Help! How to get my new Sonata back to the Solent?

[LadyInBed]

All good in theory, but I had one horrendous trip that should've taken no more than 12 - 14 hours that ended up taking 28.

Which bit of the UK coast were you sailing along?

 

[Topcat47]

Not along, across. I misjudged the tides, there was an adverse wind shift and I was trying to get home in time to make a flight to the USA. Murphey intervened BIGTIME.

 

[LadyInBed]

Not along, across. I misjudged the tides, there was an adverse wind shift and I was trying to get home in time to make a flight to the USA. Murphey intervened BIGTIME.

Not quite the same situation then, as nowhere to pull in to for the night! There are ports to pull in to around Lyme Bay and East of the Bill.
I once left Dartmouth after the regatta into an Easterly F4 I kept going and it built to a good 5 (I was in a 22 footer). I realised that I would miss the tide for the Bill and it wouldn't be very nice in those conditions so I diverted to Lyme Regis and tied up along the wall, then continued the next day when things had settled.

 

[jac]

Not quite the same situation then, as nowhere to pull in to for the night! There are ports to pull in to around Lyme Bay and East of the Bill.
I once left Dartmouth after the regatta into an Easterly F4 I kept going and it built to a good 5 (I was in a 22 footer). I realised that I would miss the tide for the Bill and it wouldn't be very nice in those conditions so I diverted to Lyme Regis and tied up along the wall, then continued the next day when things had settled.

Once took 22 hours in a Sonata from Falmouth to Plymouth. God was it boring but we all slept a lot. not enough wind to get into anywhere so we stayed out doin maybe a knot.

 

[MissFitz]

Once again, many thanks to everyone. Tips from Sonata people especially helpful, thanks Motor_Sailor & markhomer (among others).

As mentioned before, plan now is to go down & get everything ready this weekend for delivery after Easter. Seems to have worked out very well with the forecast - great weather for working on boats & bimbling off Brixham, less so for a long slog east.

Re the lights - I completely agree with the majority that it would be completely safe to do the trip with battery/emergency lights. However, on balance, I also agree with the view that this doesn't really meet the Colregs requirements - particularly if I do actually plan to stay out overnight. If I needed to move the boat in a hurry then I might take a more relaxed view - but as I'll have time this weekend to fit proper lights, I think I probably should.

So, basically, I've ended up agreeing with my friend (see OP) - which is handy, because it means he's now happy to do the trip. And is even coming down this weekend to help fix up the boat, & bringing a load of kit. And in the meantime I've learned loads & received lots of useful advice from very experienced forumites. Win-win!

 

[Motor_Sailor]

Although it appears you've got your heart set on JOG type adventurous racing, don't forget the benefit of sailing the Sonata as a One-Design.
The class is still very active and if you do well in the class racing, it means you are doing well on any scale.
If you do really well in the Sonata class racing, it means you are world class.

Get in with the class, and you'll find there' are often ways to borrow a trailer to get to the Nationals, etc. Copy what the good sailors do, and when you get to be level pegging with the National Champion, then look for something to give you the competitive edge. Until then, copy and learn . . . copy and learn, etc.

 

[MissFitz]

Although it appears you've got your heart set on JOG type adventurous racing, don't forget the benefit of sailing the Sonata as a One-Design.
The class is still very active and if you do well in the class racing, it means you are doing well on any scale.
If you do really well in the Sonata class racing, it means you are world class.

Get in with the class, and you'll find there' are often ways to borrow a trailer to get to the Nationals, etc. Copy what the good sailors do, and when you get to be level pegging with the National Champion, then look for something to give you the competitive edge. Until then, copy and learn . . . copy and learn, etc.

Would definitely be up for some class racing, just a shame the Nationals this year are in Belfast, probably a step too far at this stage (plus I'm already booked in for J Cup & Dartmouth Regatta, so another long weekend away from home in August might not be popular). Hopefully will be closer to home next year, by which time I might be a bit more up to speed on the boat. Meantime, class association sounds great, will get in touch with them just as soon as I get the boat back - for some reason seems like tempting fate to do so before!

 

[Judders]

There is however the Mini-Ton Cup in September at the Island Sailing Club.

 

[MissFitz]

There is however the Mini-Ton Cup in September at the Island Sailing Club.

Ooh, do I qualify for that? Fantastic, will look into it.

(It's ironic to remember that the original idea in buying this boat was to have something to bimble around the Solent in on sunny days when not racing on other people's boats. As they say, that escalated quickly.)