Courting Disaster

[Terry]

Having launched Seren last week today was my first opportunity to sail. I now accept the inevitability of disasters when I take the boat out for the first time. Things like tying the dingy on over jib sheets, you know the sort of thing! Well today I almost did it proper.

I was quite pleased at avoiding running aground at Abermenai Point at the Caernarfon end of the straits so dropped the hook and went below to brew up. Took the oil lamp off the top of the stove, where it had been for the past few days, and put the kettle on then about a minute later the whole lot burst into flames. Somehow paraffin had leaked out of the lamp and formed a puddle around the gas ring. Frantically I looked for the fire blanket but it was not were it should have been so, in desperation, I gave the stove two short blasts with the extinguisher. Suprisingly, this worked and so I don’t have to fill in all the insurance stuff (doesn’t a lot of powder come out of those things?) With lots of black smoke belching out of the forward hatch at least I gave all the other boats a bit of a spectacle.

It took ages to clean up all the mess but at least no damage done. May be I shouldn’t have changed the boats name.
Terry

[Rondonay]

Thank goodness you're OK!

[CHERRY PIE]

We launched Cherry Pie last Friday all went well apart from on the way home, trailer in tow we just reached Nantwich with 15 mls to go when someone following behind was flashing there headlights at me. We pulled over and the other driver was shouting: "YOU LOST YOUR SPARE WHEEL !!" I resisted the reply "never mind the wheel where's the ##@~dy boat gone" but thanked him for his observations and driving skills in avoiding the wheel which turned out to be a couple of bends behind down the road a bit......seriously though thank goodness no one was injured, it turned out the bracket I had the wheel bolted on to had snapped clean through....yet another lesson learned. they say things come in 3's who's next?. Gary

[Terry]

Hi Gary
Give me a wire next time your up. Maybe we can meet up for a sail and a pint and exchange other near disasters we've had.
Terry

[CHERRY PIE]

Hi Terry,
Yes, look forward to it, if ever you put into Conwy call around we are aboard most fine w/ends. Gary