This is how I learnt to sail from the very beginning to the present day.
My names Dave and I've always wanted to sail and the story starts in season 1 when I finally I got the chance in the summer of 2020 when I found my first £500 little wooden boat. "Mochyn Du" or "Black Pig" in English is her name and she's an 11 foot, 1984 wooden Mirror Dinghy and she's a beauty! Season 1 is all about Mochyn Du, how she taught me to sail and all the little projects and improvements I made to her. I hope you Mirror Dinghy fans will find these videos useful.
From here I progress, sailing and finding various new boats including a folding seahopper, a Drascombe Lugger and even a Biluta Packraft as I try to improve my sailing skills and prepare to go on wider adventures cruising around the UK.
There's no £100K Catamarans here, just me, my old and cheap boats, the beautiful UK waters and my sailing and DIY skills.
It's never too later to follow your dreams, so come with me as I embark on mine.
Hi dave was wondering what your tgoughts on the following are, I'm mostly sailing the ent singlehanded and find her sail area too big leading to being upside down most of tge time😂, i decided to replace tge rig completely with a mirror rig! she doesnt weigh massively more, so i'm hoping it works! any thoughts?
Hi Ari. Firslty did you say you're sailing the Enterprise single handed? Whilst a nice dinghy, I have heard they have a reputation for being a bit tippy, especially when on a Run. Her backside likes to come round and she broaches that way. Reducing the sail area is always going to help, but 2 things I wonder: 1. I wonder if reducing the sail area is fighting a losing battle against a dinghy that is inherently tippy. Changing the sails is also complicated to get right. If you reduce the sail area then you could alter the balance aft/forward of the boat. thats why the Mirror has that extra notch in the hull for when you sail her with just the main. She needs the balance to move forward a bit. 2. What most people would do is to reef the mainsail and try to furl the jib so you can effectively reef that too and keep the correct balance of the boat. Any decent sail maker will put a reef in your sails or you could do it yourself. Just a row of reinforced eyelets, but of course yoyu need to do them right. Hope that helps a bit anyway Dave
@@fat_tommo_goes_boatingyour probably right however i only have the mirror rig my ent was an old hull which i have restored, i do have the original mast and boom, so i will try with the mirror rig first if that fails than i may just folllow your advice, cheers ari
Nice one mate, yep, easier to leave something long and cut it later than cut it too short 👌I can nearly see that boatyard across the water from mine on a good day👍
I live on the waterfront on the Wirral near ellesmere port but being a boat enthusiast I watch the boats and listen on my marine radio from my bedroom window, I think your yard is just round the corner from where I can see out to but the Weston point of runcorn is in the way... I can see what's behind you though 😄👍
Thank you for this video. I am wondering : why do you absolutly want the bowsprit to be able to go into the boat ?🙂 (on most of the "old gaffers" the bowsprit can not be moved). Wouldn't it be more usefull to let the bowsprit always in place, and to put a "furler" for the sail at the end of this bowsprit (as it is on my little sail and oar boat).
Hi Christopher. Well thats a good question. For me it's to do with needing the nose of the boat for other things. The anchor sometimes needs to go thorugh the nose and be pinned down. Especially in rougher weather. However especially the strop has to go through there for mooring. I also think it would be a bit of a faff when trailering. It may come out ahead of the trailer and could be a bit close to the van!
Yes, largely quiet, especially in he winter months and with the bad weather we had last year, but if you do see someone its great to chat. I have gained a lot of advice from people here but also wasted a lot of time chatting too!!!
just one question what exactly is keeping the sliding part of the bowsprit from simply sliding in and out i notice the pin for one length but what is keeping it together if you want it to be longer or shorter?
Hi There. Cheers for the question. There's a clevis pin I use to stop the poles from moving. Not sure if I fitted that here or in the next video! IOt works the same as the jib stick I made though.
@@AWg-yq3rs Well, yes you do and that would weaken the tube, however the weak point is where it bends against the pin in the bow roller so I am sure that would break first. This is why a bobstay will help. I only have one position for the bowsprit so only need 2 holes (Although if you look carefully, I had to redrill a hole so I have an unused hole now). I will ultimately change the tube at some point. I only use these headsails in lighter airs to get the boat moving a bit more so the forces on them should be tolerable. I did use the flying jib last year in 20mph winds. Caught me out!! The old, thinner tube, without a bibstay still held up, although was on the limit and I felt uncomfortable with it bending so doused the sail.
CHeers Barnaby. It was a lovely day on the Weaver that day. I need to think about getting back down there soon actually and try and walk her aorund those locks!!
Not very well i'm afraid, especially when beating, however if you keep watching then I am slowly taking on advice and making some changes to her. The boom makes a huge difference, as does a spinnaker and booming out the Mizzen on a run. New sails also made a huge difference too and although only just filming Season 4 all of these things have made a difference in a recent trip. Lulu even kept pace with the Menai Class racers on their Running leg (Just about!!) I don't think there's much overlap with the Lugger and the Wayfarers/Wanderers when it comes to sailing together. The Lugger needs a bit more wind to get her moving, whereas the W/W's will move in very light air. However recently on the Menai in 25kts+ Lulu and I were sailing gloriously well with all 3 sails flying high, when the W and W had furled all sails and went under motor as the wind was too much for them.
I updated the parts list in the description but have listed them here too: I bought the pump from Marine super store as it was about £40 cheaper. I would recommend having a look about for Whale products as the oprice fluctuates wildly www.marinesuperstore.com/marine-pumps/bilge/whale-compac-50-pump The rest I got from the from Force4Chandlery: 830134 - Reinforced Clear Water Hose 1" 830845-9770 - Composite Skin Fitting with Hose Tail BSP 1" XMYTR574 - Stainless Steel Hose Clip Sz25 17-25mm
Great videos Dave, I have really enjoyed them keep it up. Just a quick query where did you get the bilge pump pack from. Could you send or upload a link please. I recently bought a Lugger and the bilge has failed. Dónal
Many thanks for the comment, I'm editing the winter 2023 ones now and season 4 recording has started already so plenty more to come!! I'll update the video description with links to where I got the parts from
Watch this space. I get a dry suit but again on wearing it the first time, I was so hot. I also have to get the neck stretched a bit as after a whole day wearing it i was starting to struggle to talk it gripped my throat so much!!! For me the right clothes are a real conundrum. I now have almost all the clothing for any situation...Wet suit, dry suit, Fladen suit, Shell and dungerees. It all ends up being way to hot to wear and I end up in my shorts and T shirt. So either you are too hot in the boat or too cold if you take a dip!!!
BrillIAnt in the cold...get way too hot anywhere near summer leaving you dangerously dehydrated. Also it's a faff to go for a wee wee! Used it once for a yacht race on new years day, it was great. They do a two piece which id love to try. Its more predictable in winter? Does thst mean predictably more windy!? Also wind blows steonger for same mph in winter.
I agree. I wore it last winter just to see what it was like in -2°C and it was toasty as anything, but in the next video to thgis one where I test it on the lake, I think it was about 12-14°C. A tad chilly after the summer but way way too warm for this suit. You just sweat and get wet inside, although still very warm.
Remember to someone new to the sport at the time the video was posted, 50cm waves, with that shorter period you get on the lake that makes them come over the bow, is quite something. This channel is about that journey and part of that is looking back at how exhillerating those first moments were, no matter how small they may seem to the more experienced.
Hi Christophe. This page should help you. It was the source I used to get help with colours etc. www.pettigrews.org.uk/lm/page028d.htm What I would say is that matching 40 year old gelcoat is hard. If you buy the correct RAL colour, then it will not match as the boat has had 40 years of wear and tear and sun. However if you want to repaint the whole hull or deck then the RAL colours should be fairly easy to obtain.
thanks for keeping us entertained and informed Dave , a great person to know on and off the water for sure. glad you had a good season despite all your mishaps we all have them trust me, did u solve the rudder leak bearing issue as we never heard about it after. trailering a boat is a nightmare for me after what happened to my new boat , look forward to the winter projects, can you pimp your boat anymore than you have lol you should get a project like mine, enough content for a few seasons lol. look forward to season 4 and many thanks again
Many thanks Kev. Like-wise to you too. I sort the Rudder leak out properly over the winter, coming soon! I have a few things I need to do to the boat for S4. I would like to be able to sleep on her and maybe a spray cover of some kind? Blumming hard to do though as she's all curves!!!
Many thanks. Yes I post about 4 months behind. I basically get all my footage for a season or a winter and then create a kind of "TV Season" for them. With work and other stuff I am not able to post almost live, I would have large gaps where I could not post. Only way I can make it work right now.
My friend's dad used to take us out on the big Atlantic rollers off the side of hook head in wexford. These rollers were above the height of the lugger master. It was fabulous
Oh yes thats a crazy feeling. In the attempt to circumnavigate Anglesey, we turned after the wreck on Caernafon bar, sailing over "Middle sands" and up to the Cardinal marker south of Landy Island without incedent. Norman later asked me what I thought about the 3M rollers coming in over there. They came out of nowhere. I do remember losing sight of his mast actually and yoyu can see them on the video, although the video never gives the waves justice. "I hardly thought about them" I said to Norman. He replied, "They were breaking 20M further in where I was"!!!
Many thanks for this very entertaining season. Full of surprises and good stuff! I’ve said it before: your honest report of all your struggling is quite unique and makes this channel outstanding 👍
What a great season, thank you so much for sharing it all with us and sharing all the bits that went wring too. Makes me feel human. I hope you don't stop making these videos, you're great at them and I feel like I spent the summer sailing with you. You should get way more views than you do. thanks again Dave.
You're too kind. Defintley have a load more coming. WInter 2023 is being uploaded as we speak and Season 4 is being recorded too so plenty to come. I have not really focussed at all on RU-vid since I started it but I do intend on making a bit more effort so I can make it worth while. I have also invested in a much better editing software suite so hopefully that will push me on a bit!
A lot of sea anglers have floatation suits for fishing off rocks during the winter. Nice and warm with the floatation if you do fall in. Good on you going out in that rain - I'd have been operating that coffee machine you have in the van 😉
Yeah, I think I first found out about the suit from people fishing in Norway. Its very warm though, like too warm for sailing anywhere near to the sailing season, but it wasn't a lot of money and has many other uses for me too!!
Great Jacket,.... Again, you are braving the heavy rain. I love kayaking, when it's pouring... Looks like a full day of fun, Dave,... Keep it comin,... 👍
What a great investment, Dave... Adventures got nothing on you, now.... Pirates will be sailing the opposite direction, when you approach ! Great jacket, for, on the open seas,... I like it !!!👍
Great video. Three points: 1) wear a cap under the hood it makes the hood fit better making it allways move with the head, eliminates the sweat patch on your bald dome and lifts the floppy peak out of the way, 2) carry a large fishing umbrella for when you are at rest in the rain on board or ashore (as an angler I love watching the rain from under one), 3) test the suit padded out with tissue paper under the shower at home (without you inside that way no sweat to consider).
@@Jono1982 It was a slightky surreal experience with it raining so much today. Personally I get enough rain so would prefer it to be dry but it was nice to experience something different, esepcially as it was still quite warm.
On the last video, you were not sure what the orange loops on the front of your Fladen floatation suit were for. They will be for attachments for your automatic life jacket, so that you can leave the life jacket attached when you slip in and out of the suit. Most offshore jackets have them. Your Life jacket will have a couple of toggles attached that slip into the loops. Just something to make life that little bit easier. Great channel. Don’t stop for the winter, that is why you got your Fladen. Go have lots of fun and let us know about it.
Well I think its a few reasons that all add up to just making it a bit difficult. Firstly the boat goes to the boatyard for winter and she's squeezed in a bit so she's a bit difficult to get out. She's also usually in a non sailable state as I repair or do projects on her. The fact she's not at home makes it difficult to leave some projects finished and also to get things done in between bad weather, especially rain. I've also been suffering with underactive Thyroid that has made the winters increasingly cold and nasty for me. I have only just been diagnosed formally and now am taking pills which have helped a huge amount. The lake is open all winter, despite the shores having to be cleared. We can still come down and sail and I think I will try and do that a few times in the next one. We shall have to see!
Interesting video. Could you update what date your videos are upto. Is this last or this year's purchase. If I have it right Llyn Tegid so far this year has been about last years sailing and work but that seemed to becoming to an end (or with the winter gear is it?)
Hi Fibber. So this video would have been filmed almost at the end of Season 3 so last october. I put the original recorded dates into RU-vid when i post them so I thought they would show up. I will look in to that and maybe put a date on the intro of each video in future.
Hi Dave you should look into making dyneema soft shackles to replace those big clunky noisy stainless steel ones. Easier to use than tying knots. Thoroughly enjoying all your vids.
I have some! I have a couple of sizes too and they're great but for some reason I seem to be persevering with the shackles!! The snap shackles are great for the clew and tack of the mainsail as they allow me to stow the main away, even with the boom attached, very quickly. However that one on the clew that attaches the sail to the boom is a PITA!!! I will try a soft shackle and see.
Well I would love to do that but flying and landing a drone on a dinghy in high winds is nigh impossible. I do have some plans though so stay tuned in Season 4 as I have a few new tricks I use!!
