12 months adrift....

JunkDory

Can't belive it , its now been one year since we uped sticks and left Ullapool, pointing the bows south on an open ended adventure. When we left we had no real fixed plan we just new to head south and take everything as it comes... And that is just what we do and we love it. Adventures and experiences unfold at every junction we come to, no planning could ever organise such a trip. You obviously need some sort of planning, for the safty of the boat and crew, but this is usually only a month/day/hour or so ahead of where we are. We have met quite a few boats in the early stages of a 'trip' who tell us grand plans of "going  around the world" and i have to wonder how many of them atually do so.

 So then, in the first 12 months away from 'home', we have spent 6 of them cruising on board Hestur and 6 of them in Bristol (a new city to us).

I thought I would go through the log book and tott up some figures for 6 months cruising:

Total nautical miles:   2582nm

Best days run (24hours):   135nm
Brompton (folding bike) miles: 117

Nights at anchor: 120

Nights at sea: 18

Nights on pontoons: 5   (all in south Cornwall  and free of charge in winter)

Nights in marinas: 19   (14 of which have been here in Madiera)

Nights on random moorings: 18 (all free of charge)

Paraffin (for cooker): 25 litres 

Engine hours: 241 

Diesel used: 275 litres 

Fuel consumption: 1.1 litres per hour

Hestur has required very little maintenance over the last year, the biggest thing was to
find and fit a new Windlass as the old one (a Lofrans Royal manual) gave up - it was already 15 years old. I bought second-hand Simpson Lawrence Seatiger555 for £500 then had to spend another £235 to get a new gypsy to fit our chain.  Despite the expense it really is the RollsRoyce of manual windlasses.  I sure would not have an electric one. We have 10mm heavy gauge chain and 20kg (44lbs) Rocna . Grips like hell.

We scrubbed and applied new antifoul in Falmouth and now the varnish work on the rubbing strake could do with a refresh. The rig needs very little attention, sometimes having to replace the odd bit of cord (usually the yard to sail lashing where it rubs on the mast) . One oil change on the engine. 

Our tender could do with a repaint but that can wait as i don't mind it looking a little scruffy as it may stop people borrowing it! I have recently chanced the mast head light bulb for the LED type which saves a huge amount of battery power while sailing overnight.