Biscay Triangle

[AIDY]

Looks like a good start to the Biscay Triangle this year.

Anyone know which boat our JJ is on ? praps he's in falmouth.

It's not him asking on the PBO forum where he can get a service wash done is it /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[CSFenwick]

James is in Falmouth on a HR352 called Eyecatcher. Only 6 of the 16 who started in Torquay on Tuesday have made it across the channel and they're currently holed up in Camaret hoping to get off again in the morning once today's weather has blown through. The rest of us are split between various SW ports and most are still hoping to get to La Trinite by a week on Saturday. Certainly for us La Coruna is no longer an option but some of the boats that are still this side are going on to the Blue Water Rally or the ARC so will make it to La Coruna at some stage. A thoroughly bad summer. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[AIDY]

Thanks for the report. I wish you luck on your cruise south.

Oh the weather. what rubbish we have had. I've just had three weeks away never made it out the english channel. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif still next year must be better

 

[jamesjermain]

Hi! I'm here.

I was on the Hallberg-Rassy 352 Eyecatcher and we got not quite a third of the way across the Channel, a little east of Falmouth when we decided to bail out in the face of a forcast of prolonged winds up to Force 6 or more.

We also had a very seasick and frightened crew member who needed to get land-side asap.

Arguably conditions in the Channel were not that severe (SW Force 5 to 6, occasionally 7) and should not have caused the wholesale decimation of a fleet of yachts whose purpose was to test themselves for future long distance offshore cruising.

In practice, though, we cruise for fun so the certainty of at least 72 hours beating into strong winds with the possibility of more after that makes a safe harbour 36 miles to leeward very attractive. Had we been racing, and free of illness, we might have continued but I was in complete agreement with our skipper that retreat was the best tactic.

 

[AIDY]

Thanks for reporting in.. glad everbody is safe and well... agree beating to windward across the channel is no fun at all - we go sailing for fun not to test ourselves.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

can't argue with that..... it IS meant to be fun after all!

 

[doris]

Gosh James....never knew you were so sensible . Maybe, at last, you are beginning to accept that middle age is just around the corner!

 

[Koeketiene]

What amazes me is that the Rally organisers always seem hell bent to sail regardless of the forecast.
And if you dare venture the opinion that sailing would not be wise, quite a lot of moral pressure of applied.

It was similar when we took part two years ago. Bailing was the most sensible thing I ever did. With the pressure of deadlines, etc.. removed we had a brilliant summer holiday (best in years).

It's a commercial venture - nothing else. (We had to sail because the mayor and photographer had been booked /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif )
Lesson learned: never, ever again rallies!!

 

[jamesjermain]

To be fair to Blue Water Rallies Tony Diment, the Rally Director was at pains to point out that the winds would make the passage uncomfortable (but not unsafe for well found boats) for the first three days and said that not starting or seeking shelter may a sensible and seamanlike option. He also pointed out that the forecast for Finisterre predicted some very severe conditions for the La Coruna area if yachts delayed their start and arrived after Sunday morning.

I agree there can often be pressure on these occasions brought on by a schedule and perceived, if not actual, peer pressure. But ultimatley it is the function of a good skipper to make sensible decisions about the safety of his boat and crew and if this is one of the learning processes of this sort of event then it has done part of its job.