Background

Nimrod is a 1998 Westerly Oceanlord, sail number OD104. She has had two previous owners and was originally named Distant Thunder. The second owners, Ian and Janet Penrose moored her in Plymouth where she explored the surrounding coast and rivers going as far afield as the Isles of Scilly.

We bought her in 2008 when we fell in love with her teak decks, blue hull and lovely sea going lines. Her first trip was to sail her back from Plymouth to her new home in Haslar Marina, Portsmouth Harbour. Later that year we took her to France, Guernsey, Jersey and Sark where she played with dolphins and our friend Caron’s Beneteau Pinkfish.

In 2009 we took her back to the Isles of Scilly  via the West Country stopping at Weymouth, Dartmouth, Salcombe, Plymouth and Falmouth. For anyone who has never been but thought about going to the Isles of Scilly (just off the coast of Cornwall and the most westerly part of the UK), it is one of the most beautiful parts of the country. The islands themselves hark back to a bygone age where cars are not permitted and the pace is wonderfully sedate. The Gardens at Tresco have a micro-climate of their own and have many exotic plants growing there. Well worth a visit!

2010 was a busy summer with our Civil Partnership and Jo’s nephew’s wedding taking precedence over any longer voyages. Instead we have been busily preparing for our blue water life. Nimrod got a new copper bottom (to save lifting her out and anti-fouling her each year), new standing and running rigging (always handy for keeping the mast up!) and a working fridge! We bought a new Manson anchor which has had exceptionally good reviews and should hold us fast in pretty much all situations.

2011 saw us continuing our preparation for blue water sailing with new batteries, Hydrovane (for self steering by wind) and Duogen (for energy generation by wind and water) all fitted. We sailed from Portsmouth round to St Katharine’s Dock, London for the Royal Wedding in April as well as the usual S&CA rallies on the south coast. We did venture to St Vaast, Normandy on the Late May Bank Holiday in quite windy weather with a rolling sea but, as usual, Nimrod kept us safe. The batteries gave out during the crossing which made up our mind to fit bigger, longer lasting ones called AGM’s (Absorbed Glass Mat). The Southampton Boat Show saw us finally buy a water maker that basically desalinates sea water to make drinking water. This was fitted in the new year.