What a cracking little boat!

[Solitaire]

Yesterday I delivered a Princess 385 from the Hamble to Brighton. It was an "interesting" trip what with a SWF7 most of the time. Now I have helmed a few boats in my time but I have to say that for a sub 40ft Flybridge that is getting on in years this is a fabulous sea boat.

With a big following sea she took all in her stride and the new owners had a grin from ear to ear when we arrived in Brighton. Even in the shelter of the marina, the waves were breaking over the wall.

They don't build em like that any more - solid as a rock and just went through everything. Today I am on an SC35, well the wind has dropped!

 

[andy59]

A following sea though Solitaire , did you turn in to it at any point ?
BTW deffo not trying to poo poo the boat .

 

[Solitaire]

A following sea though Solitaire , did you turn in to it at any point ?
BTW deffo not trying to poo poo the boat .

Indeed a following sea - I had in fact done the sea trial a week before and did go "both ways" in similar conditions. I have to say that had it been the opposite, I would not have endured it over that distance and the trip would not have been on. But even allowing for the "well planned" trip it was still a great little boat. I told the owner we had to leave by a certain time other wise the boat was going nowhere! Though the boat would have stood it, I certainly was not going to slammed to death for hours on end with an owner and crew who had only been on the Broads!

 

[volvopaul]

The bennet hull is usually better in a head sea than a following one as the 385 has a shallow keel and can snatch in a following sea, interesting that boat I presume it was Lee,s old one in that it was re engined with the smaller Tamd41 200hp engines, as most 385 had either the TAMD60c 255hp or the 61a 306 hp motors which can give 25 to 30 knots.

What was the cruise speed of her?

 

[Solitaire]

The bennet hull is usually better in a head sea than a following one as the 385 has a shallow keel and can snatch in a following sea, interesting that boat I presume it was Lee,s old one in that it was re engined with the smaller Tamd41 200hp engines, as most 385 had either the TAMD60c 255hp or the 61a 306 hp motors which can give 25 to 30 knots.

What was the cruise speed of her?

It was Lee's old boat. Well Paul she behaved impeccably. OK, so rolled a bit when caught a beam roller but nothing to worry about. As to speed well around 22 knots was the best we got but left Hamble at 11.15 and in Brighton by 14.30. What was interesting was the fact that there is no fixed GPS on board and I had my H/H and Lee left one aboard - could either of them pick up a signal? Could they buggery and I did most of the journey by DR and just keeping the land on the left! Both H/H only picked up satellites when we were off Shoreham. Never had that before.

But I would have one for a training boat and subject to how my new venture goes, may look out for one.

 

[benjenbav]

I couldn't get a signal twixt Chichester Harbour and Portsmouth on either of two Garmin sets a year or so ago. Turned out to need a software patch.

 

[Solitaire]

I couldn't get a signal twixt Chichester Harbour and Portsmouth on either of two Garmin sets a year or so ago. Turned out to need a software patch.

The odd thing about it was that I had mine up and running the day before with no issue and as running a course out of your old marina at the weekend with no problems either.

Have you done your exam yet?

 

[volvopaul]

It was Lee's old boat. Well Paul she behaved impeccably. OK, so rolled a bit when caught a beam roller but nothing to worry about. As to speed well around 22 knots was the best we got but left Hamble at 11.15 and in Brighton by 14.30. What was interesting was the fact that there is no fixed GPS on board and I had my H/H and Lee left one aboard - could either of them pick up a signal? Could they buggery and I did most of the journey by DR and just keeping the land on the left! Both H/H only picked up satellites when we were off Shoreham. Never had that before.

But I would have one for a training boat and subject to how my new venture goes, may look out for one.

David, id be interested to hear your new venture pm if you like or pop over and see me for a beer if your about, im here now, working port solent tomorrow.