Call of the sea
Cornwall has some stunning scenery and my door-to-door cycle takes in the ever changing allure of Whitsand Bay. The Lizard, on a good day, is a distant smudge and for closer company I have Rame Head and the Eddystone Lighthouse. The sea last week, thanks to clear skies, crisp air and the ascendant sun was softened from months of slate winter grey to a welcoming blue. The accepted blank canvas of COVID-19 restrictions was challenged by the colourful dots of sails; sails that once again filled with the fair winds of freedom.
For the first time since selling Pearl I found myself consumed by a deep-seated call of the sea, almost primal in strength. Sadly it’s an urge that will have to wait but is made bearable by the knowledge that Oddity is in the making. Next spring one of those dots will be us.
Oddity is upright, bulkheads and dagger board cases are in. Scarlett O’hara, our lovely red Beta 43, ‘she’s on when the wind’s gone’, is settled deep in the bilges. Mock ups of the accommodation have been built. The interior looks like it will be wonderful; light airy and more akin to a 40-footer in volume. With the interior in hand we’ve signed off detailed drawings and ordered bespoke fuel and water tanks.
The rig and sails have been designed and we are working with Alan Harris of Sail Shape on details. There’s lots to keep us occupied as Chris Rees, our builder, sets off for four months of cruising and climbing in Scotland. In fact there is a sense of urgency for there are many supply issues in the pipeline. The steel for our keel shoe has gone up in price 40 per cent since January. Plywood is thin on the ground, and a lack of computer chips has reduced Jaguar Land Rover output.
To save money and continuity of production we have decided to stockpile as much as we can during Chris’s absence. To be brought to our knees over something daft like a shortage of jubilee clips would be devastating. The upside is that with completion planned for the end of the year we have four months of slack to absorb unknowns until launch next spring. If she’s completed earlier then her launch will be irresistible, particularly as we have heating.
Looking at the big picture it’s hoped that our build schedule will span Covid’s demise and Brexit disruption. Where we will go is a common question and the answer is that we don’t know, for we yearn cruising lifestyle above destination. Top of the list is to make for the Scilly Isles and remain long enough to properly explore the islands and get to know Oddity’s quirks.
From there it will be down to wind direction, be it south to Brittany or north to Scotland. If I’m honest, the Outer Hebrides are calling for I fell in love with them over a couple of entries in the two-handed Round Britain and Ireland race. Castle Bay was the stopover and I was seduced by the white beaches, rugged outline and soft-hearted people.
The first arrival was on the back of a wild ride up the Irish coast. James Getgood, my partner in crime, had been shown how to hoist the spinnaker the week before. We were sponsored by Beneteau with a 35s5 and licensed to push to her limits. We took them at their word, won our class and I shall never forget a bow wave erupting from under James chin; with full main and spinnaker up in 40 knots I was horrified to see the forestay come adrift at the deck. James, called from a deep sleep, burst forth in his underpants and lifejacket. We decided that I should stay on the helm as I was in tune with the conditions. With the wind keeping our mast up, a delicate thread was required to keep it aft as we plunged into the back of waves as far as the cockpit.
The boat became unpredictable as
James crawled forward. It was a high stakes game of shit or bust. James riding his bucking bronco was once again plunged into the North Atlantic, a perfect bow wave burst from under his ears. Hysterical laughter set in...
If I’m honest the Outer Hebrides are calling