whisper
Well-Known Member
After an appalling 5 weeks in June-July I came back to S.Devon yesterday. Had no.2 son with me who had never seen the boat before and hadn't been down here for 5yrs.
Really wanted to give him a trip out but forecast was not too good -NE 4/5 occas.6.
Thought I'd go and have a look over The Bar and take it from there.
Wasn't bad so turned left and headed for Dartmouth. Fine as far as Prawle Point then turned directly into the wind and things changed dramatically - confused sea with waves up to 3m high. Had to slow down to 7kts - great example of wind against tide conditions.
Only one other vessel in sight - v. large motor yacht about half a mile away and throwing up huge amounts of spray.In fact this was the only boat we saw on the trip out.
At Haydn's favourite spot (Start Point), had to slow to 5kts to negotiate chasms in the sea and avoid the barely visible pot markers that were often being dragged under the water as the tide was in full flood.
To avoid, hopefully, the worst of the sea state, we then ran close in to the shoreline in Start Bay. This didn't prove to be particularly successful as whilst the wave height dropped by about a third they were very steep and close together. Hence still unable to go faster than 7-9kts. As usual the entrance to the Dart was also very lumpy.
It was a relief to arrive as my powers of concentration were begining to wane though helming in those conditions also gives me a buzz.
Then pootled up to Dittisham, picked up a buoy and dinghied to the pub for a super lunch.
Timed our return to round Start Pt. at or near slack water with tide now going with the wind. This made a huge difference and apart from the occasional large breaking wave, broadside on, whilst I was having an exhillarating? ride in the for'ad cockpit, all was relatively smooth. Playing with the throttle gave us a comfortable 15-20kts and got us back to Salcombe 45 mins quicker than the outward trip.
This meant we couldn't get up to Kingsbridge for 3 hrs so were forced to have "refreshments" in Salcombe.
Crept back home very slowly and arrived at our berth with 0.7m below the keel - only ran aground once.
All in all a super day that would not have happened had we decided that the weather was too iffy. Boat coped brilliantly, helmsmen knackered!! Good fun this boatin' innit.
Really wanted to give him a trip out but forecast was not too good -NE 4/5 occas.6.
Thought I'd go and have a look over The Bar and take it from there.
Wasn't bad so turned left and headed for Dartmouth. Fine as far as Prawle Point then turned directly into the wind and things changed dramatically - confused sea with waves up to 3m high. Had to slow down to 7kts - great example of wind against tide conditions.
Only one other vessel in sight - v. large motor yacht about half a mile away and throwing up huge amounts of spray.In fact this was the only boat we saw on the trip out.
At Haydn's favourite spot (Start Point), had to slow to 5kts to negotiate chasms in the sea and avoid the barely visible pot markers that were often being dragged under the water as the tide was in full flood.
To avoid, hopefully, the worst of the sea state, we then ran close in to the shoreline in Start Bay. This didn't prove to be particularly successful as whilst the wave height dropped by about a third they were very steep and close together. Hence still unable to go faster than 7-9kts. As usual the entrance to the Dart was also very lumpy.
It was a relief to arrive as my powers of concentration were begining to wane though helming in those conditions also gives me a buzz.
Then pootled up to Dittisham, picked up a buoy and dinghied to the pub for a super lunch.
Timed our return to round Start Pt. at or near slack water with tide now going with the wind. This made a huge difference and apart from the occasional large breaking wave, broadside on, whilst I was having an exhillarating? ride in the for'ad cockpit, all was relatively smooth. Playing with the throttle gave us a comfortable 15-20kts and got us back to Salcombe 45 mins quicker than the outward trip.
This meant we couldn't get up to Kingsbridge for 3 hrs so were forced to have "refreshments" in Salcombe.
Crept back home very slowly and arrived at our berth with 0.7m below the keel - only ran aground once.
All in all a super day that would not have happened had we decided that the weather was too iffy. Boat coped brilliantly, helmsmen knackered!! Good fun this boatin' innit.
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