Well, it was all my brothers’ fault.

I was quite happy playing golf, table tennis, cycling, walking and the odd spot of fishing but there was always that feeling that I could fit in something else.

Over the last few years listening to Brian and reading Elizabeth’s logs my enthusiasm with the prospect of sailing becoming a possibility grew. Then after reading some sailing related literature to find out what it was all about, Smokey arrived on my doorstep Monday 15^th quickly followed by a setting up the sails (rigging) drill.

The plan was for my ‘initiation’ to take place on Windermere the following Friday. How long do you need to prepare? A quick check of the boat, sticks, ropes, cloth, engine and I was told everything would be fine.

Setting off from home was delayed for an hour because somebody had not told the alarm clock in Brian’s’ room to read summertime and I just assumed laziness on his part.

However, in a relatively short time we arrived at the lakeside and were met by fellow Silhouette members Ken and Roy.

I was allowed to make as many mistakes as possible preparing Smokey for the water whilst being supervised. This included erecting (hoisting) the mainsail under simulated heavy sea conditions (Brian rocking the boat). Nobody said it had to be easy.

Something was missing though. WIND. In my ‘landlubber’ terms on a scale of 0-10, I would have said 0.

By the time all the paperwork, registration documents and the parting of some hard earned money was out of the way, a slight whisper of a wind could be felt but was told that the art of a good sailor was winning races in such conditions.

We were under way, or just about and it must have took an hour or so to cover the first few hundred yards when we ran aground. Well we did need the engine and we couldn’t get it started. One pull of the starter cord and it wouldn’t return. So the novice was left to sail while the mechanic stripped the engine by which time the wind increased to about 1 and the engine was redundant anyway. A photo was taken of the mechanic at work as evidence to claim compensation from Alf the Smokey seller. ‘Where there is no smoke there is no fire’.

Our ever-extending schedule was to reach the northern part of the lake before our friends left for the day or before nightfall whichever the sooner. The going got better and we managed a chat and a further sailing lesson before mooring up at Watershead. Then a meal at the best restaurant in town (recommended by Ken) the Ambleside Youth Hostel Association where Brian got his veggies, followed by a quick walk into Ambleside and finally a pint of the local brew before retiring.

A recent hiatus hernia problem playing up, a below adequate tog sleeping bag and the unavoidable two occasions to dispose of the local brew prevented a good nights kip but who’s complaining. This was my first sailing expedition warts ‘n all

After being woken by the local families of mallards, the onboard cooker proved successful in making an early cup of coffee before another walk into Ambleside for the purchase of post cards, provisions for the day and why not breakfast at the best restaurant in town?

If I thought yesterday was windless, today was even calmer. Now we just had to start the engine. Optimistic as we were and after changing suspect spark plugs, we eventually succumbed to another engine stripdown and discovered a missing connecting link that operated the fuel valve. I believe I heard a few more Alfs muttered under tempered breath. With a supply of fuel the engine then operated admirably for the rest of the trip.

For the last hour or so before we reached the launching ramp the wind obliged us with one last opportunity to practice some more sailing techniques gibing and tacking, turning clockwise then anticlockwise round buoys and attempting but failing to beat a couple in a rowing boat back to shore.

The real test will be how I’ll handle a similar experience without the aid of ‘big brother’ and a successful introduction of Tanya to Smokey and future voyages. Who knows we might just take up this sailing lark?

Just for the record and an explanation, when I contacted Alf on my return I was informed that the modification he had done converting to a remote fuel tank made the accused missing connecting link redundant, so now we know. Also reading the engine manual I learned that the screw on the top of the engine cover is not to enable the removal of the top cover but secures the starting pulley assembly. I must write 100 times ‘Do not loosen this screw’.