I bought Zephyr IV, a 35 foot Westerly Ocean Quest 4 years ago, when I was 76. My friends thought I was mad and were sure that I'd drown myself. My channel shows videos about sailing Zephyr IV, to prove to them that I haven't , drowned !
Zephyr IV is based in Portsmouth Harbour and I sail mostly around the South coast of the U.K. As well as videoing my sailing trips, I also video much of the maintenance and modifications to the boat.
I have quite a few interests so my channel features a variety of other videos. I'm a performer of traditional folk music so there are a few videos of the music I play and some songs that I sing. Check out my other channel Dave's Trad Tunes or youtube.com/@davestradtunes7597 For Sea Songs.
I've been a licensed Radio Amateur for most of my life and occasionally I operate from my boat so there are a few videos of setting that up. I hope you find something to interest you, if you enjoyed anything, please subscribe to my channel. Best Wishes - Dave
Yes Hurst and Hengistbury Head can chop up and many a time ploughed on through it in our Ribs and our Sunseeker over the last 28 years . Happy days ? when our friends boat disappeared between waves running along side us . Thanks for the video .👍👍
Lack of planning :-) it's the shortest route and tide in the Needles channel was actually going out. Though you can sometimes get back eddies along the Island shore. There wasn't that much tide against us in the North Channel, we were getting over the ground quickly. But the bit just off Hurst is always rough. There's a big difference in depths along there and the water is compressed by the narrow channel there so even without the wind you get overfalls. Finally it's good fun.. Best wishes ... Dave
Thank you for watching, I've just checked your channel and subscribed. I'm looking forward to watching your videos of building and sailing Eleutheros. Takes me back to my early days when I owned a couple of wooden boats. Lots of maintenance but just beautiful boats. Best Wishes - Dave
It was a bit rolly but quite gentle otherwise. Pretty noisy on occasions but no water on board. It would have been very very different going the other way..
Thanks Chris. I must admit I didn't think too much about the tide. The wind was forecast to be quite a bit stronger later so we just got underway and legged it. As it was it made a good video so I'm glad you enjoyed it. I liked your video of Christchurch to the Folly and back, I'll look at the rest when I get a minute. Don't worry about motor sailing Tom Cunliffe made a point in one of his videos that using the engine to get somewhere when the wind dropped was often a sign of good seamanship. Thanks again for watching, enjoy your sailing - Fair winds and tides - Dave
I would be interested in the results, if this works I may well be interested in a similar installation. I had copperbot on my previous boat, worked well and did not need anything more than a power wash on haul out., but now it is regarded as bad as traditional anti-fouling for marine life. Currently spending a fortune on getting the boat antifouled every year.
I enjoyed watching your video, it brought back some happy memories of Alison, the first mate, and I sailing our Sadler 29 from our base in Poole to visit places in the Solent, which we did for 15 years from 1988. Must admit we avoided deliberately going out in winds as strong as you had, our I would have had a mutiny. At your age you are an inspiration. I am in my early 70's and now we sail our Lagoon 42, Alma Sofia, from Pula in Croatia, we appreciate the comforts on board for our extended journeys around the Croatian islands. We did have some fun crossing the Bay of Kvarner in May, it was a windy enough to require a reef ( >26 Kn in a Lagoon 42) when we took a wave right over the boat, this even hit the bibimi over the helm station, and that is very high up! One nice feature of a cat is we don't roll so much, slam yes, but roll downwind a lot less than a monohull. Looking forward to our next cruise in September around Krk, Rab, Pag and Zadar. Regards David
Hi David, all the best people are called David you know ( I was told that the other day :-) Lovely to hear from you. Zephyr IV holds up to the wind very well. I learned a while ago to avoid using the main in strong downwind sails, so it's not so bad. She does roll, like most monohulls and can be a bit of a handful in a quartering sea but she always feels safe. I'm lucky, quite a spritely 80 year old, though I need a day or two rest after a sail like that. Bill's a good companion, a few years younger. It's a lovely sail from Poole to the Solent and vice versa, I've done it in all sorts of weather and always find something new. Your sailing sounds very adventurous, I've not sailed on a cruising Cat but often wandered what it would be like in those kind of conditions. I hope your September cruise goes well, to places I've never even heard of :-) Fair winds and tides to you - Best wishes Dave
Hi Tony, curiously I hadn't thought about it until we were going past the pier and I thought, "I wonder if the railway still runs" and there it was. When I was about 14 we used to catch a bus to Hythe and then the ferry to Southampton. You paid separately for the train so we had to walk out to the ferry along the pier but on the way back after going to the cinema or similar in Southampton, Dad stumped up the train fare and we travelled by train in the dark, Magical, Lovely to see it's still going. Maybe take a ride on it later and do a video of that.
Wouldn’t catch me making butties in 40k, keep that crew!! We put soup in a flask and make the butties before we go. She doesn’t half shift along, I’m pleased if I get 6k through the water
Hi Stuart, Bill's the tea maker, I do the the sandwiches. You need three hands. Two for the sandwich making and an extra one to hold on :-) Zephyr IV is going well this year. I sometimes think the log is a bit generous but on the occasions when there's not a tide to confuse things, her log speed and gps speed over the ground are pretty much the same. Mind you in that sort of wind, anything goes pretty fast ! See you soon ... Dave
Another lovely video, thank you for sharing. Hoping to sail at the weekend, I expect it will be busy in the Solent and hopefully the sun will shine. Best wishes to you both 😊
Thank You for watching Debbie, it's much appreciated. Yes I guess the Solent will be getting busier now the Summer Holidays are here. Fingers crossed for good weather. Best Wishes ... Dave
Great sail all on the heady! Boat handled very well in those conditions. She is a speedy boat I note from all your vids. I was out yesterday in westerly winds, always dreaded here, and it was feisty but not as strong as you experienced. Best, Mark
Hi Mark, Zephyr IV is much easier to steer in those strong down winds with just the headsail. The main sail makes her yaw a lot and it's much harder to keep her going in the right direction. There's more than enough power in the genoa to get her close to maximum hull speed. As always, it's not the wind that causes the problems, but the sea state. The Feather Stream propeller has given us more speed when sailing. Good to hear you're still getting some sailing, in what is your winter. You take care my friend ... Dave
That wind is why we haven't made it to see you. Strong Westerlies have certainly been a feature of this summers weather. When we saw the forecast we thought it would be fun to sail to Poole with a broad reach and career back with half a gale behind us. And it was :-) Best Wishes Dave
Was your Kiwi Grip not installed correctly? As some of it have came off with a pressure washer washer and other areas it did not come off. Most reviews I have read people rave about the product.
Hi Eddie, I think I sort of infer that in the video. It was done before I bought Zephyr IV and it wasn't a pretty job. I don't think the surface was prepared properly before application of the Kiwi Grip and they didn't level it well before they stippled it with the roller. As you noted some of it came off in sheets when using the pressure washer and a foot or so away it was thick and durable and hard to remove. I was forced to do something and having removed it all, I didn't want to replace it with the same and chance a repeat performance a year or so down the line. Hence the video and the re-paint job. I know several people who have used it with good results. But in every case they were meticulous with their preparation. The guys that did Zephyr IV obviously, were not so meticulous. Thanks for your comment, Have you used it or ? .... Best Wishes ... Dave
@@davesailing No I have not used it. But I am planning on add non-skid in the future. Other folks have spoken highly of Kiwk Grip. Thank you for your reply.
Great vid log Dave. Nice weather, and boat moving well in winds with that new prop. I mostly single hand the days, a different approach needed, and yes mooring buoys can be fun to pick up. Well done on getting the pole up by yourself, i find that can be tricky, needs careful planning and setup. Cheers, Mark
Hi Mark, the weather has been all over the place here, lots of very strong Westerlies. Just managed to grab a few days of relatively nice weather. I made the booming out pole from a very light but strong aluminium alloy used in Antennas. The original pole was very heavy and I worried it could carry me overboard if I lost control of it. This one is about a quarter of the weight.
Thank you. I have just had my new Feather Stream prop fitted after your recommendation. Looking forward to easier going astern as well as making up a bit of speed sailing!
Wow! I'll have to tell Darglow ... Maybe I'll get commission :-) I doubt it. I hope it works out for you, I'm delighted with the new found speed. I actually overtake people now !! Haven't made it down to Plymouth. Just an endless string of gale like Westerlies. Maybe later.. Take Care .... Dave
Hi Ray, I did work it out in the end. Seemed a bit strange using a car park payment app for a mooring. But I guess in the councils eyes, it's not dissimilar. £10 is quite reasonable, shame about the endless wash from powerboats and jet ski's. Thanks for watching, best wishes .... Dave
Thank you - a very useful video for us as we will sail in that area this summer. Can you tell me if the antenna on the transom rail is for marine VHF and does it work effectively?
Glad you found the video useful..it was a real fun trip. The antenna is for the Navtex receiver. A bit redundant now-a-days. My vhf antenna is at the top of the mast. And works well:-) I hope your trip goes well, have fun. Best wishes ... Dave
Hi Dave! As promised we have had a browse of your channel. Lovely to meet you this afternoon, and great videos. I'll forgive you from being from the wrong side of the tracks! All the best, Tom
Well the theory suggests that. On my case all the bronze bits are wired back to the big sacrificial anode bolted to the hull. And none of my seacocks have gone pink after 30 years. I have a shaft anode to protect my propeller but now I've upgraded to a Feather Stream it has its own bolt on anode. You can over protect a boat but mine seems about right. Glad you enjoyed the video. I learned a few interesting things, whilst researching it. And it was fun playing around with the jar of salt water and different combination of metals..Best wishes... Dave
@@davesailing Thank you, Dave. I will be looking into non-metal through hulls and seacocks. The idea of regularly checking additional wiring is not very appealing :(
Well I initially didn't think there was and then I found a couple of unused anodes in the spares kit that came with the boat and found videos showing how to change it. BUT I can't find one where I expected it to be. So now I'm just as uncertain as you. Sorry 😞... Dave
Hi Ben, yes the vibration rounds the end of the tube into a taper. I gently rotated the end of a screwdriver inside and coaxed it back into a straight end. Mine fitted better then and I cured the leak. I hope you get yours sorted out.. Best wishes... Dave
I have the VP 2002 and went through this problem last summer. After a lot of effort to try to secure the press-fit copper piping to stop leaks, I gave up. Instead of using silicone grease, I used a little bit of RTV around each of the fittings. It remains flexible. It's water proof. No more leaks in my cooling system for $9! ....I know it's not how volvo wanted it, but it works great.
Hi Chris, I very nearly resorted to that. But, "the one last try" worked, so I left it alone. The problem is using the soft copper in an environment with lots of vibration, it changes the shape of the end of the pipe and then it doesn't seal. Well done for MAKING it work. Take care ... Dave
@@davesailing yes. I also wish the pipes were hose clamped hoses instead of press-fit pipe. It's hard to secure once after any deformation. I've thought about changing all of my pipes over to hoses....but it works for now, so I won't fix it.
I'm proud of you my friend, 80 and still sailing. Im nearly 63 and on my last job before retirement. The only reason I have not bought a boat yet is simply I would not get the use out of it. Well done, keep sailing.
Thank you kind sir. I don't know how I got to 80, still a kid inside. I'm sure I was only 30 about 6 weeks ago. I pick the weather carefully and always have the option of turning back if it gets too rough. Having said that, Zephyr IV is very seaworthy and I give in a long time before she does. Understand why you're holding off buying a boat. It can be an expensive and time consuming exercise. Thanks for your comment, it's much appreciated. You take care .... Daveķì
It's going to be a godsend Chris. The Genoa is quite big and even my friend Richard who is late twenties, struggles to get the last bit in when it above about 20 knots. I did pop down to the boating lake the other day of the comps . But didn't stay long, I had frozen food in the car, but it looked quite well attended.
Thank you little Sister - Boat's pretty much ready apart from the gas being connected to the new cooker and suitable weather. Planning to go to Plymouth at some stage.
Terrific sailing. Blue skies! I also use an electric winch assist, called Winch-rite, never used for head sail but invaluable for getting the main up when I am sailing solo or short handed. Works a treat. Your boat is looking very smart. Have a great sailing season. Very wintery at the moment in our part of the world, best M
Hi Mark, it was a good couple of sails, a few knots off the wind would have made it better, but it was only because we had to tack all the way up the Solent to Cowes, coming back with the wind behind us was a different world all together :-) I know about the Winch-rite, several people in the marina use them and there is a plan to do a comparison video with the e-wincher and the winch-rite on board whilst sailing. There's no doubt the e-wincher is a better product, but it is more than twice the price. So it's a value for money thing. Most of the winch-rite people seem to use it, like yourself for hoisting the main. I specifically wanted help hauling in the genoa sheets. This sail was the first time I used it in anger in a bit of a blow and I'm pleased with the way it worked. Lovely to hear from you as always Mark. Take care .... Dave
@davesailing I hope you get well soon. Where was you when you fell at home or on board. Let me know at some time when you're ok and at home, and we could meet up for lunch. In the meantime, take care.
It's early days, but very positive at the moment. It' much the same as the old prop in forward, though you can sort of hear the prop. Works just as well astern, almost no prop walk and just seems more under control. When out of gear it takes much longer to slow down. And sailing, it definitely seems faster. I need to sail it in light airs to be sure. Thanks for watching.. Best Wishes ... Dave
Well done Dave. Volvo and Darglow will have a policy on whether you should sail with the prop shaft locked or free and whether in reverse or forward gear. They are very clear that with my folder I have to sail with it in reverse. Fair winds
With the old fixed prop I always popped it in reverse to stop it rotating. I wasn't sure what would happen with the Feather Stream. Popping it in reverse stopped it rotating and I assume feathered it. Obviously there's not much friction in my shaft and gearbox.
We fitted a Featherstream to our Fulmar 5 years ago - it's ben a joy! At least half a knot faster sailing, we sail closer to the wind and less prop walk in reverse.
Lovely to hear from you Winston, it's early days for me, just had a couple of outings since it was fitted. But the boat certainly goes faster and the Astern performance is reassuringly consistent. Best Wishes .. Dave
Cant wait to see how well this goes, that is two watches now with your recent technology additions. Cheers, Mark PS: I’ve now gone down a rabbit hole reading about this ultrasound technology. I note two of the products on the market are made here in Australia, and a modest drive away from me. I am still trying to find definitive data from trials on the outcome of any of these products.
Hi Mark, I have to admit, if I hadn't found this unit on Ebay at about half price, I probably wouldn't have invested. The Sonihull website has some good reviews. They wouldn't put the duff ones on there would they :-) The hardest part of installing is feeding the wires around. I've got one transducer near the log impeller, so hopefully that will keep the little shrimps out of that and the other is fairly close to the propeller so hopefully that will stay clear too. I'll just have to wait and see whether my investment was good or a waste. Take care .... Dave
@@davesailing thanks for that Dave, I will check out the review site and await further feedback on your experiences. I can go about 18 months before I need an anti foul. But water getting warmer here so that might change. The cost of a haul out and treatment has doubled over past 5 years. Looking at over AUD$4k for such now, so looking at alternatives such as 2x per year diver clean, which would be $400 total, quite a difference, but one still needs to re-coat with anti foul at a decent interval. Best, M
Hi Dave, we've fitted a feather stream to our Oceanquest, very happy with it. The people at Darglow are very helpful too. We are currently cruising to Scotland, and have been glad of the prop this week!
Hi Shaun, good to here from you. I've only been using the prop for a short time. But I'm very pleased with it so far. Already I'm more confident in Astern and the boat just seems more slippery through the water. Hope your cruise goes well. Stay safe :-)
Hi Nick, well I was hooked when I saw your Featherstream prop. It's a bit of a faff getting the information to Darglow, but the prop fitted perfectly. They certainly go all out to make sure that you get the best match to your boat. It's good to have the boat back in the water, hoping for good weather and more trips this year. Thanks for all your help .... Dave
Hi Mark, I'll try and pass on information about the props performance in the future videos. Very happy with it at the moment., though it does feel a bit different from the old prop. Mostly in a good way. Best Wishes .... Dave
