The sails went up

Friday 27th February was the date set for my next adventure on the water, as this fitted in nicely with the Drascombe Supper in the evening.

I met up with Dick P outside Winchester, and we headed off down to Chichester, I have to say, I couldn't have chosen better weather if I had tried, when we arrived at Chichester it was a lovely clear blue sky, not a cloud in site.

After motoring out of the marina, and through the lock, I only had one near miss when the depth sounder was starting to beep at me and the centreplate was hitting the ground, but Dick soon got me back on course.

We turned the engine off, and Dick put the sails up, he had warned me that it would make some noise, but nothing to worry me too much.

With the main sail up

Once the sails were up, we headed past Itchenor and down through to East Head, now the fun began, as I learnt how to tack and jibe. I was actually enjoying it until at one point I was closer to the water than I wanted to be, I heard Dick say "if only I had a camera, your face was a picture"

Lunch time soon arrived, and Dick dropped the anchor near East Head and the sprayhood was pulled up to give us some shelter.

Someone decided to have a lie down on the deck

After a bite to eat, we then headed back down the marina, the sea air must have got to me, as at one point I said to Dick "those buoys keep getting closer to us" only to be informed, that it was because I was moving the boat to close too close to them ....... 

Heading back to the marina, we got to 5.2 knots, not bad for my first time sailing.

Once back near the straight to the marina, the sails had to go away, this was interesting, as I turned the boat 180 degrees to let Dick put the mainsail away, now I know what you have to turn into the wind to put the sails down, I hope that bit is correct!

Time for a selfiie

Once back in the marina, I asked if I could reverse Daislebee back into her mooring, with that look which says "no, never, not on your life" I got my way, and was very careful at putting her back safely in her mooring, with no dents or scratches.

What a great end to a lovely day, the weather could not have been better, the company as always was great and sailing was brilliant, I think I might have an new hobby now.

We finished of our time on the water by going to the Chichester Yacht Club in the evening for the first of this years Drascombe Supper, with the usual crowd of Simon, Stewart, Brad, Bob, Ian, Glenys, Tony,  Jenny, Michel from Holland and of course Dick, it was a fun filled evening.

The evening did not end there, as Dick presented me with a Certificate of Achievement "for not minding the wobbles and missing the red and green things" and for once I was quiet.

So, my thoughts on sailing - it was relaxing and peaceful, although I still have a long way to go before I take Daislebee out on my own (only joking DP)

The date is in my diary for my first rally, but before that, a few more sailing lessons are required.

Thank you DP for your patience.

And a note for Bill G, I am beginning to understand the 'big secret'

Until the next time .......... x

A few days until the sails go up

With only a few more days until my next sailing lesson, I have been busy here in the yard with Simon and the team getting the next new boat ready.

With selling a brokerage boat today, a refurb boat will be leaving here on Wednesday, the new Drascombe Longboat will be collected on Thursday and heading to Debdale Activity Centre in Manchester, then on Friday Simon and I will be heading down to Chichester for the first Drascombe Supper of the year.

To end the week, it is the end of our accounts year, which means Simon and I have been running Churchouse Boats for two years, where does the time go too?, and to celebrate..... I am going sailing :-)

Learning my knots

Well, after a lovely and fun evening with some girlfriends last night, I thought I would do something constructive today, you see, we went to see 50 Shades of Grey and it reminded me that I need to practice my knots.

Armed with some rope, I really hope my sailing teacher appreciates what I am doing, as you see I am a very keen pupil, and happy to do homework out of sailing lessons, but it will all be worth it when I proudly show Dick that I can tie some basic knots. 

I wonder if he will let me practice some on him, oops sorry, I mean practice tying some knots when we next go out on Daislebee?

A selection of books, along with a clove hitch, bowline and figure of eight stopper knot

It is really good when you can have some laughs with people, these sailing lesson could be very amusing.

I wonder what my next instalment will bring,? I am counting down until my next day on the water, bye for now x

My first time on the water

Over a year ago at the Drascombe supper, I asked Dick Pizey if he would take me out on his boat, as I wanted someone to teach me to sail. With the reply "oh yes, of course" I waited for my first lesson, which never happened.

Move on a year, and Dick very kindly agreed to help me on our stand at London Boat Show, and again I asked if he would teach me to sail, this time with a little arm twisting, he agreed.

During my time at the boat show, I kitted myself out with a coastal jacket, hat and gloves, I had thermals and waterproof trousers already, so I was ready for my first lesson.

Hearing that Dick was planning on visiting his boat (Daislebee is a Cornish Shrimper) on Friday 23rd January, I invited myself along for my first lesson.

I dropped Simon off in Winchester as he was heading to Boot Dusseldorf Boat Show, and drove on down to Chichester to meet with Dick for breakfast. After breakfast we drive along to Chichester Marina and I see Daislebee for the first time. Why is it that boats always look smaller in the water?

What I have failed to mention, and I only told Dick after he agreed to take me sailing was ............. I have a fear of water, don't get me wrong, I can swim and I go to the beach, but the thought of being on a boat smaller than a ferry frightens me. After having two un-pleasant experiences when I was younger, I have stayed clear of boats, so when I started working, and then purchased Churchouse Boats with Simon in 2013, I knew it was time to do something about it. So my New Year’s Resolution for 2015 was to enjoy being on the water, learn to sail, attend my first rally and live aboard for one night on a boat, I do not do things by half’s as you will find out.

With my sailing gear on we get on board, ahh this is fun, the boat rocks when getting aboard, taking deep breaths, I get on and sit in the cockpit while Dick is sorting things out, and starting her up.

If I thought I was going to have it easy, no chance. Taking hold of the tiller to steer her from her mooring, we head through the ice toward the lock, once through the lock we were out in the harbour, this is where I try not to think about all of the water around me, I have a life jacket on, so I will be alright. Once out in the harbour I soon loose the "my way..... your way" to using the correct terms of port and starboard. The weather was lovely, sadly no wind but the sun shone for us.

Along the way, I was soon identifying the port and starboard marks, trying to understand cardinal marks, tidal flow as well as taking some orders from customers. This is the life!

I am not going to get cold, plenty of layers to keep warm



I had my first attempt at ferry gliding, and not sure how, but we managed to pull up alongside the Harbour Masters pontoon, I left the tying up to Dick, as I am still learning my knots.

After a quick visit to the office, we set of again to find a buoy where we stopped to have lunch overlooking Bosham.

Moored up for lunch overlooking Bosham

Sadly, we didn't get the sails up, so we motored back to the Marina and to put Daislebee away after her first outing of the year.

So, the question is what did I think of being out on the water?

I loved it, Dick was a very patient teacher which made me feel very much at ease. I did worry about damaging his boat, but he was very laid back about leaving me at the helm.

I am beginning to understand why so many people enjoy being out on the water, apart from the peace and tranquillity, the sights you see along the way are wonderful. For me, being out on the water made me forget who I was a few hours, I was not wife, business owner, mother or nanny, I was me, and it was my time away from all the everyday dramas.

So, when am I going again?

The date is in the dairy, so look out for the next instalment.