Sunsail in the Solent

[brianhumber]

Are the Sunsail Farr 40 yachts that race in a fleet against one another in the Solent self skippered charters or do they have a Sunsail skipper onboard?

Yesterday in Cowes one wanted to berth outside of a fellow Sunsail on the pontoon in front of me and did not allow for the brisk NE wind. Therefore as he slowed down he found himself smartly alongside me on the pontoon to the rear instead. I suggested with the 15-20kts wind fenders and warps might be a good idea if they were staying but he and the crew seemed shellshocked and the skipper did not organize them at all, in fact he did not seem to be in control in any way. The wind and tide then pushed them back and they did the same to the poor RAF club folk behind us. Eventually they managed to 'tie' up along side their mates but the concept of shore lines was alien idea I noted and the yacht overhung the pontoon berthed one by several feet at the rear. Quite the most inept display I have seen in some time.

Overnight the wind had turned more beam on so I had to spring out my bow past his stern by more than 70 degrees to get my bow past him and through the wind which took a fair bit of power using a long spring. Thanks be to my 28 year old Ford XLD and a big Gori prop with loads of thrust astern, who needs bowthrusters?.
This was quite noisy at 6am on a Sunday morning but my conscience was clear. Had a cracking one tack beat back to Chichester. We were the only yacht on the water till we got off Portsmouth, the Solent at its best.

Brian

 

[Cardo]

Those Sunsail boats can be quite entertaining. But then, a lot of boats, not just in the Solent, can be rather entertaining.

Jealous of your sail, we're still in winter mode, well tied up in the marina.

 

[brokethebox]

Brian,

they can be either - don't be too harsh, we all learned from our bad experiences, and by watching others!

Sounded like a lovely sail this morning, am a bit jealous!

J

 

[Cardo]

Thinking about it, I don't suppose the skipper was Italian? We had a very similar incident last summer over in Corfu. 45ish footer Italian flagged charter boat had crossed over from Italy. Arrives in the harbour where there's only space to raft up. Not a problem. The problem is the spritely breeze that's picked up, so mooring is a little tricky.

Italian boat makes his manoeuvre, gets caught in the wind and ends up two boats down on a 30 footer. No lines, no fenders rigged. Skipper freezes up, young bit of fluff (early to mid 20's) on deck, presumably daughter, awaits instructions. I'm telling her to pass me some lines so we can at least make them fast. Girl keeps looking at dad for instructions, which aren't forthcoming. Eventually he somewhat nods, and she passes some lines (which we have to tell her to tie onto their cleats!)
Now to get him rafted onto the appropriate boat. I know had I been on the helm, it would've been an easy move. However, we ended up pretty much pulling him along two boats for him to end up rafted up to the correct boat. We tie him up, and advise him to check the lines and stick some extra springs on. He does none of this, we barely get a thanks and off out they go into town.

Gotta love the Italians!

 

[sailorman]

Brian,

they can be either - don't be too harsh, we all learned from our bad experiences, and by watching others!

Sounded like a lovely sail this morning, am a bit jealous!

J

Do they requite an ICC to charter :sleeping:

 

[Seajet]

Do they requite an ICC to charter :sleeping:

Oh yes, absolutely; that's my phrasing though, depends what ICC stands for to you !

 

[sailorman]

Oh yes, absolutely; that's my phrasing though, depends what ICC stands for to you !

Competence is mentioned i think but not sure as i dont have one

 

[Seajet]

That's not my version when referring to Sunsail.

 

[sailorman]

I believe some to be merchant bankers on holiday

 

[Boat441]

Do they requite an ICC to charter :sleeping:

I believe the requirement is a credit card!!! They don't call them "sunsail bumper boats" for nothing.

Best avoided in my experience! What'd one try and leave the yacht haven last weekend only to end up t boned on the end of a pontoon; no surprise to everybody watching given the tide that was running and pushing them nicely into the end if the pontoon!!!

 

[sailorman]

I believe the requirement is a credit card!!! They don't call them "sunsail bumper boats" for nothing.

Best avoided in my experience! What'd one try and leave the yacht haven last weekend only to end up t boned on the end of a pontoon; no surprise to everybody watching given the tide that was running and pushing them nicely into the end if the pontoon!!!

I suppose they are more readily acceptable, colour if the colour is right

 

[burgundyben]

I believe the requirement is a credit card!!!

Here is the requirement from the Sunsail website. Took me an age to find it. It strikes me, from what I have seen of Sunsail around the Solent, that either Sunsail are not inforcing their own requirements, charter skippers are lying or the ICC and Dayskipper needs a review.

We also offer products where we do not provide Company staff. Where your arrangements do not include Company staff, prior to the commencement date of your arrangements, you must submit to the Company in writing a list of the persons specified on your Confirmation Invoice (or on any Amendment Invoice issued) as being persons participating in the charter who will crew the yacht as skipper and the 1st mate. Yachts must not be sailed single-handed and the 1st mate should be fit and qualified to RYA Competent Crew standard or equivalent. It is a requirement that in the UK cruising areas, the 1st Mate must be over 18 years of age. The Solent and all other UK destinations are a Level 3 sailing area and the skipper must have at least 20 days or 400 miles experience in tidal waters as skipper on an equivalent size yacht or RYA Day Skipper Qualification with experience to a higher level or RYA Coastal Skipper Qualification or ICC Qualification with experience to a higher level. For arrangements involving racing, the skipper and 1st mate must also have racing miles in tidal waters logged in their position as skipper/1st mate (as applicable). The skipper and 1st mate must ensure they travel with their relevant sailing certificates i.e. RYA, ICC or other. These important documents must be presented with your boat papers to the Port Police upon request.

 

[Seajet]

I don't see any requirement to actually show these qualifications to Sunsail, which might explain a lot; it still leaves the mystery of their own skippers though.

 

[Twister_Ken]

These important documents must be presented with your boat papers to the Port Police upon request.

Please sir, anyone know who or what the port police are?

 

[Seajet]

Please sir, anyone know who or what the port police are?

Giblets could tell you I'm sure ( he wasn't one but worked / works alongside them ).

I must admit when I read that arse-covering epistle from Sunsail I smiled at the vision of Sunsail charter types earnestly flagging down the MOD Police boats and waving bits of paper at them...

 

[jac]

Please sir, anyone know who or what the port police are?

I can see scumsail recruiting people now to fill the role of port police so their Ts &Cs are correct.

More important. Will there be Starboard police as well??

 

[dslittle]

I don't see any requirement to actually show these qualifications to Sunsail, which might explain a lot; it still leaves the mystery of their own skippers though.

I have chartered/raced Sunsail boat as skipper and never been required to show any bits of paper. That being said we have never won anything (or hit anything...)

 

[han34]

There is no requirement in the UK to have any qualifications or experience to operate a pleasure boat. This right is passionately defended by the RYA and the vast majority of pleasure sailors. So why should a charter company be criticised for encouraging this freedom?.

 

[sailorman]

There is no requirement in the UK to have any qualifications or experience to operate a pleasure boat. This right is passionately defended by the RYA and the vast majority of pleasure sailors. So why should a charter company be criticised for encouraging this freedom?.

allowing inexperienced crews hiring a large large powerful yacht, most of us started small & worked up

 

[Seajet]

sailorman,

quite.

The only decent or considerate thing Sunsail do is by accident, putting big corporate style stickers on their bows; so when I see a gaggle of them I know they will very likely have charter parties aboard with the office boss deciding this weekend he's Jack Aubrey, or a yoof who has just fast-tracked to a ticket.

Either way I see the stickers and think ' thanks for the tip ' and plan evasive action, quite possibly involving avoiding any smaller harbour if it looks like they're going there.