...fantastic day on the water on Sunday - best of the year so far - true to form though it's back to grey wetness today but just for once, the two days were in the right order...
Forecast was for a fairly cloudy, but breezy day - what we got was a fairly sunny, but even breezier day. Cambermet reported fairly solid force 5 all day, and from a most advantageous direction - starting just north of west, and ending just south of west, which gave fast, fun, reaching up/down the harbour...
So, got to the boat just under 3 hours ahead of high tide, and as it was clearly blowing put two sliders of reefing round the boom (I have roller boom reefing, which I don't mind, but slab reefing would be preferred one day.. 
), at that stage I was expecting the forecast (4 gusting 5) so two slides worth would have been fine..
A quick run down the channel, hoisted the main off the entrance to Northney, and headed for the top of the harbour - it was clear even then that their was a lot more wind than they were forecasting. Pushed on and was making some good speed (4 knots plus against a 2 knot tide) but as the wind continued to build, I decided I needed to roll in a bit more.... time to heave to for the first time this year, and there she sat, sweet as a nut, all quiet while I got on and rolled in another sliders worth - possibly the most reef I've put in... most chuffed with the heave to....
Turned and headed further towards the bottom of the harbour and noticed I'd rolled the retaining line for the boom jaws into the sail... feeling of chuffed'ness diminished, but another quick heave to and all corrected (lesson - look behind you when rolling in a reef..!)
..and that was largely it - apart from two and a half hours of super fast sailing and enjoying the whole thing immensely... got to the bottom of the harbour, and then turned to head up to the top - had thought to go up to Emsworth, but the lure of the speed (I saw a 7.4 as I came up the harbour this first time, as the tide still had some legs) meant I turned and headed back down towards Hayling Island Sailing Club (HISC).. this time I took the inner route through the boat moorings
Turned for home, and as the tide was beginning to disappear, and time was getting on, headed back to the mooring for a little rest and repair (whipping coming loose on main halyard).
Superb day, and much needed - not been a brilliant season up until now...
Log:
Distance: 13.45 miles (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top of the page)
Wind: Force 5 (both ends of...) NWW going round SWW.
Sail Plan: Reefed main (3 slides) and half the genoa - engine to manoeuvre...
Speed: GPS track says the max speed was 6.5 knots (which would have been under sail) - average speed 4.2 knots (fast afternoon!). Saw 7+ consistently on one of the runs up the harbour where tide was still with me...
Forecast was for a fairly cloudy, but breezy day - what we got was a fairly sunny, but even breezier day. Cambermet reported fairly solid force 5 all day, and from a most advantageous direction - starting just north of west, and ending just south of west, which gave fast, fun, reaching up/down the harbour...
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| Clouds - what clouds? HISC on the horizon - this was the first time I think... |
), at that stage I was expecting the forecast (4 gusting 5) so two slides worth would have been fine..A quick run down the channel, hoisted the main off the entrance to Northney, and headed for the top of the harbour - it was clear even then that their was a lot more wind than they were forecasting. Pushed on and was making some good speed (4 knots plus against a 2 knot tide) but as the wind continued to build, I decided I needed to roll in a bit more.... time to heave to for the first time this year, and there she sat, sweet as a nut, all quiet while I got on and rolled in another sliders worth - possibly the most reef I've put in... most chuffed with the heave to....
 |
| Lots of reef.... (sail is borrowed by the way if you're wondering why the sail number is wrong ) |
..and that was largely it - apart from two and a half hours of super fast sailing and enjoying the whole thing immensely... got to the bottom of the harbour, and then turned to head up to the top - had thought to go up to Emsworth, but the lure of the speed (I saw a 7.4 as I came up the harbour this first time, as the tide still had some legs) meant I turned and headed back down towards Hayling Island Sailing Club (HISC).. this time I took the inner route through the boat moorings
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| HISC moorings |
Superb day, and much needed - not been a brilliant season up until now...
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| "Terror" - an Emsworth oyster transfer boat from the old days - rebuilt/refurbished with lottery money (nice to see it spent well) in 2005/6 |
Distance: 13.45 miles (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top of the page)
Wind: Force 5 (both ends of...) NWW going round SWW.
Sail Plan: Reefed main (3 slides) and half the genoa - engine to manoeuvre...
Speed: GPS track says the max speed was 6.5 knots (which would have been under sail) - average speed 4.2 knots (fast afternoon!). Saw 7+ consistently on one of the runs up the harbour where tide was still with me...
Heehar... what a rocket ride :)
ReplyDelete:o) I may well have said the same at one point... she was going like a train!
DeleteGreat sail - good to see white caps and a bit of wind. I have seen an article in 'Classic Boats' about the restoration of 'Terror' - how lucky that you were able to see her sailing. Your season has a way to go, so I guess there will be a lot more more good breezes and good sailing to come!
ReplyDelete