Rigging & 1st sail

The first week afloat – it was odd to be honest. I drove multiple times to Oby, just to check on everything. Nervous and excited, I got to grips with ensuring that the bilges were pumped, and that ‘Corsair’ lay on her mooring well.

Oby was (is) a DIY affair, it’s a reed bank, with a selection of rickety platforms or moorings posts for you to choose from. My mooring had some posts – but no platform. It’s amazing how confident you could get, striding into the reeds before taking that final leap from the squidge onto the side-deck! Hesitation was futile, and often damp up to about the knee.

Another bonus, was its location meant I was in prime sailing territory, on the river Bure about 1 1/2 miles from the confluence with the Thurne. I could literally pick any of the four compass points, and sail in that direction.

But yes – rigging. Approximately 400ft of cordage, and steel wires, and blocks, all there for me to make sense of. Sticking to a principle installed by Don Street and his ‘Iolaire’, I kept things simple. Gear should be easy to use, straightforward to repair and reliable!

I know that ‘Corsair’ is a Broads Yacht, and it’s an almighty leap to compare her to ‘Iolaire’ an ocean-going cruiser. Bear with me. Any boat is only as good as her crew and her rig/gear. Keep it simple. You’ll have enough on your plate with everything else that goes wrong when sailing. I do occasionally sail properly (at sea), so I hope I’ve some good advice in my head.

One thing I am forever grateful for, is that the halyards are different colours. Being able to shout ‘Pull the blue one’, to the foredeck in times of crisis is not to be sniffed at…

‘Corsair’ had in fact two rigs. One dated from 1961, and was a snug Gunter rig. The other, was purchased by Joe in 1988 from a much larger River Cruiser – a class known as ‘Sabrina’s’. Crucial differences were about 5ft LOA, wider beam and draft (to the advantage of Sabrina). Of course, being 21 and invincible, the choice I made was inevitable!!

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Rigged, with sails bent on – the first sail was to commence. Aboard were my Mother, and my girlfriend. What a learning curve! (in so many ways) – we sailed upto Womack Water, downhill on the way, but tacking home.

First impressions… Powerful, and responsive… But oh she heeled, she heeled! ‘Grace’ my previous boat was very firm bilged and stiff, so had very different stability characteristics. ‘Corsair’ will heel readily until the toe-rail kisses the water, it takes you being very stupid to go further… which I would in time!

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Overall, it was a tremendous amount to absorb. ‘Corsair’ carries her way for about a fortnight, draws 3ft 8″ compared to 2ft 6″, and is much more likely to be tide-rode than blown sideways when mooring. VERY different from a 20ft halfdecker.

Most memorable about the first sail. Difficult to choose from, but I’d say being chased by the River Inspector – complete with blue light for non-payment of river toll. That’s the memory that’s stood the test of time!

It is bewitching to sail ‘Corsair’ – she sails like a little big boat. It’s an odd way of putting it, but it makes sense I promise. Makes me smile everytime.

The rudder however was odd, very odd. It just had a neutral sensation, and didn’t really feel like it gripped. Control felt ‘marginal’ at times. I made a note to address this that winter.

During those first few weeks sailing, I learnt a lot. Fast. Some good, some bad. I only had to be rescued from a reedbank once thankfully, but the rescue cost me precious funds (£20) which I didn’t have to spare.

However, you will learn fast when you mostly sail single-handed, and without an engine. For good reason. One, I believe if you can make a boat sail, and mooring, manoeuvring, etc without an engine – you’ll be in good stead when the engine won’t start.

Secondly, when carrying the Outboard my mooring was a chest bursting, face reddening, knee buckling 10 minute walk from the carpark (field) at Oby. Sod that!

Next time, we plan a good old-fashioned sailing holiday. What could possibly go wrong.