Early this morning we (George and James) moved Igglepiggle from her winter berth in my back garden onto her mooring. She will stay there (touchwood) until the end of September. It was an early start this morning especially after the Randonee yesterday - but conditions were right and George who does a lot of the heavy lifting was also keen to get it done.
This is a happy moment for me because I love this workmanlike uncomplaining little ship. I have owned her for 15 years plus and she wasnt new by any means when I bought her. Every year since she has provided me and my family with solid reliable service as a fishing boat.
A bit about her - she is 16' with a beam of 6'. She is very solidly built of GRP on traditional clinker lines. She will take a cuddy/dodger but I prefer her as an open boat. Three adults can comfortably fish from her but she could also take a couple of children too. She will take up to a 15hp outboard but I have always used a 9.9 which is perfectly adequate for what I want her for - which is fishing in the eastern Solent. Her relative heavy weight makes her a tremendous sea boat and I have always felt safe in her (touchwood) despite the lumpy wind against tides seas that can strike up so quickly or the big swell from a tanker or liner as they speed between the Forts.
There is a boat owning adage - the bigger the boat the bigger the problems - is true of course. Igglepiggle (not my choice of name) is so simple and so basic and so well put together there is very little to go wrong. On a sad day I suffered a mooring wrap and she was pulled under. She was dragged up and cleaned off - a few scratches in the process but no serious harm done ( the outboard was salvaged too with a thorough and speedy clean). I have flirted with the idea of getting something bigger and faster - to go further afield maybe but then the virtues of Iggle are compared. There is so much to be said for this type of boating. The simplicity and really back to nature - bobbing about out there quitely on a sunny calm day - usually on my own - not that bothered whether I catch something or not. Quite special really - and lucky - it is a beautiful place and my access to it a treasure.
I will never sell her - she is part of the family now and has kept us self sufficient in fish in every year. I do take her for granted a bit. I sat on her this morning thinking next year she can have a new marine ply floor as a thank you!
My tip especially with boats - work out what you want to use a boat for an source accordingly. An old Orkney Longliner 16 with a serviced outboard engine is a perfect and sensible solution for me in this instance. xxx
 |
| Igglepiggle on her mooring |
No comments:
Post a Comment