Sunday 28 October 2012

That was the year that was... 2012

Time for what is now my traditional review of the year past; I really enjoy putting it together as it's a good excuse to review and read all the posts, video and pictures from this years logs.... I would say that it's been a good year because of a few memorable events, but it's not been a classic year. The subject of weather has been done to death in the press and on other yachting forums, but I think I'd agree that it wasn't a good summer - certainly worse than last year....

The other big issue for me in 2012 was the failure of the sink skin fitting; in hindsight it wasn't really as bad as I thought at the time, but there was no doubt that if I hadn't caught her in time the outlook could have been a lot worse.. the downside was a big 10 week gap in the middle of the season when I could have been sailing and putting on miles....

All in all then I'd say that this was a good'ish year....  7, oh go on then, 8 out of 10.. 

Like a spider dipped in blue ink and left to wander all over Google Earth - here's where Papillon went this year - click again for slightly bigger views of the pictures in this post:

In the harbour - as far north as Emsworth, as far east as Bosham and West Itchenor this year
 ...and this time with the two trips out into the Solent - to Portsmouth and Cowes this year!


Lot of miles in the Solent (for me!) this year...



...and the following in "Ami-Ly" - no cross Channel trip as we'd hoped this year (weather casualty) but I still managed to get in a good number of miles with Rod her skipper - highlight being the seal sighting just off Portchester Castle, and my first trip with a cruising chute (I want one!)


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Number of visits down to the boat: 14 (three less than last year) but once again if you count all the times I visited in the mornings/evenings while she was on shore (usually two to three times a week), and the days I worked on her pre-season, and the cups of tea visits (and pot noodle visits!) - easily triple that...

Total distance sailed: 173.29 miles; this compares with 193.41 miles in 2011, 154.23 miles in 2010 and 125 miles in 2009... a good year, but not as good as last year.. having said that it's only 20 miles less than last year and on three trips less so further indications that I'm taking her further each trip..

Nights on board: 1 - that was on the Cowes raid...  I have finally found a comfortable way to sleep on her...smiley emoticons

Crew on occasion: 1 daughter - youngest - she's good company and is turning into a more confidant helm...  she still says sailing is "boring"... smiley emoticons

Cruising range: The mooring in the west, Emsworth to the north, Bosham/Itchenor in the East and the Folly (up the Medina River from Cowes) to the south..

Biggest Cruise: Cowes raid here and here! (57 miles in one weekend!)...

Cowes Raid - Pap on the Folly pontoon...  happy times!
Best Cruise: So hard, as 2012 was brilliant - but a choice of three, the Cowes raid (which proves adventure is available to everyone), the trip to Portsmouth Harbour entrance in May, but also the last cruise of the season up to Itchenor and Bosham which was idyllic. I'm going to go for the Portsmouth Harbour trip simply because of the express elevator trip back - stunning speed, sunshine and breeze..  perfect.

Worst cruise: The outbound trip to Cowes - weather hideous, cold, wet, miserable! smiley emoticons

Oddest cruise: Breaking the duck at the beginning of the season (finally) - only time I've taken Pap out in a 6 gusting 7..!

Best anchorages: None... didn't anchor this year either...  really need to do something about that, I've never anchored in all the years I've had her! Part of the problem of course is that everywhere I sail there are huge numbers of empty moorings so there's little need to anchor!

Best mooring: Hmmmm...  been an "interesting" year for moorings...  My new one is a cracker (once we get the sinker re-buried) water 3+ hours either side of high tide...  the temporary one I got put on at the end of the year has even more water but is a bit of a long slog out on oars! Looking forward to getting back on mine next summer... smiley emoticons

Worst mooring: None... they're all good when you need a cup of tea!

Plans for next year: The bigger adventure will come once/if I sell Papillon.... new boat to search for...  Then there was talk of taking Ami-Ly over to Cherbourg this year but the weather scuppered that - next year would be good!

2012 Mileage:
  • 30th April : 0.5 mile  (don't laugh) - force 6 gusting 7 - blowing the cobwebs out..
  • 13th May : 8.55 miles - force 4 gusting 5 - SW - gusty day, little'un helmed us to the bottom of the harbour and did a brilliant job .
  • 20th May : 10.15 miles - force 4 gusting 5 - N/NNE - another gusty day, windex jammed but came free...
  • 24th May : 9.33 miles - force 2 - S/SSE - sunny day, afternoon off work - lots of tacking...windex knackered... free smileys 
  • 29th May : 28.73 miles - force 2 and 3 (morning and afternoon) - WSW to SW(ditto) - Spitbank Fort and Portsmouth Harbour..  superb trip back!
  • 17th June : 16.82 miles - force 5 - S - head of Prinstead Channel 
  • 8th July : 12.23 miles - force 2, up to force 4 at the end - W/WSW - HISC and the Emsworth on a sunny, wet, and squally day... windex working for the moment - must be all these gales....
  • 14th July : 32.20 miles - force 2, up to force 4/5 at the end - W - Chichester to Cowes for the Raid... wet, squally, horrible, cold, wet
  • 15th July : 24.85 miles - force 1, up to force 5 at the end - W - Cowes to Chichester back from the Raid... long goose wing run... lost my hat at the West Pole in a squall!
  • 21st July : 4.28 miles - force 1 or 2 - SE - Saturday afternoon pootle... first run out for new hat.. 
  • 23rd July : 16.08 miles - force 3 dropping to force 2 by the end - S/SSW - Bosham and Itchenor...  huge tide, just made it back in time...!
  • 1st September : 19.88 miles (not counted to my year count, as not in Pap ) - force 4 occasional 5 - SW/SSW - Northney to Port Solent taking Ami-Ly back to her home berth - superb sail....
  • 16th September : 18.96 miles (not counted to my year count, as not in Pap ) - force 2 occasional 3 - SW - Port Solent to Northney taking Ami-Ly back to finish her repairs - first time with the cruising chute.... 
  •  7th October : 8.57 miles - summer coming to  close, light breeze (force 1 gusting 2) I spent an afternoon tacking to Marker and then running back to the mooring.. getting cold...
Year total: 173.29 miles

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