EXPERT ON BOARD
‘I’ve put the dinghy pump back in the car,’ said Chris. ‘We won’t need it again, will we?’ We’d just inflated the dinghy to row out to Nimrod and transfer her from her summer mooring at Weir Quay, on the Tamar, down to her winter berth in Plymouth. Since we were going to the luxury of a walk ashore berth, we wouldn’t need the dinghy at the other end, and could deflate it en route. ‘Well,’ I hesitated, not wanting to be too pedantic, ‘you just never know.’ We were both unconvinced by the rationale, but he returned to the car to fetch it.
It was a glorious autumn day, bright-skied and light-aired, but Storm Ciaran was lurking out in the Atlantic, and I was anxious to move the boat. Having insisted on fetching the pump, I prepared the boat with extra verve, thinking I’d better maintain the level of diligence. By the time we slipped the mooring Nimrod was completely ready for sea, let alone a short passage down river. The ebb was running hard and it would be a quick trip.
As Chris cast off I put the engine into gear and pushed the tiller hard over for the tight turn between the moorings. Nothing happened. I could see the top of the rudder stock, everything seemed well-attached. I checked the throttle, brought it into neutral and tried again. The reaction on the helm was painfully slow. Meanwhile, we were being swept down through the moorings. I increased the revs. There was a slightly better response, but even at 3000rpm, the speed through the water was pitiful.
There wasn’t long to decide what to do. Continuing would have been foolhardy, although given the impending weather, I did briefly consider it. Weir Quay is a long way from anywhere, and there was no hope of summoning outside assistance in time.
There were three other options: try and grab a passing mooring; anchor in the channel; or sail back to the mooring with what little breeze there was.
Lassoing a passing mooring whilst being swept past on the tide was going to be nigh on impossible. Worse, it would have distracted us from better options. Anchoring woul
