The forecast said good to moderate occasionally poor. Knowing that meant visibility we set off in a flat calm sea with the mist gently swirling around the river bank. The Essex marshes appearing and disappearing as the damp air condensed over the cool sea. We thought...
Maybird recently sailed down Lough Foyle to Derry or Londonderry as it is called on the Admiralty chart.The passage is some 18 miles from Magilligan Point at the seaward end. Lough Foyle covers a vast expanse but is very shallow and has an average depth of just 3...
Hello, a quick introduction from myself, I am Justine Lloyd, new to sailing having completed my Competent Crew Course at First Class Sailing last Month, and also a new recruit at First Class Sailing HQ. I thought I’d write you all a little blog and let you know how...
Musings from Darryl - our man off the Irish Coast on his yacht Maybird - T’is an interesting question to reflect on where the boat’s crew should have that first pint when they arrive ashore after a sea passage.Should the skipper give some structural guidance or should...
As Maybird left Malin Head to port on her track westwards I often think you then sail into an area where, the GPS is more accurate than the digital charts on which it plots your position and the notion of Local Knowledge has to be plucked out of the Navigator’s...
Maybird was recently in Derry/Londonderry - City of Culture for 2013. She was there for crew changes and so I took the opportunity to do some maintenance. I tend to change oil and fuel filters every 200 hours and keep as many spare parts on board as is practical...
Last Sunday I was sailing Maybird from Rathlin Island to the city of Derry on Lough Foyle. Rather than do the dog leg entrance to the River Foyle recommended in the pilot books which necessitates sailing out to the Tuns PHM and then proceeding down the river Foyle...
Last weekend was part work and part pleasure for one of First Class Sailings’ crew as Louise Petropoulos was an observer and pupil on board one of our new courses - the Boat Handling Course! Here is Louise’s report... When it comes to sailing the vast expanses of the...