Rounding the Raz?

[Duffer]

There is a charming tradition that when you pass north of Ardnamurchan in the west of Scotland you can tie a bunch of heather to your pulpit. Is there any similar tradition for rounding the equally large headlands to Southern Brittany? (I trust it's not a string of onions!)

 

[jhr]

I believe that, once you've rounded the Raz, it's traditional to say "Thank Christ that's over"! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[jjj]

I agree, that's exactly what I said earlier this year when I went through it with the Family on board.

 

[tcm]

The \"raz\"

well, i went through this actually flippin massive thoroughfdare (yet so-called ooer argh "gap") and it is no problem even for a numpty like me. I think that the name makes it sound oo all v dangerous. The requiremnt is therefore to grip the Almanac tightly whilst the crew all ask "Is that it?" for the next ten minutes.

 

[ColinHuggins]

Re: The \"Raz\" - a Wimp\'s solution?

Hang on guys, IF you found it like a maelstrom (and I have pics on the wall showing it so*, definitely NOT to be taken lightly) then you'd be braggin here about how you survived - assuming you did of course!

One of you gurus has a postscript about sailng being boring - and that's just how I want it thro the Raz and the Four thank you. I've often gone the extra mile outside to avoid that corner in gales or fog and if you are prudent, so will you.

Better to fight another day . . .

* You must have seen them for sale in ritzy galleries like Port Solent - awesome!

 

[savageseadog]

Do you go on the Raz

 

[LadyInBed]

Re: The \"Raz\" - a Wimp\'s solution?

It's like Portland or, I guess, any other large headland, like a pussy (on a calm day at the right time)!
But pick the wrong day . . . . /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[Twister_Ken]

Re: The \"Raz\" - a Wimp\'s solution?

May I suggest attaching either a Breton cap or an empty Calavados bottle to your pulpit. Or perhaps a Géant supermarket trolley.

 

[Blueboatman]

Re: The \"Raz\" - a Wimp\'s solution?

OK,Since we're playing 'i'm a hard b--strd and can sail through any Raz' time,here's one:
10 years ago I took my Corribee through the Portland Race inner passage one early Sunday morning,having been in Weymouth for 4 days awaiting..
Timed it right, slack water at the Bill but 20 knots from the West,no hint of Northerly in it,,so going to have to tack through with the first 1/2 knot of west going tide just starting..Its sunny and breezy and lumpy and the gap seems to be er not really there..Luffing nicely through,then one nasty wave literally jumps up and breaks at boats bow, falls into the cockpit,boat being only one ton is pushed backwards by the momentum of the wave-and we are already in the lighter coloured water -say 25 feet-from ther rocks..F-ck,f-ck,f-ck The only saving grace is that I had the presence of mind to hold the tiller hard as we went backwards so the boat fell off on the 'offshore' tack,and we were carried west by the tide.
How serious was that? Well,it was Sunday morning so the airsea rescue were practising 200 yards away,when I looked up they were crabbing sideways towards me maybe expecting to do some work..The only time,including a tranatlantic,that I ever managed to flood the cockpit of that boat!
So I am with Chugginaround on this one,go the extra mile and fight another day if poss!

 

[Duffer]

Perhaps that's the answer - instead of tying heather to your pulpit you have a crate of empties in the lazarette!

We passed the Raz and Chenal Dufour in surprisingly calm conditions this year (as with Ardnamurchan many years ago) but I am sure if you don't treat them with respect they can turn round and bite you. This time we actually had much more of a slog beating back round PenMarch to Audierne.

 

[Birdseye]

Re: The \"raz\"

[ QUOTE ]
well, i went through this actually flippin massive thoroughfdare (yet so-called ooer argh "gap") and it is no problem even for a numpty like me. I think that the name makes it sound oo all v dangerous. The requiremnt is therefore to grip the Almanac tightly whilst the crew all ask "Is that it?" for the next ten minutes.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats exactly what happened to me on the way south. Coming back North however, it was the roughest half mile or so that I've ever been through! But then all major headlands / narrow channels can be like that.

 

[davidfox]

Ive done it twice this year, both at dead on low water both ways at which time it was like every other bit of water around. going north with a SW 5 and all the swell was a bit hard core for my family, all 3 kids sick for the first time ever, but going south, easy, the Four with wind over tide was a bit unpleasant even in a 4. Happy sailing

 

[Duffer]

Re: The \"raz\"

Compared to having heather tied to your pulpit, I must admit that a crate of empties lacks a certain je ne sais quoi. Faute de mieux how about a couple of asparagus tips? Then you can say you've got Brittany Spears tied to your pulpit!

What's that? A distant rumble of thunder, or can I hear the groans from here!