We decided to follow our PYRA friends (again!) on a race to Cowes leaving on 7 September. We left well ahead of the fleet to ensure we were on the inside of any rafting in Cowes and had a lively but fun sail all the way, tacking up the Solent.
It was a bit of a wet day and when we were moored up we decided to try the new bimini for some shelter, and sat happily waiting for PYRA to arrive and helping out where needed. At the Rendesvous we celebrated the winners, and even got given a spare bottle of wine for coming along. We had a curry and found a cool bar where the robot waiter brought you your drinks.
The next morning we had bacon butties with our friends and a few tears were shed when we waved them off! This time we were on our own and were not going back to Poole!!
We didn’t leave on the Sunday and had a relaxed day looking for a yard that our friend was interested in using for a catamaran – which we recommended against as it was very ramshackle.
On the Monday we intended to go to Folly and start practicing launching the dinghy, so got the boat ready to depart … and the engine wouldn’t start!! We tried a few times but it just wouldn’t kick in, so our Chief Engineer (Chris) had a good play and identified a problem with the starter key.
We decided to play safe and not leave with any doubt, and started to source a replacement part. Ideally we would buy locally and support local businesses, but in the end that proved impossible and we bought online, with it being shipped as soon as possible.
We decided to practice our ‘waiting for parts’ skills as this is a massive part of boat life, and got a ‘ticket to Ride’ (on the bus to Ryde) where we watched Hovercrafts, explored follies, and had a long walk along the coast.
When the part finally arrived Chief Engineer successfully fit it and we were off!
The Folly Inn welcomes visiting yachts from their pontoon berthing and we easily found a space and moored up. We got out the dinghy from the lazarette (big locker on the deck) pumped it up and practiced launching using the spinnaker halyard (one of the lines that goes to the top of the mast).
The Harbour Master came to see us for payment and we watched as he moved to the next boat to do the same – and managed to drop the payment machine into the sea!! He returned with a heavy duty fishing magnet to try and find it but to no avail. He didn’t look very happy!
The dinghy was quite simple to launch in the end and so we got the outboard attached and set off to the Folly Inn. We had a couple of drinks and decided to stay for dinner, and have to admit to feeling a little tipsy and staying much longer than we expected but eventually we knew we should make the short trip back to Yanula Blue.
The skies clouded over on the short trip back and the heavens opened which was typical – and also fun – but we made it back and pulled up the dinghy and settled ourselves in to the saloon for the night!
Another successful step in the journey to life onboard was complete – dinghy launch and lifted, and motoring ashore to the pub!
