Pinnacle
Well-known member
.....on organising another great event! 
Hope everyone had a safe and uneventful return crossing.
Hope everyone had a safe and uneventful return crossing.
Congratulations to Sailfree
- Thread starter Pinnacle
- Start date
fireball
New member
yup - another year of sunshine for the weekend ... I don't know who he prays to, but I think we should all convert!!
Thanks to Sailfree & Fergus for organising the event yet again ...
My mast even stayed up for the entire trip back
Thanks to Sailfree & Fergus for organising the event yet again ...
My mast even stayed up for the entire trip back
Twister_Ken
Well-known member
Merci bien!
KREW2
Well-known member
Enjoyed by all on Almada.
Very rolly polly all the way back with true wind gusting to 25 on the stern and a following swell. One day, maybe, just one day I will get conditions like I had on my first channel crossing back in 1990 sunshine, 15 knots of wind on the beam, and a slight sea.
Many thanks to the organisers.
Very rolly polly all the way back with true wind gusting to 25 on the stern and a following swell. One day, maybe, just one day I will get conditions like I had on my first channel crossing back in 1990 sunshine, 15 knots of wind on the beam, and a slight sea.
Many thanks to the organisers.
Twister_Ken
Well-known member
Lucky you - most we saw was 18kts, and most usually 13-14.
Topcat47
Well-known member
I heartily agree the job done by Sailfree and Fergus was magnificent. Thankyou, both for organising it. I enjoyed this one even more than my first.
We ran out of wind mid channel, never having seen more'n a F3. Burned a lot (for me) of diesel. Still, it was nice an relaxing coming back under the parasail until the wind dropped. Got in at Midnight. I've done more night sailing this weekend than in the previous three years.
We ran out of wind mid channel, never having seen more'n a F3. Burned a lot (for me) of diesel. Still, it was nice an relaxing coming back under the parasail until the wind dropped. Got in at Midnight. I've done more night sailing this weekend than in the previous three years.
Sailfree
Well-known member
Thanks for comments.
I do think that the afternoon sunshine for the last 4yrs for the pontoon gathering has been a major factor for everyones enjoyment.
If I could arrange a nice F4 reach for the sailing days and sunshine for the Saturday I am sure it would be even more enjoyable - unfortunately I can't I can only pray.
I will keep making my representations to the weather gods on everyones behalf for next year.
I do think that the afternoon sunshine for the last 4yrs for the pontoon gathering has been a major factor for everyones enjoyment.
If I could arrange a nice F4 reach for the sailing days and sunshine for the Saturday I am sure it would be even more enjoyable - unfortunately I can't I can only pray.
I will keep making my representations to the weather gods on everyones behalf for next year.
BlueSkyNick
Active member
+1
My thanks to Roger and Fergus for organisation and hospitality, rickp for his hospitalititity too, Twister Ken for taking me, ParaHandy for feeding me so well, SWMBO for letting me go, my father for teaching me to sail, and anybody else who knows me.
My thanks to Roger and Fergus for organisation and hospitality, rickp for his hospitalititity too, Twister Ken for taking me, ParaHandy for feeding me so well, SWMBO for letting me go, my father for teaching me to sail, and anybody else who knows me.
Talulah
Well-known member
Sailfree. Many thanks for organising everything.
Apologies I couldn't make the dinner. The lady I was with was quite surprised about the lack of partners.
She is keen to go sailing asap so if anyone wants crew I'll pass on your details.
Apologies I couldn't make the dinner. The lady I was with was quite surprised about the lack of partners.
She is keen to go sailing asap so if anyone wants crew I'll pass on your details.
jhr
Well-known member
Yeah, that's how you were pronouncing it at 1.00 am on Sunday morning!
Can I add my thanks to Roger and Fergus, to those of everyone else? Another great weekend.
KREW2
Well-known member
First of all nice to have met you.
Not sure about lucky. In order to keep on course we were sailing constantly on the point of gybing. After four hours the strengthening wind and channel swell soon put a stop to that, so I decided to use the last hour of flood tide and sail east to give us a better angle for Portland. It was the longest, and most uncomfortable crossing I have had, and all the crew were relieved when we finally tied up in Portland Marina.
Laundryman
Member
Congratulations to sailfree
I would like to add my thanks, not just for the enjoyable weekend, but also the help and advice. Collectively, those forum members that offered advice gave me the confidence to make my first channel crossing and also my first night sail. We left late on Sunday and must have missed the wind because we didn't even find enough to make the ensign flutter. We had an uneventful motorsail back until we reached the Bembridge Ledge. There we felt a gust of wind,heard a loud bang and the boom control sheet (not sure of the correct term) snapped resulting in the boom swinging hard to port. 10 minutes of frantic repairs at midnight on the coachroof is an experience I hope not to repeat. With the mainsail stowed and the boom lashed, we had only a short distance to our berth in Gosport, where we grabbed four hours sleep before driving 100 miles back to home and work. I am knackered.
Anyway, I'm pleased to have taken part and met such a friendly bunch of people. I look forward to next year. Thanks. Alan
I would like to add my thanks, not just for the enjoyable weekend, but also the help and advice. Collectively, those forum members that offered advice gave me the confidence to make my first channel crossing and also my first night sail. We left late on Sunday and must have missed the wind because we didn't even find enough to make the ensign flutter. We had an uneventful motorsail back until we reached the Bembridge Ledge. There we felt a gust of wind,heard a loud bang and the boom control sheet (not sure of the correct term) snapped resulting in the boom swinging hard to port. 10 minutes of frantic repairs at midnight on the coachroof is an experience I hope not to repeat. With the mainsail stowed and the boom lashed, we had only a short distance to our berth in Gosport, where we grabbed four hours sleep before driving 100 miles back to home and work. I am knackered.
Anyway, I'm pleased to have taken part and met such a friendly bunch of people. I look forward to next year. Thanks. Alan
Mudisox
Well-known member
Ditto the thanks for the organisation.
Having waited to put Jenny on the Sunday evening ferry home, I went out and anchored in the Rade, servicing the engines, thinking that they would be needed.
Not the case as on Monday 0700, a nice SWly 3-4 all the way, so no fuel used until West Shambles buoy when it all went flat. 1700 alongside in sunshine.
Do I get extra smarty points for sailing all the way there and back? although as Jenny remarked, "Why do the sailing folk go on about motor boats when they seem to spend much of their time motoring?" = discuss!!
On a different level, how do I make the numerous photos I have available for all to see?
Having waited to put Jenny on the Sunday evening ferry home, I went out and anchored in the Rade, servicing the engines, thinking that they would be needed.
Not the case as on Monday 0700, a nice SWly 3-4 all the way, so no fuel used until West Shambles buoy when it all went flat. 1700 alongside in sunshine.
Do I get extra smarty points for sailing all the way there and back? although as Jenny remarked, "Why do the sailing folk go on about motor boats when they seem to spend much of their time motoring?" = discuss!!
On a different level, how do I make the numerous photos I have available for all to see?
Twister_Ken
Well-known member
Post them on photobucket. Then embed the url in the following way, but replacing curly brackets with square ones. Photobucket generates the entire reference, BTW, if you copy the lowest reference.
{img}url{/img}
Talbot
Active member
Add my thanks for the organisation.
I had a good couple of hours under assymetric, and then the reduced wind pus the aggregation of weeds and barnacles underwater meant that the engines had another good work out. Still it took a couple of hours less than the initial crossing / 16 hours this time instead of the 18 on Thursday night.
Now back in Norway.
I had a good couple of hours under assymetric, and then the reduced wind pus the aggregation of weeds and barnacles underwater meant that the engines had another good work out. Still it took a couple of hours less than the initial crossing / 16 hours this time instead of the 18 on Thursday night.
Now back in Norway.
Sans Bateau
Well-known member
May I join in the thanks and congratulation to the Sailfree for once again organising an excellent event.
It was good to catch up with people we only get to see once a year. An early summer rally really ought to be given some thought (Chrissie?)
It was good to catch up with people we only get to see once a year. An early summer rally really ought to be given some thought (Chrissie?)
robp
Active member
Yes many thanks to Roger and Fergus from John and I. Also congratulations on obtaining the fantastic sunshine!
Having had a false start with a (still) untraceable diesel leak, we are glad that we opted to start again from Chi Marina at 1300 hrs on Friday. In answer to Ken's thread on SB, it was probably the crossing that I was most pleased to get over and done with, which was at at 0230 on Saturday. Lots of diesel, lots of freight carriers, little light apart from a fantastic show of stars and 23 hours between sleeps.
Having faffed about outside Cherbourg with boom preventors yesterday morning , our reward was to sail virtually all the way home with reasonably flat seas.
Thanks again guys.
Having had a false start with a (still) untraceable diesel leak, we are glad that we opted to start again from Chi Marina at 1300 hrs on Friday. In answer to Ken's thread on SB, it was probably the crossing that I was most pleased to get over and done with, which was at at 0230 on Saturday. Lots of diesel, lots of freight carriers, little light apart from a fantastic show of stars and 23 hours between sleeps.
Having faffed about outside Cherbourg with boom preventors yesterday morning , our reward was to sail virtually all the way home with reasonably flat seas.
Thanks again guys.
Mudisox
Well-known member
Mid 2012 meet.
I run a 24 hour event over Midsummer Solstice, so probably 22-23rd June next year ending up at Portland 1700, having started anywhere. Miles may be added by a variety of "cruising activities" are also undertaken.
Purpose is to have some tall tales to tell during the de-brief with drink. Easy to arrange a meal too if there is sufficient support.
I run a 24 hour event over Midsummer Solstice, so probably 22-23rd June next year ending up at Portland 1700, having started anywhere. Miles may be added by a variety of "cruising activities" are also undertaken.
Purpose is to have some tall tales to tell during the de-brief with drink. Easy to arrange a meal too if there is sufficient support.
Sans Bateau
Well-known member
Mudisox, that not such a bad suggestion, Portland is not out of reach of those down west, or us in lake Solent.
Talbot
Active member
wee bit far for me, and I can't do June anyway!
Hopefully next time I can get some crew
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