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