Have been busy with interesting new work stuff, but the past few days have been mainly spent enjoying sailing my trimaran, Trilogy, a Corsair F24 Mark 1 (1994).

Last Friday I sailed her with my friends Kass & Rupert from Althorne on the River Crouch (Essex) to Melton near the head of the River Deben in deepest Suffolk, a distance across the water of about 50Nm. Was a fine sail, with a very helpful NW wind ranging from F2 to F4. We left 11am and moored up off Melton at 6.30pm, 90 mins before High Water. The last couple of miles past Woodbridge under outboard as the river is very shallow and bendy. We moored up in about 2 foot of water having arrived about as early as the tide would allow.  The video below was taken off Clacton Pier, roughly halfway through the trip.

On Monday evening I returned to Suffolk alone by train, and motored downriver through a rainy dusk to Waldringfield where I moored for the night.  I made an early start the next morning, to catch the best of the tide and wind. Setting off just after 5am, I had a sail to remember, averaging just under 10knots for 4 hours between Felixstowe Ferry and the entrance to the River Crouch. The dawn was idyllic, the sun shone, and the wind was a steady F4, again helpfully offshore from the NW. It was a perfect fetch for a trimaran, and Trilogy hit 14knots at times, am which point she verily hummed with joy. As did I. I was back moored up at Althorne by 11am. She’s one amazing boat, is Trilogy.  Track logs below.

Althorne to Melton, 27th May 2011

Waldringfield to Althorne, 31st May 2011