I purchased Constellation on August 6th, 2006 - It’s be a long road to get here, but I’ve finally taken her out for the first time. Yesterday was the first full day off I’ve had in sometime, and while the weather wasn’t ideal, it was time to go sailing. I left at around 5pm, with just enough water underneath to get out of my berth. It took 35minutes to motor up the Hamble before I reached the Solent, where I raised the sails and tacked around for the very first time.

It was difficult at first having to handle everything on my own, but after about an hour I was used to how things responded, and we got along quite well. The lack of self-tailing winches is somewhat difficult, an issue I’ll have to deal with, considering new ones go for 200-300pounds a piece. I’ve noticed the sheets keep getting caught in the liferaft, meaning I will need to create some kind of webbing over the raft which still allows you to launch without too much difficulty. It was also interesting working in a harness with jackstays, but it feels much more secure being strapped in, and knowing the boat won’t sail off without you.

Thanks again to everybody who has helped me get this far - I’m now readying charts and borrowing pilot books off of people around the yard, for the trip to France next week. Time is absolutely flying at the moment, and I still have so much to do. I have no idea how I will fund the Windvane at 1400euros, but I’ll just keep plodding along and see where things go. If anyone out there has contacts who might be selling secondhand Windvane equipment, now is the time to pop out of the woodwork, as it could be a real showstopper. At this stage, I need two things desperately, which I have no money to pay for: An EPIRB (300pounds), and a Windvane (1000pounds), both of which I need by August at the latest…

nick.

Thanks everybody for the kind comments in my launch post. I have answered one or two of the questions from the comments here.

Firstly however, not only was the launch a success, but post-launch jobs have also been coming along nicely. I went into Southampton to buy a battery charger at my new favourite store Argos, and attempted to charge up the batteries I have… But alas they wouldn’t charge, and I splurged on new set, now totaling 220 amp hours. I serviced the engine, replacing the impeller, changing the oil and and filters, and bled the fuel lines with fresh diesel. To my amazement, the engine started straight up, after one and a half years of storage - I couldn’t believe it. I knew the engine was in good shape, having been new in 1999, but I wasn’t quite expecting such an easy job of it.

I’ve taken Constellation for a spin up the Hamble, but only just a little up river as I’m a bit hesitant until I’m confident things are reliable. I’ve put the mainsail back on, and am now just waiting on a friend to help me tension and adjust the rigging. Unfortunately my VHF radio is defective, so I’m saving my pennies for a replacement. I’ve spent this weeks cash on batteries and a charger, so I have 15pound left for food until Wednesday, and next weeks budget is already spent on new running rigging.

I have a holiday set for the 2nd of July, until the 11th, where Constellation will hopefully have her inaugural voyage to France. I have my fingers crossed Paulo from Portugal can make it over to assist with the passage, however failing that, my next post will be one searching for an able crew member, who likes small boats and a good chance of a completely chaotic crossing.

As for the trip to Germany, Johannes and I will be leaving for either Hamburg or Kiel in August. Johannes is hesitant about me leaving for the Canaries too late in August from Hamburg, so if I can, I will try and push the Germany trip to late July. The only issue (as always) in all this is money - If I had an EPIRB and about 300pounds in cash, I’d fly Johannes over and we’d leave tomorrow… But alas, as this entire escapade has been predicated on financial issues, I don’t see them ceasing anytime soon, so patience is my only option. Please note my departure countdown has now hit double digits - At this rate, it seems I may be leaving with two cans of tuna fish, and hand steering all the way to Australia…

The original owners of Constellation, who put up with my six month payment scheme, have been especially generous once again, and parted with their Avon tender. I couldn’t believe my luck, as I had been scratching my head and researching options regarding tenders, because I’m quite sure I’ll be avoiding marina fees as often as possible, by taking advantage of visitor moorings and anchorages. She needs a patch or two, but overall, Avon seem to make incredibly good equipment - It gives me confidence in the fact that my canister liferaft (also by Avon) is 19 years old. Thank you once again to Simon and Caroline.

Constellation & the new tender RIB

All it ever does in England is rain.

nick.

Very special thanks to Stewart for helping cover launch costs; a true gentlemen! Thanks also to Mezzo Man and David, who also donated funds and both hail from the United States. Without their generous help, I couldn’t have launched yesterday, and I wouldn’t be writing today with the news that not only did Constellation launch after all these months, but she floats.

Thanks to Rob, Karin and Al from the boatyard who assisted enormously, whether by helping paint my topsides, to offering advice and tools, and even refuelling my gas canisters for free.

Thank you also to Jack from DNR-Production who flew over from Germany to film and assist. Jack is the first friend I’ve had come and see whether my boat actually exists after all these months, and it was really nice to see a familar face.

Thank you to Jeremy Rogers yachts for sending over a rudder pintle at the last minute, and letting me pay for it next week because none of my credit cards work. Finally, thank you to John and Kelly at Pantaenius for helping me get Constellation insured - The only people who would go beyond the pale in helping me obtain worldwide 3rd party insurance.

The evening before the launch I was still working on the boat, creeping around the hull with a Tesco’s desk lamp, finishing off the paint, and ensuring the skin fittings and new transom pintle were secure and water tight. I woke up early, and finally had a chance to see if all my rudder construction was succesful, and I must say, I was fairly proud of myself when it all came together. Thanks Dad for being a wood worker, even though I’m not, because I must have picked something up along the way. The paint was still wet on the cheeks when Constellation launched, and needs another coat, which I’ll need to paint on from a tender in the water. If you look carefully at the photos, you can see the waterline on the rudder still has pink panther pink on it.

Its been an enormous journey finally getting in the water, and now things are really set to start moving along. For almost 12months now, this entire project has been just a concept and a website, however now things have been pushed forward to a new level. The only thing that stops me from going for a sail right this second, is a new starter battery. And I must admit, that feeling is quite intense, because now that I carry my house on my shoulders, I have a new feeling of freedom quite unlike anything I’ve experienced before. I admittedly have some obstacles in my way, such as money issues, and the fact it would probably not be particuarly safe is I started off tomorrow, but it is the potential that is worth mentioning, and for that feeling to arise, a lot has been sacrificed to get here.

Thank you again to everybody; now the hard work really begins.

Two hours before launch, the rudder still wasn’t on.

“Jaaack… Tell me nothing will go wrong!”

Constellation being backed onto the crane sling platform.

I had to finish off some of the antifouling on the hull while in the sling, and as I was underneath, she slipped (note the rope between to the two slings) and I came very close to moving at the speed of light in utter fear of being crushed. Special thanks to the rope that stops the slings from dropping 3.5tons of boat.

‘Round she goes

Eeek!

The photo set now jumps straight to being moored, because as soon as she was in the water, I was onboard checking the seacocks furiously to see whether water was pooring in. Not a drop, the boat is completely watertight from the bottom (I still have window and cockpit leaks, but they’re above the waterline).

I had a small pontoon party.

Which ended at the Jolly Sailor.

nick.

It’s been a busy last two weeks, with three days lost pointlessly in London on work… I was then offered to have a tour of the Solent on a Nicholson 35 for two days, and consequently pushed back my launch date again… This time to the 15th - But, unless something goes drastically wrong, I will definitely be launching, as everything is already nearing completion. The additional week may mean I can have the Diesel ready by the launch, as I was intending on getting towed to the berth because I didn’t have the money to service the engine and get new batteries in time. Next week I am going to see Jeremy Rogers, to buy a new transom mount gudgeon, and with any luck ask a few questions about my Contessa.

It was great to see the Solent at last - After looking at it from practice charts. We sailed out of Gosport, past all the Destroyers and Aircraft Carriers, and back onto to the River Hamble, to have a canvas company double stitch the sail cover. The next day we sailed West, and chased a square rigger back to Gosport.

I was rudely awoken last week, as the tractor slotted into my cradle to move the boat to a new position. I ran out onto the cockpit half dressed waving my hands. Luckily, the yard staff had a laugh and I climbed down, and was moved into a much better place for painting, instead of sitting on the ‘highway’ which is dusty, and I’m always nervous someone is going to drive past and clip me.

I found out a place for cheap paints, and was kindly driven over by a friend to a very sketchy looking boatyard not from from the River Hamble. The paints and anodes were stored in a shipping container, and everything was 50% off retail. I have no idea if it all fell off the back of a truck, or whether it is expired, but whatever it is, I’m a cheap skate and I was giggling like a child at the thought of not having to pay Chandlery prices.

The rudder reconstruction has also been difficult to content with, because I’ve been waiting on some free teak planks. I’ve eventually given in because of time restraints, and purchased two pieces of Iroko (thanks for the tip Rich!) instead, rough sawn for 20pounds. As you well know, I’ve never rebuilt a rudder, so I’m just trying to do what seems logical with this whole thing… I have a pattern made up, and just need to get access to a table saw to make the cuts. I’ll then epoxy the cheeks on, and through-bolt them.

Photos and descriptions below:

Trying to dry cloths.

The rudder template.

Square rigger in the Solent.

At anchor for the night in Gosport, England.

Pontoon BBQ. These guys are amazing! Karin is always making me up something to eat, and Rob has to deal with far too many questions from me.

My boat has been named The Pink Panther - For now, until I paint over in red.

The planks I will attempt to turn into a rudder

nick.