Tack, tack, tack... Sandhead..

Another cracking sail, difficult to believe how good May has been on the (Sparrow) sailing front, compared with previous years it's been outstanding, but then again less trips with the Jolly Boys given last weeks trip to Cowes was the first of the year..

Anyway, I get ahead of myself.. first some other activities...  

While visiting the chandlery at Thornham Marina to obtain new line for the burgee halyard, some different line to provide a restraint for a new hat, and another 3mm R clip, I happened to pass the marina skip on the way home and spied something rather interesting sitting on top of the rest of the cr*p..  splattered with a green'ish paint round the edges, and coated with a slightly dodgy wood preservative of some sort, was what could be a rather nice looking binocular holder...  swiped it, and an hour of sanding at home later, some clamping a gluing of a crack on one of the joints, and I can confirm it appears to be also made of teak..  bonus..  lovely job.. 

Excuse the paid content..  😀

It's destined for the bulkhead on Ami-ly (the Jolly Boys ride) as I already have one I made myself [clicky], and besides, Ami-ly deserves it..

So - back to the sailing..  13:52 HT and it's a big old Spring of a tide.. on the boat 11'ish to be met by a pleasant sight..

Smithy had clearly been past on his kayak and left a present.. 😀🍰

Bless 'im, home made Victoria sponge...  so on with a few jobs..  new burgee halyard reeved, then engine on to warm up, reef's on the main taken out from the last sail, and I dropped the mooring at about a quarter to 12..  forecast was F3 gusting 4, and south easterly's, and all the indications were that they'd got it spot on....

Motored almost all the way to the Beacon before raising sails as wind was on the nose, and any earlier would have been pointless. With the main up, we bore away for the bottom of the harbour, and the first of numerous beats..  rolled out 90% of the genoa (with lots of tacking to come, a slightly smaller genoa helps), switched off the engine, disengaged the pilot and settled down for some hard work in the sunshine. Sparrow was going well - I wish I could figure out why, but she was pointing well, moving through the water fast, and I passed a number of boats I would have considered faster than me, and rocketed past Marker..   wish I could bottle it, but on the day, the set up I had was clearly ideal..  30 tacks later (😏) we were approaching East Head - which was absolutely rammed with anchored boats..

East Head, err.. ahead..

Time enough to sweep eastwards along the beach, past Snowhill, and just for a change, gybed and turned back west just past the Sandhead port marker, with the ebb under me, and a broad reach, that was where we saw the top speeds of the day at just over 5 knots over ground..

Followed my outward track over Pilsea sands before bearing off further for a glorious goosewing run all the way up the harbour - just a single gybe half way between Marker and Verner, and then all sails down just shy of the Beacon as the wind had dropped, before motoring* back to the mooring, putting sails away as we went..

*Is there anything more disconcerting than have a split ring drop into he cockpit as you're motoring back to the mooring by the way? 😁 Happily, it was quickly identified as being from one of the twin/split back stays, the old pin was put back temporarily, and a replacement one put back in on the mooring..

Stonking sail!

Log:

Distance: 13.89 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)
Wind (Speed; Direction):  Both ends F3 ; SSW going S (at HT)
Sail Plan: Full main/90% genoa
Speed (Max/average in knots):  5 / 3

The Jolly Boys go to Cowes..

For the first time since last August the Jolly Boys convened once again for a day of banter, pork pies and Smithy's missus's Victoria sponge cake (and on this occasion Morrison's jam doughnuts as well - apparently they're cheaper than the custard one's 😏)

We'd originally planned to go on the Wednesday (22nd) but had wisely scheduled in a backup the next day in the event of poor weather, and just as well we did, as the Wednesday was disgusting..  force 5 & 6 on the nose with rain, whereas the Thursday (our backup day) was glorious - wall to wall sunshine, occasional cloud, and a wind force less.. 

So, the Jolly Boys convened at Rod's gaff at 9, picked up t'other Dave on the way to the marina, and after a cup of tea on board while we waited for the flood to calm down a bit dropped the mooring ropes at about 11 - destination Cowes...   we go there a lot, but after 9 months we'd missed the ambience, and besides Rod had a yen for fish and chips in the Island Sailing Club

Plot is down below, but as we left the mooring the wind was a little on the spicy side so we decided to put the first reef in on the main with a view to changing our minds if we wanted to once outside the harbour - I'm guessing the wind was just north of dead west, so it was going to be a beat to Cowes, but the strength was good so we were making good pace. Shook the reef out off of Osborne Bay, and true to form the wind picked up 5 minutes after we'd done it (😏) but with Cowes "just round the corner" we soldiered on. 

Two long boards and we were off the breakwater, last short tack and we headed up to drop the main before motoring into the main channel only to spot that no one was on the Island Sailing club's own pontoon - one slightly cheeky phone call later, and we were tying up on it. Money from four lunches, plus beers, my have swung it, but either way as non-members it was very good of them to let us moor up, and for free..

Cowes, ho.. Island Sailing Club pontoon in sight..

One plate of the nicest fish and chips I've had in some time, and a pint of Timmy Taylor "Boltmaker" later and we were back on board snoozing, waiting for the east going 'travellator' in the Solent which was due at 5.

Dropped the mooring ropes at quarter to, and with all sails up we headed east - wind dead behind and a little lighter than it had been and with the main taking all the breeze we rolled the genoa away - we kind of settled for a longish fast drift with tide down wind, when low and behold just off Osborne Bay (again) the wind piped up and switched a few notches further north. Rolled the genoa out and then we started tramping nicely..  top end 4 on occasion, two or three knots of tide and we were definitely covering distance over the ground nicely..  small shift north so as to get out of the way of a humungous liner, and we rocketed past Gilkicker (GPS shows a 9.3 knots in this leg), and in to the outer swash way for the entrance to the harbour - weed well and truly cleaned from the bottom!

No, after you... I insist...

Back on the mooring for 19:30'ish for a swig of rum from a bottle Smithy had bought back from Jamaica, and then home...    apparently we all slept well that night.. 😁  

More of that, please..

Log:

Distance: 26.97 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)
Wind (Speed; Direction):  AM: F3 gusting 4 / WxN - PM: Both ends of a F4 / NWxN
Sail Plan: Full/reefed main and full genoa
Speed (Max/average in knots): 8.3 / 2.9

HISC and back..

Here in the UK, after a period of settled, wall to wall sunshine, it looks like the weather is about to break over the next few days (wind and showers), so this sail (on Saturday) was to take advantage of the last of it..

14:57 HT, but I was on the boat by 12:30 as I had a few things to sort out..

• Main halyard was largely sorted out in the shakedown, but even with the
  
  improved run, it still rubs against the spreader foot when hauling the sail..  then I remembered the mast foot tidy I have, which has a spare pulley on it and might improve the halyard run further by slightly moving the run forward, and so away from the spreader..  my main halyard runs from top of sail, to mast head pulley, but then runs through the mast head, and exits via another pulley down the front of the mast..  running the halyard through the block on the tidy, and then cleating off on the usual cleat gives an inch or so of clearance to the spreader..  going to call that good to go (post sail edit: worked well, but the block was a double - which I didn't need - so I've swapped it for a single)
• I have a new 'cockpit lounging chair' - had some birthday vouchers left over so swapped my old chair for a new one with a higher back - if I'm going to lounge while at anchor/mooring let's do it in comfort.. 😀
• I also managed to source a new holder for the GPS, which over the years has succumbed to knocks and UV damage and is slowly beginning to crumble..  my thanks to one of the guys on PBO forum who was clearing out

That done, it was time to sail...  the wind in the moorings was "brisk", and with Cambermet currently down at the moment due to technical issues I didn't really have a view of what was going on down at the bottom of the harbour, but Chimet (just outside the harbour entrance) was showing a solid F4 so I decided to put some reefs in the main. That done the mooring was dropped about 1'ish and I headed off towards Sweare Deep. 

Winds were SE'ly (more east in it at the start) so a long run on the motor to Sweare Deep before hoisting the main, and then bearing off for Marker and the bottom of the harbour..  almost a single tack to HISC (Hayling Island Sailing Club), tacked once just to get some offing as the wind was coming round more southerly and making it difficult to stay in the channel. Waved to my first seal of the season, and with the wind dying slowly (dropped to a F3 as the afternoon wore on) gybed short of NW Pilsey for a run up the harbour on the last legs of the incoming tide (which is where I got that 5.4 from!)..

Spotted on the HISC moorings..  looks almost stealth as it was pure black all over..  also looks fast!

Glorious, glorious afternoon..  tiller pilot on and just lounging as Sparrow practically flew up the harbour, but of course via the usual Saturday afternoon race laid across the channel.. 😏

Rolled the genoa as I went past the Beacon on a dead run (mainsail was covering it and it was doing nothing) then dropped the main between Northney and Sweare Deep before a pootle on motor back to the moorings for a chat with Simon on "Marcy" on the mooring next to ne - a GOOD afternoon...  balm for the soul, and makes all the winter work worth it.. 😊 

Log:

Distance: 8.75 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)
Wind (Speed; Direction): F4 going F3 ; SE going SExS
Sail Plan: Reefed main and genoa
Speed (Max/average in knots): 5.4 / 3.1

Shakedown sail...

Bit of a big one, but a fairly trouble free shakedown it was..  before we get to that though, a few other bits and pieces happening...

First off, sniping a suitable hole in the abysmal weather we've been having recently, the sails finally went back on three or four days ago. I also took the opportunity to tighten up the rig, and to refresh the fuel in the outboard tank..  I get worried when it's over four weeks old, and it's no problem just to drain the tank of the old, shove that in the car, and then fill up again with fresh the next time I'm on the boat..  so 5 ltrs of Super added..

While putting the tender in however, one of the wheels fell off the launch trolley - so that was a slightly bigger job - took it home and found they had been held on with captive/locking washers..

Tidied up the hub, and rather than get new locking washers I decided to drill and pin it with a nice chunky washer between to protect the pin and wheel from rubbing...

Job done - the other one is OK, so I'll just do the same when it (inevitably) fails - let's go sailing..

Quite possibly one of the loveliest days of the Spring so far this year, with a F3 promised (albeit expected to drop later in the day) and wall to wall warm sunshine was chosen for the first sail..  what a blinder, and so good to be back on the water..

HT was 11:46, and I was on the boat and getting ready by 09:45, funnily enough, and unlike normally happens on the first sail of the year, I actually remembered what to do, and even in the right order (😏) including remembering how to reef - the wind in the moorings was a little feisty, and given it was the first sail of the year, I decided a light reef was in order despite the forecast saying it would drop. That done by half past we dropped the mooring and for the first time this year were motoring down 'the ditch' (it's actually called 'The New Cut' as it was dredged back in the day for the barges that ran between Chichester and Portsmouth) towards Northney...  sails up off the entrance to the marina and the (most unusual) NE'ly was swinging around enough for us to get down Sweare Deep to the Emsworth Channel on a single tack before bearing away against a Spring tide flow to have a glorious beam reach to the bottom of the harbour - making 3's and 3.5 knots against a a 1 or 2 knot tide..  most pleasing - clean bottoms are a help.. 😀

Short cut cross Pilsea Sands, then Stockers Lake (interesting to see the depth jump as we went through, or rather over, it) and over Stockers Sands before tightening up for Snowhill Creek...   remarkably un-busy at East Head for such a lovely day but I guess most people were at work, so a bit of pootling round admiring the boats, and it was round Snowhill buoy and aiming back at the top of the harbour..

Close hauled, and close reach, to the top of the harbour with the wind dying all the time, hove to to take the reefs out just shy of Marker, and then persevered for another half an hour before admitting defeat, dropping the sails and heading back to the mooring on motor.

So "shakedown" issues?

• Standing rigging is good - all taught and little or no slack on opposite sides when beating
• Main halyard run was a bit skewwhiff - it was running behind/around the genoa halyard so friction when raising and dropping the sail - dropped the genoa, restored a clean run for both halyards, and re-raised and tied off the genoa..  job done.
• Dropped the boat hook when I was picking up the mooring - no idea how - but happily I managed to get back to the cockpit, leant over the side, and collected it as it floated past..  another vote for wooden boat hooks..  they float.. but easier not to drop it in the first place! 😏

Log:

** Old fuel drained - 5 litres added to the fuel tank **

Distance: 10.18 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)
Wind (Speed; Direction):   Both ends of a F3; NE going SxW (sea breeze)
Sail Plan: Reefed/full main; reefed/full genoa
Speed (Max/average in knots):  5.4 / 2.8