It was still windy but not as bad as yesterday. We were well reefed down and had a lovely sail back to our mooring at West Mersea. We took our time getting the boat a little sorted and deciding what to take home and what to leave on the boat for the trip to Cowes.
When it came time to leave, the wind was very strong and we (well Alison) would be rowing into it and against the tide. It wasn't going to work. We called up Lady Grace on the radio and she came and picked us up and towed Worm back for us.
Monday, 29 July 2013
Sunday, 28 July 2013
Hog Roast
The Wivenhoe Sailing Club held their traditional hog roast
this afternoon. We have been several times but we had a very different and
enjoyable experience this time. Clytie wasn’t going and Jo Masters
accepted our invitation to travel up on Robinetta. Then David and Julia
(Amphora) called over from the other pontoon and asked for a lift too.
Five people is the most we have ever had. The cockpit seats four as long as
they each work the rope nearest them! Alison stayed below or in the
companionway, while Julia took the pictures you see here.We had to fight a strong breeze and the tide leaving Brightlingsea but once headed up river we were with both and it was very pleasant. We were doing nicely, but a little slower than the fleet with just the staysail so I let the jib out and we goose-winged. Inanda’s crew tried raising the main and found themselves overpowered.
David and Julia jumped ship and went back by car with relatives and the three of us came back down. We tried fully reefed main but it was too windy for it in the narrow part of the river. At least Jo got to see the roller reefing. Although she is a very experienced sailor and a dinghy instructor, she hasn’t seen very many different rig configurations on bigger boats.
We tried just motoring but the head wind was so strong the little 1GM10 wasn’t managing to make progress even thought the tide was with us. We put the staysail up and beat with staysail and iron topsail and that worked. It was windy, force 5 gusting 6, on the nose.
Another difference was that I had Monday off, so we didn't have to go all the way back to West Mersea.
Saturday, 27 July 2013
The East Coast Race
Having spent weeks scrutinising old programmes, then writing a new one for the anniversary (which was full of typos when I saw it printed, for which I must apologise) actually seeing the boats I had researched milling around behind the start line was a wonderful sight.
Course 7, up the Blackwater to Thurslet and back via some of the West Mersea Yacht Club racing buoys, was chosen due to the wind strength and direction, but the deeper draft vessels like Pioneer and Witch objected. They would run aground if they tried to follow the course which turned at the Inner Bench Head buoy. After some discussion the course was modified to turn at Bench Head instead, a mile further out into the Blackwater.
Robinetta's start was less than dignified. The very light winds meant we had the kedge ready, but it did not come to that, as the tide was trying to push us over the line in the right direction. Knowing that all the boats were bound to come past us I was determined to get over the line as soon as possible, and not fall victim to having Robinetta's wind stolen. Because of that I kept her very close to the start line, at the far end of the line away from Bateman's tower. All the other boats were well behind the line, and Julian kept saying we were over it. I didn't think so, but wasn't sure, so turned away to try and sail up the line. Because of the wind direction I ended up sailing very slowly up river, with my back to the line.
I could see the tower perfectly, so when I saw the puff of smoke from the cannon at 0900 I turned back to the line and was over it in the right direction by the time I heard the bang. They could see the truth from Bateman's though, and when I asked they promised I had been on the correct side of the line when the cannon fired, and had been first over the line, but I had been sailing backwards at the time....
As usual in light winds our good start have us a good view of the fleet sailing past us, but we kept going with the ebb tide which gradually carried us down the Colne, while pushing us slightly towards Colne Bar. This was a good thing, because as the tide turned it began to carry everyone up the Blackwater instead. The extra distance from Inner Bench Head to Bench head meant that the slower boats had the tide against them before they reached the mark and boats which tried to aim directly for Bench Head ended up having to tack towards it.
Julian had programmed the GPS to show our required track to the buoy, and I did my best to stay on it, even though it looked as though we were pointing very high, and our tactics worked; we sneaked round Bench Head without needing to tack for it, and gybed our sails round to run up the Blackwater with the tide just as the wind died.
The next hour was quite relaxing in a frustrating way. The only two gaffers behind us retired as they could not make Bench Head against the tide, and the slower bermudans, who started later than us, also fell by the way side. We had very little to do apart from watch the boats ahead get further away, and listen to the chatter on the race channel.
The decision was made to change the race finish. The first suggestion was to end it at Thurslet, but it was decided to get everyone to pass WMYC 5 to port, then head for a finish line between WMYC1 and Tempus Mike McCarthy's new motor boat which had been acting as race watchdog. The decision made the wind rose a little, just enough to let us sail rather than drift, and suddenly we were back in the thick of the race.
The faster boats had to beat against the tide to get back to no 5 buoy, and once they rounded it their track was directly across where we had to go. They were on starboard tack at this point, while we were on port, so the rules were clear, but once we were across that line of boats we had to find a way round a suddenly crowded shallows as we rejoined the tail end of the fleet. I had to do proper race tactics! I cut cross Swallowtail forcing him to tack(Robinetta was on starboard tack), then got pushed down river of the buoy when my wind was stolen by a larger boat.
It was annoying to have to go around for another go at passing the buoy, and seeing the other boats getting ahead again. Julian was sure I was not going to make it this time either, but we did, with at least a metre to spare...
Otter stayed on the Bradwell side of the river, tacking in the shallows there, but I decided to go straight across to the Mersea Flats where the finish buoy waited. The wind was getting up and shifting, beginning to raise a swell, we were sailing well, and we had Otter to race against. Exciting stuff!
We crossed the finish line 9 seconds behind Otter, to win Old Harry, awarded to the last boat to finish the race within the time limit. It was 1445, and the time limit was 1500.
The wind settled down and we had a brisk sail back to Brightlingsea, tacking out a couple of times to make sure we did not touch the sand on the Mersea Flats. I was probably being over cautious since we were near high tide, and Otter certainly did not bother, but if felt good to be sailing at a decent speed, and I did not want to have to keep checking the depth gage.
We moored up in good time to get to the Smack Dock for beer and cider. Lovely stuff!
Course 7, up the Blackwater to Thurslet and back via some of the West Mersea Yacht Club racing buoys, was chosen due to the wind strength and direction, but the deeper draft vessels like Pioneer and Witch objected. They would run aground if they tried to follow the course which turned at the Inner Bench Head buoy. After some discussion the course was modified to turn at Bench Head instead, a mile further out into the Blackwater.
Robinetta's start was less than dignified. The very light winds meant we had the kedge ready, but it did not come to that, as the tide was trying to push us over the line in the right direction. Knowing that all the boats were bound to come past us I was determined to get over the line as soon as possible, and not fall victim to having Robinetta's wind stolen. Because of that I kept her very close to the start line, at the far end of the line away from Bateman's tower. All the other boats were well behind the line, and Julian kept saying we were over it. I didn't think so, but wasn't sure, so turned away to try and sail up the line. Because of the wind direction I ended up sailing very slowly up river, with my back to the line.
I could see the tower perfectly, so when I saw the puff of smoke from the cannon at 0900 I turned back to the line and was over it in the right direction by the time I heard the bang. They could see the truth from Bateman's though, and when I asked they promised I had been on the correct side of the line when the cannon fired, and had been first over the line, but I had been sailing backwards at the time....
As usual in light winds our good start have us a good view of the fleet sailing past us, but we kept going with the ebb tide which gradually carried us down the Colne, while pushing us slightly towards Colne Bar. This was a good thing, because as the tide turned it began to carry everyone up the Blackwater instead. The extra distance from Inner Bench Head to Bench head meant that the slower boats had the tide against them before they reached the mark and boats which tried to aim directly for Bench Head ended up having to tack towards it.
Julian had programmed the GPS to show our required track to the buoy, and I did my best to stay on it, even though it looked as though we were pointing very high, and our tactics worked; we sneaked round Bench Head without needing to tack for it, and gybed our sails round to run up the Blackwater with the tide just as the wind died.
The next hour was quite relaxing in a frustrating way. The only two gaffers behind us retired as they could not make Bench Head against the tide, and the slower bermudans, who started later than us, also fell by the way side. We had very little to do apart from watch the boats ahead get further away, and listen to the chatter on the race channel.
The decision was made to change the race finish. The first suggestion was to end it at Thurslet, but it was decided to get everyone to pass WMYC 5 to port, then head for a finish line between WMYC1 and Tempus Mike McCarthy's new motor boat which had been acting as race watchdog. The decision made the wind rose a little, just enough to let us sail rather than drift, and suddenly we were back in the thick of the race.
It was annoying to have to go around for another go at passing the buoy, and seeing the other boats getting ahead again. Julian was sure I was not going to make it this time either, but we did, with at least a metre to spare...
Otter stayed on the Bradwell side of the river, tacking in the shallows there, but I decided to go straight across to the Mersea Flats where the finish buoy waited. The wind was getting up and shifting, beginning to raise a swell, we were sailing well, and we had Otter to race against. Exciting stuff!
We crossed the finish line 9 seconds behind Otter, to win Old Harry, awarded to the last boat to finish the race within the time limit. It was 1445, and the time limit was 1500.
The wind settled down and we had a brisk sail back to Brightlingsea, tacking out a couple of times to make sure we did not touch the sand on the Mersea Flats. I was probably being over cautious since we were near high tide, and Otter certainly did not bother, but if felt good to be sailing at a decent speed, and I did not want to have to keep checking the depth gage.
We moored up in good time to get to the Smack Dock for beer and cider. Lovely stuff!
Friday, 26 July 2013
Brightlingsea
We get ashore at Brightlingsea and meet Rik Graham on the phone to his wife at the Cambridge Folk Festival. Rik is extremely frustrated, having been prevented from joining either the cruise or the festival by work difficulties. He has a lovely little canoe hulled boat called Kelpie II.
We don't have time to eat before the prize giving and the briefing for tomorrow's East Coast Race and we discover by the time it is over everything but the Indian is closed. I'm not in the mood for Indian. I want chips. The best thing about the prize giving is that Lena is there, and she is Ok.
We decide to experiment with oven chips from the Spa. It is not a great success. Not a disaster though.
We don't have time to eat before the prize giving and the briefing for tomorrow's East Coast Race and we discover by the time it is over everything but the Indian is closed. I'm not in the mood for Indian. I want chips. The best thing about the prize giving is that Lena is there, and she is Ok.
We decide to experiment with oven chips from the Spa. It is not a great success. Not a disaster though.
Two Rivers Race
The Two Rivers race is normally either from Suffolk Yacht Harbour to Wrabness or from Wrabness to Pin Mill but because we wanted to be in Maldon to celebrate the founding, we are having it from Osea to Brightlingsea. All week we have been taking it in turns to be skipper and this is my second race, following the Seaways race. Alison has had more difficulties in hers, the Pennyhole Bay race when we retired and the Ladies Helm where neither of us were at our best.
It is a self-timed start and finish, but those of us in Heybridge Basin, can't start until about an hour before high water.
We spend a lazy, windless morning. I'm reading a novel, something very rare for me these days, and its nice to have some time. We walk along the sea wall to Herrings Point and back and have a lazy picnic in the shade. Often, at this point in the week I have lots of boat maintenance to do, but this year, all seems well, so far.
Once through the lock, there is wind and we sail to Osea where it dies. It is so hot that we put the ensign up and the motor on, just to get some air moving over the boat. As we turn the corner we come out of the wind shadow and hurriedly turn the engine off again and take the ensign down before we pass the pier, which is the race start.
The wind gets better and better. We have to beat a little to keep the right side of Thirslet but from then on it is a lovely reach out past the power station.
Daisy, Steve Pegley's surprisingly fast little Hillyard comes out of Goldhanger Creek and we 'race' her for a while - she is reefed and not racing of course, having missed the start line, but its a lovely experience and Robinetta hits 7.1 knots SOG at one point - possibly the fastest we have ever been in her. Daisy's reefing line gets loose and Steve has to heave to and fix it. We manage to keep a good line but not quite good enough to round Inner Bench Head and head into the tidal stream of the Colne to help us out to it where Vlieter passes us. Once round it and running into the Colne Cygnet of London catches and passes us, Simon call out that he is determined to catch and pass Vlieter. He doesn't manage it.
We pass Bateman's tower and I text our elapsed time in, late, but it is accepted and we are 5th. Our best result so far.
Alison will have to watch out. I might be getting the hang of this.
It is a self-timed start and finish, but those of us in Heybridge Basin, can't start until about an hour before high water.
We spend a lazy, windless morning. I'm reading a novel, something very rare for me these days, and its nice to have some time. We walk along the sea wall to Herrings Point and back and have a lazy picnic in the shade. Often, at this point in the week I have lots of boat maintenance to do, but this year, all seems well, so far.
Once through the lock, there is wind and we sail to Osea where it dies. It is so hot that we put the ensign up and the motor on, just to get some air moving over the boat. As we turn the corner we come out of the wind shadow and hurriedly turn the engine off again and take the ensign down before we pass the pier, which is the race start.
The wind gets better and better. We have to beat a little to keep the right side of Thirslet but from then on it is a lovely reach out past the power station.
 |
| Daisy |
We pass Bateman's tower and I text our elapsed time in, late, but it is accepted and we are 5th. Our best result so far.
Alison will have to watch out. I might be getting the hang of this.
Thursday, 25 July 2013
Heybridge and Maldon
The lock keepers at Heybridge didn't have a list of boats planning to come in, so it was a bit of a free-for-all once there was enough water to get in. Still it all worked OK, and the lock was able to go to free-flow which helped a lot. We ended up rafted outside Romelda, one of the boats I had researched for Alison as part of preparing the East Coast Race programme.She is interesting, having been built in Guernsey in the 19th century.
Trevor Rawlinson, skipper of Aussie II, was the driver of our double decker bus round to Maldon. I think this was an instance of the gaffers taking DIY to extremes as Trevor then had to miss the dinner as he didn't have anywhere to leave the bus and, of course, couldn't drink. Trevor - we missed you and would gladly have paid for a driver so you could join us!
The barges always make a fine back-drop to an evening at the Little Ship Club. The catering was simple and effective, the beer excellent and the company outstanding. After the meal was over we vied with each other over who could do more washing up. Many hands make light work and I only dropped one plate. The only thing marring the proceedings was that Lena Reekie was taken ill and spent most of the evening in the ambulance being monitored by paramedics. We all hope it is nothing serious.
Trevor Rawlinson, skipper of Aussie II, was the driver of our double decker bus round to Maldon. I think this was an instance of the gaffers taking DIY to extremes as Trevor then had to miss the dinner as he didn't have anywhere to leave the bus and, of course, couldn't drink. Trevor - we missed you and would gladly have paid for a driver so you could join us!
The barges always make a fine back-drop to an evening at the Little Ship Club. The catering was simple and effective, the beer excellent and the company outstanding. After the meal was over we vied with each other over who could do more washing up. Many hands make light work and I only dropped one plate. The only thing marring the proceedings was that Lena Reekie was taken ill and spent most of the evening in the ambulance being monitored by paramedics. We all hope it is nothing serious.Ladies Helm
We always feel a bit of a cheat doing a ladies helm race, as Alison is our main racing master anyway. If we can enter, I think Hugo and Toby should be able to as well.
Not for the first time this week, Alison misjudged the tide at the start, and the winds were so light that neither of us really knew what they were doing. So we were slow over the line, but still better than many, and got a good line to the first turning mark, over on the Bradwell shore.
It all went pear-shaped on the next one though. I had put all the buoys into the chart plotter and slipped an extra zero after the decimal point on one. This wouldn't have mattered if there wasn't a buoy of roughly the right aspect where the plotter suggested we needed to go, and if Simon, Sharon and Matilda on Cygnet of London hadn't seemed to be going for the same mark.
We did better after that and it was a self-timed finish at Osea so, unlike the Maldon Regatta, we didn't have to worry about being abandoned by the finish boat.
A little frustrating, but still a beautiful day, a beautiful river and the sort of sailing experience one just doesn't get any other way.
Not for the first time this week, Alison misjudged the tide at the start, and the winds were so light that neither of us really knew what they were doing. So we were slow over the line, but still better than many, and got a good line to the first turning mark, over on the Bradwell shore.
It all went pear-shaped on the next one though. I had put all the buoys into the chart plotter and slipped an extra zero after the decimal point on one. This wouldn't have mattered if there wasn't a buoy of roughly the right aspect where the plotter suggested we needed to go, and if Simon, Sharon and Matilda on Cygnet of London hadn't seemed to be going for the same mark.
We did better after that and it was a self-timed finish at Osea so, unlike the Maldon Regatta, we didn't have to worry about being abandoned by the finish boat.
A little frustrating, but still a beautiful day, a beautiful river and the sort of sailing experience one just doesn't get any other way.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
