So I Was Right !

After a great Bank Holiday weekend we cruised back to the marina on Monday afternoon at just about the end of a low tide so I knew that I'd have to reverse the old girl (the boat not Sheri) into the mooring slowly. It's a good job too. Just as we turned and began to appraoch the quay heading - thwerk - or some similar noise - and I immediately knew that the prop had found something it didn't like the taste of. The problem with props is that they don't like to let go even when the item is distasteful! As the picture shows, my worst fears were proved right. A week ago the strong winds had ripped the sun roof vinyl cover off and it was nowhere to be seen. This had happened previously in February and the lost cover had been dredged up when they were taking mud out of the basin. I thought then that I'd never see it again but after a good hosing down and a scrub it was good as new. This time though I'd held this nagging suspicion that it was in the water near to the boat. Because of the low tide the prop managed to locate it and the cover immediately wrapped itself not just around the prop but held the rudder at full right so that we completely disabled.


It took less than a minute to retrive the offender and quite remarkably it wasn't ripped or torn - just a bit crumpled. Sheri said a good iron would soon sort that but if we're to use it again, some sort of twist fastener needs to used rather than relying on the velcro! I guess she's right as always so it's been added to my list of things to do. I shouldn't grumble, it could have been much worse. She might have instructed me to anti-foul the hull whilst it was out of the water. It wouldn't have worked anyway because she had to be lowered back in before the tide went out much further. Thank heavens for nature!