Jonny Moore and Casulen II - UK circumnavigation

Thank you for finding time to read my second newsletter, keeping you up to date with the preparations for my round Britain trip. As Casulen II is currently out of the water, I have been very busy with maintenance work. (I did, however, manage to find some time to go ski mountaineering!) If you would like any information with regards to my trip, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Since the last issue (autumn 2006), we have spent a few more weekends up in the Clyde, sailing around our favourite anchorages and inlets. Over the October half term we planned to sail out to the Isle of Man, then down to North Wales, where we are going to moor her next year. The wind, however, turned against us and we were faced with south westerlies (force 7+!). On the third day, as we were approaching Portpatrick, with the wind increasing, we re-read the pilot book and reminded ourselves that the SW-facing entrance “should not be attempted with any amount of swell”. We decided to return to Stranraer for the night. The next day, with gales forecast for the remainder of the week, we decided that were out of time, so pulled out in Stranraer.

Once we had managed to get Casulen II into her winter storage, we started work. We stripped off all the deck fittings and then fabricated a new main hatch. All of the lockers have now been fitted with secure fastenings to stop them opening at sea, and storage pouches have been made and fitted above the forward berths. After the Christmas holidays (and the boat show), we ordered 5 metres of 1 1/2 inch piping and a new manual bilge pump. The pipe put up quite a fight, before succumbing to being installed, and therefore earned the name “anaconda”. The old cockpit drains and gate valves have been removed and replaced with 1 1/2 inch Marelon seacocks and cockpit drains. After repainting the deck, all the deck hardware was replaced, and new proof loaded 8mm chain plates have been installed. It only remains to scrape the hull and apply some new antifouling. We will then move her outside for re-rigging, before moving her to our new mooring, near Abersoch in North Wales.

As a complete change from sailing, I was invited to go ski mountaineering in Switzerland with my dad and some friends of his over the February half term. This was the first time I had been ski mountaineering, even though I had been downhill skiing many times. We flew into Basel-Mulhouse airport, spent the night at the YMCA in Basel, before catching a train to a small village called Realp. We skied up to the Rotondo Hütte, where we spent the next few days climbing some peaks in the local area. I found the trip really enjoyable, even though it was vey strenuous skiing uphill.

Latest News

• I have recently passed my RYA Yachtmaster Shorebased.
• The new Corribee website has featured my trip, and I am now getting lots more publicity (see www.corribee.org for further info). • Two new bank accounts have been opened, so that people can now donate either to help me on my trip; 2008 Round Britain Challenge 33557217 or to the Kendal Sea Cadets; 2008 Round Britain Challenge SCC 33557209 both @ Nat West Kendal. (Sort code 01-04-66)
• I am also currently working on writing a website, which should hopefully be posted by the Summer newsletter.

Downloads - in Adobe pdf format. Windows users right click and choose 'Save target as...' Adobe Acrobat Reader is a free download from Adobe.

Download the Voyage Plan
Download newsletter no 1
Download newsletter no 2
Download the Polar Bear report
Latest update on preparation of Casulen II here
Download newsletter no 3
Download newsletter no 4