Great Weekend

brianhumber

brianhumber

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Trundled over to Honfleur, nice beam reach overnight Fri/Sat, clear skys. Got to Honfleur and lock on freeflow, which was a first for me so zipped in and into inner basin in double quick time.
Honfleur was its usual busy self and great sights from the cockpit. They had some kind of canoe relay both days starting from the inner basin see the pictures on //uk.msnusers.com/brianssailing pictures.
Coming back once the sea breeze died down north of Antifier the sea was like glass but VHF was busy as you could pick up as far afield as Brixham and Dover.
Notable conversation from a Britanny ferry to some east bound freighter "you are on dangerous collision course have you been asleep on your watch" and after frieghter had altered course sharply to starboard " thank you for altering suggest you go back to school" !!!

Brian
 
Out of Hasler Sat morning onboard "Granny Knot" over to Lymington. Sunday after sausages sandwiches we made our way to Newtown where we picked up a bouy (first time every been able to do that there) and fired up the BBQ.

Monday after a full english we made for Hasler and the horrible thoughts of preparing for work.

In work now, so far it looks like I am the only one who came back ;-)

Only one Mayday from a diving vesel who had two come up rapid assent from 48ft. Followed by at least 8 "See last Mayday's"
 
Lymington was very quiet on the weekend was'nt it? The tides were not to clever over the w/e for east to west sailing, we had to leave Northney at 4.45 Sat morning to use the west bound ebb, you should have heard the moans on friday evening when the crew were told it was an early start!
 
Heard you had an terrible crossing from Yarmouth to Lymington on Sunday morning. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

BTW, your radio was working well - loud and clear - no need for a radio check for a while !!

On SUnday, we motored then sailed down to Chichester, anchored at East Head, and had a great sail back. Its amazing how quickly the Solent empties after about 1800 - we seemed to have the place to ourselves from Portsmouth back to Hythe.

A great day out - new sails worked a treat, once again.

Hope the weather lasts through September !
 
[ QUOTE ]
Heard you had an terrible crossing from Yarmouth to Lymington on Sunday morning

[/ QUOTE ]

Hee hee, it was real tough!

Thanks for monitoring my radio signal strength, bignick, I think one day I will do a radio check with CG though, just for the hell of it! As we could here Brixham, Dover, Cherbourg and St Peter Port over the weekend, maybe I'll do a radio check with one of them, yes? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Sailing back from Cowes to Poole on Monday was one of the best days of the season! F4, close hauled all the way, sunshine - magic!!
 
Pottered between Loe Beach, St Mawes, Helford, anchored for lunch off Porthscatho, to Mylor, and then explored up the Fal as far as Smugglers Cottage.

Intrigued to be able to hear Solent CG from just off St Anthonys Head announce they wouldn't be doing radio checks - we are used to hearing Brixham but have never heard Solent this far away before.
 
We left Lymington early to get the last of the ebb and had a great sail down past Hurst, tacking with a HR 36. We knew the price we would pay though, we had a slow rolly dead run then back to Chi!
 
Ran back from Beaulieu goose-winged with preventer on main and genny on spinnaker pole. Easy hands-free stuff which suited our novice guests and allowed us too cook lunch under way. Too hot for the 6 year-old though!
 
Left Beaulieu River Thursday bound for Poole/Studland. New Furling genoa (Sailspar continuous line system) jammed about Lymington. Faffed around for ages in up to 30+ knots of squalls & four thunderstorms and missed tide, so went into Newtown where we were one of six yachts moored in the east branch towards Clamerkin Lake. Sorted out furling gear. Left Newtoen at sparrowfart for Poole again. Furling gear jammed and genoa wouldn't come out. Not best conditions but better than Thursday. Frightfull embuggeration! Went back to mooring on Beaulieu - lovely morning on river! Sorted problem yet again. Left at lunch time and because of wind and tide, up to 25 knots, decided to go east. Glorious sail down East Solent slightly reefed because of previous trouble (missing helicopter crash at Prince Consort) and through the forts to St. Helens. Decided to go into Bembridge before all visitor berths taken. Approaching first bouys found genoa control line jammed solid with a riding turn inside the drum. Went about first bouy and anchored towrds Sea View with genoa flying in 25knots and five furls in it. Removed sheets and unfurled genoa manually, which was a performance, and took sail down. Motored into Bembridge, moored next to super R.N.L.I. advice chappie who couldn't have been more helpful or friendly. Dismantled part of drum and freed contol line. couln't get grub scres back into sleeve which attaches to sail slide. Sleepless night worrying about having to get boat out of the water, mast down, la, la, la! Saturday, caught early tide and motored back to Beaulieu River because wind too near the nose to make any real progress. Arrived Beaulieu about lunch time. Took drum apart again and managed to line up the grub screw holes - 4 x 3 sets of holes. Tust (sic) works next time. Also found increasing leak from stuffing box . . . Went home Saturday afternoon. Sunday and Monday glorious sailing days. Did gardening instead and got sunburned! SOD IT !!!
 
Yes, great fun up at the Elephant Boatyard too, with Bursledon's Trafalgar (superbly faked Mirrors masquerading as 3-deckers), an Old Gaffers race in near-perfect conditions and a great Monday run back to Chii.

But Thursday evening --F5/6 W –– and Fri pm -- F6 gusting 7 SSW -- were not as promised and very wet in a little ole wooden 24-footer.

Worth it though.

Chris
 
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