The Call

Rather frustratingly last week we had been awaiting a call confirming Moonshine's month long incarceration was at an end and that repairs had been completed.  Unfortunately, this wasn't received until the latter end of the week, which in turn had spoilt our plans to have the half term week away after being promised she would be ready for our holiday at the start of the week. We arrived on Thursday afternoon and discovered Kildale Marine had not yet completed the additional wiring required for the new anchor winch, so we left them to it and was finally free to board Moonshine at 4pm. We had been itching all week to get away on her, however we would rather the job be done properly, and it did allow us to complete a few involved jobs on the house namely replacing two upstairs windows, but once these were completed we had been sat twiddling our thumbs some what unable to make any firm plans.

 

On the Friday pm tide we departed Hull Marina for a few hours downstream for sea trials to test the new anchor winch, and anchor and roller set up.  The new winch has a combination gypsy which can deal with chain and rope, which handles the job very well and is very powerful. The new winch is also incredibly quiet in operation, unlike the old one.  We anchored off Brickyard Chimney upstream of North Kilingholme. 

 

 

 

After a successful winch trial we had a speedy return back to Hull Marina, and penned in with another sports cruiser. 

 

The outdoor amphitheater in the old Ruscador dry dock also known as Central dry dock next to the River Hull has recently been completed ready for Hull City of Culture 2017.

 

 

 

We departed Hull on the late pm tide on Saturday to return to our home port of Goole.  We had a very calm fast run back until Blacktoft, where we reported in to Goole Docks and were told there would be a bit of a wait whilst they despatched two outward ships. At this point we slowed down to displacement speed and trickled up to Goole, where at this stage we had just a short wait whilst 'Vastanvik' had enough water to set sail.  Once through Ocean Lock and South Dock Bridge Moonshine's mast was raised to get benefit from the remote spotlight to assist entry into our mooring at Goole Boathouse.