LadyInBed
Well-Known Member
The plan
Leave work an hour or so early on Thursday, home, change and down to boat in time to get down the river on the last half of the second HW. Pick up a mooring down in Poole, have a sleep and leave about 04:00 Friday.
The reality
I didn’t get away from work early so arrived at the boat about an hour late. The NE wind was blowing the boat into the river bank so the ‘bank side’ keel had grounded. Nothing for it but to prepare the boat for leaving and go to bed. First HW Friday was about 01:00 and Second about 06:00, set the alarm for 03:00 and slept.
Woke at midnight and felt refreshed so decided to get going, the boat was still into the reeds on the bank and afloat, but the jack line between the fore and aft buoys was under the hull and could foul the prop when leaving. The remedy is to put out a small kedge anchor, a little Danforth with a meter of heavy chain and rope from the sheet winch across the river, so I can pull the back end out. Got the anchor deployed from the dingy then took up some tension on the winch to bed it in and allow room to leave the dingy on the mooring. Let go the mooring lines and winched in the kedge, all went well, the back of the boat cleared the mooring, went into reverse and the kedge broke out with a hard pull.
Started down the river at about 01:30, the moon was clear but I still needed a torch to differentiate the port from starboard sticks (red have one reflective circle of tape, green have two), got round the bends and onto the straight bit, set the autohelm and hoisted the main. I had taken heed of the forecast and put two reefs in, I didn’t bother with the mizzen.
Crossed Poole chain ferry at 03:00 so at least an hour ahead of plan. Unrolled full genoa but not enough wind to do better than 3 knots so kept the motor on, considered shaking out the main but decided to wait. Out near Old Harry the wind picked up so killed the engine and all was peace.
By dawn, I noticed (on waking from a snooze) that the wind had steadily picked up and the starboard toe rail was quite close to the water, I was creaming along at a good 7 knots, I was starting to round up a bit if the wind caught me on a wave crest so put a few rolls in the genoa.
The course shaped up quite well and I entered the Grand Rade West around 13:00, it wasn’t quite the haven that I expected with the wind creating quite a chop, had to wait till the inner harbour to drop the sails and set fenders etc. . . . . I managed to sleep most of Friday afternoon and all night!
The return
Alarm set for 03:30 for a 4 o’clock departure, as the wind had been blowing hard across the pontoon I had asked Fireball if he would assist my departure, I suspected that as soon as I dropped my lines I would be blown across into the adjacent boat, he was as good as his word but the wind on the pontoon had died. Motor sailed with all sails up for about an hour till the wind had picked up but then I could only make about 15 degrees West of my intended course. The hope was then to tack with the East going tide but progress was good with the wind picking up to 23 knots, at which point I put a couple of rolls into the genoa. That was as good as it got as the wind then dropped off somewhat, I took the opportunity and tucked into a mid afternoon egg, bacon, tomato and fried bread.
When the tide turned I found myself South of Lulworth and 20 miles down wind of Poole! Tacking would have not got me a lot closer to Poole as there wasn’t enough East current to significantly up my speed. Nothing else for it but to roll up the genoa and motor in, passing the chain ferry just after 17:00 and picking up the mooring at 18:30.
In my book, a good weekends sail and a great Saturday evening out.
Leave work an hour or so early on Thursday, home, change and down to boat in time to get down the river on the last half of the second HW. Pick up a mooring down in Poole, have a sleep and leave about 04:00 Friday.
The reality
I didn’t get away from work early so arrived at the boat about an hour late. The NE wind was blowing the boat into the river bank so the ‘bank side’ keel had grounded. Nothing for it but to prepare the boat for leaving and go to bed. First HW Friday was about 01:00 and Second about 06:00, set the alarm for 03:00 and slept.
Woke at midnight and felt refreshed so decided to get going, the boat was still into the reeds on the bank and afloat, but the jack line between the fore and aft buoys was under the hull and could foul the prop when leaving. The remedy is to put out a small kedge anchor, a little Danforth with a meter of heavy chain and rope from the sheet winch across the river, so I can pull the back end out. Got the anchor deployed from the dingy then took up some tension on the winch to bed it in and allow room to leave the dingy on the mooring. Let go the mooring lines and winched in the kedge, all went well, the back of the boat cleared the mooring, went into reverse and the kedge broke out with a hard pull.
Started down the river at about 01:30, the moon was clear but I still needed a torch to differentiate the port from starboard sticks (red have one reflective circle of tape, green have two), got round the bends and onto the straight bit, set the autohelm and hoisted the main. I had taken heed of the forecast and put two reefs in, I didn’t bother with the mizzen.
Crossed Poole chain ferry at 03:00 so at least an hour ahead of plan. Unrolled full genoa but not enough wind to do better than 3 knots so kept the motor on, considered shaking out the main but decided to wait. Out near Old Harry the wind picked up so killed the engine and all was peace.
By dawn, I noticed (on waking from a snooze) that the wind had steadily picked up and the starboard toe rail was quite close to the water, I was creaming along at a good 7 knots, I was starting to round up a bit if the wind caught me on a wave crest so put a few rolls in the genoa.
The course shaped up quite well and I entered the Grand Rade West around 13:00, it wasn’t quite the haven that I expected with the wind creating quite a chop, had to wait till the inner harbour to drop the sails and set fenders etc. . . . . I managed to sleep most of Friday afternoon and all night!
The return
Alarm set for 03:30 for a 4 o’clock departure, as the wind had been blowing hard across the pontoon I had asked Fireball if he would assist my departure, I suspected that as soon as I dropped my lines I would be blown across into the adjacent boat, he was as good as his word but the wind on the pontoon had died. Motor sailed with all sails up for about an hour till the wind had picked up but then I could only make about 15 degrees West of my intended course. The hope was then to tack with the East going tide but progress was good with the wind picking up to 23 knots, at which point I put a couple of rolls into the genoa. That was as good as it got as the wind then dropped off somewhat, I took the opportunity and tucked into a mid afternoon egg, bacon, tomato and fried bread.
When the tide turned I found myself South of Lulworth and 20 miles down wind of Poole! Tacking would have not got me a lot closer to Poole as there wasn’t enough East current to significantly up my speed. Nothing else for it but to roll up the genoa and motor in, passing the chain ferry just after 17:00 and picking up the mooring at 18:30.
In my book, a good weekends sail and a great Saturday evening out.
. Engine off after 5 minutes to get clear and carry on.
sort out the boat ready to go - go back to check LiB - yup - up, but with no wind he was happy to sort himself out ...
