I winching, Steve Gorst sail trimming and Yvonne racing between us; we turned out to be a formidable crew. ‘Mayreau’ performed brilliantly, being comfortably the first yacht to finish, beating our nearest rivals by at least half a mile. We later found out that our nearest rival had, in the past, won its category in the Sydney to Hobart race, so it was a most satisfying victory. We rested next day as that evening ‘Split Decision’, ‘Mayreau’ and ‘Maya’ departed Porth Cressa for a 75Nm overnight passage to Padstow, leaving ‘Free Will’ to enjoy a few more days in the Scilly Isles. On this leg, I discovered the need for AIS! Traffic separation schemes can be hairy at the best of times, but sailing between two of world’s busiest shipping lanes at night keeps one well and truly focused. We arrived in the lovely harbour of Padstow at 1500 on Tuesday, it is certainly one for a longer stay in the future. We showered, ate out in a great pub, but retired in good time to be ready for an early start next morning. We headed out of Padstow at 0500, over the Doom Bar, and with the wind right on the nose, (obviously) we sailed the 73Nm across the Bristol Channel to Dale. Whereupon, I had to climb ‘Split Decision’s’ mast to retrieve the spinnaker halyard which had come adrift on the journey. More ominously, Bob reported that ‘Maya’ had appeared to have hit something on the trip, and was taking on some water but because overnight the leak became significantly worse, we headed to Solva so that Bob could dry ‘Maya’ out against the wall to investigate. We transited Jack Sound, Racing Continues on next page

34 / Members’ reports on cruises www.nwcc.info and spent a couple of hours’ splendid sailing in St. Bride’s Bay waiting for enough water to enter Solva. The problem turned out to be a hole caused by a broken skeg and thankfully, Derek Ridgewell was once more available to help out. ‘Split Decision’ and ‘Mayreau’ anchored off Solva, but we went ashore to stock up in that beautiful little town. Next morning, we left Solva for the short leg to Whitesands Bay, but as we had to wait to transit Ramsey Sound, we did a bit of fishing on what was a beautiful day. Yvonne was the only one to catch a fish and boy did she let us know about it… Saturday 13th August saw us leaving Whitesands for another 73Nm trip to Porth Dinllaen and although the wind was on the nose, of course, we took advantage of the spring tide. ‘Split Decision’ reached Bardsey Island as the tide began to turn, and I decided to go tight inshore hoping to catch a north going eddy up to Porth Dinllaen. It worked perfectly, although we had to contend with the inevitable pot buoys. It was also the first time that we’d sailed between Maen Mellt and the shore. ‘Mayreau’ and ‘Maya’ weren’t quite so lucky, having to battle against the wind and tide for a couple of hours more, but we were all anchored in Porth Dinllaen by the evening. We left Porth Dinllaen for Conwy nice and early on Sunday 14th August for our final 39Nm sail of the cruise. Over Caernarfon Bar and in the Menai Strait there was a huge amount of weed in the water, and unfortunately ‘Mayreau’s’ propellor was fouled by some, so Roger called in at Victoria Dock for a few minutes in order to clear it. The rest of the journey was uneventful and we all sailed into Conwy together at the end of a brilliant 550Nm Summer Cruise. Everyone had a great time, and we can’t wait to go cruising in 2023. Solva

www.nwcc.info Members’ reports on cruises / 35 Summer 2023 We arrived in Conwy late on Friday 17th June having made the painful decision to leave all three cats in a “cat hotel”.  We had a late dinner aboard and debated leaving times. The more enthusiastic sailor won that one and we were up at 0415 the next day. It was a long and slow passage, aiming for either Douglas or Port St. Mary in the Isle of Man, plus the tide tables did not reflect any of the tides we experienced. Also, the weather forecasts foretold strong northerlies on Sunday, so we would need the day off somewhere. Since the Outer Hebrides were our ultimate target, we decided to crack on through the Calf Sound and on up to Bangor, Northern Ireland. This initially felt like a good idea, but that was over-optimistic as, once again the wind dropped. We saw sunset at 2201 with Copeland Island in view. The Donaghadee Sound was exciting in the dark, but finally after twenty-two and a half hours we reached Bangor Marina. The lovely marina guy advised us to tie up and sort the paperwork in the morning, which was exactly what we did. We had Sunday off in Bangor - tasty lunch at Jenny Watts and then another discussion about what time to leave. Once again, the more enthusiastic sailor won! We left Bangor Marina at 0330, fuelling up on the way out - an expensive business! But we were rewarded with a beautiful sunrise. We arrived in Ardminish Bay, Gigha early afternoon in glorious weather. Austin had a swim, and we ate a wonderful meal at The Boathouse (although they don’t accept Apple Pay, so I paid for my own treat). The next day we had a “lie in” and left at 0830! Spinnaker up. Spinnaker down. Repeat. Despite that, the Sound of Gigha was very pretty. Our aim was to anchor off Jura to hit north going tides at a good time. Lussa Bay was perfect - it was sheltered from northerly winds, with good holding and a lovely beach. There was even tea and homemade cakes from a small cabin with an honesty box. We left later that afternoon and pushed on to the Black Isles - again, beautiful. We watched the sun set to the west through the low-lying islands and Austin was chased by seals as he explored in the dinghy. On Wednesday, we had planned to anchor somewhere up Loch Sunart after taking in the To Stornoway and Beyond Gigha Continues on next page Mary & Austin Goudge ‘Mahalo of Conwy’

36 / Members’ reports on cruises www.nwcc.info east coast of Mull, the Sound of Lorne and the Sound of Mull. However, the weather took a turn for the worse, so we headed for the marina and hot showers at Tobermory. Probably a mistake, as the staff were “too busy” to take our berthing fees and the showers were revolting. However, dinner at Cafe Fish was exquisite although the skipper “couldn’t pay” as they didn’t accept Apple Pay. Again. On Thursday, we headed west across the Sea of the Hebrides, keeping the Small Isles to the north. We anchored at Eriskay in good time. Eriskay is famous for inspiring the story of Whisky Galore!, when the “SS Politician” foundered in the Sound of Eriskay carrying 264,000 bottles of whisky, some of which are still in the local pub. It’s one of the most sheltered natural harbours in the Outer Hebrides and we had a very settled night. Next morning and the anchor had caught on some foul gear which took quite some time, and choice words, to clear. We continued up the east coast of Eriskay towards South Uist; that day was a short sail. We put the spinnaker up a few times and were joined by a pod of dolphin for a while, and anchored in Wizard’s Pool in Black Isles Lussa Bay

www.nwcc.info Members’ reports on cruises / 37 Loch Skipport. It was quiet and beautiful but the midges deterred us from heading ashore. Oh, and we set a tripping line this time! The next day, Saturday, meant another early start as the weather was conducive to explore the Atlantic coast of Harris. The sound was strewn with multiple rocks and small islands and as it was chucking it down, we kept to the wellmarked Stanton Channel.  As we approached the west of Harris, my memory diverts from the logbook which states that the wind only got up to a F7 with sea state moderate to rough. We were on a dead run, surfing down the rollers, albeit in sunshine. There was no way to gybe safely, so we had to turn into the wind with the help of the engine. Two reefs in the main and no genoa. As we rounded Scarp Island to the west of Harris, the reward was a beautiful, calm anchorage with turquoise sea and a white beach, all to ourselves. It could have been the Caribbean, apart from needing thermals. It was probably the most picturesque place we have ever anchored.  That evening, we talked about heading to St. Kilda but, as there was a deadline to get back to Conwy, we wouldn’t do that trip justice. So next day we headed back through the Sound of Harris in slightly calmer conditions, although there was an accident causing a partial finger degloving which needed a bit of sorting out.  Loch Stocknish, on the east coast of South Harris, had a narrow and interesting entrance but, instead, just past the small fishing harbour of Poll Scrot, we anchored in a beautiful setting Tobermory complete with many nosey seals.  Continues on next page Wizard’s Pool

38 / Members’ reports on cruises www.nwcc.info On Monday 27th, and with the need to get back for the LA-LA, we decided to make our most northerly destination Stornoway Marina where we received a lovely welcome from its staff who assisted us moor. Stornoway is a slightly bleak, small town but that said, we enjoyed an interesting afternoon, and I can recommend the quayside delicatessen for some tasty local produce. Stornoway is not the place for light sleepers however, as it didn’t get dark until 2330 with the sun rising at 0300. Next morning was the start of our trip home to Conwy, but true to form, the wind was now southerly and all the wind prediction apps were bright red. So, we headed east towards mainland Scotland in proper Scottish conditions, complete with sunshine, showers, multiple changes of sail and very dramatic scenery; the multiple Munros were magnificent. We headed south easterly to Loch Roe, north of Lochinver. Unfortunately, by the time we’d crossed the Minch, the wind was also south easterly, resulting in lots of tacking and (possibly) some mumbling under the crew’s breath about not turning the engine on. Loch Roe was a calm, sheltered anchorage, which required some concentration to enter and, once again, we thanked Antares Charts for their pilotage information. The following day started brightly with the wind still south south-east but the crew’s wishes not to spend the day tacking were heeded this time, so the engine went on. We stopped over in the Summer Isles for lunch. Scarp Island Stornoway

www.nwcc.info Members’ reports on cruises / 39 This area covers around thirty islands in the entrance to Loch Broom, where you could easily spend a week and we plan to explore it in more detail in future trips, but this time we pushed on to Loch Kerry, which is a bay in Loch Gairloch. I haven’t many memories of this anchorage, but the logbook says, “raining again.” The next day, Thursday 30th, I was excited as we were heading somewhere I had read lots about, in terms of history, scenery and food - Plockton. To get there we had to navigate a live firing range. We were very well behaved, maintaining radio contact, others clearly weren’t, and some fierce warnings were overheard. Plockton is a village of preserved fishermen’s cottages, all whitewashed, single storey buildings with their tenants taking pride in their colourful, flower gardens. After exploring we enjoyed a wonderful dinner at the Plockton Inn and spent a settled night on a visitors’ mooring. The following day was a long passage - 64 miles in total.  We were starting to cut it fine to get back to Conwy and although, in theory with a sailing boat you should not need much fuel, if your time is limited with a crewmember prone to seasickness, sometimes you just have to use the engine. So, we left Plockton at 0700 to make the tidal gates through Kyle Rhea and the Kyle of Lochalsh which is a most spectacular part of the world. The Skye Bridge is an immense feat of engineering, and when you pass underneath it feels as if the mast won’t fit, even though you know it will. The Sound of Sleat though cold and wet had many excellent places to stop off - Loch Nevis (heaven) and Loch Huorn (hell), but we pushed on, thankfully in very benign conditions, past Ardnamurchan Point with its impressive lighthouse. We hugged the north-east side of the Sound of Mull, keeping out of the strong tides, and dropped anchor out of the tidal stream about halfway down the Sound, at Fiunary Rocks. Another 0430 start in order to reach Kerrera Marina to refuel before the tidal gates further south. It was a lovely, early morning sail, with a great view of Lady’s Rock Lighthouse. Sadly, we had a very long wait at Kerrera as the staff had Continues on next page Plokton

Hafan Pwllheli, Glan Don, Pwllheli, Gwynedd LL53 5YT t: (01758) 701219 VHF: Ch80 e: [email protected] A European Centre of Sailing Excellence A WARM WELCOME FROM HAFAN PWLLHELI Call us for more details or see our website at www.hafanpwllheli.co.uk. Make sure Hafan Pwllheli is on your list of places to visit in 2022. Our marina is one of the safest harbours in Wales. We also boast excellent facilities and access to some of the best sailing waters in the UK. Expect varied wind patterns, moderate tidal and sea conditions and the spectacular scenery of the Snowdonian mountains as a backdrop. Access is possible for most yachts at virtually all states of the tide. Visitors are always welcome. NWCC_A5.indd 1 25/01/2022 10:51

www.nwcc.info Members’ reports on cruises / 41 been out to help rescue a large French yacht, which was blocking the fuel pontoon. Eventually we left and had to motor hard, not to miss the tidal gates at Seil Island and in the Sound of Luing. It stopped raining when we reached the north coast of Jura and the Scottish coast looked glorious. We were aiming for another (new to us) anchorage in East Tarbert Bay which was well protected from the prevailing wind. My main recollection is of the large sea eagle circling the bay as we entered - magnificent! We weighed anchor on a cold, grey morning. It was mostly a fetch down to the Ardmore Islands, but then the wind picked up as we rounded them to head to Port Ellen. Over the years we’ve tried several anchorages along this coast, but I fancied dinner at the Islay Hotel. The trip along the south coast of Islay was not pleasant with strong winds and we broke several things, including the mainsheet block at deck level and the halyard sheave at the masthead. The dinner at the hotel was good though. Now, we were definitely on the return trip. It was a bright and breezy morning when we realised that we couldn’t immediately raise the main. After some swearing, we eventually got it up using the topping lift, (which appeared to be of second world war vintage) and cracked on into rough conditions. Fortunately, doing 13 kts SOG, it didn’t take long to get into Northern Ireland’s lee, for a smooth sail back into Bangor. Next day’s target was Port St Mary, Isle of Man. The wind was F1-3 complete with the whole ‘spinnaker up and down malarkey’ again. There was also the splicing of the new main halyard, bought in Bangor, to its shackle to do. This took several hours with the help of books and YouTube videos. Only one person swearing this time, but he was soothed by lots of tea and chocolate biscuits. An uneventful evening on a mooring in PSM, was followed next day by a pleasant sail to Conwy. Once again, the Admiralty tidal chart predictions were incorrect, but we got back in time to meet up with Austin’s dad and to join up with the LA-LA rally. So, what did we learn from our adventure? Firstly, you could cruise the coast of Scotland for many years (this was our tenth) and still not see it all. Secondly, Antares charts are invaluable. Thirdly, tripping lines are quite important, Bob Bradfield’s recommendations on his charts would tell you that if you read them properly. And finally, not many establishments in the Western Isles accept Apple Pay. So, you should pretend to be Royalty and ensure that you have a suitable minion to carry the cash. Skye Bridge

42 / Members’ reports on cruises www.nwcc.info GARDDFON INN A family-friendly pub with amazing views ABOUT US Set in the village of Y Felinheli on the banks of the beautiful Menai Straits, the Garddfon Inn (Tafarn Y Garddfon in Welsh) is a wonderful example of a traditional Welsh community pub. We also offer 5 fantastic en-suite rooms, for those wishing to stay and a great food menu. GARDDFON INN, 1 Beach Road, Y Felinheli LL56 4RQ T: 01248 670359 E: [email protected] www.robinsonsbrewery.com/pubs/garddfon-inn-y-felinheli

www.nwcc.info Members’ reports on cruises / 43 in ireland ‘Breezer’ With the clanking and restrictive Marleyesque chains of Covid finally banished last summer, it was time for ‘Breezer’s’ first foreign vacation to Eire. Two and a half weeks of holiday time had been carefully extracted from our several employers and we intended to use them to their full advantage. Now a great deal has been made recently about “slow” versions of things. “Slow” TV for example, and we decided to take our time and enjoy the boat, the sea, and the sights at a more leisurely pace than normal 500mph of everyday life. To that end it took us three days and nights to even get heading in the general direction of Ireland. By the time we got to the boat, the tide was out for the first night. Next, it is a wellknown nautical fact that no summer cruise should commence without a hearty nosh up at Fu’s restaurant, which also happens to be conveniently located adjacent to a handy spot to tie a boat to for the second night. Also conveniently located to lob an anchor overboard is the “World Famous” Ty Coch Inn, and this provided the perfect way to start our third evening aboard ‘Breezer.’ Although only beer and peanuts/crisps were on the menu there, (food not being something evidently considered suitable to serve of an evening), it nevertheless was worth the inflation of the tender to have a run ashore. Next morning, at 8am with a wind of fifteen knots or so from the NNW, which unsurprisingly to regular readers, was from precisely the direction we wished to sail, ‘Breezer’ boatfully stuck her bow out around the Nefyn headland and struck out across the Irish Sea: destination Howth Marina. After a couple of hours of pitching and tossing through the waves, the wind expired, and we motored across calm, grey, benign seas towards the Emerald Isle. Spectacles en-route included a cruise ship (the immensely, immodest “Celebrity Apex”) and a wonderfully sociable and numerous pod of dolphin that kept company with us for an hour. Rob & Kate Bougton ‘Breezer’ Continues on next page Howth Marina

44 / Members’ reports on cruises www.nwcc.info All this fun and excitement were enjoyed to the regular beat of the engine as we chugged our way through many pounds worth of diesel to reach our destination. Howth Marina with its Yacht Club pavilioned in stripey splendour was a welcoming site and having rang down “Finished with main engines” we were soon ashore enjoying seafood delights in the “Bloody Stream” P.H., a few minutes’ amble away. Howth was a great springboard for Dublin, and next day saw us variously tasting drams in an Irish Whiskey Museum, enjoying Irish afternoon tea in Bewley’s, sipping a couple of pints of the Liffey Water in Kehoe’s and riding a crowded train to Malahide to have dinner. Fortunately, I had my fund manager on speed dial ready to release the necessary readies required in exchange for such an afternoon/evening, otherwise we would have probably ended up in a debtors’ prison. After a walk around the Head of Howth on the Thursday and another money rinsing meal in the harbour, Friday saw us head southwards a short three hours or so across glass like seawater, to the hurricane proof harbour that houses Greystones Marina. On the advice of Martin Lewis, we decided to eat aboard in the evening and in doing so, succeeded in both reducing the visibility in the harbour to around 200m with our barbecue smoke and the speed of our money’s exodus from our wallet. Next day and with an excellent lunch of Tapas and Sangria (traditionally Irish Fare), with an old friend from those parts forming the recentest of memories, we settled down in preparation for the next day’s leap on down the eastern coast of Ireland, this time to Arklow. Again, another day of virtually zero wind (which does have its advantages), accompanied us on our gentle way to this small fishing estuary. The Almanac describes a compact marina (emphasis on the tiny) and some pontoons on the river. Having spoken to the harbour master, he advised us to tie to the pontoon nearest the marina, so with that instruction firmly memorised, we headed upriver in search of it. On arrival we discovered two yachts from Dun Laoghaire YC expansively moored across the pontoon in such a fashion to have made even a poolside towel-laying continental cousin blush. Many discussions and manoeuvres followed, (the river was pretty shallow, adding to the “fun”) before ‘Breezer’ was finally secured alongside. One of our new Irish neighbours enquired as to our next port of call, and it turned out they were heading to Kilmore Quay too. What made me recheck my calculations, however, was their casual statement that it would only take “four to five hours.” I had reckoned on nine…. The thought occurred that perhaps we should tail them to half our journey time, but the announcement of a pre 700am departure put paid to that, and we listened to them getting underway from the warmth and comfort of our bed clothes the next morning. Kilmore Quay

www.nwcc.info Members’ reports on cruises / 45 However, as those harbour manoeuvrings had acted quite adequately as an alarm call, it consequently seemed pointless not to get underway, and an hour later we telegraphed the engine room to raise steam enough to catch the southbound tide to Kilmore, using the outer channel off the County Wexford. The consistently warm, unwindy, yet sunny weather removed any stress from the decisionmaking and we just trotted off to the not unpleasant triple beat of the Volvo Penta. Passing through occasional mist patches we wound our way around Carnsore Point, through St Patrick’s Bridge, and the narrowest of entrances that was Kilmore Quay harbour to tie next to the RNLI Tamar class lifeboat in the marina. This nautical ambulation had taken almost exactly seven and a half hours and yet, our friends from the DYC were not to be found. They showed up ninety minutes later, so being magnanimous, we had both been wrong on our calculations…. An excellent meal out, with free carriage included, to Mary Barry’s Restaurant in the village of Kilmore itself, rounded off a successful venture and a welcome rest day followed. It turned out to be the only time when any wet stuff fell from the sky during the whole holiday. By now thoughts had turned to heading back across St. George’s Channel, homewards bound. We had enjoyed our time in Eire greatly. The harbours were hugely hospitable, the food, drink, and company were first class, and the scenery and sights second to none. It was only our bank manager who found the trip at all disagreeable, and so, before our credit line vanished for ever, we departed Euroland in order to reacquaint ourselves with spending good old sterlings. Thus at 6am the next morning, with the aim of catching the rush hour tide eastwards, we headed out of Kilmore Quay to make our way to Fishguard. For the first hour or two ‘Breezer’ made excellent progress both through the water and over the ground with a fresh NNE permitting the iron horse some welcome stable time. However once past Tusker Rock, the tide let off, and the wind went out and we were once again left to flick the reins on our steely steed to trot back to Fishguard. Continues on next page Old Fishguard

46 / Members’ reports on cruises www.nwcc.info It was a glorious day in all other respects: clear blue skies, calm seas, and warm sunshine accompanied us back all the way to our destination and after entering the harbour in the time-honoured fashion of one out (the more modest cruise ship ‘Maud’), one in (‘Breezer’), we anchored, this time, in three fathom water off old Fishguard. Another rest day beckoned, and after a brief spot of alpinism up to the old town for an excellent breakfast and a visit to the Co-op, it was back to ‘Breezer’ to re-store and take a swim in the clear Pembrokeshire waters. That exercise worked up an appetite for afternoon tea at the Fishguard Yacht Club and later, dinner in town. Once again though it was time to move on, and an early riser would have observed ‘Breezer’ heading out towards Pwllheli the next morning. Grey and cold clouds soon made room for warm and golden sun as ‘Breezer’ approached her summer residence. Pwllheli Marina had flatly claimed to be full, so it wasn’t without a bit of scrabbling around that we came across Plas Heli Yacht Club and the supremely helpful Richard, who found us a stabling point on their marina pontoon located at the north end of the complex. It was there that we were joined by the missing crew member, Able Seadog Bonnie, who had made the journey down especially for the weekend to assist with the arduous activities of motoring around to the beach at Llanbedrog for swims and picnics. This happened to be one of the hottest weekends on record in that part of the world and it made a very fitting climax to an excellent trip. In parenthesis, it made such a difference for once not to be constantly scanning the weather forecast, to not have to keep drying wet gear and above all, to be able to take our time and make leisurely progress rather than undertake frantic dashes in not altogether pleasant conditions to keep to hardened deadlines. ‘Breezer’ anchored somewhere ‘Breezer’ sailing somewhere

www.nwcc.info Members’ reports on cruises / 47 Normally that would be the end of the story but because we left ‘Breezer’ south of Llyn for the rest of the summer it is worth adding that we enjoyed another stupendously hot weekend there in mid-August. The sea was so warm that two hours of scrubbing the bottom of ‘Breezer’ whilst anchored off the beach attired in nothing more than some swim shorts and a snorkel was possible without acquiring the slightest chill. We re-joined the boat on the 20th of August for another week with various friends and family taking turns out on the water. The weather did not quite make up for what it had been like earlier, but at least it was dry and not gusting storm force. Sadly, the end of the week heralded the start of ‘Breezer’s’ return to home base, via Aberdaron, Carnarvon and Pen Y Parc; the latter two stops in company with a whole host of other yachts from the NWCC squadron. A fitting end to a fitting summer. Thanks as always goes to all the marina staff at our various stopping points, especially to Richard at Plas Heli as well as, once again, to Sion at MES for diagnosing and fixing a minor issuette that had threatened to spoil the fun midway through the summer. Above all however, thanks really must go to Kate, for having the gumption to accompany me on these wild (ish) adventures, and without whom it simply would not be worthwhile, let alone possible. Yeah, OK, and you Bonnie…. Bay Marine Insurance Consultants Ltd Cardiff Marine Village | Penarth Road | Cardiff CF11 8TU T: 029 2023 5756 E: [email protected] www.baymarineinsurance.co.uk Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Individual, tailored service to ensure the right cover Personal and dedicated claims handler No claims discount up to 25%, marina discount & benefits POWER BOATS | SAILING YACHTS | INLAND CRAFT COMMERCIAL | PROPERTY | HOVERCRAFT | DINGHIES Advert A6 Landscape_Layout 1 19/10/2017 15:30 Page 1 The famous Pwhelli Sea Dog Monster

GAZELLE HOTEL ONE OF THE MOST MEMORABLE & UNFORGETTABLE PUBS IN ANGLESEY ABOUT US The Gazelle is situated at Glyn Garth on the shore of the Menai Straits with panoramic views across the straits to Bangor Pier and the Snowdonia Range beyond, is renowned for its quality food. Of all the pubs and restaurants on this breathtaking island, The Gazelle Pub, Restaurant & Rooms serves some of the finest home cooked dishes, with a focus on local seasonal produce & a fresh selection of Seafood. You’ll enjoy an easy-going casual dining experience that’s known across Anglesey for its carefully prepared dishes and warm welcome. In the summer our deck area & Regatta bar our open where you can sit all day enjoying the variety of freshly cooked dishes, fine wines, beers & spirits whilst taking in the fantastic views. We have our Sail Loft function room with its patio. This area can accommodate up to 40 guests for private dining or any celebrations. Our restaurant which seats up to 28 guests. We also have 3 private dining rooms, the Brig up to 12 guests, the Captain’s table up to 6 & the Cabin which seats 8. We also have a cosy well stocked bar. We have 10 en-suite bedrooms with beautiful views. Access by boat is possible via the slip way. Christian, Matty & Our Crew look forward to welcoming you! GAZELLE HOTEL, Glyngarth, Menai Bridge LL59 5PD T: 01248 717736 E: [email protected] www.robinsonsbrewery.com/pubs/gazelle-hotel-menai-bridge

www.nwcc.info Members’ reports on cruises / 49 ‘Free Will’s’ Summer Cruise Steve & Lorraine Gorst ‘Free Will’ Last summer, Lorraine and I, and Nelson our new Patterdale Terrier puppy, (who was slowly becoming an experienced sea dog) planned to join the NWCC cruise to the Scilly Isles. The first leg of this cruise to Caernarfon was delayed but when the weather finally cleared we had a cracking sail down the Llyn Peninsula to Aberdaron. We switched off the engine as we left the marina and did not turn it on again until Bardsey Sound. The rest of the trip wasn’t going to be so easy though. Aberdaron was great in the light northerlies and we enjoyed a drink at the Gwesty Ty Newydd overlooking the beach and Nelson enjoyed several walks along the shore. But next morning things went a bit “pear shaped” as we departed for South Wales. While crossing the entrance to Bardsey I noticed smoke hanging in the air behind the boat. Thinking there may be a fire I gingerly lifted the engine hatch to be greeted by black smoke belching out, but thankfully no flames. Immediately I switched off the engine and tried to sail back to Aberdaron. But with the tide at full strength and with no wind it was back through the Sound we went, to the north of Bardsey. Despite this setback, we didn’t feel in danger in the glorious sunshine. It was time to investigate the problem. The engine itself ran fine but only at very low revs did it not emit any smoke. One of the random things I tried was to remove the air intake filter, although I didn’t have a spare. Hallelujah! No smoke. We were back in action but still the wrong side of Bardsey. We received a very kind offer from Wendy and Robin, via the Club’s WhatsApp group, to use their berth in Pwllheli marina for repairs. Safely ensconced, we investigated the problem further with the help of Harbour Marine Services in Pwllheli. We discovered a broken exhaust elbow and sourced a spare that took several bruised knuckles to fit. It may have been leaking for a while but until the blocked air filter turned the exhaust black we wouldn’t have known and as it had not triggered the Carbon Monoxide alarm the leak must have been small. The weather forecast now wasn’t ideal for long haul so we elected to break the cruise into smaller chunks. The first being a trip to Aberystwyth to meet up with Mark and Lorraine on ‘Grand Slam’ and their guests, Alan and Kath from ‘Marlin’. Next day was ideal for another short hop so we moved on to Fishguard. Fortunately, despite a reasonable sailing breeze, it was flat calm and the television reception was good enough for Lorraine to watch the England Lionesses win the European Championships. Brisk south westerlies were now forecast, (not ideal at all for the Scillies), so we made a run for Milford Haven and the pleasant shelter of Neyland Marina where Nelson enjoyed some nice riverside walks. We were coming to terms with abandoning the Scilly Isles when WhatsApp announced that Roger had entered ‘Mayreaux’ into the Round the Island Race in the Scillies. Continues on next page

That was really too much for me to miss so by scouring the forecast again I discovered a twenty-four-hour window if we left the following evening and sailed overnight. Lorraine and I discussed it, it was agreed, and that afternoon we slipped our moorings at Neyland and made for Dale to be better positioned for the weather window. Overnight a yacht moored next to us and it turned out to be Carl Dalmas on his way to Conwy so we went over for a tour of his lovely new boat and to talk about tackling Ramsay and Jack Sounds before retiring to ‘Free Will’ for a rest. If I am going to do an overnighter I like to start in the evening and get the night time bit over with while I am still reasonably fresh. The crossing went without a hitch. There were favourable winds, but we kept the engine on low revs to maintain at least 5 knots. It was incredibly clear and we were treated to fantastic views of the Milky Way. In the cockpit, I lay on my back and using my binoculars I was blown away by the number of stars I could see. Meanwhile, Nelson slept on his patch of fake grass which was supposed to be for him to pee on, but he had decided it was for sleeping on and couldn’t be dissuaded! At one point a pod of dolphin joined us and the smell woke Nelson up and he watched them curiously over the side of the boat. That would become a constant feature of Nelson’s holiday. On arrival, we anchored at Porth Cressa with ‘Split Decision’, ‘Mayreaux’ and ‘Maya’. After a quick tidy, we went ashore with the rest of the gang, and it was really good to catch up and discuss the upcoming race over a pint and a fish supper. Steve Wade covers the race in his report but suffice it to say I was more than pleased we took part. Lorraine and I decided to take advantage of retirement and stay on for a bit and so after the rest departed, we sailed to Tresco and anchored 50 / Members’ reports on cruises www.nwcc.info Joining the gang in the Scillies