So it was that just shy of 1400 I was seen throwing off the mooring chain for a pootle down the harbour.. the outboard was where I'd left it, the new cover for the engine head worked a treat, and I can confirm that not having to manhandle the beast across the cockpit saves an inordinate amount of time...
Winds were southerly, which are a complete and total b*tch for getting anywhere, so I knew it was going to be a motor day, as I was damned if I was going to spend the time beating against tide to get past Marker..
Cracked out the genoa to get me to the end of the Emsworth Channel (which gave me a knot or two against tide), then rolled it in as I turned south to head for the mouth of the harbour...
Motored until I got to Verner, put the rags up, and then bore away and headed south east across the sands towards Hill Head and Itchenor Reach...
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| ..this is fellow club member, and Hurley owner, Chris, in his immaculate Silhouette Mk.3 |
..not what you'd call a fast sail - I averaged four all the way I think, and I was continually being headed so had to slip in a couple of tacks to stop me going too shallow, but finally arrived at the channel, shot across, weaved between the myriad of anchored yachts and motor cruisers, rounded Snowhill, and then close reached towards HISC (the sailing club at the entrance to the harbour)
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| East Head in the sun - popular attraction as you can see! |
Broad reached to the bottom of the main channel just off the sailing club, and then turned for a goose wing run in a dying breeze, before putting the engine back on just south of Marker for a quick trip back to the mooring before the water disappeared..
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| Fellow club member Julian out for the same as me - noticed both he and Chris had reefs in - apparently the forecast was for considerably more than we actually got.. |
Good trip on the whole... glorious weather....
..had the VHF on and was pleased to hear a fair quantity of legible traffic on Ch 16 and 67, not perfect, but OK.. I was even picking up traffic from QHM Portsmouth.. I'll carry on with the plan to replace the plug and we'll see if that improves the situation - it's more likely that the VHF set is 'getting on a bit' to be honest...
..picked the mooring up first time, tripped on the edge of the fore hatch, fell over, landed on the foredeck, scraped knee, but happily didn't go over board... every now and again we are taught lessons about not taking boats lightly... and I was mightily pleased I'd fitted the boarding ladder....
Distance: 11.27 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)
Wind: Both ends of a F3; S going SWxS (sea breeze filling in)
Sail Plan: Full main / most of the genoa...
Speed: 4.9 knots max. / 3 knots avg
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