'rassed by the rozzers and messed about by a queen - in Portsmouth of course

[solent clown]

This morning we set out from Southampton, bright eyed and full of morning optimism we arrived outside the Jolly Roger, Gosport at 8am.
It was at this point my lack of forward planning revealed that the river taxi did not start work until 9am. Oops.
It eventually arrived around 9.30, and we loaded all our kit on board, a lot of "just in case" stuff for the first trip in an unknown boat, plus provisions, and of course a hip flask or two. At 10am, two hours later than planned we were finally ready to cast off. It was a windy day, and a tight spot to get out of, so I had the engine running. No sooner were we loose than I discovered the engine morse control was seized (it wasnt when checked last week!) drifting towards other boats brute force got the thing in gear, and we motored clear. Straight away we decided to change our original "mostly motor" plan and hoisted just the jib initially.
We were good to go, so with a cheery farewell to Gosport we were on our merry way, a tad late bit still ok.
Within a minute a police flubber had rounded up on us and forced us to a stop as the Navy's newest and stunning looking carrier was about to be moved and the channel was shut. An hour of pootling up and down, which did help us get a tad more familiar with the boat, and finally we managed to get out, dodge the ferry, and onwards, we were at last on our way.
The rest of the trip was less eventful, apart from the snow. As in another thread, yes bothered by it, very cold, but beautiful at times. The wife retreated to the cabin and I was left alone to marvel as I watched the snow approach in a dull grey fug , blanketing the horizon and giving rise to the fantasy of being offshore or sailing in to Valhalla. The sense of loneliness was enhanced by our splendid isolation, with only one other yacht daft enough to be out there with us it was an easy relaxed sail back, sometimes on motor, the gusts providing some exhilarating moments. Upon arrival in the Itchen we had to moor to the "hammerhead" inflate the flubber and row over to the marina.
Time and tide truly await no man.

 

[TC Tuckton]

Well done! Time to get warm now and inspect the contents of the hip flasks.

 

[solent clown]

the worst bit was hopping on a train then a bus back to Gosport this evening to pick up the car, but the wife got "flashed" just outside Netley when we were on the train - some brave lunatic on the embankment, much to the merriment of everyone else on the carriage was her comment on his "ardent pose" upon spying him resplendent in the chill, pants about his knees, and apparently his top about his nipples, through the window.
It has been a funny old day

 

[Mrssolentclown]

Have never suffered from sea sickness until today (apart from time aged 13 on ferry to France school exchange) so quite concerned was it actually sea sickness or my usual panic head scared of anything outside my safety zone?
Still feeling like I'd do it again even feeling sick. It's also made me feel like learning more about reading the weather - any good book recommendations?
Thank you once again for all the help and advice we have been given from you old sea dogs. It is much appreciated I now get an hour a night to crochet whilst he chats away on this forum - brilliant thanks x
I'm not as confident with a new boat as the old man and I think that's what made me feel sick that and the weather too.
The maniac was in full element laughing and enjoying the whole sail back.
Was a great adventure bringing home the new boat and hopefully we will have more to come in her I'm already planning a change to the interior soft furnishings.
X

 

[steveeasy]

Cool, Glad you enjoyed your trip. Wish I had the same enthusiasm to get out this time of year. Might brave the weather after the weekend.

Steveeasy

 

[solent clown]

Cool, Glad you enjoyed your trip. Wish I had the same enthusiasm to get out this time of year. Might brave the weather after the weekend.

Steveeasy

it was more about this being the best day for quite a while than enthusiasm. We needed to get the boat back to Southampton, and weather to come would have made it more difficult. I had a whale of a time learning the new boat but it would have been more pleasant above freezing

 

[Mister E]

If you were down below and crocheting then focusing on that could be the cause. I get seasick on the IOW ferry but take Stugeron and that helps. Plus you do get used to the motion of the boat.

A certain Mr Nelson got seasick as well, so you are in good company,

 

[johnalison]

it was more about this being the best day for quite a while than enthusiasm. We needed to get the boat back to Southampton, and weather to come would have made it more difficult. I had a whale of a time learning the new boat but it would have been more pleasant above freezing

Now that we know your real name, 'the maniac', perhaps you ought to change your username to avoid confusion.

 

[prv]

The maniac was in full element laughing

At first I thought this line was going to be about the flasher.

Pete

 

[Topcat47]

See you in Cherbourg, next September?

 

[MOBY2]

Morning, congratulations and glad you get her back safe and sound, have been out in the snow and ice a few times and although very picturesque the novelty does soon wear off... sorry about the train incident yesterday, as I couldn`t make the trip thought I would give you a wave from the embankment as you sped past... on a positive note you shouldn`t need Radar as your eyesight is obviously very good.

 

[solent clown]

Morning, congratulations and glad you get her back safe and sound, have been out in the snow and ice a few times and although very picturesque the novelty does soon wear off... sorry about the train incident yesterday, as I couldn`t make the trip thought I would give you a wave from the embankment as you sped past... on a positive note you shouldn`t need Radar as your eyesight is obviously very good.

getting her back was all a bit spur of the moment, Karen had a day off, and the weather only looked to be getting worse, so we just went for it. Schlepping back for the car afterwards was a real drag.
Rowing a flubber sat in an inflatable thwart (and with no wooden floor) was an absolute pig of a job, fortunately it was only a few hundred yards, but probably the most demanding part of the whole day. Modifications required, suggestions welcome

 

[solent clown]

Now that we know your real name, 'the maniac', perhaps you ought to change your username to avoid confusion.

mate, she has several names for me, none of them very flattering

 

[Iain C]

It was a windy day, and a tight spot to get out of, so I had the engine running. No sooner were we loose than I discovered the engine morse control was seized (it wasnt when checked last week!) drifting towards other boats brute force got the thing in gear, and we motored clear. .

The last thing I do before I cast off is just check that I have forward and astern drive...it's a 5 second job but well worth doing! Sounds like quite a trip...congrats!!

 

[solent clown]

The last thing I do before I cast off is just check that I have forward and astern drive...it's a 5 second job but well worth doing! Sounds like quite a trip...congrats!!

yes was my mistake, must hold my hands up for that. We were fortunate not to hit anything. I will not be maikng the same error again It was a good trip, Karen got scared when the wind picked up and I refused to reef, it was just too much fun. She perked up towards the end, and it was a really good day. There are always so many anxieties with an untried boat, but we knew the wind was with us all the way - even if it was whistling a Siberian folk tune through the shrouds as we ploughed on

 

[jac]

The last thing I do before I cast off is just check that I have forward and astern drive...it's a 5 second job but well worth doing! Sounds like quite a trip...congrats!!

YUp - me too. Learned that the hard way about 15 years ago on the buoys in Lymington.

 

[Seajet]

The last thing I do before I cast off is just check that I have forward and astern drive...it's a 5 second job but well worth doing! Sounds like quite a trip...congrats!!

Solent Clown,

that's nothing.

I remember reading about a blue water boat where the skipper took the wheel off to make room for cockpit parties, as they spent long times in one place.

Guess what he forgot before setting off...had to weave between boats with mole grips on the steering shaft.

 

[Iain C]

yes was my mistake, must hold my hands up for that. We were fortunate not to hit anything. I will not be maikng the same error again

Oh, and you're also looking for actual drive/propwash, not just a free lever! I had a serious squeaky bum moment leaving the fuelling pontoon in Gosport single handed. Cast off, into gear, nothing. The boat then turned on she was 90 degrees to the pontoon, and my 27' boat seemed to drift sideways along what felt like a 30' gap between the fuelling pontoon and the Clipper yachts. They had a load of very new looking crew on what was probably induction day one who just stood and looked without any movement or grabbing of fenders. I then realised that I was going to miss all of that lot (doing about 3 knots sideways on the tide) but was going to end up hitting Rambler 88 broadside on in the transom as she was moored on that special superyacht pontoon behind the breakwater. It was all going to be very very embarassing...partly due to the audience, partly as she was about 27' wide, and partly as I was expecting to read "Rambler 88 Fastnet campaign over due to dockside collision with 4KSB in port" on Sailing Anarchy the next morning.

Fortunatly at that very point my (unbeknown to me at the time) extremely worn clutch cone decided to bite at that moment and my boat shot forward in the desired direction of travel and everyone lived happily ever after. Apart from my undercrackers.

And yes, I did sort the gearbox issue sharpish after that little episode!

 

[MOBY2]

Had a similar one myself taking a 32ft wooden crabber about 16 tons through the Birdham pool lock, had to keep a bit of way on as fresh wind broadside, knocked her out of gear ... all ok...put her astern... nothing... luckily a fwd set of controls up on the slave hauler console, ran from the wheelhouse up fwd like a young gazelle and put her astern... luckily it engaged and with a lot of revs stopped about 2 inches short of the gate, amazing how quick those gates come up on you ....eyes like dinner plates but very relieved to say the least, glad you got her home ok.

 

[Tam Lin]

YUp - me too. Learned that the hard way about 15 years ago on the buoys in Lymington.

Yep, me too, back in the day. Cast off and the gear lever was frozen. Got swept back onto the next buoy before I could get any sail up. Fortunately it was empty and the boat got caught on his tender rope between the saildrive and the bilge keels. Tender one side of me, mooring buoy the other. Took a little while to sort that mess out and spoilt my day. Freed the lever and it always worked ok after that. I did test it though every time we went out!