Josin's 2026 blog

Already 10 days ago, on 17 april, Josin was lifted into the water for another season.
Not actually Josin in this pic, she is right at the other end of the queue, pointybow just visible. Fantastically competent crane driver and everyone helping, achieved good results on a gorgeous day.

In that article in SEILmagsinet, which you may or may not have read, I repeat my mantra of ; “I shall continue sailing as long as I can hoist the mainsail”, and here is the proof…..

All on my own last friday and no use of winches, either manual or electric, (electric would be sort of cheating!).

So, why not an electric winch, or much more expensive, several?
I reckon that if I’m not strong enough to hoist the sail, without a winch, under easy conditions, I’m probably not competent to handle the boat, particularly in not-ideal conditions. Simple criterion, simple decision. We’ll see. But I’ve now given myself another season.
Still jobs to do before the first sail trial. Efforts were cut short last saturday, 25th, by repeated showers, including hail! Not comfortable. Pack up and go home.
Since then, activities at home have priority, so it’ll be thursday before the rest of the sails come on board and foresail hoisted and rolled in.
Looking forward to the first tuesday regatta of the season, 5th May, hmmm maybe.

We’re getting there. Alls well.
JosinJohn

This year’s edition starts, surprisingly, before Josin is back in the water, because……

I was interviewed by Norwegian SEILmagasinet a while back, and the latest edition of the magazine “www.seilmagasinet.no” has the resulting article, “91 år og 75 år til sjøs”, or, more understandably “91 years old and 75 years on the water”.
These copies are for the family! Had to ensure at least they read it!

It has been an opportunity to give som of my experience over the years back to the broader sailing/cruising/solosailing community. I hope there is some information there which is useful to others.

This is a link to the leader:
https://www.seilmagasinet.no/sm202602-utkikken/den-gamle-mannen-og-havet/961232
Needs translating of course.

This is a link to the article:
https://www.seilmagasinet.no/albin-ballad-john-lee-cotton-josin/91-ar-og-75-ar-til-sjos/960769.
needs translating.

The article also admits that the important goal for this year is Shetland, which we didn’t get to last year. Looking forward to a nice sail under gentle conditions!

Josin goes back into the water on friday next, 17 april. She is all prepared.

Alls well,

Back in home harbour.

After Stråholmen I decided to sail (hopefully) where the wind blow us.
Too much still, early on, so a relaxed morning waiting and reading. After lunch, there was less whistling in the rigging, the wind indicator showed only 15 knots, so we untied from sheltered Stråholmen, unrolled the genoa and headed north east. Outside the islands in blue-sky sunshine, there were still all those rock-and-roll seas from days of strong south westerlies, so the ride was uncomfortable but tolerable.
Where to? Choice ended on Skutebukta, (59 01.0N 010 06.3E), just outside Larvik, which I knew as being well-sheltered from these winds. It was, but being a sunny but windy sunday, many other day-trippers were there too. Population gradually reduced during the evening until there were only sailing boats left, four of us, of four nationalities. Skutebukta must be in the international sailing tourist guide!

Short motor in to Larvik next morning, past the commercial port and in to Farris Brygge, and a small cubby-hole guest “harbour”, meant as a short stop spot for visitors to this complex of new buildings. Very convenient for Josin as it was only a short walk into the town, uphill though, and shops.

Sourdough bakery closed. Bother, it was monday, and sourdough bread doesn’t appear on mondays apparently.
A very knowledgable lady in the Nordli bookshop helped me stock up on books. I found the other things I needed, and enjoyed a seat in the sunshine with a coffee and a sticky bun.
Even up in the town it seemed that the dreaded wind was increasing again, and when I got back to the boat this was obvious, so we were not going to go anywhere further today. Also the wind was blowing straight into Larvik’s long bay and pushing the waves along, creating motion in my little cubby-hole. Spent the rest of the day rolling and reading. Evening meal taken in Peppes Pizza, also in this complex. Good pizza.

Next morning the wind had dropped and had veered west, and was forecast to remain reasonable, so where to? East of course. Swedish coast? Why not? and to a spot which I have enjoyed several times before.
Out past the commercial harbour, this time noticing a rather strange sight: A sail-sculpture in iron bars. A very small but significant balance to commercialism.

And a long, somewhat rolly-poly sail, all day, to Käringøy, (58 51.3N 011 02.7E) in the south of the Koster islands, to find another sailboat in my favourite spot. In my fumbling to tie up to other pins in the rock, Stefan came and helped, and we agreed that this was a very fine place.

Next morning turned out to be completely calm in this enclosed island group so we stayed and basked in the sunshine, while Stefan motored off somewhere else.
This archipelago is obviously a favourite area for kayak paddlers, as there were many of them during the day. It was so calm that I could hear them chatting well before they appeared. Rather strange, as I knew that seals don’t chat.

Next morning there was a gentle southerly breeze, so we should head north, yes? Yes.
A fine gentle genaker sail, slightly disturbed by the still-rolling waves from previous days, took us to Tisler, (58 19.2N 010 57.4E), a group of islands and many rocks only easily accessible in calm weather, so I was lucky. Anchored up in a small, sheltered bay with day-trippers scattered about on the inviting basking-rocks.

Next morning with also southerly, slight westerly, wind, this time stronger, so both main and genoa were set and we rushed northward, almost alone on the seas, to Engelsviken, (59 15.0N 010 44.0E), where there was a restaurant with renowned fish soup. For lunch, a little late. Excellent!
By this time the wind was stronger again, straight into the harbour and the restaurant’s pontoon, which made it very difficult to leave. Managed it after a struggle and some pontoon-bumping and motored the short distance to the guest tie-up places. Completely full. Others were obviously sheltering from this wind.
So, what to do? Wind now more in the southeast, so a rush-sail west across the fjord to the Bolær islands outside Tønsberg? Try.
But outside Rauer island, which shelters Engelsvik, that wind was now much more in the southwest, so Bolærene was unobtainable without much tacking in strong wind and very bumpy seas. No thanks. Not my scene. Now what? Well, home port was enticing, so why not, so I changed course, trimmed sails and rushed northwest. Wonderful sail!
Halfway, the wind suddenly dropped to next to nothing, then veered to northwest and blew, straight from Åsgårdstrand, on the nose. Most unexpected. Engine on, near full power, to battle the 25 knot wind and the growing, wind-blown waves. Genoa rolled in but mainsail left up and sheeted right in hard to improve stability. Slow progress.
Bit of a relief to reach Åsgårdstrand and calm home harbour. Bit earlier that originally planned, but OK.
Visitors to my berth during the summer, there had been several, had re-arranged all my mooring ropes, and had left them all dangling in the water, so now they were slippery too. Not a good welcome. Take them with me next year.

That sudden change in the weather had obviously been caused by a front of some sort, as visibility was much clearer afterward, and had left this evening sky to welcome us home. Nice!

Blue skies and a gentle northerly breeze today, so, a short walk to the supermarket for bread, (sourdough?), then out for a local sail to trim the windpilot under seldom benign conditions.

Alls well,
HomeagainJohn

From Lillesand to Risør to Stråholmen. (58 54.2N 009 38.9E)

We sailed both stretches, in rather too much wind and a lot of wavemotion, with just the genoa, well in-rolled. Nice sunshine though!
Must admit, I’m getting a bit fed up with all this wind. “Atlantic Lows”, Floris the latest one, have been queuing up and blowing hard, even when making landfall here in Norway after blasting other places, particularly Scotland I read. Lots of atmospheric energy there.
Now a sailor shouldn’t complain about too much wind, wind is what its all about after all, and its fine with reduced sail, but it’s the rollers and waves and chop that it generates which I don’t appreciate so much any more. Tiring.
Well, Risør stop was at Finnøy, Risør Seilforeningen’s center, often visited before, well sheltered, and this time also a sanctuary from all the vessels and hubbubb going on at the Risør Wooden Boat Festival. Guest harbour very full I could see as we sailed past.
A quiet night with gentle rain, and I slept very well, not having to worry about Josin and mooring ropes and fenders.

There was usually less wind early, forecast so anyway, so it was an early start again. The first half hour, in the bay, was peaceful, but out in the open sea the disturbed seas were still there and we rolled and pitched being blown along nicely. Course was laid close in-shore where the south-going current was less, and then inside Jomfruland, a long thin island with good protection from the weather, where current and waves were blissfully absent, then in to Stråholm with its north-facing U, hopefully sheltered.
It is, but the SW wind is still blowing over the top of the breakwater and whistling in Josin’s rigging. Not many boats around, as you can see. A quiet-ish night.

Went for a long walk this morning to the north of the island and from a high-ish viewpoint there had a panoramic view back south, over the island and the sea. Very therapeutic, in the wind. Got back to the “center” to be very surprised to see a lineup of elderly men, who turned out to be The Norwegian Seaman’s Choir, who were visiting, on their way home from Risør, where they had surely entertained. And they gave an impromptu concert for about half an hour. Sorry about the dreadful sound, if you can hear it.

Most unexpected and enjoyable. Shanties in both Norwegian and English, some even recognisable, few understandable.

It is now early evening and the promised rain came and hasn’t stopped yet. It is still blowing, 25 knots in the gusts, and we wait.
Tomorrow’s forecast is for a return of the summer, that’s good, but still with this wind, a little less later in the day. So it will be a late start from here.

Alls well,
WellventilatedJohn

Gale-stuck in Lillesand.

Lillesand is a well-sheltered harbour, but the masts sang in a cacophany and halliards clacked like a drummer-chorus in the very strong winds which blasted us last night. It is still blowing in strong gusts and I’ve just seen 31 knots on the wind indicator, that’s close to gale force.
Many sailboats in the harbour taking shelter, and yesterday evening, all skippers and crew scuttling about with extra fenders and lines to protect their beauties. Me too, although we were one of the luckier ones in the lee of bigger boats. All lines doubled up and extra ones across the pontoon. Few fenders need for Josin as she would be blown away from the pontoon. Guy opposite must have dug deep in forgotten lockers to find all those extra fenders, as he would be blown onto.

And it rained. A deafening lot. Enough to hinder going out and checking, you wouldn’t have been able to see anything anyway. And I don’t think anybody slept comfortably, the motion was too much.
Today is very much Showers and Bright Periods. Nobody has left, if I saw 31 knots here in the sheltered harbour, it must be blowing more than a gale at sea, so not surprising.
This is a screen dump from Marine Traffic, which shows all vessels, All icons except one from last evening, are diamond-shaped, which says the vessel is at rest. No-one out, not even commercial. Never seen that before.

Forecast is for gradually reducing W or SW winds, which should be good for a fast sail NE up the coast, homeward, but I’m not so sure the waves will have reduced enough for delicate (!) me.
Stay here anyway another night.

All’s well,

Freshly-blastedJohn

From Nodeviken to Kristiansand to K’sand Båt og Motor to Lillesand.

The morning’s promise in Nodeviken held all day. Lovely sunshine and a gentle sailing wind on the port quarter. Conditions stable enough to use the windpilot, and experiment a bit to optimise performance. Quite idyllic. And then we got to Kristiansand, where things were not normal at all.

Lots of very large sailing boats, using up all the space, and then some. Not even a tiny slot for little Josin.
It was all to do with “The Tall Ships Race”, though there were none of the expected “Tall Ships”. Maybe they hadn’t arrived yet, or had already gone. Whatever. Also an enormous number of buzzing small boats sightseeing. What you cannot see on this pic is that there was a tivoli on the harbour green, including an enormous Pariser wheel. That I could see from afar on the way in, so I should have been a bit prepared.
After not finding a spot to tie up, decided it was not a place to try and stay and we headed back out, to where? Didn’t have a Plan B today.
Only place in reasonable distance where we’d tied up before was Kristiansand Båt og Motor, where I’d changed the exhaust bend earlier. Thinks….. It is friday evening. The Tall Ships event must be magnetic. Place available? Probably. Putterputter. Yes.
(58 07.0N 008 06.4E).
It is just off the main drag, and many, particularly small, boats didn’t respect the 5 knot speed limit and created a bumpy evening, otherwise the night was calm.
Weather forecast was for a lot of rain, so next morning, this morning, we were away at 7 in flat calm and no wind and motored to Lillesand, (58 14.8N 008 22.8E), where I have a good friend, Svein, ex Ballad owner. It had started to rain before we got here and hasn’t stopped.

Looking town-ward. Looking sea-ward.

A hurried walk into town to buy fresh sourdough at the Geheb Konditori, (known place of supply), and food emporium to stock up. Fresh shrimp were on offer, so I bought enough to gorge on for lunch, yum!
I shall visit Svein tomorrow afternoon and then evaluate plan. Two nights here therefore. Weather the next few days looks not particularly promising so we’ll see.

Alls well
slightlydampJohn.

From Egersund to Farsund to Nodeviken

Here are the coordinates Roy:
Egersund anchorage, (58 28.2N 005 58.2E)
Farsund, (58 05.5N 006 48.4E)
Nodeviken, 57 58.9N 007 32.2E)

The anchorage just a mile north outside Egersund proved interesting.
It was guarded by a large outcrop between the main channel and a valley. Result being that the wind couldn’t decide which way to blow on Josin, and we weather-vaned to and fro sporadically. It changes the view. Also, the railway was about 100m away and it was unusual to have trains rumbling past at regular intervalls.

Looking at the weather forecasts for tomorrow all promised a good northerly wind to blow us south along at a fine pace, so, early to bed…
Morning dawned bright and clear, and we were away at 7, passing the offshore base on the way motoring out of the harbour. Much “offshore yellow” paint.

Out into the open sea we found the wind, as promised, about 15 knots and steady, unrolled the genoa and stopped the engine. This was promising, as we had a long way to go planned. Autopilot had to work hard as the wind had built up quite a swell, almost aft, which caused Josin to wander.
After a few hours, the wind gradually increased, (not forecast), the waves got bigger and I reduced sail by rolling in the genoa somewhat. Still excellent boat speed. Took a video to illustrate the waves, and motion. Looks quite benign, doesn’t it, but wait…..

The mid-day weather forecast over VHF announced a gale-warning in this area. None of the other weather sites I had studied had mentioned this development, so this was a bit of a surprise. Yes, the forecast was right. Wind increased to 25 knots and more, so more sail was rolled in. And the waves got bigger. This was fun until we got pooped by a particularly large and aggressive crest roaring down upon us and dumping lots of white water over the stern. Not so much fun!
I think the state of the waves was significantly aggravated by a strong north-flowing current. Whatever.
Things got calmer after we had passed Lista, but still energetic enough to discourage many more hours of the same, so Plan B, divert to port and sail, a little battered but not in the least bowed, in to Farsund.
Ashore for provisions and a snooze, and then motored the few miles to a favourite anchorage and P&Q.

Next morning was very quiet. Yesterday’s bluster all gone, and no waves. Strange how quickly conditions could change. Forecast westerly breeze at 8 knots later. Excellent. Take-it-easy morning in the sunshine.
Lunch was enjoyed in the cockpit before optimistically setting off for a comfortable sail. Not so lucky. The breeze wasn’t strong enough, and still with that with a strong current against, and even with all sail set the engine had to help.

Past Lindesnes the contrary current didn’t reduce, so we continued to motor-sail, (again).
The evening before I had picked out a natural anchorage which I thought I remembered, Nodeviken, which had small platforms to tie up to, and it checked, except that it was shallower than last time (odd!) and approaching very, very slowly, the keel touched something hard so we retired and anchored instead.

So, a quiet evening, entertained by a sports boat coming in and tying up and disgorging a flock of kids, who rushed around and had fun for an hour or so, and then they left.
Quiet night. Woke at sunrise lighting up the cabin, and stuck my sleepy head out to suss the morning. A heron, standing stock still, staring at the water just meters away, waiting for a fish to come within stabbing distance. Unfortunately I must have made a noise, he looked at me, then flapped slowly away, to another fishing spot a hundred meters away. Sorry beautiful bird, that i disturbed you, hope you got your breakfast.

Next stop Kristiansand.
Alls well,
John

There has been a short intermission, sorry! (More in a bit).

From Huftarøy to Mosterhamn to Tananger.

My hopes came true. After about an hour of motoring, starting late morning, the northerly wind came in and we genakker-sailed all the way down the (nameless) fjord to Mosterhamn. Mosterhamn wasn’t the goal for the day, but which became Plan B, as an enormous storm cloud very rapidly developed across the sky, and rumbled and lightning-ed and was very threatening. There were several other sailing boats in the harbour, all larger than Josin, with taller masts, and I reckoned that a lightning strike would hit someone else.
It rained only, large drops making rings on the water, but with very little cooling effect.

Next morning was thursday, 24th July, and it will be remembered.
1. Forgot to remove hearing aids before swim, and one fell out. So stupid.
2. Phone call telling me that my life-long friend from uni-days had passed.
3. Three phone calls from the house-alarm company, the first two to say that there was a technical problem, oh?, and the third to say that there had been a break-in, alarm activated and that there was someone in the house. And here was me enjoying a gentle sail towards Haugesund. The telephone glowed.

Alarm company and police came and did their thing, neighbours gathered and informed, and one, Rolf, bless him, kept up a running commentary via telephone and coordinated communication, one with policeman who took a thorough inspection and we could agree that there was noting of value missing. Phew!
Lock smith came and changed locks, leaving security again and a whopping bill. (By now evening and special rates).
I could relax.
Nasty experience, leaves one a bit wobbly, having had one’s private space violated.
Sleep illuminated and disturbed by break-in imaginations.
Early awake. So, what next? Trip home indicated? Yes. Best to ensure no loose ends, and start the “paperwork”.
Goal for the day was therefore Tananger, from where I could take bus/train home. Long way, 52 nm. Go. Engine on and purring. Breakfast on the move. Heading south-westward out of the fjord.
Strange indications on the AIS screen. (other vessels nearby). Turned out to be this:

Easy to see, easy to avoid, including the very long tow-hawser between tugboat and platform, and the one “pushing” behind, well, helping to steer.
Then turned south and a helpful wind, which lasted the rest of the day. Through Haugesund with a following current, 3 kt in the narrows under the bridge, and on, and on, and on, to Tananger in the early evening.
Night train from Stavanger had a “lounge seat”, leaving at 22:something, so a pause for a meal and a snooze before catching a bus to town.
You never sleep well on a train do you? But Kongsberg in the early sunshine was welcoming, and Norma was kind enough to fetch me and my food-shopping. Kiwi was open at 7.

Home and an inspection first. Drawers open. Shelves emptied. Plenty of things strewn. He’d obviously been looking for small things easy to sell, and had only found and taken an old iPhone which I should have binned before. Lucky me!

It was friday, and fridays are coffee-and-cake days at 11 in our common house. So tales were told and relished and questions resolved.
Tidy up
“Paper”work. Telephone and iMac busy.
Change alarmcode.
Snoozes, to catch up on sleep.
The day disappeared.
Convivial evening with neighbours on Rolf and Turid’s terrasse.
Back to the railway station by kind Norma and night train back to Stavanger. Bus to Tananger.
Breakfast and more snoozes.
Bus 15 minutes to giga-shopping mall at Madla. Found what i needed. Bus back.

Next morning, it now being sunday, promised a northerly wind so we set hopefully off after a leisurely breakfast and found a breeze, not a wind, so it was a motor-sailing day in rather confused seas which confused the sails, to just outside Egersund where we anchored in good-holding mud for the night.

Alls well,
Back-to-boating-John