I thought lack of amps could be the limiting factor for the trip. So I was pretty strict on not using it much going up and I got there with 80% charge still available. But coming back I had to run it a long way with no wind and there was only 30% or so left leaving Raymond Terrace, so I switched the boat battery to the outboard and the 110W of solar panels too. Really- I didn’t need to run it but I was conscious of the gusty winds, strong tidal currents and the rocks and oyster beds and on about occasions I ended up in irons because as I tacked the wind followed me round through the tack - it was all over the place. In the end it was the afternoon thunderstorm and bad light that beat me. I would have made it with ease if it stayed sunny all afternoon. Funny thing was the sun came out as I went up Throsby Creek and as I got to the NCYC the propeller started spinning again ( I had pulled the outboard up but hadn’t turned it off). I didn’t need it by then as there was a nice little SE behind me and got home pretty easily once I got past the tugs and the high rise west end of town.
I love your videos. I’m collecting material to build one. Matt sailed into the canal I live on in early 2000s. Key Largo. I followed him out next morning in a 12’ sailing dhingy with a sunfish rig and he walked away from me. Please give us some history of your boat.
Thank you. The boat is about 10 years old. It was built by an Adelaide based academic and was originally named Thor. I think he taught Scandanavian archaeology and the timbers have runic inscriptions on them. She has a lot more fibreglass sheathing than the original plans indicate. I was going to build one, but stumbled across a thread on the Paradox forum where some negotiations about selling her seemed to go nowhere so I PM’d the owner asking if she was still for sale - and she was - so I bought her sight unseen and he offered to bring it as far as Mildura and I drove to there from Newcastle to collect it - a round trip of 2,324km. There are only 4 in Australia so it was quite a fluke to get hold of her. She has a hollow round mast - unlike the square one shown in the plans Since getting her I’ve altered a few things. I ditched the petrol outboard and replaced with an electric one. I’ve installed a 110W solar system with 100aH lithium iron battery and a fridge up the front. I have lights and nav. lights. I have a porta-potti under the rear deck, and a gimballed butane stove. Lastly I got a modified sail made, kicking the yard up at a much steeper angle to the area went up about 20%. That coupled with a vanging system has made the boat perform heaps better.
Hello. I really enjoyed watching your film from start to finish. It is surprising that the boat is so fast, although it is quite heavy and, in general, does not have a very large sail. I was also impressed by the caliber of your anchor chain :). Thank you.
The anchor chain is doubled so it sinks to the bottom. The boat isn’t long enough for the recommended chain length. Works perfectly. I am yet to drag the anchor. The blue part is an anchor buddy. Surgical silicone hose inside a loosely woven rope. It will stretch up to 7m so i can anchor outside the low water mark but pull the boat into shore at high tide to get on and off without getting my feet wet
A lovely and most informative video of your excursion. A further , but tenuous, connection between Morpeth and Napoleon. Lord Collingwood, second in command to Lord Nelson at the battle of Trafalgar where the napoleonic naval forces were defeated, was born in Morpeth, Northumberland.
Then another tenuous link exists. My late wife’s family has a tradition of the first male child having Collingwood as a middle name and it dates back to that link I think. The eldest male in the family have been in the RN for hundreds of year. My father in law migrated and transferred to the RAN. My stepson who has the name also joined the RAN. My wife and her sister (no males that generation) were both christened on the Victory.
I intended to, but got there so late and then met Dave and Fiona at the wharf and I just ran out of time. Morpeth is a town partly caught in a time warp. The Main Street hasn’t changed that much since early last century, but the rest of the village is now pretty much swallowed up by the urban sprawl spreading out from Newcastle to the east and Maitland to the west.
Another great video. Thanks for taking the trouble to film it. I hope to do the same trip when I get my Raid boat. Was the Carrington bridge the only one with less than 6metres clearance?
Really enjoyable video Mark. Thats the only problem with an electric motor - what happens when the electricity runs out! Would it be worth carrying a fully charged battery just for emergency situations? Looking forward to your next trip.
It actually lasted a very long time. I ran it part of the trip up and arrived with 80% charge left. By the time I got to Raymond Terrace coming back it was still 80% as i had the solar panels switched to charge the outboard. It was only the afternoon thunderstorm cloud that thwarted me. Anyhow, still better than a petrol outboard - I couldn’t have carried enough petrol to go as far as I did with it. The problem with a spare battery is threefold. 1. They cost about $1300. 2. They are heavy. 3. They take up a lot of space. It’s the first time I haven’t made it home. And it only fell a few hundred metres short
Thanks for taking the time to film under ver trying conditions.
Very enjoyable and great history, thanks again💜🐶🐾
Great record of your journey and it was great to meet you and see Pamela B in the flesh. Safe travels
Thanks for this gem Mark; really appreciated it (it’s a beaut little trip, but I have only done it under power!)
Very enjoyable trip and boat, thanks Mark.
Wow what an adventure Mark, I was worried about how much electric outboard you had to use. Thanks for sharing, cheers Paul
I thought lack of amps could be the limiting factor for the trip. So I was pretty strict on not using it much going up and I got there with 80% charge still available. But coming back I had to run it a long way with no wind and there was only 30% or so left leaving Raymond Terrace, so I switched the boat battery to the outboard and the 110W of solar panels too. Really- I didn’t need to run it but I was conscious of the gusty winds, strong tidal currents and the rocks and oyster beds and on about occasions I ended up in irons because as I tacked the wind followed me round through the tack - it was all over the place. In the end it was the afternoon thunderstorm and bad light that beat me. I would have made it with ease if it stayed sunny all afternoon. Funny thing was the sun came out as I went up Throsby Creek and as I got to the NCYC the propeller started spinning again ( I had pulled the outboard up but hadn’t turned it off). I didn’t need it by then as there was a nice little SE behind me and got home pretty easily once I got past the tugs and the high rise west end of town.
I love your videos. I’m collecting material to build one. Matt sailed into the canal I live on in early 2000s. Key Largo. I followed him out next morning in a 12’ sailing dhingy with a sunfish rig and he walked away from me. Please give us some history of your boat.
Thank you. The boat is about 10 years old. It was built by an Adelaide based academic and was originally named Thor. I think he taught Scandanavian archaeology and the timbers have runic inscriptions on them. She has a lot more fibreglass sheathing than the original plans indicate.
I was going to build one, but stumbled across a thread on the Paradox forum where some negotiations about selling her seemed to go nowhere so I PM’d the owner asking if she was still for sale - and she was - so I bought her sight unseen and he offered to bring it as far as Mildura and I drove to there from Newcastle to collect it - a round trip of 2,324km. There are only 4 in Australia so it was quite a fluke to get hold of her.
She has a hollow round mast - unlike the square one shown in the plans
Since getting her I’ve altered a few things. I ditched the petrol outboard and replaced with an electric one. I’ve installed a 110W solar system with 100aH lithium iron battery and a fridge up the front. I have lights and nav. lights. I have a porta-potti under the rear deck, and a gimballed butane stove. Lastly I got a modified sail made, kicking the yard up at a much steeper angle to the area went up about 20%. That coupled with a vanging system has made the boat perform heaps better.
Anther grate video Mark
Always wondered what the river was like going up that way now I know
Thank you for sharing your adventures with us
Love Ur potted history.
Hello. I really enjoyed watching your film from start to finish. It is surprising that the boat is so fast, although it is quite heavy and, in general, does not have a very large sail. I was also impressed by the caliber of your anchor chain :). Thank you.
The anchor chain is doubled so it sinks to the bottom. The boat isn’t long enough for the recommended chain length. Works perfectly. I am yet to drag the anchor. The blue part is an anchor buddy. Surgical silicone hose inside a loosely woven rope. It will stretch up to 7m so i can anchor outside the low water mark but pull the boat into shore at high tide to get on and off without getting my feet wet
@@Cruising_Pamela_BThank you, this is very useful.
A lovely and most informative video of your excursion.
A further , but tenuous, connection between Morpeth and Napoleon. Lord Collingwood, second in command to Lord Nelson at the battle of Trafalgar where the napoleonic naval forces were defeated, was born in Morpeth, Northumberland.
Then another tenuous link exists. My late wife’s family has a tradition of the first male child having Collingwood as a middle name and it dates back to that link I think. The eldest male in the family have been in the RN for hundreds of year. My father in law migrated and transferred to the RAN. My stepson who has the name also joined the RAN. My wife and her sister (no males that generation) were both christened on the Victory.
A very nice video Mark. I always enjoy the history lesson that comes with your videos….happy new year to you cheers Tony
Thanks Tony
Very enjoyable, I live in Morpeth UK. I was hoping you were going to have a stroll around the town to show some of its history
I intended to, but got there so late and then met Dave and Fiona at the wharf and I just ran out of time. Morpeth is a town partly caught in a time warp. The Main Street hasn’t changed that much since early last century, but the rest of the village is now pretty much swallowed up by the urban sprawl spreading out from Newcastle to the east and Maitland to the west.
Another great video. Thanks for taking the trouble to film it. I hope to do the same trip when I get my Raid boat. Was the Carrington bridge the only one with less than 6metres clearance?
Yes - it’s the lowest. Made it with a few inches to spare. But Hexham was pretty low too, but it might be an illusion how close it looked.
Hi Mark great videos well done. Could I ask about some details regarding your solar panels please? What size and where did you source them?
They are all Powertech panels from Jaycar electronics. The two flexible panels are 50w each and the small rigid panel on the rear deck is 10w.
@@Cruising_Pamela_B many thanks for the prompt reply.
Really enjoyable video Mark. Thats the only problem with an electric motor - what happens when the electricity runs out! Would it be worth carrying a fully charged battery just for emergency situations? Looking forward to your next trip.
It actually lasted a very long time. I ran it part of the trip up and arrived with 80% charge left. By the time I got to Raymond Terrace coming back it was still 80% as i had the solar panels switched to charge the outboard. It was only the afternoon thunderstorm cloud that thwarted me. Anyhow, still better than a petrol outboard - I couldn’t have carried enough petrol to go as far as I did with it.
The problem with a spare battery is threefold. 1. They cost about $1300. 2. They are heavy. 3. They take up a lot of space.
It’s the first time I haven’t made it home. And it only fell a few hundred metres short