Beautiful boat..

Two weeks since I was last out on Sparrow for that beatific pan-harbour cruise in company with Simon and Martin on their boats, and since then it has been an almost constant series of wind, and or interspersed with the odd shower..  definitely time for a sail...

Late HT - 16:05 - and also a massive Spring, so once again there was a lot of water sloshing about when I finally managed to get to the boat at about 1300 (roadworks and associated traffic jams..  summer's here...😏) but having decided not to hang around, the engine was on and I was heading for the Rythe down the ditch about 20 past, waving to Jolly Boy Dave as I went past...

Sail cover and sail ties off  and halyards made ready as I went down the ditch (thank you you tiller pilot..  again..) and I turned and hoisted sails just off Northney and for the first time noticed what a weird direction it was coming from (in my defence the mooring is behind a bund which shelters the boat from the wind so sometimes it's not always obvious 😁) - westerly!

So the slightly weird sensation of a run down the Rythe to Sweare Deep, before bearing up for a beam/close reach all the way past Marker - and every minute I was expecting it to go more southerly..  and it didn't..

This beauty went past me like I was standing still, would love to know what she was..  looked like a wishbone, or spur insignia on the sail?

Strange old day wind'wise, as it was also alternating between a F2 and F4 but I guess it wasn't warm enough to generate a sea breeze so westerly it stayed all the way down the harbour until I tacked and turned for home just shy of the Fishery cardinal by HISC..  at which point someone put their foot on the accelerator..

With the tail end of the flow, and an increasing wind on the quarter, she was flying - and although the GPS missed it I was getting 6.1's and indeed a 6.3 (albeit SOG 😏) in fact it was getting quite feisty in the gusts..  hurtled past Jolly Boy Dave with just time for a wave..

Getting cloudy, and cold, and I decided enough was enough and it was time for the pub..  sails down in Sweare Deep and then a quick motor back to the mooring in what I think must have been a F5 by the time I got there..  great sail, even if it was short!

Notes: Outboard fuel tank drained - launch day was two months ago and I like to try and keep the fuel fresh - took home about 2 litres I think of the original 4 I put in and poured that in to the car. I'll fill up on the way to the boat next time..

Log:

Distance: 8.13 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)
Wind (Speed; Direction):  F2 occasionally F4; W
Sail Plan: Full main/90% genoa
Speed (Max/average in knots): 5.7 (6.3!😏) / 3.0