Duffing

Norfolk Broads - top place for duffing.

First time I rented a 28' yacht from the NB Yacht Co in Horning, took it through Potter Heigham. This involves dropping the mast with the big lead counterweight, getting the bridge pilot to take it through, then mooring past the newer road bridge and re-raising the mast.

So tie up on the bank, drop mud weight just to be sure (top duffing) raise mast, decide that we should be able to sail off rather than motor, so untie with normal dinghy crew at helm as I am tweaking the main.

Boat takes off towards the other bank , shout at crew on helm, he can't turn it down river. We are heading towards one of those pretty/naff cabing style cottages with a 6' long bow sprit with a metal tip aimed at owner who is fishing ... try to start engine, someone points out that we still have the mud weight down and dragging, which is causing the lack of steering.

Bowsprit does arc over cottage lawn, dolphin striker (wire under bowsprit) hits bank , we bounce off and carry on our way.

BTW later that day running down Meadow Dyke has to be one of my best sailing experiences - real white knuckle ride as it is narrow and you don't have any room to do anyting except crash into the reads.

RS200 with (very-new-to-sailing, just finished sail-training course) crew on lake for Saturday morning  race.

Had delegated  securing  of inspection hatch and  bung and  mounting of rudder, while I darted in for a quick No.1(wee) to rid body of beer wastage from night before.

Start race, good position,  but  no speed.  Top of lake way behind  the other 200s.

Boat very sluggish.   annoyed and  vexed....

Few  minutes  later,  water  coming over the stern!  no longer  annoyed but somewhat alarmed !

Headed straight for the slip with boat increasingly sitting lower in the water.

PROBLEM -  bung in stern missing!!!!

Took full 10 minutes to drain the boat with boat semi sitting on trolley on the slip.

Very embrassing.

Crew devasted (but not their fault.... should've checked everything myself).