Sure is blowing out there !

Left Newhaven winter berth last Friday week for Chi. Took till Wednesday to moderate enough to leave the harbour - in thick (100 m) fog. No wind or vis to Littlehampton and no chance of hitting the Looe Channel in that muck. I am still stuck here at Arun Yacht Club where unlucky members were hoping to do a mass crane-in last Saturday but impossible to contemplate. Midweek looks a bit more opportune.

<hr width=100% size=1>A day not spent on my boat is a day in my life wasted.
 
One yacht blown over at the new Lowestoft Harbour marina. The mast had hit the catamaran next to it and broken the mast. The cradle didn't look very substantial but I couldn't see clearly from the other side of the river.


<hr width=100% size=1>Richard
 
Re:was 50kts + out in the Solent today....

Storm. Spinnaker. I thought the whole point was that these two were mututally exclusive...

Explain please!

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://kilkerr.members.easyspace.com/santateresa_pics.htm>Santa Teresa and other t'ings</A>
 
Went to check my boat up at Tide Mill Harbour Saturday, Shotley sounds better on the "angle of heel".

Air forced out of older fenders with pressure , and looking across at other boats you realised the angles.

Sunday a.m. one catamaran left, nothing else moving.

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Much calmer today here at Shotley, so we'll be making a dash for Woodbridge - hopefully back in the Tidemill before long. I've been into the Bristol Arms, and the Shipwreck, more than is healthy, and getting a bit bored of the Shotley Peninsula now - not to mention the visitors berth eating away the antifouling fund!

/<

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.crystaltwo.co.uk/>Crystal II in Pictures</A>
 
I saw that too I think then - we were in Kip and saw someone out there - was not jealous I have to say - great sight from dry land

Noise in Kip was deafening and you no longer had to walk down to the pontoons the tide was that high!!

Spectacular but glad to be ashore

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We sailed back down to Ardrosssan from Tarbert on Saturday, initially with no wind, but finally with a following wind of 40 knots +! That's as high as the scale goes, I suspect it was well above that.
With 20-25 knots apparent on or just abaft the beam, we had full main and a reef in the genny. We made a consistent 10 knots but frequently topped 12 while the seas were still small. Once the wind and waves got right up off Arran we ended up flying about 6 feet of genny only. I must say that the cat motion is very alarming with huge, short waves.
Later, with mill running plus a scrap of genny, we charged downwind at 12 - 14 knots. I had mentioned the "12 knots and wife making curry" post to my mate, and true to form at this point he handed me a steaming plate of chicken curry. I got about half of it down then the plate slid off the engine console and deposited the rest down his leg, which serves him right.
We saw no other boats and we sure as hell didn't go back out! Everything in the marina (except the cat) was lying at amazing angles.

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Sunday we had a great sail in the Solent. It's an opportunity to experience the windy weather without the heavy swell. We did get pulled over by QHM Portsmouth and shortly afterwards by Police Launch for cutting across the bows of HMS Southampton. Apparently the Commander was livid but we must have had at least 800m clearance. (I thought the exclusion zone was 500m.) We were dry and feeling very safe in the cockpit of the boat whilst the officer on the front of the Police Launch who was trying to get my details was absolutely soaking as the waves broke over his foredeck.

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Quote on the VHF yesterday:

"Race Commitee can you tell me the wind strength as my windex has just blown off"

Shortly afterwards they cancelled and sent us all in for an early beer.

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Re:was 50kts + out in the Solent today....

Smaller spinnaker - much heavier material - and much buttock clenching...

John

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Re:was 50kts + out in the Solent today....

Perhaps a pair of storm underpants can also be ordered from the chandlers with reinforcement and leg seals.

Chris

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