September's Drift

The weather is certainly strange and has continued in a similar vain to the weather during my return trip from the Scilly Isles. Overcast, horrible and rain, to clear bright sunny days.  This weekend saw my skipper bring two of his friends with him on a bright and sunny day, both I had seen before but this was the first time they'd been on board at the same time.

Once bags had been brought on board and stowed below I was prepared ready to go, even if one of the chaps did unzip the cover of the spray hood frame, am sure he was just keen to help.  Skipper had brought with him a new flag pole which soon had the huge ensign flying complete with the fly just touching the water as it’s supposed to, if you want to be in keeping with sailing etiquette.  With a close eye on one crew member, the other went forward and slipped my bow line as skipper reversed me to swing the bow out, without Poly Agatha in front of me I didn’t have to swing too far before I could motor forward and have the stern line released .  I remember this chap from Round the Island race when he got in a bit of a mess, this time though without panic he reeled in the warp without fuss and we set off for the Solent.

Now clearly my skipper had forgotten how much rain had fallen recently and so it was fortunate that my main stopped as the reefing lines had got caught, as one crew member was at the base of my mast heaving and the other was to tail off the halyard.  Skipper handed the helm over as he sorted it out and hoisted the rest of the sail with the electric winch, tonnes of water spewed out from the front of my boom around the position one chap had been standing previously !  As usual there were plenty of boats out on the water, every weekend there’s some form of racing and this one was no exception.  Having headed West temporarily in to what little wind there was to hoist my main, we turned and headed East with the tide, making sure to keep clear of the barge bring new rock for the Cowes breakwater, shame the old gaff rigged boat didn't have the same awareness of my skipper.  Both my main and Windex struggled to find any breeze.  However it was a glorious day and so my engine was turned off so the crew could mellow in the quietness, that was till one crew member went below to find a CD to play. Skipper handed the fishing rod to one chap and nervously kept an eye on both the depth gauge and the traffic around whilst I slowly drifted. Lunchtime was fast approaching probably as quickly as  boredom was setting in for both crew members, but having stripped me of most things during my de-camp lunch was not on board.

 

Whilst it had looked towards the end of the week as though wind would be light, skipper had hoped that there would be enough to get us going and keeping everyone amused or busy, sitting in the sun wasn’t preventing the thoughts of food from entering the crews minds. Skipper went down below and brought ‘Thor’ up from below decks and set about setting up the sheets, we had reached Osborne Bay by now and the only shipping, a car transporter plus a paddle steamer had just passed us.  So up went ‘Thor’, but he just wouldn’t fill enough to move us across to the mainland, where another yacht race was taking place although at a snails pace, but there did appear to be more wind.

 

Every time skipper went forward to play with the luff of the sail to try to encourage the wind to fill it, so he checked the depth gauge first. We drifted slowly East. With no luck and without wanting to be a chicane for the Fishborne ferries, ‘Thor’ came down, packed away and my engine went on,  I was taken back to Cowes.  Skipper ran through the procedures of landing me against a pontoon and set up the fenders and warps ready.  We’d have two landings to make apparently, the first one would be a good practise for the home pontoon and so I was brought up behind a small sea fishing day boat on the fuel pontoon, walking me forward once there, to enable the hose to reach my fuel filler.  When complete, they repeated the same take off as before and headed to my home pontoon.  Having done one landing previously the crew were ready again, this one was just as straight forward.

Skipper didn't take his usual care of putting me away, as he wanted to get the guys off for lunch, but he did return the following day to sort me out and fitted the new replacement LED lights as well.

August 2015

It was a slow start on Saturday the 1st for my crew, but the Medina was getting more & more crowded by the hour.  Eventually everything was on board, lunch had been consumed by my crew and the lines were slipped.  Poly in front of me had gone, but Craftsmans Art behind was still on her berth.  The wind eased me off the pontoon and we were away for this years summer trip.

With the wind at its predominant south westerly but blowing around 25 knots I had two reefs put in my sail and off I went, westerly.  It was cracking, I felt comfortable and the Solent although a little lumpy didn't slow me down.  My skipper has a thing with the tides now and so I creamed along at 9.9 knots SOG (speed over the ground, that's my speed plus the tide) after a couple of hours and about a half a dozen tacks I was approaching Totland Bay.  May be this was just a weekender, I hope not.

The crew sorted themselves and got back in to the swing of living on board and at 1200 just before the tide turned, the anchor was raised and I was pointed westward out to sea at last.  The small back eddy took us round past Alum Bay and then we were out past the Needles.  With the promise of 4-5's and strangely south easterly, both reefs were left in, the main eased out I was off again galloping along like one of the New Forest Pony's, that weren't that far north of me.  As the wind appeared to ease so the reefs were taken out.

Mupe Bay was to be my destination originally, but with the SW'ly wind it would've not been the best place to be.  The eastern side, the more sheltered spot, however, as Cowes had been rammed yesterday my fresh water tanks were still low and so I headed on.  Approaching Portland, I was gybed and headed north.  With full main out I was becoming over powered, however it wasn't long before I was turned to windward and the main was dropped completely.  Behind me was the entrance to Portland Marina and I was taken in.  In the sheltered harbour of Portland hundreds of little Toppers were out racing and so I was guided around the outside of their course and on to the first 'Tango' pontoon.  It had only taken 6 1/2hrs to get here.  Once tied on my tanks were soon replenished with water and my batteries at long last had a good baulk, absorption and finally trickle charge from my shore power charger.

With 4 - 5 occasionally 6's promised and much the same the day after, it took a while for my skipper to decided to stick to plan A. The second reef was put back in before I left the pontoon and we waited till the little fleet of Toppers had left before following them out.  This time I was lead to the Naval entrance and once outside the sails hoisted, I was short tacked up the side of Portland. Others leaving around the same time were under engine.  My skipper had timed it just right I got a lift from the eddy around the inside of Portland and just entered the eastern race to tack once more clear of the Bill itself.  The waves in the race always look more menacing from within, but it wasn't long before I was clear of them and pointed at 270 which coincided with the wind 40 degrees to port.

After I had caught and passed two smaller yachts and I think because a larger one had passed me, that my skipper shook out one of the reefs.  Again with 6 hours of tide with me I maxed at 10.1 knots SOG but averaged around 7.  Now I've been to Torquay a few times, but my crew feel it's a bit run down and the marina's full of Gin Palaces, so I was brought in to Babacombe Bay around 1930.  This is the other side of the headland to the east of Torquay.  A beautiful bay and I was the only one in it.  Cary's Inn is to the south and a kiss me quick type area to the north, divided by a number of linking bridges.  My skipper booked in for a meal on Tuesday at Cary's to catch up with their friends in the evening and sit out the 6's that appeared in the forecast.

According to my Skipper, the Cary Inn was a jolly nice Gastro Pub and they had a really nice meal.  More importantly they had a good old chin wag with their friends including a Fastnet crew mate.  For the third time my skipper actually mastered getting the dinghy ashore without getting a boot full of water. It almost looked as though they knew what they were doing as they launched back to me after their meal.  At least they remembered to put my lights on so they could find me on their way back !

Wednesday and the crew were moving around down below around 0900.  My new cooker provided them toast for the first time from the grill.  With that washed up and the four Mackerel, gutted, cleaned and prepared were given fresh sea water and put in the dinghy, for my next passage.  This commenced at around 1130, earlier than the skipper had suggested, but the forecast was for 5 - 6's and at that time the weather had yet to fill in.  With two reefs set and a turn of jib, I was set out around Hope's Nose and across Torbay.  Once past Berry Head the wind built and the seas became more confused.

25 knots across my deck with my hull occasionally slamming in the next trough.  Skipper took over the helm at Start Point. 6.3 knots of boat speed added to that the tide, of course he had the tide worked out and I was pushing 9.0 knots SOG.  This enabled me to push through most waves, but there were times when I rose high only to bury my nose deep in the following trough, gallons of water tumbling down my decks towards the crew in the cockpit, like waves making their way up the beach. I'm pleased to say that my bilge remained considerably dry, although some of the seals on my hatches were tested as was the seal around my mast.

Once clear of all headlands and obstructions I was eased away and on a broad reach and attained 6.7 knots of boat speed.  Eased further to head for the house indicating the outside of the bar at Salcombe the jib was brought in.  Just before the bar I was swung to windward and my main dropped, the skipper radioed the Harbour Master and they brought me in and up the estuary to Salt Stone where I was anchored.  This is a quiet spot, a nature reserve amongst the drying creeks.  I arrived just after low water but had 1.5m beneath my keel.

The four Mackerel, were shown the inside of my oven and served.

As you can imagine it was pitch black as light faded and my skipper hadn’t been quite so generous with the anchor chain as he should’ve been and around high tide at 2300, the anchor alarm sounded as I was being dragged up river.  Fortunately with the only yacht close by having his anchor light on too, and the GPS still live, I was brought back round in to deeper water and re-anchored.  My skipper did stay up on anchor watch to make sure I held until the water started to recede.

The dinghy was taken in to town and more food was brought on board.  The small town is always busy during the summer school holidays but at least we’d manage to miss their regatta week.

On leaving Salcombe a number of dinghy races were going on and so I was taken off to one side of the estuary and headed to the bar once more.  The forecast had predicted south easterlies and 3-4’s so once the main had been sorted out my new sail the G2 ‘Thor’ came out from below and was hoisted.  Once filled I could feel the power that immediately came with it.  The winds were probably lighter than predicted but that gave my crew a chance to try various things and I was gybed back and forth.  With the winds as light as they were Fowey seemed a long shot and so I was taken to Plymouth.  Sutton Harbour to be precise through the lock.  Here my crew met up with another friend for the evening.

Having been replenished once more with fresh water and my batteries re-vitalised by the charging cycles of the Sterling pro-charger.  My skipper radio’d the lock keeper.  The lock itself wasn’t required as the water level enabled free passage in and out, but the footbridge needed to be swung out of the way and this in itself governed which direction traffic would flow.

Once out in to the Plymouth Sound, my sails hoisted and I tacked back and forth out and then to Fowey. To a large mooring buoy near the entrance and Polruen, which is on the east side of the river the town of Fowey on the west.

Again the dinghy was made ready and the crew headed to Polruen as there was a sign saying laundry & showers.  There’s also a pub there and so a table was booked for that night too. On returning to me, they didn’t stop but left the crews handbag and picked up a can of fuel and set off again exploring the upstream section of the river. Lostwitheil was their goal, however on nearing Saint Winnow, the river bed could be clearly seen beneath them.  With uncertainty as to where the actual main channel was, it seemed a good time to turn round and run back with the ebbing tide. The outboard spluttered to a stop, but this was due to it running out of fuel and once topped up started and ran faultlessly back to me.

 

St Winnow in the distance, before retreating quickly

The following day my crew went in to Fowey itself, to the Royal Fowey Yacht Club, where showers were taken, my skipper took his lap top and caught up on some work and the crew went in to town to get some fresh vegetables etc.

Making use of the tide as forecasted winds were to be light again, my crew were up and out by 0900.  Today was not going to be a sailing day, with main out and tight, my engine was left at 2000 rpm and pointed seaward.  With the forecasted winds never materialising, the Autopilot was engaged and a route set, the first time I think this year that it has done that.  It did play up for a short while with the words ‘drive lost’ but after resetting it all was well and I pointed to Helford River.

On arrival my skipper radio’d for the mooring officer, but one didn’t exist at that time and so the Helford Ferry answered instead.  I was taken to the Pool and a green mooring buoy was lassoed, however there was no ring in the top in which to put ‘Loopy Loo’ through and the sinking line unable to pass the weed growth slipped off.  ‘Loopy Loo’ is two lengths of rope with a length of chain between, this stops chaffing. I was motored back downstream to Robins Cove near Durgan and anchored there instead.

Wednesday and my crew were up and ready and so I was sailed out of the estuary and set for the Manacles. The wind appeared light and so the engine was on until a new course was set that would take me past the races off Lizard.  A broad reach was then set and I was sailed until past the Lizard and a beam reach was made towards St Michaels Mount.  Once inside the bay, I was gybed out but the course sent me well out to sea, so a course was made and the sails set accordingly.

Then the wind died.  The crew looked at each other and the jib was furled in, the engine went back on and there was even discussions as to whether 'Thor' could come out.  However no sooner said than done the wind filled in with a 40 degree shift, the jib was extracted and I was now close hauled pointing at Newlyn.

Newlyn is a fishing port and boats like me are foreigners, but we're put up with as we bring in extra revenue not only to the port but the local economy too.  My nostrils filled with the smell of fish and an oily film wrapped around my hull but I had a place to stay.  Fishing boats by the handful prepared themselves and moved around the port like mechanical monsters. The low thud from their engines reverberated as they moved graciously from one spot to another, then eventually out towards the harbour entrance and off to some special spot some miles out to sea.

                              Setting off for the night, week or months ?

Saturday, and the weather looked more than promising, so I was prepared once more and was sent on my way towards the harbour entrance before the water level became an issue.  Once outside and clear and my Skipper had tidied all the lines and put away my fenders, I was turned to point at Mousehole (mouzzall), and up went the main.  With the wind light and not the expected 3 - 4's I was motored out in search of more wind, this came but from a westward direction, the direction I was being taken.  My jib unfurled I was pointed west of south, just off of Bishop's Rock lighthouse, with light winds 'Chianti' a 30 or so footer was catching me up and eventually passed.  The winds strengthened and backed soon I re-passed as we crossed paths once more.  Eventually the swell of the sea and the wind direction was such that 'Chianti' started to motor, I was still under sail.  Eventually the donk came on and I was pointed at St Agnes and Hugh islands, where I was anchored.

                                                Sun set at St Agnes

The following day the crew went for a walk around St Agnes and by mid afternoon I was moved across to St Martins and my crew picked up a buoy. Once more the crew disembarked to pay their dues and returned the following day to re-provision.  Back on board, I was prepared again and was gently motored between the many islands at low water to expose as many dangers as possible, but still the crew took me slowly round, spotting many seals enjoying the sun on my way to New Grimsby Sound between Tresco and Bryher.

On the Tuesday with light winds my crew raised my anchor and I was taken around the northern part of the islands and headed towards the Lands End TSS. Here too, where many of the Fastnet fleet still trying to make their way to the rock.  I was manoeuvred around a few then once clear headed 90 degrees to the shipping lanes.  With engine ticking over, my skipper took a few shots of the Wolf Rocklight house as I passed.  Progress was slow, but eventually the forecasted wind filled in and about 1730 my sails where hoisted and I was off sailing once more.  In fact as the winds were steady not only in direction but consistent in strength, my skipper took time to adjust and trim the sails such that I sailed my self along around 45 degrees off the wind no matter which tack I was on.  In fact the crew coming up from listening to the radio below, hauled me over to the opposite tack and released the helm, once I found the wind I adjusted my angle to 45 degrees.  My skipper was pleased and now wants me to do the same thing at just of 30 degrees to the wind.

By now I was approaching the Helford river again, but this time I was anchored on the southern side.

 

Leaving the Scilly's behind

 

The following day, with a misty murk hiding most landmarks, I was motored across the bay to Falmouth, Pendennis Marina to be precise.  The radar was once more fired up but this time to check for movements in or out of the entrance.  My skipper picked up such a vessel and created a target of it.  Information about speed and bearing was constantly up dated on my screen.  My skipper had been informed on the VHF to put me on D pontoon which meant that I was to be taken around to the far side.  This I did until my depth gauge read 0.1m and my skipper backed me out.  with plenty of space on A pontoon, next to the RNLI lifeboats and near an old gaff rigged vessel called 'Greyhound', my skipper reversed me in.

The harbour master insisted that there should be at least 4.0m.  My crew remembered that when I was in Scotland, the skipper adjusted my depth gauge to read metres under the keel.  My previous owner had me depth below the waterline.  Skip, then checked what he had set me at and realised that the 2.3m that he had entered, didn't take in to account the depth below the waterline of my transducer.  Giving me another 600mm, so it should have read 1.7m.  Once re-calibrated, a lead line was put over the side during several states of the tide to make sure everything was spot on.

Two nights were spent here, whilst the crew did laundry, re-provisioned and managed to visit the National Maritime Museum, which oddly had a theme of the Vikings.  Even time for a meal at Rick Steins restaurant instead of their usual favourite fish & chip shop. With water tanks and on board showers used, it was into the murk once more.  This time I was headed up the Fal River and to a pontoon just SE of Malpas, which in turn is near Truro. A very remote spot with the river surrounded by deciduous trees and occasional rocky shoreline and it all looked a bit pirate as the murky mist still filled the tree tops.

                         Me on the pontoon just down stream of Malpas

The following day I was moved back downstream but instead of stopping at St Mawes, the other side from Falmouth, I was headed out to sea.  Gorran Haven had been mentioned as a possible anchorage to, but in the misty murk I continued past.  Hour after hour I was clocking up the easterly miles, my skipper clearly had other ideas.  Eventually I was gybed north and headed in to Cawsand.

Cawsand and Kingsand beautiful Villages

 

A glorious day was spent exploring the two towns together with a bit of re-provisioning, but then the need to move on came and an overcast day saw me leave my anchorage and head to Dartmouth.

Dittisham was mentioned, but that would be for the following day.  The weather that clearly my skipper was trying to get ahead of, caught up.  The following day I was moved from the pontoon as promised to the harbour master and taken down stream in torrential rain and high winds to Dittisham a place I had been taken to before but unable to find a mooring buoy. My skipper having spoken to the harbour master had been told of two buoys that I could be rafted against other vessels.  As I arrived I was taken low to be turned and headed to wind.  Slowly my skipper edged me closer to the yacht mentioned keeping me under control under the high winds, more so than the yacht I was to be rafted against that swung every now and then.  Despite words being passed between us boats, no one appeared on deck to lend a hand. On the second approach the difference between my high freeboard and that of the smaller yacht on the buoy was evident and the rafting exercise was abandoned.

I was taken to the Anchor Stone where my anchor was dropped, but with around 15m of water beneath me, howling winds and weed, the anchor never really took and so this exercise was abandoned and I was brought under control to anchor elsewhere.  My crew were about to set the kedge anchor to stop me from swinging so violently in the high winds, when on the VHF the harbour master suggested I could be rafted against the old British Steel racing boat back in town. As we approached it was evident that the blue flagged yacht that didn't come to my crews assistance where about to raft on the other side of the same vessel. My skipper refused to speak to them.

That night the winds built and from about midnight to 0400 the wind howled, stretching, pulling at the warps an uncomfortable night for my crew, but after 0400 the wind just stopped.

Deciding that a trip around the corner to Brixham or slightly further north to Teignmouth was not going to give any great benefit, my crew slipped my lines and I was off on the long trip across Lyme Bay.  The wind however was such that a course just south of east was made taking me to around 8nm south of Portland Bill before being gybed round and headed towards Weymouth.  However the crews mother was going to make a visit and the crew decided that a stop in Weymouth could mean rafting and a 90yr old would struggle to get on board, so I was taken once more to Portland where wide clear pontoons were available.  However she did not visit and so I was taken out of Portland and headed to Studland for an overnight stop before heading to Cowes Saturday lunchtime.

Sunday and my skipper had everything on deck to dry out before packing it away. On the Monday my insides where wiped down with disinfectants and all the tinned or canned goods, plus clothing were taken off me.  Another year and another adventure, hopefully it won't be too long before I am taken out once more.  There's rumours of yet another sail to be added to me suit.

Welcome - Thor

I thought I had been neglected as a couple of weekends have passed and I've been sitting here on my pontoon, over looking all the activity that's been going on at the East Cowes Marina and the children at UKSA centre.  The big blue bag has been in my masters cabin since the Round the Island Race.

This weekend though saw my skipper arrive, but this time instead of his usual lighter weight air cooled Honda outboard being on the back of the dinghy, the heavier water cooled Yamaha was powering him up toward me.  This usual means one thing, preparations for my month at sea, as it is this slightly more powerful engine they put their trust in when I'm anchored off shore.

But no, more crew turned up and we headed out in to he Solent on a very warm and windless day, as my skipper had said. Once clear of the Fairway and with the flood tide still heading eastwards, the tide not the wind took me in that direction.  With full main hoisted, the sail, a Gennaker G2 was hoisted from the master cabins hatch.  However, with little in the way of steerage, its launch was halted as there was also a problem trying to find the tack to attach the guys to and so it was sent back down where it came from.

With a steadier breeze and steerge regained, the blue bag was brought up on stored on the foredeck, clipping the bag to the rails.  With the halyard re-attached, the guys clipped on and the clew attached to the bow by means of a strop, skipper went back to the cockpit where it was hoisted and ground in.  Pulling on the snufflers lines it rose slowly, eventually skipper got his Helm to make a to the south and the westerly wind filled the base of the sail and the snuffler went skywards.  Thor appeared rising from the deck as the sail filled with air.  Despite the Helm not being happy with the Royal Blue colour, I dipped my shoulder down in recognition of the new power and as I stood back up I powered up.

This pleased my skipper, especially as a freighter had opted to enter the channel I was in. I crossed the channel and in no time at all lunch was being declared.  The drop was simple, skipper untied the snuffler line from the base of the mast and pulled the sock over the sail all the way to the rail.  Then it was a matter of unclipping the strop from the bow and then bagging it as the halyard was released.  Once packed and tidy, I turned to windward, the main was dropped, anchor prepared and I was pointed towards Osborne Bay.

After lunch with the wind now in exceedence of 15 knots, it was unlikely that the G2 would be used again, in fact a single reef was put in to the main before the anchor was weighed.  With all whites flying and a southerly wind I was taken towards the Forts. On reaching the red can, a marker for the port side of the small channel the change of helm gybed me slowly over under the guidance of the skipper and headed towards Lee-on-Solent.

With the ebbing tide skipper took over the helm and headed west back to Cowes, 8.5 knots SOG, he spotted a car transporter leaving Southampton Water and so opted to cross right across.  This he did and caught and passed a Sigma 38 on the windward side, even with a reef in my main it still dwarfed the Sigma's. Slowly, majestically I pulled passed, the skipper on board the Sigma had tried to push me to starboard and luff my sails, but he'd gone too far himself and had to bear away enabling my skipper to do likewise and present my sails better to the wind and so the quicker I was able to pull away.  None of my crew looked directly at them, but they were mine, none to happy to have been passed with such grace !

The Medina was extremely busy as Panneri Classic Week was about to commence, but once passed the melee of yachts and motor cruisers, skipper took over and guided me back to my spot, however the tide was now running fast in the River and so at the second attempt he lined me up near to Polly Agatha and reversed me in to the spot.  Once in, he transported the others back to the public pontoon and tidied me up, happy that enough was away and clear. He headed off himself.

Sunday he returned, checked the fluids in my engine and cleared the filters of any debris.  He sat in the sunshine in the cockpit with his tea, reading the instructions to the latest gadget the McMurdo AIS class B transponer.

As for the month at sea, I understand that's coming up.  Will Thor get to add the miles to my passage as intended, we'll see !

Round The Island Race - 2015

It was on the Friday that my skipper turned up with one of his crew members, to start to prepare me for the following days early start.  Instrument covers off, wheel & winch covers off, main halyard attached and lazy Jack bag unzipped.  Even to the point that the gas cylinder was switched to ensure no need to change it should it run out part way round.  The only thing left to do in the morning would be to sort out slips and clear away the springs.

With more or less everything done in advance that could be, a visiting yacht was spotted coming in to Polly Agatha's space.  So skipper & crew, leapt off me to go take their lines.  Miss understanding the Belgian flag for the German one, the only English speaking person on board asked if it would be ok to stay there for the night with 3 other boats rafted, they could be seen to be heading in a line back up the Medina.  My skipper climbed back on board and grabbed the hand held radio and called up the harbour master.  They soon came down and explained that they should continue down river to the Folly Inn where there would be space.  The Belgians where totally unaware that the busiest race in the world was about to occur.  Once they were happy as where to go, skipper climbed back on board and used the VHF to forewarn the Folly berthing master of there impending guests.

Once happy that I was more or less ship shape and ready for the morning they checked the new cruising chute, a Gennekar G2, but clealry it wasn't the colour that is should've been !  With it re-packed they boarded the dinghy and disappeared in the afternoon sun.

From that point on, the Medina was getting busier by the hour and yachts were starting to raft. Rod the old live-a-board, who used to be at the end of my pontoon, had been shifted to make space and temporary re-located next to me.  He had nearly set fire to his boat, dropping something on the batteries during a charging session I think he said !  Still he did look a bit be-draggled as he came out on deck covered in white powder.

At around 0630 on the Saturday my skipper was dropped off from the dinghy, climbed aboard and started my engine and fired up all the instruments.  When he was satisfied everything was talking properly to each other, he set up the slip lines and took in the springs.  More and more people arrived, until there was eight on board.  Following a brief safety talk and everyone in their position, I was put in reverse until the bow came out.  However the chap on the stern slip, was a tad slow or didn't appear to know what he was doing.  Rather than pull the line in he waited till I had pulled it all off the pontoon and in to the water before retrieving it, despite the numerous instructions that were being hailed at him fro various points on my decks.  As fenders and lines were stowed, my skipper had everyone wear their viking helmets ready for the start line and to give spectators something to giggle about.

This year, the tide was still going to be against us at the start.  My skipper took me quite far east to hoist the sails and off to the far end of the start line, to keep the wind that otherwise could be shadowed by the island closer in. We were about two minutes behind our start time of 0740, but at least in reasonably clear water.  Plan A was to take one long take up to the Needles, but the wind direction changed this.  It was hoped to make the Needles by 1100 and this was easily achieved and I had passed Freshwater Bay by then.  By this time with more sea room the fleet dispersed with two distinct split in tacticks.  Some went out to get a more consistent wind angle, others kept in to keep out of the stronger ebbing tide.  I was taken out.

The wind steadily built and once past St Catherine's point, close to where my crew abandoned the race last year due to no wind,  26 knots was blowing across my decks.  The swell was coming from the starboard rear quarter, lifting that corner of my stern and trying to turn me round.  Skipper was caught out by a gust and a large wave and couldn't stop me from turning head to wind.  Many other boats were also broaching with a few popping their spinnakers too.  Once a reef was ground in and my skipper happy he turned me round and headed back on course under much more civilised control.

One gybe later and I was pointing to the only mark on the course Bembridge Ledge Cardinal Buoy.  Although to get a better wind angle I had to be pointed higher and my skipper was playing with the turning tide to push me back out again.  Once round the mark Ryde Sands becomes an issue for me and so I was taken out to the port mark marking the edge of shallow water.  Then it was a case of praying for the tide to assist, but this is the Solent and tides do strange things here, and tacking as least times as possible to get across the correct finish line.

It was a struggle getting across the southern finish line as the tide was pushing me away from the committee boat and the winds appeared to go light.  But cross it we did in 9 hrs 50 minutes

SB3 - Serene Affair

Whilst I know my skipper will be busying himself looking up weather predictions and pouring over surface pressure charts during the lead up to the Round the Island Race this coming Saturday  (27th June).  He's also been overlooking the whereabouts of my new sail, from the suppliers to the art workshop and somehow back to me.

Amongst all of this he and his crew, will be preparing Dagmar House and the food for the 7 guests that are about to descend for the weekend.

If there's was to be any time to sit down and take stock, then this has been used to promote the sale of his other pride and joy Serene Affair - the SB3 that used to be on the hard at Shepards for a while till he moved it to an indoor secure unit, closer to where he used to live.

My skipper had brought it down from the largest reservoir in southern England, where he used to potter about in it many years ago, in an attempt to undertake a sail for Charity.  Nothing trivial as you'd expect from my skipper, no, he was going to attempt Cowes to Cherbourg in the 6.1m dinghy !  He'd arrange a land crew to bring it back from French soil and free passage from Brittany Ferries.  He'd arranged for friends to be on board a ghost yacht that would also cross the channel and pick up  radio messages and relay them back to the coast guard to report hourly positions, as well as being first call if a problem was encountered.

So the SB3 was brought down to Warshash, in the Hamble and he signed up for three of the Spring series races, just to learn how to sail the dinghy once more, one of those was becalmed.  After that he sailed it over to Cowes, when the following year it was entered in to the Round the Island Race and crewed only by my crew, there was no third person.  That year the 80th event, the wind was far too strong for such boats so having woken early, returned home.

Now Serene Affair, is to be sold to a Danish Charity sailing school, similar to UKSA here where I'm moored close to.  My skipper has been running around unrolling sails to take pictures, up to the boat to take some more and make sure that everything is together.  I wish her well in her new home and hope she brings many years of joy to the young.

                                                  SB3 - Serene affair

Last year I too didn't make it round, not due to too much wind but due to the lack of it.  Becalmed at St Catherine's point and opting to abandon the race to get back at a reasonable time.  That year I had trouble with my fan belt, this, there should be no issues I know of.

Preparations will no doubt heat up as the day closes in. I'll be in Black group and have a start time of 0740. My skipper has been told not to put the sponsors logo on my hull, as he's still got a small patch of the old glue to remove from last time !  Hopefully my new sail will arrive, due Thursday pm now slipped till Friday morning !  I'm not aware of any last minute works he's intending to do, but that doesn't mean to say there isn't.

You can keep an eye on my progress by looking at http://ngtrack2.ngresults.co.uk/raceplayer/ find the tab for boat name and enter Norse King.

I'll let you now how my crew did after the race.

Glorious June - Part II

You have to pick your days, but there are some sunny ones in amongst the not so sunny ones and this weekend was no different.  The weekend started with a busier river than normal.  This I understand to be due to the Isle of Wight Festival being held near Newport the main town that the last of the navigable Medina flows through.

Saturday afternoon my skipper arrived and spoke to the small yacht that had been sitting in the vacated space of Polly Agatha's having lunch.  Once on board he fired up my electrics to discharge my battery bank that had been and still was, being charged by the Marlec wind generator. With the radio on and the VHF in the back ground, each of my four winches were taken apart, cleaned re-greased, re-assembled and tested. Two pins that failed to come out plus the electric winch drive gear, stopped him from getting to my parts 100%, but at least they were re-greased if not completely taken apart.  Am sure he'll not let that rest and will soon have them apart again.

Next he was in the engine bay checking the oil in my iron sail and topping up the coolant level, finishing off by cleaning around the engine.

Before he left the pontoon, he checked the Craftsmans Art, the ketch behind me. It had been pulled tighter in to the pontoon so hopefully if I was to go out it wouldn't be such an obstacle as it was last weekend.

Sunday started misty, come 1030 and my crew arrived and got me ready to slip.  With the wind to the north west and no Polly Agatha in front, my bow was soon blown off, with the stern slipped, we motored out. There were several large schooners and other wooden gaff rigged boats in full sail, shortly followed by two lound bangs from the start cannons from the Royal Yacht Squadron.  It's said that those cannons were gifted to the then newly formed RYTS and that they were the cannons from Henry VIII's childrens minature galleons he had had made for them.

The wind was coming from the north by north west and so pointing to windward, my main was raised until it reached the first reef, put in whilst on the pontoon. Once my course was set the sails were adjusted and off we went, westwards. The wind was fickle and the sun threatening to come out.  Within an hour the reef was shacken out as the wind max'd at 12 knots. Salopette's & coats too came off as the sun burned through and by the time I was crossing the paths of the Yarmouth to Lymington ferry's the wind too had dropped to between 3-5 knots.  The iron sail was re-ignited and I was motored in to Totland Bay.

With little wind and glorious sunshine my crew had lunch in the cockpit, the tranquillity only broken by a RIB towing a water skier near the beach.  They had time to relax, although my skipper chose to service the pulleys and jib furling system and did the washing up. With the last of the ebb slowly making its way between the narrows at Hurst Castle, my anchor was raised.  Whilst my skiper was stowing the anchor, a process of swing it up in an arc and down in to its locker, using the hydraulic dampers and springs, the rib appeared saying that I was dragging an orange buoy.  Once the skipper worked out what they were saying he pulled said buoy out of the bucket and showed them ! This he uses tied at the front of the anchor to show others where my anchor is and so hopefully avoid anchoring close by.  Also if the anchor fouls on something then it can be towed backwards and away from the problem.

With the anchor stowed, the main hoisted, a back eddy was used to push me in.  By the time we reached the narrow gap between Hurst Castle and Fort Albert the tide had indeed begun to flood.  The wind however was more fickle than ever in its direction and only by adjusting course could he insure that the sail didn't gybe over.  Polly Agatha  was back on her berth and I was lined up facing both wind and tied and soon was directed at my spot between the two.

Next time out is for the Round the Island Race I heard and my new sail may be ready in time !

Glorious June Part I

It has been a few weeks since my skipper last came down, the fishing vessel that had appeared at the end of the pontoon has now been oustead and replaced with the very large ketch, Craftsmen. This may only be temporary as she's been on the outside of the Yacht Haven since the begining of the year but the week just gone has been busy down there with the bicenteenary of the Royal Yacht Squadron Sailing Club, culmanating with a visit from the Duke of Kent and the Royal Yacht moored outside of the Medina, which of course meant that HMS Northumberland too has been moored outside all week, undertaking security checks in and around the area.  Although this is the place that Craftsman used to moor, so we'll see if he is moved back or stays.

Friday & Saturday were quite blustery and I'd heard one of the small privately owned cruise ships that had anchored in the Fairway outside of the harbour entrance, had dragged its anchor pulling up the gas pipe line from the mainland that serves Cowes.  So it was on Sunday my Skipper, crew and a dog arrived on the Sally taxi.  It was a sunny day and the wind had disappeared, the tide had just turned and was flooding the river once more.

I was made ready and soon the usual proceedure of turning the Marlec wind generator off, isolating the battery banks by flicking the master switch and priming the bow thruster was all done.  With the tide on my bow, the ballon fender was set up at the rear and the front line slipped. Selecting reverse the stern line pulled my back in against the fender and pontoon and the bow went out in to the tide. Once my skipper was happy that I was pointing clear of Polly Agatha in front, forward was selected and the stern line slipped. Once clear, my helm was handed over to the crew and Skipper pulled in the fenders and cleared the lines.

There were a lot of boats out there, as I past the Red Funnel car ferry, I could see two or three mini cruisers, the Royal Yacht, HMS Northumberland and two large motor cruisers all pointing towards the flood tide.  It being a sunny Sunday, the day boats were joining the race boats that were joined by the cruise boats.  A similar display of motor boats too.

Remembering to release the number one reef, but forgetting number two, my main was hoisted in to the blue clear skies, the jib too pulled and winched in on the partially serviced rear 46.  Just the wind had failed to come to the party, what wind there was, was used to set my sails, but that soon changed as the wind changed its mind and direction and eventually disappeared.  We drifted for a while in the sun, making sure that the dog had plenty of water.

My skipper did his usual trick with the fish research and by the end of the session had the same results. With nothing happening skywards, possibly too early for sea breezes and the fact that without a reasonable flow of water over my rudder, direction was optional, my engine went back on to tickover and I was put back in forward gear.  Eventually, my sails were dropped and I was turned round to head for Osborne Bay, with the tide coming in I was taken close in and the hook dropped.

After lunch and still with no signs that any sailing could be had anytime soon, they opted to head me back home.  However the Skipper ever the viglant chap had noticed a small motor boat drift past struggling to start its engine and called over to them.  Once the anchor had been stowed, he prepared towing lines using one of the warps and looped both ends around the main winch taking it over the rear winches through to the rear.  Then the 50m springing line was attached using a bowline loop and the free end passed to the motor boat to attach to the bow.  At a steady pace we trundled back to the Fairway, where the Skipper called up the Harbour Master and arranged for my new cargo to be handed over.

The Medina was busy, the swathe that the City Of Chichester had cleared in the main channel had soon been filled with boats again. My crew were soon in to their stride of making landing preparations.  The skipper sorting out the fenders where he wants them, getting the shore lines ready and priming the bow thruster.  Then once past the fuel pontoon he takes over and gets the feel for the actions of the wind and tide against my hull.  He then swings me round in a circle and adjusts steerage, throttle and checks the bow thrusters deployed and working.  Poly Agatha was out but in its place was a large RIB, the kind that deploys its own wheels and can drive up the beach. Craftsman stern was sticking quite a way out in to the river. As I approached the crew got the lines in hand and prepared to step off, but the overhang of Craftsman needed to be cleared first, with the power back on and feet to spare I was swung in to the pontoon and immediately swung out again as I came alongside, engine in reverse I slowed to a halt, bang on my mark.