Farfetched - Sea Trial

brucehawsker · 09 October 2004, 07:17

Kevin (from Solent) and I took her from Portsmouth out past the forts yesterday. Kevin took her straight up to 49.3 knots on the GPS once in the open water. I did not quite have the bottle for that, but we took off a number of times when I was at the helm doing a much more modest 35 knots. Delightful sea conditions with the mildest of chops, sunny - a thoroughly excellent experience.

She feels safe and secure (and very fast with a half fuel tank and 2 up). The engine sounds delightful - my worries about noise being totally unfounded. The tinted raised windscreen is a delight to shelter behind when running at 30+ knots. Centre throttle feels very comfortable, and enables me to hold a secure throttle position during the bumps.

A few trivial changes still to do, mainly to do with my 6hp 4 stroke auxiliary. We have decided we are going to reverse mount it on the inside of the transom, over the auxilliary fuel tank. It is light enough to reverse and remount 'normally' on the outside of the transom. Lee has rigged a fuel line so I can fuel it from either the auxilliary or main fuel tanks. We ran it in Camber Dock using the main engine as a rudder, and could make good headway and manoevre fine. Only problem is that it slightly crushes one of the horseshoes, but, hey....

Hope to collect her on Wednesday - biggest worry is negotiating the roundabout outside Fairweather marine. She seems huge on her trailer!

Cheers

Bruce

brucehawsker · 09 October 2004, 07:19

simmons0 · 09 October 2004, 07:49

Congratulations bruce.
I hope you very pleased with her.
Do you think its capable of the big 50 knots?

Louise · 09 October 2004, 07:52

Wow! Double wow! Triple wow!

She looks luuuurrrrrvvvvvllllyyyyy Bruce. Can't wait to see her 'in the flesh' (or should that be 'in the GRP and hypalon'!).

We won't be able to keep up with you though!

May you and the family have many happy hours and days cruising with Farfetched.

P.S. Don't forget to change your profile now, Bruce!!

brucehawsker · 09 October 2004, 08:03

May be being superstitious, but am saving changing the profile until after delivery and her maiden voyage - which for me involves my doing a 'successful' launch and recovery (with help from friends). Not sure yet when that will be.....

The Jackeens · 09 October 2004, 08:05

Looks great. Congrats Bruce.

Give us a shout if you need a hand with the dunking and recovery.

Us

brucehawsker · 09 October 2004, 08:09

Big 50? Doubt if I will ever take her there! There was some chop outside Portsmouth when Kevin did his speed run, and I don't think we were at full throttle. Also engine needs 120 mins of run in and it had only done about 10 mins at that point! I am finding mid 30s quite demanding enough. Interesting that my focus, even at that speed, is on the sea ahead, landing softly, whether Kevin was hanging on for dear life and looking sick, other boats, and not the speedo or GPS! I expect I will settle in to focussing on rev counter in due course.