Well its time. Our lovely girl is now on the market.

We absolutely love Nimmy but we are now looking for our next adventure

Nimmy has been such a great boat for short handed sailing and to bring Rachel into sailing in a safe and comfortable manor.

Top of the list has to be the Full Cockpit enclosure / Hot and cold pressurised water / New mattress and the all important fridge for those cold beverages..

Please take a look at the inventory and pictures and spread the word.

Extension time - The Tent

A few years ago, (in fact when I bought Nimrod) I had a spay hood made for her.
I suppose it met the criteria I gave "as big as possible".

On a D35 there are a few issues to contend with:

1) The main sheet / track (this significantly limits the ability to bring the hood aft)
2) The hight of the boom (this limits the hight of the hood, and for most people I feel this means that we would look over the hood most of the time), Spray hood???

The track is also a potential hazard either when tacking or gybing and has a nasty habit of getting stuck round the companion way....

So from a distance it looked "OK".

The pic above is with the boom held up.

But the real issue was it was just too low

The smiles are from the crew having just tied up after a very hard slog across the Irish Sea, but look at the height of the hood.

So after being somewhat annoyed with my hood and knowing the boat a bit better.
That old process of don't do anything until you really know the boat!!!

I knew I needed a new mainsail, the old one (possible original) was fairly shot.

So that gave me an option to raise the boom.
That reminds me I have to clean the old sealant off.
I raised the boom aprox 6" from the old position. I believe originally she would have had a sliding gooseneck.

And if you going to do that why not take the opportunity to move the main sheet!!

I must admit I have spent a HUGE amount of time on the track.
I had a very expensive piece of SS cut and angled to fit the deck.

I have had a dual mainsheet, Port or Starboard.
But do you know what.
Its just not necessary. I have played with strops onto U bolts of varying lengths and found the one which works well for me.

I will be taking off the U bolts for the last time this winter and having a wire strop made.

You can see the blocks from where I had a different set up.

The result is neet and fits nicely infant of the hood (the angle on the boom is good) and when it blows and you have a reef in then its at the end of the boom).

The other leads are for reef lines / outhaul / jib / Kicker etc as needed.

The old Track location has been filled and now holds no hazards (and that includes passing drinks out, we have all been there!)

But the big deal was increasing our living area.

Not a problem if your in the warmer climates but for us in the damp / wet North, a tent is fantastic.

This shot was taken one damp Sunday morning having had a great night, we get to enjoy the evening outside rather than all sitting below decks.

The boom is actually on the bottom of its stop and is apron 3' above the hood.
The tent zips to the hood and each side / or the back can be rolled up independently.

We sailed back from Wales with the hood up. Now thats big boat stuff eh!
T shirts rather than Full OilSkins
Works for me!

The tent can be quickly removed but as there is quite a lot of clear panels I opt to roll it round the supports. It make for fast deployment and doesn't get in the way.

Having said all that

I much prefer the hood down when possible

A look back as to where it all began...

A Podcast from my father John Williams, where he tells of his love of sailing following the sale of my parents Dufour Arpege.
Link to Podcast page

Microburst

So, I had this interesting phenomenon happen August 2013 and when I spoke about it people thought I was joking.So I put it away in the back of my mind and forgot about it.Well that was until I heard an interview on 59 North Podcast by Andy Schell with his interview with Yan Miles, Yan spoke of a Microburst and it got me thinking if thats what I had experienced.

So I was out for a nice sail

Sailing between Dun Laoghaire and around Lambay Island en rout back to Dun Laoghaire.

Wind was steady around 20kts so I had one reef in (my reef's take out 2Mtrs of main each).

Then the an interesting pattern came into play in the sky!

The sky was bright round the weather system but really nasty under it.

I saw what looked like small rain storms, and oh yes they were headed my way!!!

Still bright and maybe a small look of apprehension on my face !!

Maybe 3-4 mins before it hit me.

I rolled up 2/3rds of the jib and held onto the jib sheet.

As the squall hit the wind changed direction, vilantly by around 60 degrees which caused me to tack, fortunately I was holding the jib sheet so I just let it go.

Just look at the windspeed!

Up it goes

Still going up

Not sure the instrument goes any higher.

And back down again. Thank the lord.

A short clip.

So what happened.

Now I think it may have been a Microburst,
Wikipedia definition

This is a clip from someone who had replied to the podcast.
Tucson Wet Microburst | August 8th, 2015

From my side:

• I learned to prepare for squalls. I could see it for miles and it lasted only 3-4 mins in total.
• To roll up the jib prior to it hitting as jib as the whole of the sacrificial strip sticking was blown out and needed re stitching.
• One of the wind speed cups broke off during the squall.
• The VHF whip disappeared.

I think holding the jib sheet saved me from a sure knock down, but rolling the jib would have saved the jib!!

After all that there was only just enough wind to sail home!!!!

We live and learn

Introduction

Nimrod goes podcasting

Introduction

Cockpit Tour

Uploaded video of showing Nimrod's cockpit
Cockpit Tour

Great Irish June Bank Holiday 2014

Evening Sun - Howth

It started out last week with great hopes of a high drifting up from the Azores to sit over the British Isles for the week.
Hopes continued to rise until Thursday when the great low decided to haunt our weekend with forecasts of torrential rains and a nasty low infested week to come.
So plans rescheduled we had a great Saturday sail North to Howth mooring off the breakwater in glassy seas and calm skys.

The windlass had its first test and performed to perfection.
The dimmer fitted to the new fuse panel came into its own and was needed for night time.
The aroma coming from the restaurants from Howth were amazing.

But the setting sun was beautiful.

Islands Eye

Howth Breakwater 

Stunning

Islands Eye

New Switch Panel

Please click on any of the pictures to get a full size image

The fuse panel of most older yachts seems to be a bit of a bug bear.

This is my original fuse panel. 12 switches and fuses.

During the last few years I have been running new "tinned" AWG 12 cable round Nimrod with an eye on getting a new panel.

You add a stereo / chargers / GPS / cockpit lighting / fridge..... and on and on and on.....

As you keep doing this you find that you have multiple electrical items wired to the same switch and that 5AMP fuse is now 15 or 20AMPS. I ended up with more and more cables coming to a really small panel.

The tipping point came when I when to install the new windlass (details of which can be found at (windlass-replacement-2013-2014).

You can see the new power cables for the windlass (LHS).

So where do you find a new switch panel.

What you end up with is more of the 6 way fuse panels or custom made panels.

Or you do it yourself.....

I fabricated a wooden frame for the panel.

Wood, Oak from my wives uncle's kitchen he was replacing.

Purchased my toggle switches / LED's and fuse holders (The fuse holders are mounted on the rear of the panel and are standard car style spade fuses rather than glass round fuses costing $$$ each.

With the help from my friends at a local print shop we mapped out a graphic using all the available space on the panel.

Several careful hours of drilling and soldering later and we have a brand new custom switch panel designed specifically for my needs.

New switch panel up and running.

The graphic at the bottom with the holes in will have red/green/white LED's depicting the Nav lights in use.

This pic shows the brightness control for the LED's and the Windlass thermal fuse.

The brigtness of the LED's can be tuned down or off as required.

Windlass installation complete

Finally, Hector is installed.

The full story can be found at windlass-replacement-2013-2014

Copper Coat 2 Years On

Short video of Nimrod's latest lift, 2 years on from her copper coat.


Copper Coat 2 years on     

Stripping back the years and bringing Nimmy back to her original colour and glory together with a new Copper Coat bottom.

Video of the work can be found on my video tab.

Nimmy gets a makeover

Noonsite.com

Wow.

Just discovered www.noonsite.com what a great site providing updates prices / weather / issues around the world for sailors panning trips.

Windlass Update

Further updates to the windlass install

Cable tracked down and ordered

Thermal fuse tracked down and ordered

Cable route found and pulled through

New chain slot cut and re moulded.

Enjoy

windlass replacement 

Stories from my parents

My father has started writing some of what I can only imagine and hope to be thousands of stories from his sailing life. I have put a TAB where you can find the initial collection and a link below the picture.

Father and Son

Enjoy.

wakeii.blogspot.ie

Windlass Installation - Update

I have updated the Windlass Installation Page so read away.

Link to Winlass Upgrade page

Windlass Installation

I have taken the plunge and will be replacing the Manual Goiot Windlass with a Quick Hector 1000 Horizontal Electric Windlass.
I have set up a separate page to contain the work / notes etc

The old and new
Manual Goiot and Electric Quick Windlasses


Link to Winlass Upgrade page

Opening Remarks

This is going to be the blog of Nimrod of Beaulieu, an original Dufour 35 sloop built in 1972 and loving restored and sailed by her current owner.

What did you do last weekend !

Please click on any picture to enlarge

So you drive to the marina (Dun Laoghaire) and the weather looks fine for a nice long yacht!

Wind picks up but not as forecast. every forecast tells me the wind is from the North and I am getting a Southerly 10-12 kts.

Local weather I hear you say. Well so local it spread across the entire Irish Sea from IRL to Wales!

So some time later (10 hrs) arriving just as darkness has descended I arrived into Llandwynn Island, situated near the southern entrance to the Menai Strait.

Now entering an anchorage after dark is tricky but if you have been there some many times its etched in to your brain, you should be ok!

Anchor down, hot shower a bit of grub and a well-earned beer later a great nights sleep was had.

And this is what awakens you if your lucky!

Just look at that sky

When you pop ashore the picture is just as good

Then your friends arrive from Conway

 

And obviously on a night like this that has to be a BBQ while we watch the sun go down like perfection.

Now off for home.

Forecast if for light winds from the North (again) with a clear warm day for the Irish Sea.

MMMMMM, not at 06:30 it wasn't!.

Damp and slightly foggy I can tell you.

But still. Quiet and light winds prevailed, and yes from the North.

As I cleared Anglesey the view around me and ahead was surprisingly different to that which I was leaving

 

Isn't there a rule about right of way? This chap made me alter corse. Not an issue on a clear settled day but makes you wonder...

Had a great sail home, wind again 10-12 kts from the North most of the way which helped clock off those miles.

Finally Dun Laoghaire and Dalkey in sight!

Well the forecast did say that a front would be passing over Ireland during the evening!

And that is a front if I have ever seen one!

Arriving into Dun Laoghaire. Just look at the front approaching.

Navionics tracks for the trip

Outbound 

Dun Laoghaire to Llandwynn

Start Time: 24 Aug 2013 10:31
End Time: 24 Aug 2013 21:27

Active track info:

Distance: 64.7 NM
Total time: 10H 55M
Average Speed: 5.9 kts
Max Speed: 8.3 kts

Inbound

Return from Llandwynn

Start Time: 26 Aug 2013 06:22
End Time: 26 Aug 2013 17:08

Active track info:

Distance: 63.8 NM
Total time: 10H 46M
Average Speed: 5.9 kts
Max Speed: 8.1 its

Google Earth Track