The Spooky Solent

Saturday 25th March 2006

The first QSC Solent trip is planned for the weekend of 1st and 2nd April. Today is spent preparing my Wayfarer, Freya, The plan is for Graeme to crew. he is experienced but appears to revel in danger, I prefer to err on the cautious side. The boat has two slab reefing lines in the sail, but only one reefing mechanism. I modified the boom to allow the second reef to be put in at sea. I have also modified the jib furler to work with smaller diameter rope. I believe the boat is ready for anything the sea can throw at her up to a F6.

Sunday 26th March

After the Sunday race discussions are had and the participants of the trip and the boat crews are finalised.

Wayfarer - Brian & Graeme

Bert's Cruiser (No 1 rescue Boat) - Bert and Linda

Laser - calvin

Bernie's Dory (No 2 Rescue Boat)- Bernie, Clare and John

Laser 3000 - Joe and Christie

Lightning - Dave Swordy

Westerley Yacht - Danny and Carole

The plan was Danny and Carole to meet the boats in the solent on the saturday morning after they have set off from Southampton. bernie would launch as usual from Calshot. come across to the Hamble and pick up his crew on the Harbour masters jetty at Warsash, and the rest would launch from the public hard by the Rising Sun at Warsash.

The forecast was for F3-4, but cloudy and rainy.

Wednesday 29th March

Today it is very windy and it is reported that gale Force 8 winds can be found on the Solent. Checked on windguru for the forecast for the weekend, they are now forecasting F4 on Saturday with Sun and F5 with rain on Sunday.

Thursday 30th March

The winds on the Solent have dropped to F5 but the forecast is now saying F5 Saturday and F6 Sunday. Lets keep watching....

Friday 31st March

The winds now F4- F7 with gusts at F8. The forecast is saying that it will fall to F3-4 Saturday but move up to F4-5. Looks just ok. But Gave Graeme a call at the end of the day. I talked about reefs and he talked about wimps, and why do we need reefs. We wouldn't need those unless the wind hit F6.

Bert phoned in the evening to check if we were still coming. Of course we were, we would travel down on the Saturday and asses it from Warsash. He stated that Calvin was mad keen to come. So was I , I said.......

Saturday 1st April (Fools Day)

0930 Picked up Graeme and went to collect boat from HOAC. met Bert and Calvin and we went down in convoy. The forecast now said F4-5 on both days but some forecasters saying more wind on Sunday. It is looking promising.

1130 Arrived at Warsash later than the rest after a pit stop at Tesco's in Winchester, to buy some sandwiches, fluids and beer for the trip.. Started to rig boat.

1230 Gave overnight bag to Linda to put on Bert's Cruiser, the only boat big enough and dry enough to carry all the luggage to Wooton Creek. Then parked car in village and gave keys to Linda for safe keeping, in case we capsized. Word from danny in the Yacht on the Solent is 24knts of wind, F4. Calvin had been ready to go for 30 minutes. Joe was ready about 20 minutes before me. Finally having messed about with most things we launched the Boat. Graeme holding the boat in the water while I take the trolley and chain and padlock it up with the other trailers on the beech outside warsash sailing club. I climb onto the boat and start to raise the mainsail with Graeme pulling the boat into deeper water. We agree on putting one reef in and had the option to put in the second. I then notice that the mainsheet has not been fed through the pipe under the boom. Calvin and Joe have set off with Bert and Bernie has waited with us. Another ten minutes, I dropped the sail and eventually threaded the mainsheet through the pipe. We are at last ready to go, The jib is still furled and we have one reef in, we set off and Graeme slides into the boat trying not to bring in half of the Solent. It looks like we have to tack to miss the Harbour masters jetty. But with Graeme in I am able to harden up and we are able to go across the main channel of the Hamble. No boats going in either direction we have the river to ourselves. My aim is to beat up the hamble and then run down the hampshire coast until we can easily reach across to Wooton Creek. As we get to the far side of the channel I call “ready about”, Graeme shouts “Whenever!” We tack. just then a gust of wind heels us over. As we flatten the boat I pull the tiller hard over to correct our course so that we do not go into irons. The tiller then goes very light and I see our broken rudder float away behind us!. Graeme calls our rescue boat over and we our towed back to the hard.

What are the chances of getting a new or replacement rudder at 2.00pm on Saturday?

Now we have a few issues, the key to the padlock that has chained up the trolleys and trailers is with Bert now out on the solent along with the keys to my car and our change of clothes.

We phone Bert to say that Bernie is on his way to take over the safety duty, could he come back and give us the keys. Linda answers Bert's Phone saying that they have problems with the engine but will come back when Bernie arrives and they have solved the problem.

Bernie sets off to meet with Bert.

Bernie's Story

John, Claire and I eventually leave Brian and Graham behind at Warsash as described.

Meet up with Bert and Lasers1 and 3000. However Bert's engine is dead so I stand bye until Bert's manual cranking eventually brings it to life and he heads towards Warsash. I gather the lasers and point towards Whooton. Looking over my shoulder I spot Bert dead in the water with a foaled prop. Linda performed some kind of balancing act on Bert's transom to free the prop and off they set again. Gather boats and point towards Whooton again. Calvin (Laser1) performs several capsizes but is outdone by Joe and Christie (Laser3000). Christi performing a beautiful aerial loop on the trapeze into the sail. Arrive in Whooton cold, wet and thirsty.

Head off to Sloop with John for a pint or two

Joe and Christie's Story

Arrived Warsash and rigged boat and applied 1 reef to the mainsail. Departed Warsash and started to beat, using mainly the jib and spilling wind with the main. Eventually we managed to steer off the wind onto a starboard tack, roughly a close reach. The boat accelerated, and left Calvin standing, quite rewarding. Eventually, I looked behind but could barely see because of the abundance of salt that had hit my eyes. Not pleasant. Bert was way behind and Calvin had slowed down so I put the boat to wind (close to the chimney at Southampton) and waited for Calvin to catch up (I might just add that that took a while!) He said that we should head back and explained that Bert was having problems. Once we got back to Bert, I could not get close enough to speak because the boat would not sit still, understandably so myself and Kristy carried onwards to Wooton with Bernie and Calvin. We stayed together all the way and played around a bit when the gusts lapsed. The crossing was a bit bumpy in the middle, and I could not spill wind quick enough. (That’s a round about way of saying it was out of control). However, we eventually arrived at Wooten quite bedraggled and after 3 capsizes. We were towed up to the houseboats just about in one piece. The crossing, looking back, was good fun.

2.30pm

Graeme stands in deep water while I go and see if anyone one in Warsash sailing club knows where we could beg, steel, borrow, buy a wayfarer Rudder.

No luck at the club house, used directory enquiries and contacted Alladins cave chandlers, they were open but did not have a Wayfarer rudder and they stated that we would not find one off the shelf. Got the number for Porter bros, a Wayfarer builder at Emsworth, they only had an answer phone.

By this time Graeme has tied up the boat to the steel walkway, he has found the beer. He also puts the broken rudder stock on the beach in case it gets lost.

One last try, I walk down to the dinghy yard down past the harbour master. I meet Bob, who looks after the dinghy fleet for Warsash sailing club, he hunts around but no luck. I ask him if we are unsuccessful finding a rudder, could we leave our boat and trailer overnight. He very kindly allows us to park the boat and states that the gates are locked at night so the boat will be safe and will be reopened in the morning.

3.00pm Back with Graeme we look at our options. I phone Linda and she states that the pump is no longer working and they have to pump petrol by hand, it will take longer to get back. We say, don't worry, we are not in a rush.

We go and look at the trailers and I tell Graeme that with a pair of pliers I could force open a shackle. he states. don't be stupid the padlock is not locked. I had failed to lock the padlock earlier. At that we get our trolley and trailer and retrieve the boat from the sea.

We get the sandwiches out and have lunch washed down by a beer.

Spooky No.1

Graeme finds the broken rudder washed up on the beach 2 feet from the rudder stock, Its has drifted 150 yds and found it's other half!

We phone Linda to see how they are getting on, no answer.!

We pop across to the harbour masters office to see if he can help with a rudder. He tries a sailing club on the other side of the Hamble, but no luck. We head back to our boat for another sandwich.

A few minutes later Linda phones and states that they have problems and are now tied up on the windward side of the Lifeboat jetty,

We go back to the harbour master and he sends out a launch.

Bert and Linda's Story

Saturday morning: All appeared well and “Maybee” (rescue one) was duly launched with the usual efficiency and John held the boat into wind whilst I put the engine down and connected the fuel line.

Disaster 1: I turned the key and there was not a “sausage”! After spending some time trying to find out why “Maurice” (the engine!) was being so stubborn. I gave up and pulled the start cord , then pulled it again , and again , and again. Now, most sensible people would “call it a day” at this point. We Solent folks are made of sterner stuff! The engine started on the fourth pull.

I came alongside the Harbour Master's jetty to await my intrepid crew, Linda.

Calvin in the Laser was getting bored sailing up and down and as Joe and Kristy set out in the Laser 3000, I thought it would be OK to let these boats go off with me in escort, assuming that Bernie (rescue two) would be following in due course escorting Brian and Graeme in the Wayfarer, this was a bad assumption!

I think the fate of the Wayfarer has already been covered.

Disaster 2: We got half way to the radar station at Calshot when we received a call from the stranded Wayfarer crew that they needed car keys to get tools in the hope of repairing their broken rudder. The keys in question, were, of course in “Maybee”! To compound things my engine “conked-out” again and was getting progressively more difficult to start with the cord.

The two dinghies we were supposed to be escorting were getting further away. What should we do, go back before Bernie arrives , thus, leaving the dinghies to their fate?

Or, continue to try to escort the boats in the hope that Bernie would arrive to take over?

In the end, we did neither, because “Maurice” was in a sulk and wouldn't start at all!

Not much fun in the middle of a busy Hamble, just drifting!

Fortunately, Bernie arrived and we wished him and the sailor's Bon Voyage en-route for Wootton.

Now Bernie did offer me a tow, but I turned it down as we found that our motor would go at half speed if the fuel bulb was constantly squeezed. So Linda and I took it in turns to keep the fuel flowing.

Disaster 3: The engine began to make a different sort of noise and ground to a halt and would not start at all. Sharp eyed Linda spotted this orange thing on the prop. It turned out to be a large diameter piece of rope and Linda did a balancing act to reach the prop and unwind the offending warp. Off we go again, pumping the bulb furiously to keep the engine running. You should try that sometime, it is not easy!

Disaster 4: The engine stopped permanently and we started to drift with wind and tide towards the Lifeboat Training Station. At first, it appeared OK as we were being pushed nearer to Warsash. However, the steel and concrete walkway to the station got in our way and we tried to paddle out around it. No luck!

We came into this unforgiving structure at some speed and between the wind, tide and waves it presented a very uncomfortable place to stop. Linda and I fought to fend-off and at the same time, push ourselves along. I suggest you don't try this - ever! It is quite impossible!

On my request, Linda managed to jump onto the walkway and pulled our boat alongside a wooden part of the station, but the front end of our boat caught under a large beam and there was an ominous cracking sound as we went up on a wave.

I asked Linda to get back on board (she gave me a funny look!) so we could pay-out our line. A call to Graeme and Brian was initiated and they alerted the Harbour Master to our plight. I thought that we had caused enough damage already, without trying to “soldier-on” , a broken windscreen, lost ensign and staff, numerous marks and dents on the starboard hull!

Disaster 5: The Harbour Master hove into site in his big twin engine boat. After some difficulty, we got our line to him and I expected him to motor forward, away from the wretched walkway. Not a bit of it! His engines had also conked-out (it must be catching!) and he started to drift round onto us and we were in danger of being a buffer between him and the walkway. I thought that this would be “goodbye” Maybee as I knew we wouldn't be able to fund both him and us off the concrete and steel. With a superhuman effort, he managed to pull his boat back to head the wind and tide. Then the Inshore Rescue arrived and after much bantering between the two official boats, we were taken in tow by the Inshore Rescue and deposited on the Harbour Master's jetty. The jetty was black with uniforms , HM Coastguard, Harbour Patrols, RNLI , you name it and they were there!

Here endeth the saga of Bertie May and Linda Culver!

Bert's boat is towed back to the the harbour masters jetty by the Inshore rescue boat, 750 hp inboard rib.

Bert is then towed by the harbour master back to the beach and we recover the Trailer and recover Bert's boat by wading out and dragging them back.

Graeme gives bert a fireman's lift so he can assist from the land.

Once boat is on trailer, Linda is also lifted off by Graemes fireman's lift.

3.30pm Bert confirms with Bernie that he calvin and joe and now at the entrance to wooton creek.

Bert recovers his car from the car park. And we push the Wayfarer into the boat park.

I go across to the Sailing club and Rose lets us put Bert's Cruiser in the Boat park as well.

It feels like the downhill slope.

Spooky no. 2

If my rudder had not broken we would not have been ashore waiting for Bert when his boat broke down and it would have had to stay on the jetty over night

We decide to take my car with all the luggage inside and get the ferry from Portsmouth to Fishbourne and drive to the houseboat.

Linda says she remembers last seeing my keys in a plastic bag being handed between calvin and bert in the middle of southampton water. We can not find the bag anywhere. We check every bag and every carrier bag. No luck.

I set off with bert to padlock up the last remaining trailer. I contemplate how to get the spare set of keys down from London in the morning. While near the beach we have a look for the bag. bert finds it but no keys.

A dinghy sailor in a wet suit asks what we are looking for and states his friend has put the keys in a post box. another man walks up and states they are behind the bar.

Shore enough there they are on the bar.

We go back pack the car up and set off for portsmouth !

6.00pm We are on the Ferry to Fishbourne

7.00pm We are at the houseboat

8.00pm We are in the pub for our evening meal.

Many a story told over a few beers then back to the Houseboat for a game of Uno!

Sunday 7.30am

It poured with rain most of the night, the heavy black clouds whiz past over head. Still coming from the South west. but it feels like it is blowing a F4. I normally take a stroll to get the papers, but with the threat of rain and the luxury of having my car on the island i set off to the shops

8.30 am

Everyone is up for breakfast.

9.30 am

Off to Bembridge to see the company that will be adding a console to our Rib Rescue boat. They are shut. Bert Notices a nice Shetland cruiser advertised in the window with a 40 hp outboard for £5,500 and he jokingly states that he ought to buy the boat rather than repair the broken boat.

10.00am

We head off to Cowes to get Safety flares for Bernie.

12.15pm

Quickly finish our coffees and head off to the houseboat so that the sailors can set off with the tide.

12.30pm

The wind is up to F5 at times. The sailors are having trouble getting launched from the slip. Calvin is first away and is also first to capsize in the gusts. We are standing on the houseboat waiting to wave them bon voyage. Joe and Christie set off with reefed main and jib. We wave goodbye and wish them a safe journey.

12.45pm We race off to the Royal Victoria Yacht Club at the entrance to wooton creek as I said we could get a good view and I could meet some of the other oppi dads I have met at Tom's Oppi Training earlier in the year.

We arrive at the Club and i meet Steve the Vice Commodore who welcomes us warmly. Lunch is being served until 2.30pm, and it looks lovely.

There is a fantastic view of the entrance to wooton creek.

We walk up the creek to a pebble spit to get a better view of our sailors.

Calvin appears first and meets us on the spit.

Joe and Christie have capsized out of view calvin tells us. Shortly afterwards they appear, the mainsail is down and they are sailing by jib alone, they try to meet us on the beach, but we are now upwind and they can not do it by jib alone.

The wind feels stronger, maybe a F5, they set off and we wave good-bye again.

We walk back to the clubhouse to select our lunch.

Danny phones from the Solent, there are winds of 35knts our there. Gale force 8!

bert calls Bernie up on the phone to tell him to return., but he can't hear the phone and it goes to voice mail.

On the jetty at Royal Victoria SC is John McLaughlin, he is retrieving their Rib rescue craft. I have met him at an Oppie training event. I go over for a chat and he states that the wind out of the shadow of the island is F7 to F8. I ask him if they have another rib on the water. Yes he says, and he dispatches it to inform our sailors of the conditions they will inspect.

1.30pm As we have a few minutes to spare we order up our Sunday Lunch. Mine is poached salmon, and it is cooked to perfection. Bert notices that the Shetland Cruiser is also advertised on the wall at RVYC.

2.00pm

Joe and Christie in the Laser 300 have been towed back by bernie and Calvin has sailed back easily.

Steve of RV offers storage of our stranded boats on their lawn.

The boats are recovered with trolleys provided by RV and moved to the lawn

Joe and Christie's Story 2

Rigged the boat, again one reef, but I had a sneaky feeling that was not nearly adequate. By the time we manage to move off from the jetty, the boat took off and the gusts were quite strong and well and truly coming from an inconvenient direction, straight up the back of the boat. Keeping it balanced was tricky this was well illustrated by a grand 2 capsizes, but we made it to the mouth of Wooton where I noticed that Calvin had stopped to wait for us and Bernie, Bernie was very helpful. I tried to go over to Calvin but the jib did not have enough tension so the boat could not beat well. We left again on a run, just on the jib (main having been dropped earlier, which in the forthcoming events was a God send!). Calvin followed but soon overtook, as we got further out the conditions gradually got worse and keeping the boat level with the jib was difficult. It wasn’t long before the boat had capsized twice in close succession, and the main had become loose and was in the water. The boat remained upside down as a fast rib approached saying something or another, I am afraid it didn’t really register but I got the jist from her tone. Thank god for that I thought, it was far too windy and the boat was being lifted by the strong gusts. Once the boat was the right way up, Bernie did a good job of towing us in difficult conditions. Credit where credit is due, Claire was very helpful too. We eventually got in, boat and 2 lives intact!

2.30pm

Graeme having talked with the members has hatched a plan to get home.

Spooky No. 3

The rudder on the wayfarer means my car is on the island with roof bars. We did not plan to take a car over!!!

We put the Laser on my roof bars, and carry the Laser 3000 by hand on to the ferry. he has negotiated a rate to do this with the ferry Captain of the 4.00pm ferry back to Portsmouth.

Bernie will have to either stay overnight or try later.

3.30pm

We are ready to board the ferry. We will load the Laser 3000 using a RV trolley and once on board John and bernie will return it to the club and await calmer conditions before setting off.

4.00pm

We board the ferry and it sets off. While crossing the solent I look back and can see that John and bernie have set off!

Bernie's Story

Lasers sail briskly out of Wooton towards the Solent. The estuary is funnelling the wind and some of the gust are horrific. I saw Calvin finish one mad plane ( With reef in.) flying completely clear of the water. Joe and Christie went most of the way lying sideways in the muddy creek water.

Beach party wished us luck

Joe and Christi having dropped the main completely, headed towards the Solent on jib alone, For them there was not turning back as there boat would only sail down-wind!

However they had not gone far when they were knocked flat in the water again.

It was obvious by this stage that we were going to be heading back to Wooton.

Whilst righting Joe and Christi we noted the RVSC rescue boat on hand and pointing towards shore. We towed Joe and Christi back and were met by our shore-based comrades drinking beer and eating fish pie.

Ferry departure as described.

John drew the short straw and was my crew for the return journey or overnight stay.

The plan was to creep along the shore as far as possible towards Cowes, re-assess the weather and decide then on whether to cross the Solent. ( The wind was meant to be dying down.)

Pulled out of Wooton Creek behind the ferry.

Hugged the coast in fairly calm water but the spray was terrible which made looking forward very difficult and the boat was filling with water frequently. I was reminded many times by John about this! We eventually arrived off Osbourn House where we lost the protection of the wind shadow. The wind and sea were on our beam. I persisted a little further into the wind with the plan of getting the wind off our bow to reduce the spray and battering and try surfing across. Turning off the wind we headed towards the Calshot hanger. The plan worked and the motion through the water was a lot easier. We rode from one wave top to the next in a splendid surfing action being careful not to point the nose into the troughs. John mentioned that the waves looked awfully big behind us ( He could not see forward as he was acting as a breakwater on the bow.) I advised him not to look forward!

Relief as we turned into Calshot and soon the boat was on the back of the car and we were heading home.

I would like to mention the responsible action of the Calshot parking man who, spotting my car and trailer Saturday night, reported me as missing to the Coastguard!!!!!

Calvin has arranged for Richard to meet him at Portsmouth to take some of the luggage and take him back to Warsash

We set of from Portsmouth, but have to stop on the hard shoulder to tie the Laser on better.

5.15 pm

We arrive back at Warsash and collect the boats and set off back to London.

7.30 pm

We arrive safely at HOAC, everyone safe and well.

Epilogue

Bert is off to the Isle of Wight to look and possibly buy the Cruiser.