summary of the year

This will be my last blog of 2005, so thought i'd take the time to summarise the year... We bought Maggie in April, and after the usual round of hassle to get her ready for launch, exacerbated by being 4 hrs drive from the boat, we launched her at the very end of the month.... A delivery trip planned for a 4 day weekend, starting from The Hamble ended up prematurely at Ramsgate after we suffered terminal power loss.... the following weekend, I did the final leg from Ramsgate to Ipswich with fellow forumite, Yanita.... The battery problem was finally diagnosed as a failed diode in the excitor circuit, but we also replaced all 3 batteries anyway... Fitting shore power also helped in keeping everything fully charged... We enjoyed a VERY hot June and July with various trips around the locality, venturing as far as Burnham on Crouch, but our main destination, and favourite was Stone Point in the Walton Backwaters, where we spent several nights at anchor, and the kids enjoyed the beach... The purchase of a tender and outboard improved matters somewhat for us.... All throughout this, our boat handling steadily improved, and now arrival and departure is not a big issue.... In the run up to August, I spent more hours than I care to imagine building berths in the forepeak, and fitting a fridge... August saw us venture farther afield, with a trip across to Boulogne and Calais, again lucky enough to have fantastic weather.... Besides this, we also visited Brightlingsea, another favourite.... and enjoyed a drink or two along the way... ;-) Expecting things to slow down as we approached September, we were lucky in having superb weather right through to late October, and spent most weekends crusing around the area... Seem to have spent a fortune in the autumn on Radar, Navtex and various bits and bobs, as well as starting the process of recovering all the cushions... Other highlights includes dragging anchor, smacking my head on the boom, flying the spinnaker for the first time, and daughter C, seeming to miraculously cure seasickness...... So.... a grand first year for a family... they've gone from novices to absolute addicts in one season, and while they still have a huge amount to learn, are competent crew, and are willing and keen to venture farther afield.... So to boil it down to three words to summarise it all...... BONDING - HAPPY - EXPENSIVE Happy new year and best wishes to all!