Jonny Moore and Casulen II - Round Britain 2008 - Update on preparation work , 03/07
Over the winter of 06/07, we have once again refitted Casulen II, hopefully for the last time before my trip, and a list of the jobs that we completed is shown below:
• Remove all the deck fittings in preparation for repainting.
• Reinforce the rudder tube with fibreglass.
• Make and fit storage pouches above the vee-berths.
• Make a “trampoline” that fits just aft of the chain locker for sail storage.
• Hinge the chain locker.
• Redesign and remake the main hatch.
• Fit garage for the main hatch.
• Make a lock for the new main hatch.
• Hinge and make locks for all storage lockers.
• Redesign the chart table and move the supports.
• Make lee cloths and add attachment points in order to make the vee-berths into sea berths.
• Make a book box that fits onto one of the seats (forward end of the starboard quarter berth) in order to keep the pilot guides in one place!
• Attempt to fit 32 cubic feet of foam buoyancy, working on the theory that 1 cubic foot of seawater weighs 64lbs. We have currently managed 24 cubic feet.
• Make emergency VHF aerial.
• Install a hand bilge pump.
• Make new handrails for along the coachroof and in the cockpit.
• Put cable ties around the wires in the mast in order to stop them rattling.
• Make 2 halyard bags to go in the cockpit.
• Prepare and repaint the deck.
• Put all of the fittings back on the deck and increase most bolt diameters to 8mm.
• Install new seacocks and cockpit drains (upsized to 1½ inch).
• Replace chainplates with 8mm 18 inclined proof loaded.
• Make a new spinnaker pole using the bottom half of a fibreglass windsurfer mast.
• Fit Jacklines.
• Fit new removable bowsprit, (made out of the top half of an old carbon fibre windsurfer mast)!
• Modify a flying fifteen genoa to suit Casulen II.
• Make a fully sealable chain pipe.
Jobs that still have to be completed, as of January 2007:
• Scrape down the hull, coat with epoxy and re antifoul with coppercoat.
• Sand down the topsides and re spray.
• New decals “Casulen II”
• Finish modifying flying fifteen main for Casulen II.
• Make a storm jib.
• New standing rigging.
• Make a new spray hood and cockpit dodgers. (The third set in 18 months!)
• Change all navigation light bulbs to LED’s.
• Fit solar panel and regulator.
• Fit new winches.
5th May 2007:
We finally got Casulen II on the water last weekend after an incredibly hectic week, finishing at just gone midnight on the Friday night, the trailer lights taking over 2 hours to sort just when we thought we had finished. We left at 5am Saturday morning to travel down to Pwhelli from Cumbria hoping this way to avoid the Bank Holiday traffic, which seemed to work, and met up with Mike who was to launch Tern Tu, his junk-rigged Corribee. Casulen II was in the water just after midday and we had a great sail across to the mooring from Pwhelli in a steady force 3/4. Our "new" jib set perfectly (ex Flying Fifteen race sail with a few mods) but was soon changed for a larger Genoa, this one from a Sonata also modified but one we used all last season as our main working sail. We had no time to hang around as we were intending getting Tern Tu on the water that day as well. As it turned out the tide was by now too low and the queue for the slip far too long so an early start on Sunday was called for.
Sundays forecast was not so good with winds of force 5 possibly force 6 later but by about 10.30am Tern Tu was on the water tied to the harbour wall and we were working on getting the mast stepped. Tern Tu is a Junk rigged Corribee so this is a big mast to lift by hand in a wind. Once the mast was rigged Mike motored her around to the marina where we spent a frustrating few hours getting her sail on. Junk rigged Corribees are simple to sail, so I'm told, but they certainly aren't to rig when its been 6 months since the sail came off, the winds gusting up to about 20 knots in the marina and you've forgotten the rigging diagram! Mike and Steve did a great job working it all out in these conditions and eventually got away from Pwhelli to sail her over to her mooring next to Casulen II.
Bank Holiday Monday was the first chance for a decent sail but as we all had to get home that day it could only be a short one. We sailed across to and around St Tudwel's Islands in company with Tern Tu which gave us a great opportunity for some photo's. In total we were only out for about 3 hours but all the mod's on Casulen II seem to be working, we even tried the new bowsprit out briefly (see pics)
The next weekend out I`m hoping to sail over to Barmouth or Aberystwyth and back and then during the Bank holiday half term out to the Isle of Man and back. I`ll keep you posted.
All the jobs nearly got finished, we still have Casulen's Mainsail to finish modifying (ex Flying Fifteen) and the new battery and solar panel turned up yesterday so these are still to fit. My website domain name has been purchased www.jonnymooresailing.com although there's nothing there yet not even a holding page. I'm working on the site and hoping it will go live before the summer.
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