Summer is almost here. Well, at least if you count the weather. Wonderfully sunny and 20 degrees every day. Friday we hastened away to RS after work and enjoyed the calm and relatively warm presummer evening with a prawn sandwich and non-alcoholic cider sitting in the cock pit on RS. While the sun was setting we took a walk among the boats (a tradition for us by now) and finished the evening with Onboard Living and Sailing Ran on YouTube.
Evening fika, prawns and bubbly.
Sit in boat and watching people in boat.
Hey love! What´s cookin?
Fresh bread, oh dear Captain.
Saturday started with me trying the Omnia oven for the first time, with bake-off buns. This went very well and what luxury to get fresh buns in the morning. The sun was shining from a clear blue sky and the winds were with us, we felt. The winds blew from north east and we decided to sail under one of the bridges and towards the south. We have had some trouble with sailing under the bridges (mostly because I haven't tacked quickly enough) but today we managed it. Pleased as punch we continues past Höviksnäs and Wallhamn when we realised we needed to turn around. We needed to get home and meet up our son and celebrate his grading (blue belt in Taekwon-do). So we turned around.
Off to the south
When we had turned around we had the wind right against us. The waves which on the way south had struck so cosily against the stern and made such a soothing noise became wild monsters which made the boat rock and lean more than I felt comfortable with. I had a panic attack. The largest panic attack in the world! We realised that we would have had to tack all the way home and that with a crew member in total panic mode. We realised that we would have to tack all the way home and that with a crew member in panic. Not good at all. The captain decided to start the engine and roll in the genoa to move into the "tub" again by motor. There the waves might be kinder.
They were not kind waves at all! Despite us having sailed in stronger winds the sea was in much worse uproar than ever. I got to experience how the wind was nothing to the madness of the waves. A very strange feeling. We chugged in towards the harbour instead and made another nice mooring. After noodles and Bullen's Beer sausages we went home. Many thoughts were born today. But none of them means that we aren't going out sailing again, quite the opposite. To feel that you can trust your captain everyday of the week is really valuable as the crew. Over and out!
When Anders had finished work on Friday and I had stopped painting the house, we drove out to RS again. A completely wonderful evening, with light winds and the sun setting down slowly. We started with saying hello to my father-in-law and then settling down in RS. Even if we only stay one night, there are a lot of extra things to bring, like bed linen and something to eat. This night we had an extra luxury: a 22 inch TV which Anders had brought along, with a Chromecast connected to it so our YouTube moments all of a sudden became so much better. This luxury will be when we have land power. During the evening the winds started increasing in strength and at 10 pm the rains started. And boy did it rain! It was like sleeping in the conservatory at home, I said to Anders. I also have to say that pouring rain makes me nervous because we have had a leak at home before. But RS kept us dry and no rain came in. Instead we were rocked to sleep by the wind.
The day after we woke up to a cloudier world than the day before. But the winds were with us and after some hesitation I said yes to a sailing trip. And what luck! No shorts or bare feet today but quite wonderful still. Anders steered RS out of the harbour very well and outside we raised the genoa on the starboard side. And right away the wind caught it and we took off.
We made some really good tacks. One thing that has been an issue for me when tacking is that I have to release the sheet from the winch before the genoa flies over to the other side with the help of the wind. Our genoa sheets are also pretty new and have had a tendency to twist themselves and snag in the blocks. But now we let the wind do most of the work and right when I had released the sheet from the winch I could haul the sheet on the other side without much trouble. Right away a lot of the stress disappeared from me. Wohoo!
Even if summer had halted for a while it was wonderful that the winds were back. We reached almost 6.7 knots of speed, with only the genoa and I managed to stand up despite a little more than a 15 degree leaning. I am very proud of myself, that I challenge myself and I feel that it is good that the captain can trust his crew. When the wind became gusty and the waves higher we hauled in the genoa and chugged towards the harbour by motor. It also feels good for me that I am starting to understand the what and how of mooring. We did a good one again and after a lunch and some odd jobs we drove home to the cat. It started to rain as well so it was high time to drive home. But wow, how we enjoyed the lovely winds.
The meteorologists had promised wonderful weather during Ascension long weekend. Unfortunately, Anders had to work Friday so after work on Wednesday we hastened away to RS. We arrived pretty early and had some food. Then we took a lovely walk along the jetties and looked at all the boats which had been launched since the last time we were here. We talked some with another couple who were about to leave with their 36 foot sail boat and watched a few other both large and small boats. The sun started sinking and we returned to the boat to watch Onboard Lifestyle on the tablet and enjoy being onboard.
The day after, Ascension day, we woke up to sunshine and mild winds. Well, not a lot of winds perhaps because it was so calm in the harbour. But the first breakfast of the year in the sun was a fact and I realized that this might mean a bit shorter trousers on this sailing trip.
Dinner was spagetti bolognese.
A wonderful morning
A wonderful wife.
We chugged out of the harbour out into the "tub" and enjoyed the beautiful weather. Just as predicted it was so warm that we could wear shorts and t-shirts and also skip shoes and socks. What a feeling to be able to walk around on the boat barefoot. As the crew onboard it is my duty to run up onto the deck if something needs to be done and not having to wear shoes was wonderful.
The crew enjoying the sun.
The genoa is up and it is warm.
Annika keeps the course.
Concentration.
The sun was shining the entire time with only a few small clouds in the sky. The temperature edged towards 20 degrees but the winds, where were they? We managed to get to the Tjörn bridge but when we arrived we had too little speed and one tack which didn't go as quickly as it should have done made the little wind there was turn us completely around. We gave up and turned on the motor and chugged up towards Svanesund. There we turned around and set the genoa. Now the winds was better and we sailed on at a few knots and really enjoyed ourselves. We became hungry and I headed down into the galley and made us each a cup noodle bowl. It was nice with something in our stomachs because you do become very hungry at sea.
Captain
Cook/Sailor/Grinder/Darling
Happy
Think Annika is happy too.
Looks a little like a brat.
The sailors Hasselblad
We made a great mooring too. We have had some trouble with this because I have been so focused on not letting the boat touch the jetty or the Y-beams and have had a hard time knowing how to moor at the same time. Since it was so still and no wind from the stern I could push the boat away and then jump ashore and manage to hold RS until Anders could come up to the bow and moor her there too. It worked well and will be the new way we will moor in the future. We didn't want to go home but out cat Nicky needed us and Anders has to work, as previously stated so we did what we had to do to the boat and then said goodbye to RS for this wonderful day.
Last weekend we had planned a trip round Tjörn island via a night in Skärhamn. But all the planning ended in a weekend that rained away and we chose to stay at home and only made a day trip.
Come this weekend, we decided it was time! What wasn't that great was the weather forecast which had warned about a lot of wind. But at least no rain was forecasted so here we go. Friday Anders was off work and I took some time off in the afternoon and we drove out to Tjörn. The sun was shining but it was very windy. And the winds are still not very warm. When we arrived to RS I started a project which has dragged on for too long: the curtains for the windows in the cabin. I have tried to make them at home, with the old ones as a template, but this didn't turn out that well, so now I had brought the sowing maching with me and I measured carefully and it turned out well this time. It did however take until after dinner until I was finished.
Anders did some odd jobs in the meantime. He changed the seal in the stern stowage and changed the screws for the hinges while also sealing them with Sika. He also built rope holders for the mooring ropes and thus saved us almost 1800 SEK by making them from scrap wood. Finally, he made sure that there was no water in the bilge.
When we were done, we drove up to Almö Livs for some food and snacks for the evening. Grilled chicken and potato gratin from the deli became our supper. As usual, we finished off the evening with YouTube on the tablet, lying in a bunk each while the wind was rocking RS.
Saturday
We woke up early, which is normal since we go to bed early too. The sun was shining but clouds had started to appear in the sky and the wind was awfully gusty. We had breakfast and started getting ready to leave. The motor started up without problem, as per usual, and we dressed in out sailing clothes and felt ready for what we were about to do. We came out of the harbour and in the water between the harbour and the Tjörn bridge there were quite a few waves but not much white so we chugged on towards the Tjörn bridge. Anders have been taught by his dad that when you are competing in Tjörn runt, you had best keep the course neareast to Tjörn. So that's what we did. The wind was still gusty but we set a reefed genoa and turned off the engine to sail towards Skärhamn. We had about half of the genoa out to not get too much leaning of the boat. I am not that used to the leaning yet and too much is still a bit scary. The gusts were now pretty violent and the wind turned a few times. Around Höviksnäs the first few drops of rain came and shortly after Låka it turned into hail! Inside, I felt that I didn't want to sail all the way to Skärhamn in this weather. It was too windy and unpleasant with rain and hail. I had hardly thought this when Anders decided to turn around. It wasn't possible to go to Skärhamn in this weather, not with that crew (me) and with a captain, who although competent, still is learning and getting to know the boat. We turned the boat around, rolled in the genoa and turned on the engine to chug back towards Almösund. We saw bad weather over land and felt that we had made the right decision.
Inside the Tjörn bridge Anders asked if I wanted to sail in the "tub", which is between the Tjörn bridge and Almösund. I was ok with that. It felt safe to sail there because it was close to home and also to land. So we rolled out the genoa again and started to sail. And boy, did sail! Despite once again only having about half of the genoa out we reached 6.2 knots and a pretty good lean. I am working on getting used to the leaning and it went pretty well actually. After a while the captain felt that the wind blew too hard even for him so we roled in the genoa, started the engine and shugged towards home. I put out our fenders and proceeded to the stern with my trusty boat hook to help out with the mooring. The wind pushed on from the west and that meant that we had the wind in our backs. I had to push away hard, jump ashore and hold the boat away from the jetty while Anders tied the boat up. Good teamwork actually.
It was a bit of an ignomious end to our attempt at getting around Tjörn. But the Saturday was spent in Almösund, with amongst other things having a fika with father-in-law and a walk to an acquaintance of Anders', to his boat in Myggenäs Marina. A walk around Almön and back to RS for some dinner. Meatballs and pasta and then an evening on the berths in front of the tablet and a new acquaintance on YouTube: Onboard Living. Early to bed and the wind blew around RS. But Anders had done a good job to moor her so she lay nearly still and we were rocked to sleep by her light movements.
Sunday
We had forgotten to turn off the radio so right before five o'clock I woke up by a traffic report. Thank goodness I could go back to sleep and we woke up just before eight. After breakfast we cleaned up in RS and Anders scrubbed the deck with soft soap. I made sure that all was turned off and in order. I'm greatful that RS is a small boat! We drove father-in-law to his partner in Gothenburg and came home to a very vocal and cuddly cat. A good weekend, despite everything!
We have wonderful neighbours who always have our backs and look after our beloved cat when we are out with the boat for a weekend or away for some other reason. Now when two out of three in the neghbouring family wanted to join us we were of course very happy to be able to take them out with us. So mother and daughter came onboard and we went by motor to Skåpesund and sailed by Genoa back. Great weather and only happy faces. Mini was also forced to use our Porta Potti, which was the first thing her dad heard when she came home. Over and out.
We forgot to document. What luck our neighbour did just that. 🙂
We were at the boat early to get help from Leif. He is the former owner of RS as well as the yard's skilled motor mechanic and crane operator. He has helped us a lot, like the newbies we are. 😊
Annika took the opportunity to impregnate the boom cover and hung it to dry on the guard rails.
After airing several air screws, the engine started up and sounded just like she is supposed to. We thanked Leif a lot for his help and left with the knowledge that the fuel tap does not have to be turned off. 🤣
We sailed north as usual but soon turned east to sail towards Lerskiten and later south in the lane under the bridge and in past Stenungsund and back. I forgot to start the plotter but realized it by "A".
Happy Captain
Happy Crew
Happy Boat
We used the engine only in the harbour and past Stenungsund.
Next trip we'll be circumnavigating Tjörn with night harbour in Skärhamn. Toodles!
We went out happy on Saturday to practice some sailing. We were chugging nicely out of the harbour and raised the Genoa while we slowly steered towards the Tjörn bridge. When the wind no longer had any bearing I started the engine and we chugged on. Suddenly, the engine started dying. Darn it, I had forgotten the fuel tap! I opened it quickly although not fully and thought all was well, but suddenly, the engine stopped completely. Quickly, we raised the genoa again and had almost momentum but lay mostly still. Since no wind was blowing we couldn't steer out of the sea lane and I called Sweden Sea Resuce Service where I am a member. They have a base in Stenungsund and they said that they would arrive shortly. In the meantime the wind returned and we moved slowly towards our home port. We then spotted SSRS coming towards us and we got help to come into harbour. There was nothing to do but to close up shop and come back tomorrow.
Our sailing trip with an engine failure.
SSRS' boat that towed us.
Nice men who made sure we came home safely.
We are moored here at the moment.
Nothing bad in the water separator.
Air in the system
Air here?
Pump there? Not easy when you have no idea what to do.
We have been out again. Annika has had practice in tacking and beating and it worked well towards the end. We reached 5.7 knots with just the roll genoa. We also tested to use only the main but OMG, it is so small!
On our way back we passed by "Hawaii" and when back in port I made some nice grub.
We have two sets of hatches. A pair for winter storage which looks like they could be thrown over board and a couple of nice ones used during summer. So now I have started to fix the worst pair.
This is what the nicest of the winter hatches looks like.
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