Crossing the channel...

[Chas25]

Well some of you will remember that last week (Wednesday) we decided there was an appropriate weather window to head over to Cherbourg for a couple of nights, the plan being to leave Thursday evening and return Saturday morning.

So how did we do... Not very well unfortunately, traffic down to the boat was worse than expected so we didn't get away till 7pm, we set off from Hamble and headed down the Western Solent, at 26kts all went very well, we rounded the needles and started to head south, things weren't too bad to start with but after 10 minutes or so we started to get a bit of spray into the cockpit. Continuing on at a now reduced speed things didn't get much better, instead of the nice rolling waves there was a fairly short chop, to make it worse the sea was coming from the SW and the wind from the NW so with us heading south I was getting a regular drenching as the wind blew the spray onto me /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

We altered course, which made things much better, but of course now we're going in the wrong direction, so given that light was limited we chose to turn back and have another go in the morning.

Ended up anchoring in Newton’s Creek (our first night on the anchor /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif) all went well no dragging so were quite chuffed!!

Woke up in the morning and headed out into the Solent.... TBC (sorry firewall blocks longer posts /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif)

 

[rickp]

A shame, but I would have done the same thing. Congrats on the first night at anchor though /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Rick

 

[Chas25]

Thanks Rick, was disapointed when we turned back, but I knew from both a safety position and a comfort position it was the only option, I had no intention of becoming a statistic!!

 

[kingfisher]

You took the right decision. Only idiots and germans stick to the plan. Did you have wind against tide?

 

[Ianj68]

What a shame, but clearly you made the right decision. Having saw your post last week and after making our maiden crossing recently I was wondering how you had got on.

Ian.

 

[Chas25]

So, Friday we got up and departed Newton's Creek, as we reached the end of the channel I opened the throttle and we began gliding across a flat Solent /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Life was very good at this point, or rather it would have been if I'd been able to steer the boat!! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Unfortunately the lack of steerage wasn't due to my incompetence but rather a lack of hydrolic fluid, this was strange as it had only been topped up two weeks earlier.

So not wanting to spend 3 hours at the helm or try crossing the channel with seriously heavy steering we decided to return to Hamble to investigate.

Turned out this was a wise move, one of the rams was leaking and we lost most of the fluid, within half an hour of returning to our berth we were lifted by Southwater marine who quickly got on with removing the rams and replacing with nice new ones, unfortunately as well as the fluid getting out the salt water had got in, so ended up with a new oil cooler as well!

Also gave me and the better half a chance to give the hull a quick clean! anyway early PM the boat was relaunched and although we'd given up by now on the idea of going to France we were keen to go out and enjoy the sun!

Disappointingly as I opened the throttles again the steering was very heavy, so again we returned, within half hour of returning the power steering pump was being removed and a new one fitted

 

[Chas25]

Not much more to say after that, the new power steering pump meant I could go back to 1 finger steering /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif so after a bit of a blat about the solent (just to check all was well!) the day ended with a bit of a bang /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Fortunately it was the Cowes fireworks rather than me hitting something /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

So not really the weekend we planned, but all ended well and I have to say a <span style="color:blue"> HUGE THANK YOU to Southwater marine</span>, before the planned trip they had already excelled, by the end of Friday one of their engineers had spent most of the day working on our boat. SO thank you David and thank you Tom and thank goodness for Volvo's two year warrenty!!!