Drascombe Scaffie on the BBC

As part of the BBC's series "Secret Britain" they visited the Lake District and part of the programme they sailed out to Peel Island, or "Wild Cat Island" in Arthur Ransom's book "Swallows and Amazons", hardly a secret!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b07655y2/secret-britain-series-3-1-the-lakes

 

They interviewed Peter Altounyan, who is Roger's son from the original family that inspired the book. The photograph below was taken at the south end of Coniston Water where the programme was filmed. This is also the real location of the River Amazon and Octopus Lagoon from the book, which are really the start of the River Crake and Allan Tarn, which are behind Kathleen's mast. The jetty is used by the steam gondola to drop and pick up passengers.

 

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/steam-yacht-gondola

 

 

 

 

The water is shallow here and it is easy to anchor (the new folding anchor worked fine in this situation) or land for a spot of lunch, it is also where a yellow Scaffie can clearly be seen. A relative has recently published a book of poetry and includes one title "Swallows and Amazons Lost Forever" which included the line:

 

Adventure drowned with life jackets and the obligatory adult

 

This some how described so well our current obsession with H&S. I know not all will agree.

 

Serious Stuff

I've used this for several different jobs on the boat over the last two years and have been impressed. It does not "set" hard and brittle, so therefore seems ideal for simple tasks on the boat.

Rear Fender

At the club we moor rear or bow onto the pontoon and it has taken me sometime to realise that a small bow fender is needed to protect the transom. To be tried on our next visit.

First Sail of the Year

With Easter being very early this year, it was always going to be a cold and damp first sail of the year but four nights on board did check what I'd forgotten.

 

Over the winter we invested in a sea anchor, the description was for boats up to 25 feet in length and worked very well but I do wonder if it really needs to be this big and perhaps the next size down may have been suitable? Also there needs to be plenty of rope for a rode length of even 5 times the boat length, plus a trip line, means we'll need to carry some more line. However, it does roll/fold up quite small.

 

This is the entrance harbour on Peel Island. Later that day I spotted the boat again but this time at the bottom of field from Bank Ground Farm, which was used in the 1974 Swallows and Amazons film. The boat house is to the left and out of shot but a floating jetty can be seen, which is used in the summer. I'd hoped to catch up with the crew of the boat, to find out a little more about its history and it is flying the flag of the "Amazons" - Nancy and Peggy Blackett. 

 

The sailing club is having an extension built, which will include new toilets and changing rooms. All credit to the committee to get the project financed and planned.

DA AGM - Bristol

The DA AGM was held in Bristol on Saturday 19 March and it was a pleasure to meet many new and old faces. It was also an opportunity to learn from others about forthcoming events and planned trips. It was all very well organised and there was a meal in the evening after the official part had been completed. There were previous copies of DAN, as well as other DA publications to buy. Next year, 2017, will mark 50 years since the Drascombe Lugger was first produced and the original wooden boat, "Katherine Mary", built by its designer, John Watkinson is currently being restored and the DA hopes to organise a series of events around the country to celebrate this occasion.

The bathroom in the hotel was more luxurious than on a Coaster but was also more complex, instructions needed!

 

While in Bristol we took the advantage to look round Brunels' SS Great Britain. The restoration and preservation has proved to be a considerable task, since the boat was returned in 1970 from the Falkland Islands, in the South Atlantic. Although the entry was £14, the ticket does last for one year and you could spend a considerable amount of time looking around the various exhibits.

 

http://www.ssgreatbritain.org/

 

 

 

Christmas - A Second Anchor

During last year we began to realise that having a second anchor would be useful. Although a 3.2KG folding anchor would not be everyone's first choice, especially if leaving the boat unattended. However kept in the aft locker, it would be easy to deploy, for short lunch stops, as a kedge, dropping onto the shore or into some rocks. There is 2 metres of 6mm chain, which can soon be attached to a longer piece of rope.

 

It would be easy to wrap it up in a plastic bag but a 4 inch piece of waste pipe with wooden plugs makes an ideal method of storage. There are two slots at the top, so the end of the chain can be left out, so it doesn't become knotted and makes attachment of the rope much easier. This also allows a very slight flex in the tube, so the top plug remains a tight fit. A hole is drilled in the bottom plug, which locates the end of the anchor and allows any water to drain out. The intention is to secure the tube in a vertical position to the rudder moulding in the aft locker. 

 

The masthead - one year on

Last year there was much thought given to how the additional pulleys would be added to he masthead for the new high peak main. Some owners have added the pulleys to the shroud fixing with an additional shackle, especially if the shrouds are fitted in this way. However, with the shrouds permanently attached to the masthead fitting, it was decided to drill the masthead fitting and bolt through two shackles, with the intention to add the pulleys to these. Once sailing it soon became clear that as the gaff swung out, especially when sailing downwind, the pulleys were rubbing on the shrouds. Metal on metal was not going to be a good idea, so a short piece of rope was added. This arrangement lasted the season very well, with no sign of any wear. It is knotted on both sides, so if one side did break the other side should still be intact. The mast has been varnished and the rope replaced, even though the original piece looked fine. The rope allows the masthead pulley to swing freely as the gaff moves from side to side. Using a twisted shackle would further reduce the chance of any wear. The orange plastic aims to protect the top of the mast from wear.