I stole a day out in the Solent

[Firefly625]

..........the story goes, Woking beer festival Saturday night with a friend who isn't local so was staying over with us, he has a Binliner 285 on the Thames. At some point during the beer haze I mentioned to him that I had thought of shooting down to the boat on Sunday to check its all OK. Next day woke with a headache and my mate asking if I was still up for a trip down to the boat, if so he had had permission from his SWMBO to tag along. A race down to Hamble & slipped the mooring before 11am, blue sky and a low sun and short sleeve shirts, the remnants of the storm that had apparently recorded gusts of 100mph at the Needles on Saturday was barely evident apart from a bit of a lumpy sea as we cruised at 18knots across to Cowes.....It felt like a stolen day, one to remember.

...anyone else get out?

 

[Nautorius]

Yes,

Got out Sundayfrom Gibraltar. The weather was 22 degrees and Sunny, wind variable 5-12knots and it was great. I was wearing shorts and a T shirt in November and the only issue was horrendous fog! Quickly remembered all my Radar training and was happy I had a fully integrated Raymarine kit with all bells and whistles.

Paul

 

[poltergeist]

Firefly, that indeed was a stolen day - I was working out in it on Saturday night & Sunday morning (right on Southampton water), and the weather was bloody horrendous!

 

[Firefly625]

Firefly, that indeed was a stolen day - I was working out in it on Saturday night & Sunday morning (right on Southampton water), and the weather was bloody horrendous!

I bet it was! My parents boat is on the hard at Hamble Point, first boat in from the shoreline so right in line with the full force of the wind (so not marina side). They went down on Saturday to check their winter cover was still hanging on and although it was it needed re-securing. Trying to get on the boat my Dad was being blown off the ladder! & the whole boat (48ft Contest) was swaying in its metal cradle......eek

 

[Firefly625]

Yes,

Got out Sundayfrom Gibraltar. The weather was 22 degrees and Sunny, wind variable 5-12knots and it was great. I was wearing shorts and a T shirt in November and the only issue was horrendous fog! Quickly remembered all my Radar training and was happy I had a fully integrated Raymarine kit with all bells and whistles.

Paul

Hi Paul, ..........22 degrees and sunny............ you know, you can really go off someone!

.........at least it was foggy!

 

[Nautorius]

Hi Paul, ..........22 degrees and sunny............ you know, you can really go off someone!

.........at least it was foggy!

I Know,

But having had a boat at hamble point over the winter of 2007/2008 we had many great days out. I reckon I found about 7 lost days in one winter alone! Great to you for using her!

Paul

 

[strakeryrius]

Concerned by the reports of 100 mph gusts off the Needles and such bad weather everywhere I dashed down to Poole to check the boat Sunday morning. Woke to a clear calm day - lovely blue skies and sunshine. I couldn't resist it - took the boat out and blatted around the harbour, up the Wareham channel and chanced it out to Old Harry. Great fun whizzing around the harbour at 30 knots now that the summer speed limit is relaxed.

Out of the harbour entrance the swell was quite big, but it wasn't choppy so lots of wave jumping and masses of spray - great to get an unexpected boaty fix after the horrendous day only 24 hrs before.

 

[strakeryrius]

Just downloaded a few of the pics I took from my phone:

View back across the harbour from the Wareham Channel

I had the moorings all to myself at Studland and the view was fantastic.

Scarcely creditable that this was only 24 hours after the pics of the area that were posted in the stormy weather thread yesterday.

 

[mainshiptom]

great pictures !

Tom

 

[Solitaire]

Yes,

Got out Sundayfrom Gibraltar. The weather was 22 degrees and Sunny, wind variable 5-12knots and it was great. I was wearing shorts and a T shirt in November

Hmm, I was a bit further east and a bit south - 38 degrees.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muxfWNb98P0


Oh and the fuel was very reasonably priced:

Translated that's £22.74!

 

[Firefly625]

Concerned by the reports of 100 mph gusts off the Needles and such bad weather everywhere I dashed down to Poole to check the boat Sunday morning. Woke to a clear calm day - lovely blue skies and sunshine. I couldn't resist it - took the boat out and blatted around the harbour, up the Wareham channel and chanced it out to Old Harry. Great fun whizzing around the harbour at 30 knots now that the summer speed limit is relaxed.

Out of the harbour entrance the swell was quite big, but it wasn't choppy so lots of wave jumping and masses of spray - great to get an unexpected boaty fix after the horrendous day only 24 hrs before.

...when the weather is that good its wonderful being the only bugger out on the water. I used to love Poole harbour come 1st October, great fun flying about!! There's quite often a few power boat races at the approach to Wareham channel this time of year...