Windy week-ends

Yup I agree with the OP. There seems to have been a general pattern over the past couple of months of good weather mid-week followed by unsettled/windy weekends. SWMBO and our youngest do not like bashing through white horses, (though the boat doesn't mind, and nor does the skipper :)) and it's been a battle this year. We've only managed about a dozen nights on-board plus a few day trips this year, which is well below par. Didn't bother this weekend - there were other options for the kids and it looked like I'd just be subjecting family to more white horses and probably rain tomoz. I did go to the boat and sort a few things this afternoon though. Last year I remember the reverse being true with a good run of settled weekends and less settled mid-week. I'm, hoping for good weather second half of August as it's loosely penciled in for boating and I would finally like to get to Dartmouth by water!
 
I've been enjoying the weather. It has been windy but exhileratingly rather than excessively so. Had a couple of superb sails in 25knts + the weekend before last and again today. Last weekend was less windy though. Get a sailyboat and make the most of our great British summer
 
Garold said:
We anchored in the Beaulieu river last night and watched the lightning late on.

Really windy there today and in spite of a desire to stay there another night, we abandoned the anchorage at about 2.30pm after sitting in half metre waves in the river. Nothing like seasickness at anchor to help make decisions.

Now we are tied up at the Folly on the Medina and it's lovely.

The pounding of the short but rough journey across from Beaulieu to Cowes actually caused our non functioning toilet to begin to work again.

Sometimes this boating lark requires dedication.

Now, if my starboard engine gauges would just miraculously come back to life as randomly as when they ceased to work I will feel entirely content..

Garold
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All this talk about wind is just that, a load of hot air, IMHO

it's been a cracking season for boating, a decent stiff breeze is what we expect in the UK
 
paul salliss said:
All this talk about wind is just that, a load of hot air, IMHO

it's been a cracking season for boating, a decent stiff breeze is what we expect in the UK
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Well, as an ex-windsurfer of 17 years, I always seeked gale force winds for the ultimate thrill, but 95% of the time the wind barely made force 4 .

This Saturday I braved taking my girls out, took it v. slowly to Priory Bay where they had a great time on the beach. Coming back all the raggies were reefed, the sea was very confused and one daughter was in tears frightened by the sea motion. Friends sailing in the western solent said they saw 30knots on their wind instruments. The kind of stiff breeze we've been having during this summers weekends are definitely not typical or expected based on the 38 years I've been sailing in the solent.

The main reason I moved to dinghy/yacht sailing was there was never enough wind for windsurfing and I was fed up waiting for it!
 
paul salliss said:
All this talk about wind is just that, a load of hot air, IMHO

it's been a cracking season for boating, a decent stiff breeze is what we expect in the UK
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+1

We've been out and about pretty much every weekend... and that's in a 19' cuddy boat.

We even anchored in Osborne Bay and were SUP boarding around in the bay for a few hours yesterday afternoon!
 
Garold said:
We anchored in the Beaulieu river last night and watched the lightning late on.

Really windy there today and in spite of a desire to stay there another night, we abandoned the anchorage at about 2.30pm after sitting in half metre waves in the river. Nothing like seasickness at anchor to help make decisions.

Now we are tied up at the Folly on the Medina and it's lovely.

The pounding of the short but rough journey across from Beaulieu to Cowes actually caused our non functioning toilet to begin to work again.

Sometimes this boating lark requires dedication.

Now, if my starboard engine gauges would just miraculously come back to life as randomly as when they ceased to work I will feel entirely content..

Garold
Click to expand...

Windy and rainy last 24 hours here.

But like a true boating miracle, my starboard engine gauges have started to work again. All that rocking and rolling, and a healthy dousing in constant horizontal drizzle seems to have booted my electronic dial back to life.

Or maybe you just need to type your wishes on here and hey presto...

We've moved over to the Folly walk ashore late yesterday, and then had a walk to Newport along the newly refurbished river path. It's now a newly gravelled path through the trees so even in the wind and rain it was a pleasant stroll. Came back in a cab though.

It doesn't seem so windy today, but still raining. It'll probably be fine by midweek though. Like the rest of the season so far.

Looking outside, I wouldn't fancy paddle boarding. Not without an umbrella!

Garold
 
We were out for quick jaunt to Dartmouth last Friday - nice conditions (for us a raggie) when we set out - 3-4 g5 it said. Great start, we rounded Berry head and the wind just died - motor on till we got to the Dart when we got up to a f2 - useless for us. Fair bit of swell about but there were a couple of big MOBO's going along at displacement speed. the only MOBO with any pace on seemed to be a Botnia Targa 31.
 
rb_stretch said:
This Saturday I braved taking my girls out, took it v. slowly to Priory Bay where they had a great time on the beach. Coming back all the raggies were reefed, the sea was very confused and one daughter was in tears frightened by the sea motion.
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Yep - that's the exact issue I have been facing, and it ends up spoiling the entire trip, or even weekend, as it's what gets remembered over the fun things that have been done :(
 
I take back what I said... I'm becoming sick of the wind every single weekend and I'd kill for flat run over to Cowes.

I was hoping this weekend would be a nice one but it's looking like it could be the worst one of the lot. 27knts forecast for Saturday in the Solent.
 
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sometimes I think that some boaters are a bit feeble, all that money wrapped up in the purchase, on going maintenance and berthing costs generally related to boat ownership and a bit of wind spoils peoples trips to Cowes , really, just crack on, and if it is really bad stay in and enjoy what is probably a very nice marina, I bet when you bought the boat you did a load of research, and you wanted a good hull and something that could handle a bouncy day, well now is the time to test all that research, the way I see it if you are based in the Solent and are going to Cowes , you cant go wrong as it means you wont be out there long any way.
 
paul salliss said:
sometimes I think that some boaters are a bit feeble, all that money wrapped up in the purchase, on going maintenance and berthing costs generally related to boat ownership and a bit of wind spoils peoples trips to Cowes , really, just crack on, and if it is really bad stay in and enjoy what is probably a very nice marina, I bet when you bought the boat you did a load of research, and you wanted a good hull and something that could handle a bouncy day, well now is the time to test all that research, the way I see it if you are based in the Solent and are going to Cowes , you cant go wrong as it means you wont be out there long any way.
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+1 and as you say Paul, if its bad, its only 20 minutes...!! :)
 
Not at all feeble. I don't own a 30ft + boat. I and SWMBO are more than happy to battle 2m + waves in a 6.5m sports boat, I enjoy getting absolutely soaked with every wave but 6 weeks in a row now is becoming a bit much and probably a little dangerous at times too. We could only manage around 3 knts across to Cowes 2 weekends ago. Brilliant fun but I'd love to be able to open her up to 30knots + across to Cowes before the summer is up.
 
We have just had two weeks tooling around the Solent and I must say the wind has been RELENTLESS. Had to stay an extra two days in Bembridge owing to very high winds. even if they were from the SW (Yes boat could have managed to creep round the coast to Cowes but crew just not up for it) Even had to turn the boat around to save the canopy from being flogged to death. Came home on Sunday from Osborne Bay (sheltered) and had to slow down to 6 knots as the flybridge was getting drenched as soon as we were out of the lee. Also much creaking of mooring lines, snatches, thumping on hull etc which wear you down a bit.

It would be nice to have some quiet weather for a change
 
CharlieAlpha said:
As others have mentioned its generally not the boat but the crew (SWMBO, kids etc) that stop the trip.
Also rule 1: its pleasure boating and should remain so.
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+1
I bought my boat because I want to enjoy using it with all the family and they don't enjoy it when it is windy.

Judging by the friends I take onboard I think there is a substantial percentage of people (and I have to say mostly women) that do not like it when the boat lurches over waves or bobs about at anchor or even in a marina. I have one such guest on board this weekend and, looking at the weather for Sunday, I have cancelled a trip to Yarmouth with a look at the Americas Cup on the way back in favour of a trip up the Hamble to Mercury.

OK, some may say I am whimping out but I want everyone to enjoy the time they spend on the boat.
 
I spent last week in the Solent (Yarmouth, Lymington, Cowes, Hamble, Gosport) it was windy most of the time, but I think what keeps most peeps in their marinas is not the conditions out on the water but what berthing will be like when they get where they are going. I had several heart stopping moments when berthing and saw many other people struggling with berthing (mobos and yachties) in those conditions.
 
Switch said:
I spent last week in the Solent (Yarmouth, Lymington, Cowes, Hamble, Gosport) it was windy most of the time, but I think what keeps most peeps in their marinas is not the conditions out on the water but what berthing will be like when they get where they are going. I had several heart stopping moments when berthing and saw many other people struggling with berthing (mobos and yachties) in those conditions.
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Agree i was out last sunday. Luckily someone was at the quay to help otherwise would have been a nightmare in my single engine 30 footer with no bow thruster. Had to abort twice. With the help on quay. Got some pride back when my help said he had struggled with his twin engine with bow truster. As was said earlier its a pleasure boat not a work boat. We managed to have some fun but it was a bumping ride and took some of the fun as some on board did not like it..

And see its even worse on sunday and monday which is my days off
 
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