Winter Maintenance Program - Saturday Mornings at 10.30

Happy Return back in the wet dock - 18 November 2017
 


The planned work on the Happy Return came to an end this week and with such a settled period of good weather, a snap decision was made to return to Penzance post hast. Thus the boat was lifted in to the river at Gweek yesterday (Thursday) and promptly motored back to Mounts Bay. The Happy Return is now birthed in the wet dock adjacent to the dock gate.

The boat is still very much in need of finishing and putting to bed for the winter, which includes some painting on the hull and the removal of the sailing rig for the winter. We will be working on board over the next few Saturday's to achieve this. If you can help, meet on board after 10:30am. All are welcome and all help will be gratefully received. This also offers the opportunity to meet up, see the boat and the work which has been done this autumn.

Looking forward to seeing you on Saturday even if it is only for an hour.

 
 

Annual Dinner - 19 January 2018 - Senara Restaurant

MBLA Annual Dinner - 7 for 7.30 - 19 January 2018

Senara Restaurant - Penzance

The MBLA annual dinner will take place at the Senara Restaurant, Penwith Collage, Penzance, on Friday the 19th of January 2018, at 7:00 for 7:30pm.

The dinner is open to all members and their guests.

Dress code is smart casual.

Those of you who attended last year will I hope agree that the venue, choice of menu and quality of food was a cut above pub standard and Senara has again put together an imaginative menu which appears below.

The cost of the evening is £20 per head.

On arrival: Glass of red/white wine or Peroni/ale
 
1.    Leek and potato soup  (Vegan alternative available)
2.    Vodka cured sea trout, celeriac remoulade, watercress, lemon oil
3.    Chicken liver parfait with onion jam and melba toast
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4.    Porchetta, Lyonnaise potatoes, sautéed kale, port jus
5.    Roast pumpkin, leeks, crispy sage. saffron turned potatoes, toasted hazelnuts and sauce vierge
6.    Senara fish pie with seasonal vegetables
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7.    Cornish cheeses, chutney, crackers
8.    Apple and rhubarb, clotted cream
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9.    Tea
10.    Coffee
 

How to book your place


If you would like to book, please contact skipper John v d H preferably by email.

Include - the names of everyone in your party and their choice of menu using the number code shown against each item on the menu.

John will acknowledge receipt of your booking by email.

Please pay at the time of booking, preferably online:


Payee: MBLA
Sort Code: 40-36-13
Account No 91415484.

IMPORTANT: Please state your surname as the payee reference in order for us to identify who the payment is from.

Space at the Senara Restaurant is limited, so please book early to avoid disappointment.

ALL BOOKINGS AND PAYMENTS MUST BE MADE NO LATER THAN FRIDAY 15 DECEMBER PLEASE.
 

Gweek Deck Sealing

Happy return was sailed round to Gweek on Friday 6 October and lifted out of the water on Saturday evening.  She has been moved undercover and on Monday a working party removed all the sails, spars, deck boxes and general clutter.  

Andrew Massey, our shipwright, has started work on resealing the deck seams with modern mastic sealer so that next year we will be able to stay dry below when the weather is wet above.  

Happy Return will be at Gweek for six weeks while this work and some additional small repairs are carried out. Nick Darling is providing the link between MBLA and Andrew for this project; please contact Nick if you need any further information.

While she is in the dry, we will be taking the opportunity to repaint the hull above the waterline and to examine the masts and repaint them.  This will provide an opportunity for members to join small working parties which will mainly gather on Saturdays to carry out this work.  John Ditton has agreed to co-ordinate these working parties and if you are interested in taking part please contact him.
 

Lugger News - August 2017

LUGGER NEWS


Summer 2017


Our season started off on a high note with a weekend in Scilly for the Spring Bank Holiday 26-29 May.   Dave Keast was skipper and Mark Mitchell mate. Happy Return departed early morning on Friday with very little wind, motoring down the coast as far as Lamorna before a freshening wind enabled sail to be hoisted.  The wind held all the way to Scilly, Happy Return finally anchoring for the night in St Helen’s Pool a very popular anchorage between the islands of Tean and Tresco.  The dinghy was inflated and the crew, skipper and mate went ashore to stretch their legs as far as the local hostelry for pre-dinner drinks, then back on board for supper.  The next day sailed past St Mary’s into St Mary’s sound anchoring in the Cove, another popular anchorage with members, between the islands of St Agnes and Gugh for the night with supper and a noggin or two at the Turks Head on St Agnes, the most westerly pub in the British Isles.  The following day Happy Return sailed back across St Mary’s sound and into St Mary’s harbour, mooring on the harbour wall for the night.  Generous portions of food were consumed for supper at the Scillionian Club the evening was rounded off with a noggin or two.  The return to Penzance on the 29th was an uneventful sail apart from losing the wind just after Happy Return passed the Wolf Rock Lighthouse, then motoring the final part of the trip back to our mooring in Penzance.

Since then the weather has not been kind to us we were unable to attend the biannual Looe Luggers Regatta in early June due to bad weather.  Then the planned summer cruise in July to Ireland to attend the Glandore Classics Regatta.  The start had to be delayed due to bad weather and when the weather improved for departure the winds were all wrong for the trip across the Irish Sea so Happy Return went to Brittany instead only for that trip to be shortened due to another forecast of approaching bad weather.  Watch for a write up of this trip in a future Lugger News.
    
As Happy Return did not go to Ireland we were unable to take part in PASAB this year.  It had been planned to miss the first leg, the race to Scilly from Penzance however it had been intended to sail direct to Scilly from Ireland to meet up with the yachts taking part in Scilly then sail the next leg, the race round the Islands and finally to sail the final leg of the race back to Penzance. 

However despite the weather there has been some good sailing, Dave Keast skippered the day sail on Saturday June the 17th to Mullion Mark Mitchell was the mate.  The sail over and back was enjoyed by a crew of 11, whilst anchored close into Mullion Cove the crew enjoyed a buffet lunch laid out on the fish hatch with a glass or two of red wine to wash the food down.  Similarly a trip to Cadgwith for the singing and up the coast to Gerrans Bay on the weekend of the 7th of July the write up of this trip by Peter May will be in a future Lugger News. 

We have on occasion struggled to find crews for some of our programmed sails this season; if the skipper hasn’t cancelled because of an adverse forecast very often members miss out on some very good sailing.  We all know how Cornish weather can rapidly change.  If you are unsure because of a bad forecast, ring the skipper before making a decision.

It’s that time of the season fast approaching so if you are hesitating because this or that needs doing think about the long winters night with the wind howling round the chimneys wishing you had gone, hearing how those that went had the best sail of the season!!!  Talking about winter don’t despair your committee are planning a very varied and interesting programme of talks and events during the autumn/winter we hope to have the programme finalised by the next Lugger News.  Don’t forget; put a note in your diary for the Annual Dinner on or about the 12 January 2018 book early to avoid disappointment.  We are hoping to hold it again at Penwith Colleges Senara Restaurant which everyone who attended enjoyed very much.

In addition of course during the autumn/winter period we have the Saturday maintenance all members are welcome to lend a hand in preparing HR for the coming season.  It’s a very a very pleasant way to pass an hour or two with shipmates.  You don’t have to be skilled.  Watch out for the email giving the start date.
 

Newlyn Fish Festival - Monday 28 August

Newlyn Fish Festival


Just to remind you the Newlyn Fish Festival is not too far way.  The committee is busy planning for the event to be held on Bank Holiday Monday 28th August '17.

Is there any member who wishes to come along and help and also have a current Food Hygiene Certificate please contact Skipper John T ASAP.

This is a big fund raiser for MBLA where we barbeque Pilchards, sell teas/coffee & also a cake stall.  We would appreciate any help during the day with barbequing, selling teas/coffees etc. or just sell MBLA to the members of the public.  Hopefully we can also gain some new members.

For you ladies out there if you can make/supply a selection of cakes, buns etc. for us to sell on the cake stall it would be much appreciated.

If you can help for a few hours etc. please contact Lorna Halse via Skipper Mike

Contact skippers via email via the Sailing Calendar - click here

Dave / John / Lorna.
 

Anti Fouling - Wednesday 14th June at 10.30 - Also Afternoon Sail - Saturday 17 June (10.00)


Two notices to our members:

1) We intend to move HR to the slip by Penzance Sailing Club for anti-fouling and remedial maintenance work to the hull on Wednesday 14th June.  We require a moving crew to move HR from the North arm to the slip, muster 08:30.  Scrub down and anti-fouling work etc. muster 10:30.  Bring old clothes/overalls/head coverings.  Names to Skipper Mike H

 

2) I still have places available for all day sail on Saturday 17th June, meet 10:00 for 10:30 departure.  Note this is 1 hour later than that published on the sailing program.  Because of low water tide times we will be back approx. 8:00 PM Saturday evening.


Weather permitting it is hope to sail to Mullion, where we can anchor and have lunch.  So please bring pack lunch with you.  Tea/coffee/milk biscuits provided. 

Contact Skipper Dave
 

Looe Luggers - 9th June to 12 June

Looe Luggers 2017

Once again the Bi-annual Looe Lugger regatta is upon us, this event is commencing on Friday the 9th of June 2017. As in past years the Happy Return will be attending the regatta departing Penzance on
Thursday the 8th at 8:00am. It is planed to overnight at some convenient anchorage en-rooted on the Thursday night arriving at Looe prior to high tide on the Friday evening. (high tide is 18:31 on Friday)

Happy Return will be moored with many of the other traditional craft along side the quay in West Looe on the Friday and Saturday Nights, probably departing on the Sunday evening for Polperro if the forecast permits or some other such port of call. During the regatta on the Saturday and Sunday the Luggers will depart the quay in West Looe daily, leaving on the morning falling tide and return again on the rising evening tide.

This event is open to all members of the MBLA regardless of experience and maybe attended as either a one day event or for the whole weekend. This includes the passage to Looe or the return to Penzance. Looe is at the end of the Branch line from Liskeard so may be reached by rail for anyone wishing to sail during the regatta, or you can just drive if you wish. If you would like to sail on any part of this event please call Mark on either  01736-333224 or mobile 07766913836. All are welcome and we still have space for you, so don't delay call or email today.

Mark
 

Anti fouling - Wednesday 29th March - Cancelled

Hi Everyone

I am afraid that the planed antifouling of Happy Return on Wednesday the 29th March will need to be scrubbed as the weather for this period is forecast to be strong winds from the south. Not only strong wind but rain as well.

Thank you to everyone who volunteered to help on the slip, we will be trying again in a couple of weeks. Maintenance is ongoing, meeting on Saturday mornings at about 10:30am. All are welcome.

Many Thanks

Mark
 

 

Hi all,
 
As announced in the Sailing Programme, Happy Return is scheduled for a visit to the slip for the annual anti fouling ritual and general painting on Wednesday 29th March.  It will be greatly appreciated if you can spare a few hours to help with this.  Muster on the slip from 10:00 onwards.  The slip is located adjacent to the sailing club.  Anti fouling is a mucky job, so please wear your muckiest clothing and head wear.  Wellies will also be useful for scrubbing off on the slip.
 
Please note that putting HR on the slip is very weather dependant and the event may be postponed unless conditions are ideal.  Please let Mark Mitchell know if you can spare a few hours on Wednesday.  He will contact you on Tuesday 28th March if the event needs to be postponed.
 
Thanks,
 
John van der Hoff
 
 

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