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    Fall/Winter 2026 - Collection Reveal Premiere Thursday 9th July at 1700BST

    Giles and Paula's Great Retirement Adventure

    Iron Heart Meet Ups & Travel
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    • GilesG
      Giles
      IHUK Crew
      @Giles
      Joined:

      said in Giles and Paula's Great Retirement Adventure:

      So we will do a 20nm run tomorrow to Carteret,

      No we will not.......

      Given the tidal gates to get out of Carteret into St Malo, it's basically an impossible passage to do and not have to punch through heavy currents. So the current plan is to sail from here (Dielette) to St Malo in one hit. We are not behind a gate here, so we can leave with no timing restrictions....

      Screenshot 2026-07-01 at 13.47.01.jpeg

      "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

      last edited by Daniel SanD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 4
      • motojoboboM
        motojobobo
        啓蒙家
        Joined:

        Appears that completing essential victuals is conducive to ever shorter runs and longer stops.

        The journey is the objective.

        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • ChapC
          Chap
          見習いボス
          Joined:

          I love those beaches, there is a wonderful restaurant in the dunes of Agon-Coutainville. L‘huitre, bulot, moules frites…

          God has blessed you richly, so get down on your knees and thank him. Don’t forget the less fortunate or God will personally kick your ass. I’d love to do it for him, but I can’t be everywhere. Willie Nelson

          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • Daniel SanD
            Daniel San
            見習いボス
            @Giles
            Joined:

            @Giles
            what an adventure 😃 at least it sounds like one .

            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • GilesG
              Giles
              IHUK Crew
              Joined:

              @goosehd only 6, I am afraid…..

              IMG_5728.jpeg

              "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

              last edited by goosehdG 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 9
              • goosehdG
                goosehd
                Mod Squad
                @Giles
                Joined:

                @Giles like the name of your buddies boat, that’ll do 🙂

                “our policy of no discussions regarding politics, religion, asparagus, and other controversial issues.” - Andrew

                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                • GilesG
                  Giles
                  IHUK Crew
                  Joined:

                  Our main flagstaff suffered a major catastrophe before we departed. Not that I noticed it until we were well underway to France, when I remembered that I was not flying the ensign. I leave the ensign wrapped around the flagstaff when not in use and stow it as one. Could not find it anywhere, I assumed a Gozza local had nicked it. Though that would have been more likely to have been pinched if it was a St Georges Cross......

                  I eventually noticed it lying on the coach roof. The flag had got tangled up with the pole in the high winds that we had recently, basically forming a sail and had pulled the mount out of the roof. The conditions were so calm on the crossing, I "fixed" it on the move. Two days later it came down again. A better mounting system needs to be installed, but that will have to wait until I am home.

                  We did not want to travel in France without flying our ensign a) It's slightly illegal, and b) I did not want to get mistaken for being French, or worse still German or American 🙂

                  So necessity being the mother of invention, I got the zip ties out and bodged a temporary solution with the help of the gangway which we will not use on this trip...

                  IMG_5736.JPG

                  IMG_5735.JPG

                  IMG_5738.JPG

                  "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                  last edited by Tago MagoT 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 5
                  • dirtyframerD
                    dirtyframer
                    Haraki san Prodigy
                    @Giles
                    Joined:

                    @Giles you go by hours and not gallons burned? 😉

                    IG: mgm.woodworks & denim_n_boots

                    "Every day work harder on yourself than you do at work."

                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • GilesG
                      Giles
                      IHUK Crew
                      Joined:

                      I keep track of litres per hour. I deliberately deleted the fuel burn gauge when we specced the boat. I don't want bad news when I'm at the helm. I'll go as fast as I want/need to, and worry about the consequences when I fill up. Are we having a ball? Yes, so I don't want a "piss-me-off-gauge"......

                      "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                      last edited by dirtyframerD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                      • GilesG
                        Giles
                        IHUK Crew
                        Joined:

                        And given when we can leave here tomorrow, without grounding, and get to St Malo before the lock gates shut, we will have to be a bit heavy handed with the go fast levers.....

                        "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
                        • dirtyframerD
                          dirtyframer
                          Haraki san Prodigy
                          @Giles
                          Joined:

                          @Giles I used to tell the Mrs. How many dollars away a given fishing trip was (fuel/tackle/food/Launch fees/stress factor) drove her bonkers, all she wanted to know was how long it would take.

                          IG: mgm.woodworks & denim_n_boots

                          "Every day work harder on yourself than you do at work."

                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • Tago MagoT
                            Tago Mago
                            Mod Squad
                            @Giles
                            Joined:

                            @Giles unless I am very much mistaken the Germans did not come by boat

                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • GilesG
                              Giles
                              IHUK Crew
                              Joined:

                              They are making up for it now then.......:-)

                              "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • GilesG
                                Giles
                                IHUK Crew
                                Joined:

                                Leaving as early as possible tomorrow is critical. We have to be in St Malo before the lock closes. It does open again in the evening, but we have to be on a train to Paris at Sparrows on Saturday morning, so really want to get in on the early tide. But we need to know what depth of water is over the annoyingly positioned sand bar between us and freedom. The marina staff are being pretty useless. So Paula and I are monitoring this tide, and making notes of what the depth at regular points around low water are. From these observations, we can extrapolate what the depth will be at certain times tomorrow morning.

                                We also want to go to the bar and have a drink and some food. So I've rigged up a Blink camera so I can remotely monitor the depth gauge from my phone....

                                IMG_5739.JPG

                                Screenshot 2026-07-02 at 17.19.18.png

                                "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
                                • endoE
                                  endo
                                  見習いボス
                                  Joined:

                                  With your incredibly funny and quick-witted manner, not a single soul on earth would take you for a German. 😉

                                  si tacuisses

                                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
                                  • MattM
                                    Matt
                                    見習いボス
                                    Joined:

                                    Zip ties fyw yet again.

                                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • GilesG
                                      Giles
                                      IHUK Crew
                                      Joined:

                                      If zip ties don’t fix it, you ain't using enough…

                                      "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                                      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • GilesG
                                        Giles
                                        IHUK Crew
                                        Joined:

                                        There she is, all innocent, not having any notion of what we will be asking her to do tomorrow…..

                                        IMG_5741.jpeg

                                        "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
                                        • GilesG
                                          Giles
                                          IHUK Crew
                                          Joined:

                                          When that gauge reads 4.3m, we reckon we have enough water over the sandbank to miss it. Raring to go, it is going to be a beaut today.....

                                          IMG_5753.JPG

                                          "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 4
                                          • GilesG
                                            Giles
                                            IHUK Crew
                                            Joined:

                                            Pilotage plan done for entry into St Malo....

                                            IMG_5756.jpg

                                            "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 4
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