Odyssey? Really?

 

Welcome to Tzu's Odyssey, a somewhat grandly titled page about an "average bloke with a boat", sailing an average boat, on what to some is an average journey.  


Lets start with Tzu..  


Tzu is a 31' Westerly Longbow, made in 1973.  she has one mast, one keel and can accomodate 6 people apparently.   However she's set up so two of us, me and the admiral, who can comfortably stay aboard for a week or two at a time.  Tzu has a 2 cylinder Volvo Penta diesel engine, some decent sails that are probably past their best and has always been a better sailor than I am! Tzu has been part of our life since late 2014 when we bought her and me and co-sailor Mike sailed her round from Hartlepool to Wales via the Forth & Clyde canal. 

In 2017 I'd made the decision to change our sailing base from Porthmadog in North Wales to the Solent at Marchwood Yacht Club.  Although an expensive move as I got her trailered down, I've not regretted this at all. Marchwood Yacht Club is a really well equipped self help club with some fantastic members, access to the great yachting area of the Solent and 'only' 2 and a bit hours from home* (* more on that later) compared to over 3 hours to our club in Porthmadog


The Odyssey..   ("average journey" doesnt seem to cut it) 

Having now moved house* (* told you there would be more) to the fantastic north Wales coast Marchwood is now 5 hours away on a good day, never mind a Friday evening in the summer. It now makes sense to move Tzu all the way back to the rather attractive harbour of Porthmadog in Gwynedd, which is now less than an hour from my front door.    So the plan is to sail her the 450 nautical miles, starting soon.     Thoretically I could turn right out of the Solent and as long as I remember to turn right again at Lands End arrive at our new mooring in a few days.  But as I will be sailing alone and will need to sleep and eat occasionally will involve some stops in what I know will be some lovely harbours and marinas.  

The Odyssey will also involve the rather mundane tasks of provisioning (shopping), cooking in the galley (kitchen), generally keeping Tzu in a fit state to take to the seas and even working out where to put the car while I journey onwards.  


Over the next few weeks I'll share some more details of Tzu, some of the updates we have done, how she sails and looks after me admirably, some details of the planning and preparation and a bit about me, the average bloke with a boat.  


The current plan is to launch on May 1st then set off sometime around the 6th dependant on the weather

Location: Llandudno

Comments

  1. Unknown10 April 2022 at 00:06

    Love the blog Steve. Odyssey seems apt...sounds pretty epic to me. Can't wait to have you back at PSC. Big thanks for your help lifting in my own Westerly 31 while I was down with Covid. Could you tell that with my old girl one of the keels HASN'T fallen off?🤔😂🤣

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