Giles and Paula's Great Retirement Adventure

[Giles]

I guess they could, but our current marina is pretty well CCTV'd up. So good in fact, that a few months ago, I got a call from the marina office saying that they had seen that one of our warps had come loose and would I like them to go and re-tie it......

[Giles]

We had another storm come through on Weds/Thurs. Glad of the overspecced mooring lines This is no more than 2 miles from where SAKURA is berthed.

[Giles]

It was irritating me that the fender lines were black and the mooring warps were gold and white. Got a few new ones spliced and whipped....

[Giles]

Ten weeks ago we lifted her and gave her good old jet wash.

And this is what she looks like today. A veritable underwater jungle attached to the hull.

Won't be getting 23 knots any time soon

Anyway, in 2 weeks she is being lifted again, I have a few jobs to get done which are easier (or possible) when she is not floating. The main job is to get the hull rubbed down, filled and 2 coats of ant-foul applied

[Giles]

A few more completed, just 2 long ones for the bow ball fenders to do now....

[motojobobo]

Wondering how the moorings are holding up. Any wear/tear visible due to the last storm?

[Giles]

Our mooring is fine thank you. I have over-specced the warps and have way more than I actually need. Excuse the crappy commentary,

[motojobobo]

My bad…I meant to ask about the warps.

[A Former User]

@Giles this looks sturdy as hell! So nice to see the overengineering

[Giles]

The guideline for a boat of our size is to use mooring warps with a diameter of 18mm, we've used 26mm for the fixed pontoon warps.

Our travelling mooring warps are a little smaller (21mm) because they are a lot easier to coil, handle and stow than 26mm.

We've also got way more lines than really needed, but I like sleeping easy at night

[Giles]

Given that I am considerably more mobile than I dared to imagine I would be after the hip op, we made a few plans this morning. All are weather-dependent, but the forecast is promising for the days we are plsnning to do stuff.

Wednesday, sail to, and up the Beaulieu River for lunch at the Master Builder. Home via Cowes to top up the diesel. The Beaulieu River is one of the only privately owned rivers in the UK and is kept beautifully. The pilotage into and up the river is a tad tricky, so that will be good for us.

https://www.beaulieuriver.co.uk/

On Thursday we are going to circumnavigate The Isle of Wight. Paula and I have not done it before, so will be fun. It's about 55nm, we will go anti-clockwise as the timing of the tides gives us favourable currents for the majority of the trip.

On Saturday we will go to Bembridge, a little village on the East coast of the Isle of Wight. We'll stay overnight and go to our favourite pub/brewery/pizza joint for supper. Again, the pilotage is tricky and SAKURA is a comparatively large boat, so that will require some concentration.

https://www.bembridgeharbour.co.uk/

[A Former User]

@Giles keep on rockin’ in the free world

[Nik]

Sounds like a great trip and also such good news that hip op was so successful. Bon voyage

[endo]

@Giles great you're already good again and touring, have a wonderful cruise

[Giles]

Thank you, we will

[louisbosco]

@Giles said in Giles and Paula's Great Retirement Adventure:

Wednesday, sail to, and up the Beaulieu River for lunch at the Master Builder.

That was the pub where we went for lunch in November wasn't it?

hope to see nice photos!! and most importantly, enjoy yourselves!!

[Giles]

It is the same pub

[louisbosco]

wonder if you'll bump into pilgrim again..

[goosehd]

Ok you two...how did the day's travels go? Good to be on the water?

[Giles]

Moored up for lunch at Bucklers Hard for lunch.....