Soldiers wind..

So after two solid weeks of wind and rain, at last the summer seems to have returned to the UK after lulling us into that false sense of security last month.

First sail since I got to take the Grandon out all that time ago, and not a world of a lie it's been low pressure after low pressure ever since..  a constant succession of F5 and F6 days, usually with rain and or hail..  and after those record breaking temperatures last month, last week the central heating thermostat was kicking in! 😏 Suffice to say that the Jolly Boys, who were due to get away for the first overnight of the year in Lymington last week, were not happy when that trip went down the pan..

Fair to say then that the forecasts were being poured over on a daily basis looking for the break, and it was finally spotted this weekend - yesterday and today were looking good (and there are hopes for next week as well)..

Picked the Saturday in the end, as the forecasts were showing wall to wall sunshine and a little more breeze than the Sunday (and as I'm writing this on the Sunday I can confirm they were right 😁)

So on the boat by quarter to nine for a 10:37 HT, which was a Spring, interesting forecast for wind direction turned out to be bang on the money..  dead westerly...! A soldiers wind ..  a beam reach either way if I wanted to head to the bottom of the harbour, and who wouldn't.. 

Decisions to make when I got on the boat though - the forecast was saying 4 gusting 5 occasionally, but local conditions, and a check of the weather stations at the top and bottom of the harbour were showing less...  they do say that if you think of reefing, you should do it, but in this occasion I ignored it and went for a full main..

Mate of mine was out on the water and got a few shots of me and Sparrow doing our best..  thanks Martin..  😁👍

Dropped the mooring at 9'ish, motored gently up wind to the bridge in the pool and put my main up before turning for a long glorious run down the ditch, past Northney, and on to Sweare Deep where I hardened up for the (as forecasted) reach to the bottom of the harbour..  slightly feisty conditions, the occasional gusts were a bit spicy, but it was sunny (although cold - layers were going on) and the harbour was full of my fellow sailors all thanking their lucky stars that they could finally get out on their boats! I could probably have done with having a small reef in the main, but most of the time she chuntered along quite nicely, even if I couldn't always sheet in as much as I wanted..

Returning the compliment - looking good Martin!

No plans other than heading to the bottom of the harbour, and a solid 4 knots against tide almost all the way saw ne there far quicker than I thought - it being a Saturday of course, and the first decent break in the weather, it was like Piccadilly Circus in the harbour mouth - every boat in the harbour was heading for the Solent. Who was I to disagree.. so when I got to HISC I just kept going... 😁

Now many years ago I was dismasted not far from here [clicky], and just after I had had standing rigging replaced, so my plan for today was to lay more ghosts to rest - as I'd just had the standing rigging replaced.. 😏

Happily, no repeat of the issue, and just after Eastoke (where it happened last time), and with a view if the Solent in all it's sunshine glory, and at stand of tide..

"Piccadilly".. 

...I tacked and headed back in..

...for a long beat up harbour as the wind had got some north in it at just the wrong moment, no worries though, single tack saw me at Sweare Deep, and with the wind freshening all the time I abandoned ideas of going back down the harbour, dropped the sails, and motored back to the mooring..  stupendous sail..  but a bit warmer next time, please!

Post script..  Martin got this as I was going past HISC on the way back, you can see what I meant about the main could have done with a reef..  more main sheet and it would have set nicely, but I'd just let it out for a gust.. 😁

Log:

Distance: 10.56* (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)
Wind (Speed; Direction):  Both ends of a F4 ; WSW going WNW
Sail Plan: Full main/90% genoa
Speed (Max/average in knots):  4.6 / 3.4

*includes distance covered while the GPS needed a battery change.. 😁

Grandson cruise

A quick sail to keep the grandson occupied on half term holiday week - who was I to say no? 😁

I was aware I needed to keep it short - he's 12 and with the best will in the world is not super keen on sailing so originally I'd planned it to be more of a fishing trip under motor than a sail, but with the harbour currently chock full of weed the lure fishing soon paled, so I suggested we put the rags up and have a sail. 

Bless him .. he said "sure".. 😏

Easterly, and the sails went up just off Emsworth Beacon before we made the best course for Marker we could get in what was a fairly fluky south easterly (it was veering between SE and SSE, but trending more southerly by the half hour).

Eleven tacks to Marker and he'd made me aware he wasn't enjoying the tacking, so we bailed just after Marker (furthest south so far this year but that's not saying much!) turning for home with a long comfortable run in the sun back to the mooring..

What can I say - I enjoyed* it anyway.. 😁

* apart from the bit where I lost my glasses over the side 👓

Log:

Distance: 5.88 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)
Wind (Speed; Direction): SExS ; F3 (occasionally gusting F4)
Sail Plan: Full main and 90% genoa
Speed (Max/average in knots): 5.0/2.4

Shakedown..

At bleeding last..  the first sail on Sparrow for the new season - almost three weeks later than last year.. 😏

No major reasons or excuses for the delay, it was just a matter of weather and tides..  we had a stonking week of warm weather the week after I launched but there were no tides that week, and then a period of rain and cold settled in - hail, sun, wind, rain, repeat.. and then I needed to get the mast up....   and and ad..  If the weather gonks are to be believed next week we're getting a heatwave, I'll believe it when I see it..

Either way today looked to be the best bet to get the sails up and the first miles under my belt, and it turned out to be.... OK... 

Don't get me wrong it was bloody awesome to get the sails up and go sailing, the new roller furler is an ABSOLUTE joy, but it was grey, and it was chuffing cold in the wind..

Anyway, on the boat for half 10 which was two hours before HT (12:40), sail cover off, tender secured to pickup buoy, engine started and cast off...  with the wind being almost westerly (almost - there was a tadge of south in it), I took the opportunity to put the main up in the pool by the bridge, and then bore off for a gentle run down the ditch for the first time this year..  big tide - 4.7m - but even so we were seeing 3's...

Rolled the genoa out as we went - fantastically smooth - and just kept going, bearing up as we came round the corner by the beacon..  winds were a fairly solid F3, but every now and again something really fractious would come through, definitely higher F4. Tacked up and lit the afterburners to head back to Northney - despite what the GPS reports I was seeing 5.8/5.9 and 6 SOG (tide assisted 'natch 😏)

Tacked again - headed to Marker - almost got there, but it was so damn cold I bailed..  I had three layers on and it was still cold. Enjoyed that immensely, but now I'd like some warmer weather, please..

Sailing club duty tomorrow - I'm duty helm on the rescue boat for the second launch week..  should be fun but must remember a coat... 😁

Log:

Distance: 5.84 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)
Wind (Speed; Direction): F3 gusting F4; WSW
Sail Plan: Full main/90% genoa
Speed (Max/average in knots): 5.6 / 2.8