Jolly Boys Cruise 2022

So the annual event that is the Jolly Boys Cruise is all over bar the shouting..  or rather banter'ing..  the washing machine has been emptied, the contents dried, and the sleeping bag has been put away for another year..  time for a write up on what we did, and where we went, and a few of the photo's to give us some memories in future on less sunny and happier days..  😀

Our normal ride "Ocean Waves" was still in repairs following damage sustained in Storm "Deirdre" earlier this year...you can see why... 

"ouch"...  so in the severe weather the waves pitched high enough to force the fenders out..  the boat then smashed into the wooden surround of the pontoon breaking it off, but leaving the retaining bolts, that then did what you see...

So the ride this year was Rod the Mod's boat "Ami-Ly" (following) a Legend 290...

Ignore the rubbing strake - pic was taken on a previous trip to get that repaired..

A step down only in size - but squeezing five blokes into a 29 footer rather than a 40 footer was always going to be a challenge!😀

Day 1:

Portsmouth to Cowes - only seventeen and a half miles, but a cracking days sailing as we rode the tide to the west.

Wind was 'lively' even in the harbour so we took the opportunity while we had it, and put a couple of reefs in the main - didn't regret it all day, as the wind slowly build all day to a solid F5 by the time we arrived off Cowes..  it was sunny and bright - real champagne sailing, and the Solent at it's most beautiful..

A first for us, we overnight-ed at Shepherds Wharf in Cowes (west side of the river) which was quiet compared to the queues last year, and after a quick pint in the Island Sailing Club sat on their balcony overlooking the Solent, watching the cruise liners go out, dinner was Italian (for a change)..

 

 

Day 2 

Cowes to Lymington

A quick vote over the breakfast sausages, and a decision was taken to go for Lymington. A quick call identified no room at Berthon Marina when we checked, but we got a place at the Yacht Haven with no trouble (and as we all really, really, like the showers there, we were secretly delighted..  sorry, Rod!).

This turned out to be the longest sail of the weekend, but blimey what a cracker..  lighter wind all day F3 occasionally gusting F4, the reefs were taken out and we ran all day on a full main and genoa..

Huge tide and at first we had thought to go into Newtown Creek, but it looked crowded, the wind was good, and and as the tide was even better and still running in our favour, we decided to run down to see Hurst Castle..

..and the Needles..

..amazing - not been so close before. 

About an hour before the tide was due to turn, we headed back towards Lymington, knowing we'd have to fight for a bit to get there - the water here, where the Solent meets the Channel is fascinating - flat water to standing waves like a ruler, and the dividing line moves backwards and forwards - most off putting..  Throw in the Shingles bank as well, and it makes for an interesting navigational exercise (which we almost failed - at one point we had 0.4mtrs under the keel, when we got a little too close to the bank! 😁)

Having got in to Lymington, and with a very tight berth, some judicious use of the bow thruster (which Rod had fitted over winter, and is inordinately proud of) was very much required..  dinner at the local pub very much enjoyed, but overnight the heavens darkened, and the first of the lightning bought heavy rain...

Day 3

Lymington

Weather sh*te, so we called in to the marina office and extended the stay - good move to be honest..  it was grey, windy, and it rained all day...   no thanks...  😁

Day 4

Lymington to Portsmouth

So one of the features of the Solent is the "express travellator" that runs four times a day, either east to west, or the opposite, and which had provided huge amounts of help on the Friday and Saturday to get us quickly from one end of the Solent to the other, but which we now needed help on in the opposite direction, and with the tides as they were it mean an early departure..

So it was that 07:30 saw us leaving the berth and heading to the Solent..  grey, cold, slightly rainy, not the best weather, but the further east we went, the better the weather got, with the wind building, and by the time we got to Ryde the sun was shining and the Solent was looking all glittery again..

Breakfast on the go, a downwind run in a strengthening breeze, and by the time the tide started to slacken off we had done Lymington to Seaview in just shy of four hours - a stonking run!

Turned into wind at Seaview to put in some reefs, and then came into Portsmouth in the main approach channel where we passed the Jubilee Sailing Trusts ship "Tenacious", looking very fine...

https://sailtraininginternational.org/vessel/tenacious/

Back on the mooring pontoon by 13:00'ish we decanted the boat into Rod's car and I must have been home by 15:00'ish..  I slept well that night!!

Brilliant trip..!!

Log:

Distance: (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)

Wind (Speed; Direction): 

• Day 1: Force 4 gusting 5; WxS
• Day 2: Force 3 gusting 4; SE
• Day 4:  Force 4 building to 5 gusting 5; WSW
  

Sail Plan:  2 reefs main full genoa (day 1 and 4); full main and genoa (day 2)
Speed (Max/average in knots): As above..