Last week I went went over to Faversham  with the good mate to board our good ship and bring her home. Our ‘boy’ kindly delivered us on the Sunday afternoon.

After the boat’s launch there had been a leak, but it had ‘gone’ the yard told us, and that appeared to be the case…

We spent the afternoon getting the mainsail back on and sorting out various things. The mate had another wipe round below too whilst supplying mugs of tea.

Then on a bright Monday afternoon we departed … setting sail as we left.

Sailind down past the old hard below Iron Wharf…

It was a pleasant trip out, with only a little engine needed at times. We spotted two wildly waving people, a Finesse friend and his partner, on the sea wall near the Shipwrights Arms, a little above Oare Creek – they were taking pictures!

Negotiating the Nagden bend…

Whimbrel photographed from sea wall by Tim Mulcahy & partner – lovely!

And out into the open…

All seemed to be well as we sailed out of the creek and jogged down against the young ebb to a buoy, by then under mainsail alone. The mate expertly lifted the line aboard as I luffed up to it. Nicely done, after our ‘long’ break away from such things…

Some while later, whilst pumping up the heater fuel tank, I realised we’d taken water. Earlier there had been a little dampness … I pumped it out. It was obvious that we had a little trickle at the back of out centre plate box, down by the rabbit joint. Too late to call the yard… Clearly mud had filled the seepage, stopping it. Movement had washed it away.

Sunset…

In the early hours I was up, twice, giving the bilge a pump out.

As early as I thought best, I called the yard. The yard, without hesitation, called us back in!

Then we sat out the morning in the cold instead of heading out round Shell Ness bound for home. It was a windless Swale, so, whilst awaiting that tide, we couldn’t even go for a warming sail!

The good little ship is now out of the water, today: she’d been neaped, with her box sides off again…

When I get the full reason as to why, I’ll post: this will surely be of use to all Finesse 24 owners, especially.