Apr. 18, 2005 - Let me get you up to date...

So, after a long few months of looking for a boat, and seeing some horrors, we have finally settled upon Magna Carter, a rather pretty 1976 Dick Carter designed IOR 3/4 tonner....

We completed on the purchase last week.

Currently she's based in the Hamble, and as we live in the Midlands, its a bit of a haul. However, I went down on Saturday and did a few jobs, primaril antifouled her, and fitted new anodes...

Current plan is to bring her round to her new home berth in Ipswich the coming weekend....

I'm nervous as hell.... its all new to me.... while i've sailed loads, i've never owned the boat before!... chatting to others, its not a feeling unique to myself ;)

I've done some initial passage planning... worked out key tide gates at the various headlands (planning on doing Hamble towards Gosport towards Eastbourne towards Ramsgate towards Ipswich), and some possible departure times for fairest tides... its a big spring at the weekend, so getting it wrong won't be good.....

I still need to do some research on the various marinas and some refuge ports as well... nothing too heavy, just some basic pilotage notes, and perhaps decide on a few waypoints, and that'll do...... I don't even really know what average boat speed to work with.... ho hum.... lots of things to worry about.....

More to follow as the passage plan develops.......