Csárdás

When we got to the boat last Wednesday I switched all the instruments on only to find the Garmin 182C chart plotter which I have had for about 7 years failed to power up properly. The screen remained blank and all it did was beep. I checked the fuse and wiring but all seemed fine.

No matter we certainly weren’t going to need GPS for a short 1 or 2 hour sail. So we left it all alone.

I phoned Garmin the following morning. I found a technical support freephone number on their website and right from the start I was impressed that I got straight through to them. I was told to test the voltage at the back of the unit but if all seemed fine then they do a fixed cost replacement service for items out of warranty. So on Saturday I tested the voltage. No problem - 13.5 volts. But unit still not working properly. So I removed the unit and took it home.

On Monday morning I phoned Garmin again. Got straight through. Was quoted £101 for a replacement.  The unit cost about £500 new 6 years ago.  I was given a reference number and told to package the unit up and send to them in Southampton.  I packed it all up and took it straight to the post office.  That was Monday 7th Jan.

This morning - Thursday 10th Jan - I received a parcel from Garmin containing a factory refurbished 182C.  All shiny as new.

I think that is fantastic service.  And I will certainly be buying Garmin again!

Last Wednesday went sailing with friend Tom. He had been wanting to go sailing and, being a teacher, was keen to go during the school holidays. He hadn’t done much sailing before but being a Territorial Army type was not at all put off by the prospect of bad weather. In fact I think the thought of going out in a gale appealed to him.

I’d looked at the forecast for the first week of Jan and it was mostly pretty grim but with what looked like a lull between weather systems on the Wednesday with no more than a force 4 forecast. So plans were made and we went down to Poole early in the morning. When we arrived it was pretty obviously more than a force 4. The marina office was forecasting a force 6 and it was definitely blowing over 20 knots from the East.

The biggest problem was we were being blown off our berth and there were only the two of us, one of whom was inexperienced. So getting in and out the berth in this strong a breeze without destroying the yacht next to us could be challenge. So I briefed Tom on the art of slipping the bowline and off we went. With some deft fending off from Tom after dropping the bowline we were off.

Second reef in once through the bridge and we sailed down the channel. It was really blowing old boots withe the anemometer regularly showing over 30 knots. This was not a force 4. More like a force 7. With the wind in the East it was funneling into the harbour entrance and I don’t think I have seen it quite so rough just outside Poole harbour. Big swell, maybe 2 meters high. What a ride! We took plenty of spray over the bow and got suitably wet.

Genoa up but with lots of rolls in it - the smaller self-tacking jib would have been better but we hadn’t had time to change to it before we’d left for the bridge opening. We crashed on towards Old Harry for a bit before turning and surfing at high speed back into the harbour.

Unfortunately while Tom was sailing up the channel and my attention was diverted down below we suffered a gybe. In those winds I was half expecting to see the boom parted from the mast but the only damage was a snapped lazy jack on the starboard side caused by the force of the sail pushing against the lazy jacks.

I was concerned about getting back into the berth with such a strong cross wind so I rigged plenty of fenders on the starboard side with the backup plan to allow the wind to take us alongside the boat next to us if needs be. But Tom being an army sort was clearly good at taking orders and acting quickly. We went into the berth fast with Tom jumping ashore with both lines. When two handed like this I rig a stern line with a big loop in the end fed through the cleat on the boat to the genoa winch. Tom dropped the loop over the pontoon cleat as he jumped off before going up front with the bow line. I can then pull the stern line from the winch while standing at the wheel. Works a treat. Plus in wind like that I can then use the winch to pull the boat closer to the pontoon.

Despite it blowing over 20 knots in the marina Tom agreed to be winched up the mast to fix the broken lazy jack. Top man. Must remember to take army types sailing again in future!

Great start to the year!