SEA BEAR

 

A sailing blog about a skipper and his yacht

Back afloat

May 27, 2025

Misty morning at Pin Mill

Misty morning at Pin Mill

Sea Bear was back in the water by late April so I drove down to the boatyard with the inflatable. My rigid tender, the cub was being repainted.  I had not been able to do so earlier because of the cold wet weather. First thing off coarse at the yard was to inflate the dinghy but horror on horror I had the pump and the hose but not the fitting to connect to the valves. Much cursing of myself for not checking. There was not many people about but I walked up to the yard where some folks were working on their boats. good fortune and the first  asked said they had a pump they would lend but didn’t know if the fitting was the correct one. Bur yes it was so the dinghy successfully inflated and pump returned with many thanks.

 Later I was alongside Sea Bear on her mooring and all gear transfered aboard. All was fine and it felt good to be back.

 The following morning I had a few  fitting out jobs to finish off, including refitting the jack stays and the new running back stays. This meant a trip up the mast, but with a calm, the chop of yesterday had gone so no problem there. I tied to start the engine but it wouldn’t – strange as it had always been a good starter. Then I remembered I had filled new fuel filter and even noted in my work book that the engine would need the fuel system bleeding. That soon done the engine was up and running.

Later I motored down river and once at Felixstowe could sail out towards Red Rocks turned around a little short and headed back, a gentle easy sail with light winds.

This time at the boat we didn’t go very far. With a high pressure system stuck just to the NE of UK, most of the country had sun and warmth but on the East coast yes we had the sunshine but also  cold E NE winds mostly very light and long calms. I didn’t fancy having to motor to go anywhere so stayed local. I did visit Hampton water for an overnight and also anchored up the Stour. But the forecast was for strengthening NE’s, not my favoured winds  so I returned home

Some sailing in August

Aug 20, 2024

I drove down to Pin mIll in the afternoon and after prepping and launching the dinghy I had a welcome half pint of Mosiac at the Butt and Oyster before rowing out to Sea Bear and boarding early eve. Time for a cuppa and cook some tea. It had been and hot and sunny day but it clouded over later and there where was a few spots of rain

Some more rain overnight but it had cleared by morning which I spent swabbing down the cockpit and decks to clear the bird droppings. Midday saw me making sail and running down the river with a very light breeze. In long reach we were becalmed so on with the engine after a while, Breeze back by Collimer so tacked down to the Orwell bouy and there turned around and ran back up the river under a 10k SE and so back to the mooring.

Next day was sunny but with a strong SW, about F6. Somehow I didn’t fancy battling the wind so pottered about the boat tidying and sorting. Always worth delving into the deepest depths of the lockers to refresh the memory of what and where you have aboard. I know some do this with lists.

In the night there was strong winds and rain with the wind veering to the NW. By morning it had eased so slipped the mooring, We ran down to Collimer where the wind deserted us. Motored out towards Harwich Shelf, wind returned  and  now with main, yankee and staysail set headed out past the Pitching Ground. Here I turned around, back in past Harwich and turned up the Stour. Here I  anchored in Copperas Bay opposite the wood in about 5 m. I love this spot to anchor, wooded and peaceful and compared to the Orwell very little traffic.

In the night I heard some splashing, venturing on deck there was a seal in the dinghy. Damm that means it will be swamped in the morning. That dawned sunny and windless. Amazing how many buckets of water the dinghy holds and hard work lowering the bucket on a rope, hoisting and emptying.  Once the water level is some way down I could carefully lower myself into the dinghy and finishing bailing out, but still half full of water it is pretty unstable and would be so easy to dip a gunwale under.

It was calm, hot and sunny all day, there was a little breeze late afternoon for a while but decided to stay put. I wasn’t in the mood for motoring.That evening, not fancying a return visit of the seal I hoisted the cub out of the water and set it on deck. Not too hard a task using the main halyard and the mast mounted winch. Actually it is another point in favour of having the the main hoist at the mast rather than led into the cockpit so it can be used for tasks such as this.

With a light breeze the next day I set sail, slow progress down past Harwich and out towards Medussa. Somewhat sort of this we were becalmed so I turned around and headed for home. It was a mixture of motoring, motorsailing, and some sailing with many tacks eventually saw us back up the Orwell and on the mooring.

The cub hoisted on deck

The cub hoisted on deck

A trip to the Roach

Aug 1, 2024

Up early to catch the ebb and motored off down the river, no wind at first but the boat felt livelier after the scrub. Hoisted the main by Orwell buoy and by Harwich Shelf we had yankee and staysail set and  the engine was off. By and by we were past Walton pier, out to the Wallet buoys and our first tack of the day. The sun was out the winds light, all very pleasant and the tide about to turn in my favour. Sometime later just short of the Spitway the wind died so back to motoring but not for long, crossing the Spitway the wind returned and more strongly 17 to 18 knots. Somehow I let my attention slip, no excuse really but it was windy and bouncy, I should have put a reef in, slowed things down, took more care. I  missed the turn down to the Whitaker and found myself by Maplin entrance, oops. Mistake rectified by a little backtracking and off down the Whitaker channel. This was hard going hard on the wind and had to pinch at times to keep in the channel. Eventually we were in the Crouch and then I turned into the Roach and dropped anchor in Quay reach. 44 nmiles and 10 hours.

Quay reach anchorage R Roach

Quay reach anchorage R Roach

Perhaps not surprisingly next day I felt tired. I had a late breakfast of bacon and eggs and then fell asleep in the cockpit. A sign to take it easy so I did remaining at anchor all day. Next day dawned sunny and fine again but little wind so I motored up the river to Paglesham. Here I picked up a vacant mooring, inflated the dinghy and rowed ashore by Shuttlewood’s boatyard. The old black timber shed is now gone, damaged beyond repair by winters gales. A walk along an unmade lane soon took me the fine old weatherboarded pub of the Plough and Sail. Very pleasant to sit in the sun and sample some good ale, Wallasea Wench brewed by George’s was particularly fine as was Malden Gold from the Mighty Oak Brewery. The inner man satisfied I returned to the boat to enjoy the peace and serenity of this spot up the river.

Plough & Sail

Plough & Sail

The following day back down the Roach and I turned up the Crouch running under just the yankee. The Crouch was almost eerily quiet, hardly any boats moving and so many vacant mooring buoys opposite Burnham. I ran up as far as Cliff Foot where I anchored awhile deciding to proceed no further. Later I returned to the Roach and anchored in Quay reach, this time across the other side as the wind was from the NE.

Sod’s law of course meant that the wind had switched to the NE for my journey back up the Whitaker. I left early and at hour there was just a breath of wind so motoring with it on the nose was not so bad.  Passing Whitaker no5 I headed over to the Swallowtail and followed this up to the Spitway. The wind had gradually built to about 12 – 15 knots so at last I could sail.  Abeam wind across the Spitway then tacking up the Wallet, at least it is wide so long tacks. By Stone Banks the wind had increased to 17- 20 knots. Closing in on Felixstowe I dowsed the staysail, partly for control, partly for better visibility forward in these crowded waters. One of the benefits of the yankee is its high cut foot  much easier to see under than a genoa. The wind past the docks is always fickle and suddenly it went from 20 knots to none. On with the engine but then there was the shriek of the water alarm from the engine so I stopped the engine. Fortunately or well timed arrival meant a flood tide up the river so after it carried us pass the Orwell Buoy I headed towards the bank and dropped the anchor. I quick prod cleared any blockage in the water inlet but I thought to check the impellor whilst at it and yes cracks in the vanes so I replaced that with my last spare. I sailed back to the mooring just using the engine for the last  manoeuvre to pick up the mooring. Put the boat to bed and next morning rowed ashore and went home.

A scrub for Sea Bear

Jul 25, 2024

Sea Bear on scubbing posts

Sea Bear on scubbing posts

An early morning drive followed by a row out in the cub took me out to the boat. Fouling seemed particularly bad this year and Sea Bear had  been very sluggish on the last trip. I thought it was time for a bottom scrub. I had originally planed to do this via a swim but  two things persuaded me against the idea. Firstly the water was quite choppy in the afternoon and past experience had showed me this made the task difficult and unpleasant or should I say even more difficult and unpleasant.  Secondly the water in the Orwell is so murky that you cannot see what you are doing. Ok only thing then  was to utilise the scrubbing post on Pin Mill hard. Accordingly just before high water next day find me manoeuvering alongside the posts and making secure, a tricky business single handed but we managed. Then come the nervous wait for the tide to ebb, adjusting the lines and ensuring that the boat sits upright on her keel, ideally with a very slight lean into the posts. As soon as the water was low enough, on with the wet suit and overboard to start the scrub. It is best to have water to brush off as you scrub still it is a bit of a race  to get it all down before you are left high and dry. Surprisingly the weed wasn’t too bad but there were lots of small barnacles and the prop was very badly fouled with barnacles and growth. Looked liked the antifoul hadn’t worked on that at all. Job done time, for tea and dinner and then a little nap waiting for the tide to return. It was around 3.15 am when we were afloat again, time to free the boat for its multitude of securing lines and motor  back out the mooring. It was a very dark night so great care needed to avoid all the other moored boats and spot the pick up buoy. I always prefer to do this without a torch which I find spoils one’s night vision but it does make it tricky. Safely done and so to bed.

June sailing

Jul 7, 2024

At long last it looked like some good weather was on the way  so I headed off down to the boat. High water was around 10pm. I took advantage after readying the dinghy and parking the car by having a nice pint of Adnams Ghost Ship at the Butt & Oyster before rowing out to Sea Bear with the last of the light. There is always some relief when you arrive and find all well with the boat. 

A beer at the Butt & Oyster

A beer at the Butt & Oyster

Tide times and light at times almost non existent winds precluded any plans for going far so a couple of sorties down the Orwell and back. At least it was warm, and relaxing. Then one day after endless tacking down to the docks at Felixstowe the clouds arrived and the rain poured down and the wind disappeared. On with the engine and motored down to anchor at Copperas Bay. At least the rain. stopped and I could dry out. Next day although I tried to sail but no wind so motored down past Harwich and then with a little wind could sail to Pye End with a couple of tacks. Down the Pye channel to the Backwaters it was touch and go hard on the wind. Then glancing over my shoulder a coaster that goes to the explosives factory up Oakley Creek steaming up the channel. It is a narrow channel but just before high water so plenty of room to move over and for it to pass no problem. And so to anchor in Hamford water. 

Gaffer at Hampton water

Gaffer at Hampton water

Out next day a run out down the channel under main and yankee. Out by Pye End I turned and sailed towards Stone Bank. Slow going with a light wind and against the ebb but relaxing. By the buoy I turned for home. Lost the wind closing into Harwich so finished under engine. The forecast remained for very light winds so although it had been a few pleasant warm days (apart from the afternoon of rain) the lack of wind was frustrating and too much motoring needed so headed off home.