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Crtd 06-06-21 Lastedit 15-10-27
Test Trip Part 2
Honesty requires...
Honesty requires a less flattering update of how our Test Trip continued: we had released our deck tent guy-ropes to move the tent to make place for the folmali (gaff), but neglected to tie them later at the mooring place of the photos above. When the wind freshened up the entire deck tent sailed in the lake. We saved it but we have some frame damage. Philemon was nervous for anchoring in what I call the "German Bight". Though I had command, he told Doi too early to prepare the anchor. Waiting there for too long, the anchor decided to go by itself. I was too late to conclude we had to detach the anchor line (it floats), continue, anchor with anchor 2 at our destination, then retrieve the anchor left behind with the canoe.
Photo: Taken near blue point 2 on map below to West, Doi, a few minutes before the anchor inadvertently fell on full sail...
Photo: detail of photo above I should have noted when I made it (these anchors are over 50 kg)
Instead of this proper action, we dropped sail and waited. On restart after some hours, a wind shift caused us to go over port instead of starboard. I was with Doi at the anchor, Philemon did not, as I later realized he should have done, simply tell us to drop the anchor again. He new nothing better than wangling with his rudder to push us through the wind, to no avail of course. Was this the man who sailed my dhow 100 miles from Mwanza to Kassensero? The blunder forced us to keep the sail in its banana leaves and drift downwind back to our old mooring, Jinja Sailing Club (Point 0 on the test trip map below). Due to the 2 mile/hrs Nile river current we did not reach and had to moor at the tee of the 8th hole of the golf course (Point 3 on the test trip map below). Not a pleasure apart from yielding a nice picture of the source of the Nile:
Photo: Taken from point blue 3 on map below to North West. What you see down there is the start of the actual river Nile, flowing out fast. We will never be so close (voluntarily). Behind the trees right: Jinja Golf Club, tee of 8th hole
Philemon thought this place crime wise unsafe and was nervous enough to be prepared to pull us by canoe-dropping of anchors and then pulling, 1 km up to the "German Bight" (green point 2 on map below). I convinced him we would be there earlier by raising sail after breakfast tomorrow. He resigned.
Errors of this day:
Not tying the deck tent
Philemon not ordering us to drop back the
anchor after seeing we were blown on wrong board; I not seeing and interfering
myselfThe next morning, again Philemon came up with wrong
proposals. He felt a very weak West wind, had forgotten the strong current in
opposite direction into the river, and proposed to go East. I told them we would
wait. After a while, a Bf. 3 East wind
started on which we hoisted and to head South West back to yesterday's
destination: the "German Bight"
(green point 2
on map below). While hoisting the sail, I am on the
winch in the hold. Doi, next
to me takes in the main halyard (the winch wire is only for hoisting and
striking). Philemon is on deck and monitors.
"Philemon I feel a resistance, what is wrong?"
"Nothing, go!"
I still feel a resistance and go on deck. The main halyard wire is blocked high
in the mast under the bolt holding the ladder tackle pulley.
"Philemon, be more attentive. This is dangerous. My winch can pull as 15 men,
break everything and an over 300 kg folmali drops ten meter down on your bloody
head!"
We hoist and arrive at Kingfisher. On the way I have to correct the course.
Philemon, again seems to underestimate the current. After
anchoring I winch up the folmali for 20 cm to free the deck tent and put
the supports. The winch wire snaps. Damage, I am sure, from forcing during the pulley
bolt block of the halyard. Had it snapped there and then we could have gone nowhere, at would
have been at the tee of the 8th hole until boarding six strong men to hoist or a repair of the
winch, Gods knows even in Kampala, not to speak about how to press Philemon's
folmali flattened body
in a standard size
coffin.
Photo: Taken at green point 2 on map below to West: premises of Hotel Kingfisher. Down the mast curls our snapped winch wire. Speed of current (tested by jumping in): relaxed swimming.
Concluding: this bad trip was a good test. I had some practice in interfering and counter command, but I clearly should make more of a habit of it and, above all, manage Philemon's nervousness which directs his attention to less relevant details and even imaginary dangers. Since Philemon tends to start telling Doi in Kiswahili what to do, I started even on test trip day 1 to practice the relevant Kiswahili to be able to firmly counter undesired instructions and immediately replace them by what I consider the proper commands. I do not mind to not get where I want, but I want to have done it myself. This is going to run smoothly but it will need some exercise by everybody, me in attentiveness, anticipation, language and commanding, all crew including me in proper action.
Photo: 0: old mooring at 1: Jinja Sailing Club 1: entire deck tent blows in lake, 2: Doi inadvertently drops anchor, 3: Involuntary mooring at edge of Nile source we make winch wire damage while hoisting the next morning 2: Hotel King Fischer, German Bight, winch wire snaps just after doing all indispensable jobs
Photo: taken at our Kingfisher mooring (green point 2 on map above to North East) view on Jinja (golf club 8th hole tee), with commercial sailing vessel.
Photo: same view as previous (from green point 2 on map above to North East), but different light, with birds on rocks that surfaced after recent lake level decrease (binocular picture)
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