Falanda Sailing

 Earlier this year me and Falanda moved from our winter berth in Penryn to Sailors Creek in Flushing where my friend Jake Whyte was restoring his new boat ‘Radiance’. She is a 37’ gaff cutter, larch on oak frames built in 1936. Radiance was built in a Smack yard in Boston, Linkinshire as a yacht, so is massively overbuilt with 1.5inch planking and 4” frames, she is 13 tonnes.  Radiance had been sitting against a wall in Gweek for 10 years before Jake bought her in March, so after a quick scape off at Tremaine quay, up the helford, he put the sail back on and attached all those bits of rope that assesorise the gaffers. She looked lovely sailing back, touching 7kts with the wind behind us, however on return to Flushing Jake proceeded to make the most worrying holes in the hull as he dug out all the rot.  More holes were made in the deck, and we had fun learning how to scarf in new bits of wood before the whole deck and coachroof was sanded and repainted. Having left the boa...

After a week swimming and picking flowers on St Agnes, we left for St Mary in preparation for a forecasted blow that came in a few days later from the West.  We didn’t get far though, as Wendy may stopped suddenly amounts a cluster of very expensive yachts after expeperiencing slight engine issues, soon resolved, however, with a cable tie.  In Porthcressa we met Max, the previous owner of Wendy may who provided both a more suitable solution to Otters broken gear cable, and a much appreciated veggie curry.  In the following days we did our laundry, had a hot shower and carried bottles of fresh water across the island. We topped up on fuel and watched as the weather started to blow in. It didn’t amount to much, however, and the biggest event was  moving Wendy May from alongside Falanda.  We then moved to Tresco, over the expanses of oddly placed sand banks and rock formations. It seemed much less terrifying than it had 3 years ago, perhaps with the security of a c...

 After crossing back from Paimpol me and Falanda spent a few quiet days anchored in Falmouth, where we were then joined by Otter on his gorgeous boat 'Wendy May'.  We rafted up and enjoyed our view of the tall ships as they came in, and spent the next week messing around getting the boats ready. We were also waiting out storm Betty, which came in with force and pushed a couple of boats out of the anchorage.  Falanda carries a big 10 kilo Bruce which held her down effortlessly, whilst I helped out onboard Wendy May, who had dragged anchor, and was soon to be sandwiched between a 40 ft ketch and an incredible 38ft Wharram. Otter had been having some engine issues which presented themselves again at the very peak or the blow, when the engine didn't start and he had to bleed the whole fuel system before he could re-anchor.  By daybreak there was only little wind left to blow, so we sailed up the Fal, surprised at how evenly matched the boats were as we raced downwind. I ...

 In the last week of July, Falanda and I set off across the channel accompanied by my parents on Karuna.  The morning started out windless so we motored until torbay when the wind picked up and we started sailing, close hauled at about 4.5 kts. The wind increased and a few waves skirted over the stern, splashing the tillerpilot which in turn got wet and packed up.  We then had a few hours of perfect sailing, the helm so light that falanda was steering herself, under full main and slightly reefed jib. At sunset we hove to so that I could reef the main and get changed into some dry, warm clothes before it got cold.  Then it got dark, and we started approaching the shipping lanes, still sailing well at about 6 - 6.5kts.  At this point my batteries were getting low, and I needed the AIS on as we crossed the lanes so I tried starting the engine. I then discovered that the batteries were almost dead rather than low, so faffed around turning everything off, whilst also...