Solent Schooner

richgiddens

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Hi all,
out in the Solent at the w/end and saw a fantastic looking schooner: anyone know what she's called and how does one get a ride?
Also, there were two guys stationed out on the bowsprit: what is it they do exactly apart from arrive a bit early to book a table at the pub?
 
Also, there were two guys stationed out on the bowsprit: what is it they do exactly apart from arrive a bit early to book a table at the pub?

Can't speak for that particular vessel, but the usual reason to be out on a bowsprit is to set and stow jibs. If racing, perhaps they could also be lookouts to help make sure the bow will clear other competitors in close-quarter manoeuvering.

Pete
 
We saw the boat several times and they were there each time. They seemed to be involved with tacking the three headsails
 
They seemed to be involved with tacking the three headsails

There's your answer then. I assume the sails are rigged fairly close together so that, like a baby-stay, they tend to hang up on each other. Someone to haul down on the foot to swing the clew past the luff of the next one inboard would speed up the tack.

Pete
 
Hi all,
out in the Solent at the w/end and saw a fantastic looking schooner: anyone know what she's called and how does one get a ride?
Also, there were two guys stationed out on the bowsprit: what is it they do exactly apart from arrive a bit early to book a table at the pub?

If it had a blue hull-IIRC- it was mentioned on a post recently about coming to the Solent from down west for a race. It could also be the one that was on Coast last night. Lovely boat!
 
Good luck on the bowsprit

Hi all,
out in the Solent at the w/end and saw a fantastic looking schooner: anyone know what she's called and how does one get a ride?
Also, there were two guys stationed out on the bowsprit: what is it they do exactly apart from arrive a bit early to book a table at the pub?

There was a famous incident, though possibly an urban myth, that the Square Rigger Astrid when manouvering in Weymouth harbour managed to kebab a Citroen 2CV with her bowsprit, in one window and out the other, shuffling it a fair distance along the quay...

I once had a go on TS Royalist, a lovely experience; a quite different thing to sailing a yacht, there was a feeling of immense power, barely contained !
 
Possibly another urban myth - if one of the chaps on the bowsprit has a partially concealed axe, his job is to disable the competition during a close pass!
 
There was a famous incident, though possibly an urban myth, that the Square Rigger Astrid when manouvering in Weymouth harbour managed to kebab a Citroen 2CV with her bowsprit, in one window and out the other, shuffling it a fair distance along the quay...

I once had a go on TS Royalist, a lovely experience; a quite different thing to sailing a yacht, there was a feeling of immense power, barely contained !
I can verify a similar incident between the Brixham Trawler Provident and a 2CV in St Malo during the 1970s. The trawler's bob stay had scraped acoss the car's bonnet while she turning. I was skipper of the schooner Hoshi at the time and received a VHF message to say that on the insurance claim form the car was Vehicle 1 and Provident was Vehicle 2!
 
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