Chafe

Sticky’s Tips No 104
April 2010
Chafe
I had two erstwhile Yachtmasters Coastal, one a Doctor the second an underwater turbine engineer who, because of committed shift work were only able to manage a cross channel passage during the first week of March. To join them, I recruited a picture framer from Cheltenham who had already become a Coastal Skipper.
It does really make a difference when you have someone, slightly longer in the tooth, and with plenty of experience, who just loves to get involved in everything. Jim was not only an outstanding cook, who took real pleasure in doing things properly, but was also a convivial raconteur, a good sailor and teacher to boot. The other two crew members learnt a lot from him.
We planned our passage the night before departure and set off with NE f7 and f8 forecast the next morning. Taking departure from the Princessa buoy off the east end of the Isle of Wight, we bowled along on a broadish reach all the way to Cherbourg. Unfortunately two of the crew were sea sick, though one recovered to do quite a bit of helming. I think that skippers may have to be a trifle draconian and insist that those who only sail once a year, and who are unsure of their ability to resist “mal-de-mer”, take a pill the night before and one before setting off. We did this for the second and third legs of our passage and there were no recurring sicknesses. It may well be that those who suffered on the first two days, had, by then, achieved their sea-legs. I tried the trick of getting the worst sufferer, to put the stugeron tablet under the tongue and just sucking the pill in the hope that saliva would take the effect to wherever it should go. Doctors advise doing this, rather than someone who has been sick, swallowing the pill whole. In this case the attempt failed; I suspect that much depends on the metabolism of the person concerned and a host of other factors.
Cherbourg was pretty empty. I needed some distilled water for the service battery and tried several chandleries and two marine engineer shops. None had any distilled water. So I resorted to the old trick which I learnt as a soldier 50 years ago. Pee into a bottle and use urine, it is the nearest thing to distilled water which is to hand on a boat and which is also free!
We set off for Guernsey the next day, making best use of the ebb tide down through the Alderney Race, then the Big Russel, round the south of Herm and into St Peter Port. The wind was still in the north east so a comfortable and fast passage was made. Once down in the Big Russel, by now it was dark and the two major lights were unlit. Noir Pute on Herm and Bec du Nez on Sark, both sectored lights would have helped our pilotage considerably. For some reason the GPS decided to go on the blink at this moment, so we resorted to feeling our way by following a depth contour which was clear of all dangers. We have heard tell that some of the GPS satellites may not be reliable because of cuts in funding by the USA, there could have been propagation problems, or it might even have been the set. I am just trying to make the point that electronic navigation is not always as reliable as it is made out to be.
We stayed two nights in St Peter Port, which, like Cherbourg was almost empty; indeed we were the only boat moored on the pontoons in the outer harbor. The harbour staff gave us a berth which was, as near as they could manage, in the lee from the harbour buildings from the northerly wind blowing, now up to f8. We went ashore for four hours and the effect on our bow spring is shown in the photograph.

I am a great believer in rigging springs and breast lines so that the angle through the cleat is as near as damn-it a straight line and not a near 360° turn. If rigging the spring as shown in this photo, it is worth considering parceling (1) or rigging a Scotchman. (2)

Notes:
1. Parcel. To cover a rope with canvas, plastic pipe or smaller rope to prevent chafe. (I use old M&S vests or underpants)
2. Scotchman. Criss-cross of rope over a warp to prevent chafe.

Anyone fancy a weekend on the Solent? These are budget weekends where the cost is kept to the minimum and we eat ashore, share food, fuel and mooring costs and get in as much sailing, navigating and pilotage as we can. Email me if interested.

©Sticky Stapylton instructor@sail-help.co.uk, http://www.sail-help.co.uk