Paul&Ness
Well-Known Member
So our first year owning Fenland Dancer was a real eye opener and we had a great year. We managed to get out on the water 27 times last season but all in and around the Solent.
Earlier this year I stumbled upon a message on a forum about a cruise in company to the Channel Islands being run by Ancasta and signed right up. What a great trip, our first real trip out of the Solent and a great learning experience. I'm not going to go into detail about the cruise other than to say it was a real confidence boost. So much so that we decided to make a solo trip from Southampton the Falmouth and Mylor Hbr for our summer hols. The cruise in company and having completed the RYA Day Skippers theory course earlier in the year had made the prospect of a long journey, solo, a lot less daunting. We were blessed with excellent weather and I doubt we'll be as lucky having a two week weather window like that again. I spent many hours planning tidal flows, states of tides, departure and arrival options and then followed the plan. We cruised at a steady 15 knots each day; leaving Southampton on the Friday, overnight in Yarmouth then on to Weymouth via Lulworth Cove, overnight in Weymouth and then a wide arc round Portland Race across Lyme Bay in glorious sunshine to Brixham. Another overnight and then onto Plymouth. Three nights in Plymouth and then on to Falmouth and Mylor. Light winds, slight seas and blistering sunshine all the way. We came back via similar route but this time gave Plymouth a miss and went straight to Brixham, Weymouth and back into the Solent. The solent was as flat as a flat thing so I pushed the pedal to the metal so to speak and our 1992, Princess 368 on Twin Cummins 6BTA 5.9 M2's settled into a very comfy and smooth 30 knots (WOT) we were now running on near empty tanks, not quite in the red and not sure how much of the total fuel capacity is 'in the red', I believe total fuel capacity is around 1200 ltrs and I'm sure the gauges aren't linear. The old girl did well, very stable boat, happy to cruise at lower speeds and equally happy to stretch her legs.
Now having said all that I am wondering if the Princess Owners Club have, in the recent past, organised a Cruise in Company or just a meet somewhere? If not, is there any interest from any club members on the forum to do something...!
Earlier this year I stumbled upon a message on a forum about a cruise in company to the Channel Islands being run by Ancasta and signed right up. What a great trip, our first real trip out of the Solent and a great learning experience. I'm not going to go into detail about the cruise other than to say it was a real confidence boost. So much so that we decided to make a solo trip from Southampton the Falmouth and Mylor Hbr for our summer hols. The cruise in company and having completed the RYA Day Skippers theory course earlier in the year had made the prospect of a long journey, solo, a lot less daunting. We were blessed with excellent weather and I doubt we'll be as lucky having a two week weather window like that again. I spent many hours planning tidal flows, states of tides, departure and arrival options and then followed the plan. We cruised at a steady 15 knots each day; leaving Southampton on the Friday, overnight in Yarmouth then on to Weymouth via Lulworth Cove, overnight in Weymouth and then a wide arc round Portland Race across Lyme Bay in glorious sunshine to Brixham. Another overnight and then onto Plymouth. Three nights in Plymouth and then on to Falmouth and Mylor. Light winds, slight seas and blistering sunshine all the way. We came back via similar route but this time gave Plymouth a miss and went straight to Brixham, Weymouth and back into the Solent. The solent was as flat as a flat thing so I pushed the pedal to the metal so to speak and our 1992, Princess 368 on Twin Cummins 6BTA 5.9 M2's settled into a very comfy and smooth 30 knots (WOT) we were now running on near empty tanks, not quite in the red and not sure how much of the total fuel capacity is 'in the red', I believe total fuel capacity is around 1200 ltrs and I'm sure the gauges aren't linear. The old girl did well, very stable boat, happy to cruise at lower speeds and equally happy to stretch her legs.
Now having said all that I am wondering if the Princess Owners Club have, in the recent past, organised a Cruise in Company or just a meet somewhere? If not, is there any interest from any club members on the forum to do something...!
