New Things We Learned at Sea

(from Dave)
Last time we went to sea (2005) we learned that 9 out of 10 problems with a diesel engine are caused by filters in general and fuel filters in particular. Having neglected to carry spare fuel filters last year, found ourselves with engine failure and nothing we could do about it. We learned how to change the filters and purge the lines of air at sea. We have also had the fuel tank cleaned, removed the old fuel and added stabilizer to the new fuel to prevent this happening again.

We also found that the pot clamps which hold the pots on the stove in bad weather were ineffective and so we have reshaped them to make the work as they were designed to do.

We have been reminded that sailing to windward is arduous. (I cannot recall the name of the famous sailor who once said “Gentlemen do not sail to windward!” but I think I agree.) That said, I believe that our best tactic should have been to hold the closest course we could hold on a starboard tack until we were far enough south and east of Bermuda to be sure we could be certain of fetching Saint George’s Harbour and then turned west.

We have gained immeasurable reassurance in the performance of Fiddler in heavy weather. At no point did either of us feel uncertainty about the safety of the vessel or about the vessel’s ability to cope with large seas. She sailed like a dream. I do note that whereas on our earlier offshore sailing, when the seas were about 13-15 feet, my primary recollection was of being in a hole much of the time with waves looming above. On Fiddler, it seemed that we spent most of our time on the crests looking down into the holes. Don’t know if it was the area, or the boat but the contrast was striking.

This whole trip was in preparation for sailing to Britain next year. We are still planning to do so. For one thing, it should be a more downwind run. Offshore is not the really challenging part; it’s the returning to shore that is tricky. That’s when a mariner must be certain what he’s about. That’s what we’ll spend our remaining season practicing.

Dave