In fact, for the first time in a few years, their favourite restaurant opened for a Friday night and had reserved a table to add to celebrations of a birthday weekend. It coincided with the TV showing the next morning of the second of the Lions tour in New Zeland and that was the only start time that was important. Needless to say that sore heads didn't assist in the speed of departure post match, especially following a Lions win.
As usual, Skip arrived first and started to make preparations, followed by the others. The outboard on the dinghy behaving itself for once so no rowing needed, I assume the result that at least skip has been working on those too. With a new neighbour squeezed in behind room for error had diminished. The kettle was put on and skip went about setting up for the departure, once everything was ready, teas partially drunk, the lines were slipped and skip took me out into the middle of the Medina before handing over the helm and tidying up my decks, the normal routine. The floating bridge was up and running for a change and was loading as we passed by.
The beauty of Marine Traffic being a web based site meant that not only can people see me, but Skip could see where the fleet happened to be and there was a long line of boats rounding Bembridge stretching right back to the Needles. The plan if there was one, was to tuck into Osborne or Wotton, drop the hook and watch them all go past whilst having lunch, however, with so many boats and the fact that it was low tide, meant that an anchorage out of the way was impossible to find without possibly affecting the fleet. As it was, none of my sails had fresh air over them, such that there would be no confusion as who was to be the give way vessel - me.
In the end, it was decided that to anchor elsewhere meant nothing would be seen of the race and so we headed back to where we came. With Craftsman's Art back on her mooring and the small one tucked in between my mooring and former neighbour, Skip had to revert back to swinging me in sharply. With the visiting crew being given instruction on how to use the fenders in case of close quarters with CA, who always has the stern sticking a fair way from the pontoon, it was a look of amasement when Skip swung me into the gap and stopped. More tea ensued.
Once I had been tidied up reasonably, on the understanding that Skip would return on Sunday, they left to go to the Race Village and pick up on the action there. There're rumours that I might be in it again next year, such is the enthusiasm of the visiting crew.
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With new batteries in bank 1, the three remaining in bank 2, the best of the rest, have decided to give up the ghost, having diminishing voltage values each time Skip comes on board. Following the RIR the Sunday after brought a bright and sunny day and I'm taken out once again into the Solent. This time the Code 0 nicknamed Thor Junior came out. Firstly we headed in an Easterly direction but this put the sail in a more downwind position and clearly, it was not happy with the wind angle. So once snuffed, I was brought round and tacked into Cowes and back out again to give sea room. Off the Bramble cardinal, I was turned once more and the snuffer raised and the sail emerged out of its chrysalis.
Thor Junior
With 10.5 - 11.0kts of apparent wind and assistance from an ebbing flood tide, the speed over the ground (SOG) was an astonishing 8.1kts. The 110msq of material caused a touch of weather helm, but that may be an in balance with the main and these things need to be learnt. How to tack, that would be the next question? It was decided to deploy the snuffer and then pass around the furled jib and release on the other side, but not before a few shots were taken.
As seen from the Helm
With the shoreline off the island fast approaching, the clew line was eased and the snuffer pulled over, I was sent round on to a port tack and the whole bag was flipped over to the other side. However, it was soon noticed that both lines were now on the wrong side of the tack and if the sail was deployed once more would cause a tangle. This was actually fortuitous as at this point the sea breeze kicked in raising the wind speed to 18kts, the point when ordinarily a reef would be considered for the main.
