Having read, and enjoyed, Shane Spalls book over my summer holidays I have come to a number of conclusions.
- As both Tim and Shane enjoy the act of sailing, this makes them very lucky! My partner wouldn't set foot on a boat if she knew I was onboard!
- A lot of Tims and Shanes time was spent enjoying the local harbours owing to the clarm seas needed by a 35 tonne barge!
- They also had the luxury of large amounts of time for pottering about at sea (owing to Tims rather amazing job of acting.)
- Shane and Tim must have spent a fortune in diesel and mooring fees, spending 6 years travelling around the UK!
So what can I take out of this for me?
Well, as I intend to purchase a rather small boat I too will have to pick and choose the right time for sailing or not. a 21ft boat will also need much more favourable weather to that of a 36 footer, and as I will also be sailing mainly short handed then again fair weather will have a major impact on my timescales. So perhaps I need to revisit my 6 to 8 week schedule!?
I also have to take my (young) family into account. With a wife and 2 children under 5 its hard enough to get away for a night at the cinema never mind a week at sea on my own! Careful up front planning is one thing but I can't give 3 months notice to the family and hope that the weather is OK for that given week!
Anyway, details, details, details. I'll worry about that when I have too. For now I need to concentrate on actually being able to afford such a boat first. The logistics of the actual trip can wait for now.
But then perhaps I should just by a long boat instead....
Thanks Shane for a week on board your Princess Matilda.
