October sailing at it's best

Robin

Robin

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October sailing at it\'s best

Just had a long weekend, sailed across Channel in shirt sleeves, F4 westerly and 9 hours Poole to Cherbourg despite going the scenic route. Then lunch in shirt sleeves outside in pavement cafe and drinks in the cockpit with friends in daylight until 1945, albeit French time. PLEASE let us not change our clocks! Then sail back to Poole a day earlier than planned in 8 hours (yeehah) in East F6/7 and wicked seas, (forecast 4/5) in order to miss the expected East 5/6 next day, forecasts, smorcasts. Still warm though, despite getting soaked when the first wave dropped by, and then for the second time in 5 years had to put the sprayhood up at sea. The scatter cushions fell on the floor, a pencil jumped off the chart table and SWMBO could only manage hot soup and Ham & Egg pie salad for lunch all a bit much really, maybe we should considera MAB. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Re: October sailing at it\'s best

Sounds like an ideal weekend's sail...
Will you be reporting the Scatter cushions and pencil issues to the appropriate authorities?
 
Re: October sailing at it\'s best

I didn't realise the went up and down. There are boats on the lake with them as permanant features.
 
Re: October sailing at it\'s best

Some friends made the same trip in a very pricey MAB with impeccable pedigree and had water get below despite the sprayhood and leaks from both deck hatches and opening ports. Like us they also were caught sans oilies...

The seas were really nasty even with neap tides and for some reason easterlies always seem much worse than westerlies in the Channel, I don't know why. We were exactly beam on to the seas which is not the best I think, the true wind was on the beam but apparent varied from 50-60 degs. Waves were breaking regularly and the spray blowing very impressively off them too.

We always used to sail with the hood up on earlier boats but this one normally is very dry and we have got accustomed to not using it and having much better visibilty. Our previous boat with a centre cockpit had the helmsman standing right where the spray landed but maybe the aft cockpit and being farther back on a bigger boat keeps us dryer nowadays, there is still plenty of spray not least because we go a lot faster, but it (usually) doesn't quite reach!
 
Re: October sailing at it\'s best

[ QUOTE ]

Will you be reporting the Scatter cushions and pencil issues to the appropriate authorities?

[/ QUOTE ]

I did and she said did I want hot soup in my lap?
 
Re: October sailing at it\'s best

[ QUOTE ]
The seas were really nasty even with neap tides and for some reason easterlies always seem much worse than westerlies in the Channel, I don't know why

[/ QUOTE ] I've wondered about this one. Always assumed that the easterly wind fights the remnants of an Atlantic swell that has been driven by predominant westerlys, forcing up quite a nasty chop.
 
Re: October sailing at it\'s best

I agree about the aft cockpit keeping most of the spray off. However, when beating into a F6 with wave heights to match the distance between the wave being hit by the bow and the wave landing is nicely at head height at the helm position as the solid lump of water neatly clears the sprayhood and descends /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
Re: October sailing at it\'s best

This is exactly what we experience on our boat! No need to have the spray hood up as most of the spray clears it, in fact if I weren't stood at the helm, most of it would finish up clearing the cockpit completely!
 
Re: October sailing at it\'s best

Robin

I know you enthuse about your Jeanneau Sun Legende 41 and this current post got me Googling to have a look at one! They certainly look very sound boats indeed and not what I would call an AWB!
 
Re: October sailing at it\'s best

Which is why a windvane is quite a pleasant thing to look back on as you sit under the dodger reading..
Actually, the last time I went sailing in the Solent,''racing'' 6 metres in f4/5 I reckon I was borderline hypothermic and hardly able to trim a sheet after 2 wet races
 
Re: October sailing at it\'s best

Agree let the windvane or autopilot do the work in that kind of crap. Although did manage to get a neck-full of green water when adjusting course at helming position..... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
Re: October sailing at it\'s best

[ QUOTE ]
I know you enthuse about your Jeanneau Sun Legende 41 and this current post got me Googling to have a look at one! They certainly look very sound boats indeed and not what I would call an AWB!

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes I know I do go on a bit about them don't I but they really are good. They come from the time when there were still proper cruiser/racers and Jeanneau in particular used famous name designers before sending the prototypes off to do transats like OSTAR or campaigned them on the race circuits. The really good bit is that they are very affordable despite their size and ours at nearly 20 years old has stood the teat of time very well. Others from the same era are the Sun Fizz, Sun Kiss, Sun Magic, Sun Shine

Pic of an early one below

gp154a.jpg
 
Re: October sailing at it\'s best

'the teat of time'?

a new sailing term?

Actually, I'm green with envy and at least you know I read your postings thoroughly. You lucky pair, you.
 
Re: October sailing at it\'s best

[ QUOTE ]
'the teat of time'?

a new sailing term?

Actually, I'm green with envy and at least you know I read your postings thoroughly. You lucky pair, you.

[/ QUOTE ]

Susy, is that a pair of teats then?
 
Re: October sailing at it\'s best

/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Ever since I stopped smoking I have been searching for another nipple substitute, so that's why she (the boat) gives such pleasure!
 
Re: October sailing - and not yet over!

Rumour has it that the natives are already prepared for Chris's land-based assault on Lymington at the end of the month, so how about a surprise sea-borne attack?

PM Chris_E for details if you're still in commission.
 
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