Our start was more tense than normal as our normal Bow man was not on board. This meant a crash course in spinnaker work as we motored up to the start line against strong tide.

We crossed the line just after the gun and hoisted a spinnaker to set off east towards Selsey Bill. The line I had chosen reflected the relative inexperience of the foredeck crew rather than the best for tide etc so it was a surprise when we realised we about 6^th in the class as we neared the Forts.

In varied winds we ran past Nab tower and then Jibed down to the mark off Selsey before settling down for a run across the channel on winds that were much stronger than had been forecast. Had these winds lasted we would have made excellent time but instead breakfast found us in company with several other competitors off Cap Barfleur and struggling with little wind against an increasing foul tide.

With 60 metres of depth anchoring was not an attractive option and we worked hard to reduce the speed at which we going backwards. The tide eventually turned and we made progress again in very light wind.

Approaching Cherbourg the wind dropped below 2 knots and it was clear that we would struggle to finish before the tide turned. Determined sail trimming and no unnecessary movement of crew kept us going and we just managed to work our position on the eddies of tide to arrive at the Western entrance with a few minutes to spare.  

As we rounded the end of the harbour breakwater the tide drew us in and we lost all wind. Along with 3 other yachts we were now drifting backwards towards the finishing line.

We readied the anchor to drop it at the stern and immediately recover but the redistribution of weight alone allowed us to turn and we were able to regain steerage and make a fraction of a knot to cross the line some 26 hours after the start.

This was one of the most exciting finishes we have experienced and we were all tired. There was however more to come.

We set off back to Lymington as it was too late to eat out in Cherbourg. A watch system started and I was fast asleep until 0400 when the engine suddenly stopped. My initial thought was that perhaps we had at last been blessed with wind but it was in fact 25 metres of fishing net round the prop and rudder.

We were in the middle of the channel and at the limit of VHF range. I considered the options and decided against Andrea kind offer to go over the side. There was fog about but we were in a clear patch and between the 2 main flows of shipping.

I spoke with Solent Coast Guard and commenced half hourly Securitee broadcasts while we waited for some wind.

The wind did not come but instead Scarlet Jester a smaller competitor came to us and offered a tow which we accepted. We were now making less than 2 knots north towards the Isle of Wight but there was a possibility of some wind and we had reasonable visibility.

I had not issued a Pan Pan so was surprised when the Coast Guard called us to say the Yarmouth lifeboat was on its way. An hour and a half later we slipped our line from Scarlet Jester and accepted one from the Yarmouth lifeboat. Then we were off at over 8 knots across a flat sea.

Just off Yarmouth we went into a close coupled tow and were put carefully alongside in Yarmouth by the lifeboat. This is an interesting experience as one slip by them and we would be well and truly squashed.

Seastart had a diver waiting and in a quarter of an hour he had cut all the net away and we had ceremonially carried it to the skip. A quick check of the prop and a visit to thank the lifeboat crew and we were on our way.

76^th out of 111 entrants so not brilliant but at least we finished.

Our thanks to scarlet Jester, her skipper Jamie Muir and crew.

The cruise to Sark, Alderney and Cherbourg was a much more relaxed trip with some superb weather and for most of the time enough wind to sail by. We had a few regulars plus Carl on board and he proved himself to be an excellent cook and affable team member. On the crossing back he was skipper and completed a Qualifying Passage towards his YM.

The Round the Island race was a more laid back affair than the last few years and most of the crew had not used a spinnaker before our practice day. After tacking down the needles passage we went further out than most competitors to give us a simple spinnaker run. With wind against tide off St Catts things got a bit exciting at times and several other yachts tore their spinnakers. We rounded the East end and tacked up the north of the island in very close quarters with shouts of starboard all around.  At 494^th out of 1771 far from  our best result but quite commendable for a novice crew flying a spinnaker for the first time.

I am away until 8th July so leave a message or send an e-mail

 We came 37th out of 79 in the Royal Ocean Racing Club Channel race last weekend and have now qualified for the Fastnet. Not a fast race due to lack of wind at times but good fun and we improved our light wind sailing skills.

The Eddystone race saw us of to a flying start and we made good time until just before the light house when the wind died. It took us and about 30 other Yachts some 3 hours to inch our way past against the tide but we were entertained by Basking Sharks one of whom circled us in a good impression from Jaws. (I know they only eat plankton but this one was 30 foot long and had a mouth as big as a dustbin). On the way back the wind died completely and the forecast was for very little so with a heavy heart we decided that we would not make the finish in time for the international flights that had to be caught on monday and likely many others retired.

The Competent Crew and day Skipper Course run over 2 long weekends was a more lively affair and on the second one we ran down to Weymouth on a spinnaker with the promise of a South or Southwesterly to speed us back. Yet again the weather forecast was wrong and on the Saturday we had to beat back aginst between 20 and 28 knots of Easterly.

Andrew our Day Skipper navigated well and we passed over St Albans ledge shortly before the tide turned to run with us, but against the wind. After a short choppy little section of Anvil point we sailed into the bay and back to the Solent logging 59 miles in just under 10 hours. 

All 4 students passed successfully and we had a great time.

On 25/01/09 we acheived 80% of all programmed days on board booked with over 70% repeat ‘customers’. We will now have a supplementary programme but this will not be very large as I have alot of other work on. If you want to go somewhere make a suggestion. Bareboat charter will be available through Lymington Yacht Charter–see link.

For 2008 our cumulative results for the Royal Ocean Racing Club are 11th out of 75 in class 2 and 39th out of 230 overall.  Quite a few highs including, the magic spinnaker run into St Malo, 16.4kts on the run down to Eddystone, winning the Holloway White Allom regatta and 6th in the first race to Cherbourg. A couple of lows (actually very low pressures) but we finished every race with the same number we started with and only a few minor cuts and bruises.

Gear—I have trade accounts with Gill and Ocean Safety and extend very good rates to regulars.

2009 Programme

When comparing us with other schools/ sailing companies please remember we do it properly. Others don’t always mention extra costs and very basic food plus kittys for marina fees. Our price includes good food and plenty of it, all fees, use of Oilies, fuel etc. We also sailout of Lymington Yacht Haven which has secure free parking and good rail access. The only extras are drinks ashore and a meal ashore if the crew decide to do this.If you want to know more just give us a call on 01823 433813 preferably between 0830 and 2000 seven days a week.

We are racing this weekend in a Royal Ocean Racing Club event in the Channel–the forecast is for little wind –I only hope it is wrong again.
 

Posted: June 10th, 2009 under Uncategorized.
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The last Day skipper course was a Sunday to Friday one and we were fortunate to have 4 students on board who could all handle a yacht fairly well. With mixed weather we sailed in winds between 5 and 28 Kts and did some of our night hours sailing round the South of the Island with tide and Wind at up to 10 Kts Speed over Ground.

The RYA require 100 miles minimum and we did 165 including visiting, Cowes, Haslar, Portsmouth, Southampton and Yarmouth. Excellent company made a for really enjoyable course. All 4 students have indicated they want to sail on WS again and 2 have already booked to do so.

Posted: May 5th, 2009 under Uncategorized.
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As a general rule, on a Yacht off the South Coast, if you can hear the MAYDAY being transmitted then you may be close enough to help.

We had just come through the overfalls off St Albans Head in 20 Kts of SW with the tide when we heard Mayday Polly. We were informally racing against Turning Point a Bavaria 38 which had been berthed alongside us in Yarmouth and were now comfortably a mile a head.

Hearing the MAYDAY I immediately put the crew on close watch with a quarter each and then heard the Coast Guard respond.

The conversation was along these lines.

CG—What is your position?

P-We don’t know

CG-Where have you come from.

P-Poole.

CG—Several questions about speed, course etc with the only useful bit of information elicited that Polly had passed 2 light houses.

P—I can see a yacht.

At this stage Turning Point suggested that the Yacht Polly could see was Wild Spirit and I spoke to the CG reporting the crew had been on close watch but we could not see any vessel other than Turning Point.

CG—Polly do you have any flares on board—Polly found One and fired it then reported it had failed. But for a second or 2 there had been a red light which Rob had seen and was sure about. Based on Rob’s observation I then moved the Cursor of the GPS onto Polly’s position and both us and TP turned around and beat back towards it and the now rather white looking Race.

Polly confirmed she could see both of us heading towards her and we spotted her with Binoculars. Shortly after we had turned and confirmed the flare fix visually the Swanage lifeboat came round the Headland and would clearly arrive before us. I spoke to Portland CG and we were released to continue our passage to Cowes.

Apparently Polly was a 7 metre fishing boat with engine failure, she had been purchased the day before—I make no comment about the wisdom of trying to take such a vessel against tide and wind through a renowned tidal race at Springs.

Posted: May 5th, 2009 under Uncategorized.
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Le Havre Race 

The bank holiday traffic meant that 2 of the crew decided to go direct to Cowes and we would go up the evening before the race on the tide. Unfortunately 2 other crew plus enough provisions to ensure Waitrose makes a profit this year were delayed on the M3 for a couple of hours. This meant that we did not reach Cowes until around 2330 and by the time we had tied up etc the pubs were closing. We did however recover the 2 crew who had been forced to eat a huge Tandoori washed down by copious quantities while they waited.

This was our first Royal Ocean Racing Club race of the Fastnet campaign and we would be content with finishing safely/ acquiring the qualifying miles. Also in the race was Space Race a first 40.7 crewed mainly by former Wild Spirit team members and we were keen to beat them as well.

After a good start we beat down to the needles then turned on to a spinnaker run which was to last most of the way to le Havre. The wind was better than the light ones forecast and we cracked on with the Asymmetric ‘Flying Pig’ at first, changing to the Radial Spinnaker later.

Some confusion arose at the Finish line and we, plus some other yachts, passed the wrong side of the committee boat, fortunately a few minutes later I realised this and we sailed back on whites rounded it and finished correctly but almost half an hour later. Despite this we just beat Phil and his team on Space Race by 6 minutes and came 81^st out of 106.

Our next RORC race is the Eddystone on the Bank holiday weekend.

Posted: May 5th, 2009 under Uncategorized.
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Nab Tower Race—Our first race of 2009 and against teams that had been racing throuh the winter. The wind was gusting to 25 knots and a flooding spring tide suggested this would be a cracking race. It was indeed a cracking race; with 10 minutes to the start requests for information from below were met with little response, later I learn’t that this was due to a cupboard door being opened at the same time as a gust of wind. Considering there were 2 crew members available to catch the contents I continue to feel that they should have caught at least 1 of the plates or the dozen eggs but they did not.

We crossed the line about 10 seconds late, whilst others suffered recalls, and we were soon doing 11 kts SOG. With the wind gusting to 30 kts I decided against a spinnaker as we surged down the Eastern Solent. Just over half of our class went for spinnakers so we saw some impressive broaches and a few wraps. About half way down the leg we noticed a batten coming loose on the main and we had to drop the sail, refix it and hoist again—this cost us afew minutes but was well executed by the crew.

We rounded Nab and began tacking back against gusts of up to 37 apparent and pulled back a few places. I joined the crew on the rail and a few minutes later suddenly found my feet in the water as the Helm was deceived by a gust and wave into heaving to. Calling out kind words of consolation I rejoined him in the cockpit and we tacked back onto course. (Do not try this trick on a less stable boat without prior consent of all the crew).

Once we had passed the Forts we we beat down the final leg in style except for 2 short tacks to round a mark before crossing the line at 11 kts SOG to come 18^th out of 25 in class.

Sunday saw us out in the Solent and the only yacht with a spinnaker up, with just 2 kts of true wind we flew the spinnaker on the lightweight sheet and then practised with the flying pig which responded well in light winds and even better as the breeze freshened to 15 kts.   

Posted: March 30th, 2009 under Uncategorized.
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Wild Spirit is now back in the water after her annual lift out.

Ocean Rigging have replaced all the standing rigging and incorporated modifications to the backstay adjustment to help give a few degrees higher pointing when beating into the wind. This step was taken after detailed consultations with a Naval Architect, the Sailmaker and the Riggers. The cost was significant and in combination with the new sails it really does work.

I have just returned from the annual RYA Yachtmaster Instructors Conference. A well attended and fairly interesting event, the inevitable ‘How’s business?’ question was frequently asked. As far as I can tell new yacht sales have stopped but other parts of the sailing game continue fairly well. Lymington Yacht Charter who look after Wild Spirit for me were certainly receiving bookings when I was sat in their office last week.

 One of the things about conferences is that there are trade stands with special offers and with up to 50% off I ended up buying new navigation instruements, charts, teaching aids etc–in fact I spent more than the cost of the conference, lets hope they really were bargains.

Marinas; however seem to be having a tougher time with special offers, particularly if you sign up for several years. It looks like Cowes week and the little Britain will be hit hard by sponsors withdrawing. If you or your company are interested in either of these I will give you a very reasonable quote. You may get a cheaper deal elsewhere, but we will still be in business on the day.

If you are a keen sailor with some experience and qualifications, but suddenly no job, you could consider working on a tall ship via the Sail Training Association. You don’t get paid much but it is good experience and looks well on a CV.

Our IRC Certificate for 2009 has changed to reflect the new sails and has gone down which is to our benefit. I queried this with Peter Sanders who made the new sails and on further research  found that the previous measurements we had been supplied with were wrong so we have been racing at a disadvantage for the last 3 years. This probably would not have made much difference for our Royal Ocean Racing Club results, although we may just have made the top 10, but for our RIR result of 124^th it would have made a significant difference.

The material used for these sails is similar to Mike Perham’s round the world attempt—see Practical Boat Owner Feb 2009 p70

Posted: January 26th, 2009 under Uncategorized.
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RYA courses are already going as well and we have already sold most of the spare race places we know we will have due to work, weddings etc. Others will doubtless come up. We have 2 on the Round the Island Race–the largest in the world. On 25/01/09 we acheived 80% of all programmed days on board booked with over 70% repeat ‘customers’. We will now have a supplementary programme but this will not be very large as I have alot of other work on. If you want to go somewhere make a suggestion. Bareboat charter will be available through Lymington Yacht Charter–see link.

For 2008 our cumulative results for the Royal Ocean Racing Club are 11th out of 75 in class 2 and 39th out of 230 overall.  Quite a few highs including, the magic spinnaker run into St Malo, 16.4kts on the run down to Eddystone, winning the Holloway White Allom regatta and 6th in the first race to Cherbourg. A couple of lows (actually very low pressures) but we finished every race with the same number we started with and only a few minor cuts and bruises.

Gear—I have trade accounts with Gill and Ocean Safety and extend very good rates to regulars.

2009 Programme

Packages

Trips 13 plus 14 plus 23 for £950 (full price £1100)

Trip 13 the Round the Island Race plus 14 for £675 (full price £750)

Any RYA course — save £50 on another trip booked at same time.

Posted: December 11th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
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The first part of a Day Skipper and Competent Crew course was distinguished by good weather and we anchored overnight in Worbarrow Bay. We rowed ashore and walked up to Tyneham the village evacuated as part of the preparations for the D-Day landings. After having taken in the marvellous surroundings and seen the houses, church and school we returned through the woods towards the Bay only to come upon a Red Deer Stag who continued to graze oblivious of us stood 10 yards away.

You can only visit when the range isn’t firing and part of the course is to ascertain when this is without getting shot, fortunately the would be Day Skippers passed this bit OK.

Our other stops included Studland and Cowes in a programme which had to be modified due to less wind than forecast.

The first weekend in September was a windy one and we swapped from the Royal Ocean Racing Club race to Cherbourg to the Junior Offshore Group one to Poole. This involved merely beating out of the Solent into a gale as opposed to crossing the whole channel against one. There were numerous retirements and we were happy to finish 12^th out of the 25 who had entered. The return race from Poole to Cowes was 27 miles and we had the Spinnaker up almost all the way in 20kts of wind. We came 8^th out of the 25 entered in the class covering the 27 miles in 2 hrs and 46 minutes and one second—just under 10 kts speed over ground which included some exciting surfing, one minor spinnaker wrap and a couple of minor broaches.

Posted: September 8th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
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We set off to the east on the Sunday morning and running with the tide we hit 10 knots over the ground with our novice Helm Janine on duty. We rounded Bembridge and headed south towards St Vaast, the wind dropped but later returned for a good run acrosss arriving just after midnight.

On the Monday we set off around mid day and sailed along the coast on a gentle northerly passing Utah plus Omaha beaches and then on to Arrowmanche where we crept in and dropped anchor in Port Winston, the harbour created just after D-Day.

We were alone and blessed with a superb sunset and quiet night. In the morning I ran the crew ashore in the tender and they visited the fascinating museum whilst I cleaned up Wild Spirit and hoped that when we pulled up the hook there wouldn’t be a bomb on the end.

The wind freshened from the west which was definitely not forecast and I became concerned we might not make it back to St Vaast before the Gates closed. As one of the crew was ex navy I thought I would hoist the Blue Peter, which he would know, meant we had to go. In the absence of a big Blue Peter I used the JOG battle flag and thought sure they would at least phone me. I rang all the mobile phones and found most were on board, whilst Geoff had his off as he was in the museum. The only effect was to give all the tourists on the front more photo opportunities.

We left at the original time and I calculated we needed to make almost 6 kts to get there on time, fortunately the wind backed to South West and soon we were sailing at 8 knots and bang on course. The sun shone and we arrived an hour and a half before the gates closed.

The meal in the Fuschia was as good as ever and after a good night we completed our wine shopping at Grosellins had a good lunch out and set sail at 1600 with a fine westerly wind. The forecasts varied but it was clear the weather would break probably with a N or NW wind and squalls. With this in mind we headed more or less towards St Catts making up to 9.5 knots over the ground at times. Around midnight as we were close to St Catts the wind turned to the North and increased. By now we were close in and sailing fast towards Bembridge, we rounded this as the tide turned and shot across to Stokes Bay where we dropped anchor around 0200and had a few hours sleep before our run home.

An excellent trip and one we will try and repeat next year, possibly with another couple of days so we can pop into Honfleur as well.

Posted: March 25th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
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All 3 training weekends were marked by superb weather. The first concentrated on recovery of MOBs which is something I take rather seriously. Eventually a degree of competence was acheived and several attempts would have passed the YM exam. 

The second weekend was too windy on the Saturday for spinnaker practice but did give us the chance to hone our manouvering skills. Sunday was superb for spinnaker work and John our experienced super Bow man took the lead and, to his credit, continued to coach and develop the team even after the pole had bounced on his head twice. ‘Superb Entertainment; a fascinating lesson in Vocabulary’  The Solent Spectator

Our third training weekend saw westerlies up to F7 and we used the Heavy weather plus storm sails. The Drogue was used and with the wheel locked we were able to steer with it.

Posted: January 6th, 2008 under Sailing Report.
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