andyball
New member
Sunday morning finds me and Black Spot chugging out around 7am, nice bit of weather and sunshine; seal playing in the marina - Lovely.
a few yachts out early, and a mobo at anchor in Emsworth channel. I had no plans, just for a few hours out and about; ended up popping out of the harbour.
quite rolly for a rolly boat it was, but no probs - after a while went to grease the sterngland. No autopilot, and boat doesn't exactly steer itself, so a good look around first, then head below. Came back up, sorted out the course & glanced behind - How the hell did I not see that pot-buoy ? huge black one, tho hmmmm, much closer inshore than any I seen before. Phew, could have been awkward.
Another 1/2 mile or so & it's actually pretty splishy for Black Spot, so the lazy-bugger skipper decides to pull the fenders in. start at the front, having to hold one with one hand - first up and on deck np. Hmm, where's the big round one??? Some rascal's pinched my favourite fender /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
BONG - the penny dropped /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif the huge, unusually visible pot buoy was Black Spot's big round fender - Bah!!
out with the monocular - and I can see it easily- moving with wind and tide towards the shallows south of Chi entrance. A quick 180 & full speed ahead - the engines strained to maintain umm 7 knots. quick bit of guesswork says I shd have ample time to try recovery before it reaches sub-1meter water..... tho the tide is ebbing - ooer. But naturally I won't let a nearly-new ( ok, 10 months ) fender go without a struggle.
out comes the best boathook, and even a lifejacket /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif ,since the waves are on the beam now & making her roll like an err rolly thing, safe enough, but not ideal for deck work.
Gets close to the FOB, and staying downwind, into neutral and closeish alongside; down the side deck & wield the boathook - cack! missed. 2nd attemp ever so close, but a roll the wrong way pulled us out of reach. By now, the fob is progressing towards the stern & away from my clutches - but another roll, the 'right' way this time brought it close enough to snag the long rope, grab it & wooo hooo! all aboard again. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif Me with a grin like some fisherman holding the biggest catch of his life.
While chugging back, I remembered a conversation just days before with a saily pal, who always uses around turn & two thingys for fenders - I was saying had never had a clove-hitch slip, tho always added a hitch anyhow - Umm, not this time eh?
Back in the harbour and two more seals - big ones this time - basking on the exposed mud banks - rare to see em so close to the main channel.
a few yachts out early, and a mobo at anchor in Emsworth channel. I had no plans, just for a few hours out and about; ended up popping out of the harbour.
quite rolly for a rolly boat it was, but no probs - after a while went to grease the sterngland. No autopilot, and boat doesn't exactly steer itself, so a good look around first, then head below. Came back up, sorted out the course & glanced behind - How the hell did I not see that pot-buoy ? huge black one, tho hmmmm, much closer inshore than any I seen before. Phew, could have been awkward.
Another 1/2 mile or so & it's actually pretty splishy for Black Spot, so the lazy-bugger skipper decides to pull the fenders in. start at the front, having to hold one with one hand - first up and on deck np. Hmm, where's the big round one??? Some rascal's pinched my favourite fender /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
BONG - the penny dropped /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif the huge, unusually visible pot buoy was Black Spot's big round fender - Bah!!
out with the monocular - and I can see it easily- moving with wind and tide towards the shallows south of Chi entrance. A quick 180 & full speed ahead - the engines strained to maintain umm 7 knots. quick bit of guesswork says I shd have ample time to try recovery before it reaches sub-1meter water..... tho the tide is ebbing - ooer. But naturally I won't let a nearly-new ( ok, 10 months ) fender go without a struggle.
out comes the best boathook, and even a lifejacket /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif ,since the waves are on the beam now & making her roll like an err rolly thing, safe enough, but not ideal for deck work.
Gets close to the FOB, and staying downwind, into neutral and closeish alongside; down the side deck & wield the boathook - cack! missed. 2nd attemp ever so close, but a roll the wrong way pulled us out of reach. By now, the fob is progressing towards the stern & away from my clutches - but another roll, the 'right' way this time brought it close enough to snag the long rope, grab it & wooo hooo! all aboard again. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif Me with a grin like some fisherman holding the biggest catch of his life.
While chugging back, I remembered a conversation just days before with a saily pal, who always uses around turn & two thingys for fenders - I was saying had never had a clove-hitch slip, tho always added a hitch anyhow - Umm, not this time eh?
Back in the harbour and two more seals - big ones this time - basking on the exposed mud banks - rare to see em so close to the main channel.
