Penryn and my first sail in Capella

I have been neglecting this blog. My excuse is that I have been hard at work refitting Capella for the last six months. Here's a little article about my first sail in Capella. 

After her launch in June of 2014 I berthed Capella at Freeman's Wharf in Penryn. A nice spot, lots of wooden boats and friendly staff. Freeman's Wharf is also handy for the town and railway station.

Capella in her berth at Freeman's Wharf. The town quay is in the background. Still lots off work to do getting her rigged and putting on the toe rails and guard rails.

I spent a couple of week ends getting the rig sorted, the heads serviced, and various other small jobs to make her seaworthy and liveable. Then on July 7th John and I took her out for a spin around the harbour.

Motoring down the Penryn river. That's me
on the left, John has the cap and the better beard.

It was a great day for a sail, sunshine and a southerly force 4/5. We motored down the Penryn river and set sail once clear of the moorings off Falmouth town.

We made a long board on the starboard tack out towards the harbour entrance. Once we were out of the shelter of Pendennis Head Capella really took off with the decks awash. We should really have had a reef in but the water was pretty flat and it was good to see how she performed when driven hard.

On the wind heading towards the Black Rock.

After a couple of tacks we were out of the harbour and past the Black Rock beacon. The sea was now much rougher and we were getting wet. Capella was still standing up to it, the hefty iron keel plus a ton and a half of lead inside ballast probably helped.

However it was getting a bit uncomfortable for us so we put the helm up and headed back home to Penryn.

Falmouth Working Boats racing.

As we reached up the harbour we passed the Falmouth Working Boat fleet out for a race. The were about ten of them, a lovely sight with their multicoloured topsails.

It only took twenty minutes to get back to Falmouth Town and soon the sails were down and we were motoring back to our berth at Penryn.

Once back at Freeman's Wharf I dis covered that Capella had developed a leak. She had been absolutely dry since being launched so this was a bit disconcerting. It was also worrying that I couldn't find where the leak was, even after taking up the sole boards and lifting out half the lead ballast. Fortunately the leak stopped after a couple of hours and I decided that Capella was still taking up and I had pressed her a bit too hard that day for a seventy year old lady.

Motoring back towards Penryn.

Of course that wasn't the end of the leak, it reappeared several times over the next year. Usually it was after a hard windward sail. I did later discover the leak, right up forward water was trickling in from behind the apron. I thought at the time that a hood end must be failing although I had given them a thorough check while fitting out. It was not until lifting out this year that I discovered the actual cause.

That evening I headed back to London feeling quite pleased with Capella (and myself) and looking forward to the Summer holidays and getting some proper sailing done.