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Cruise Report
Cornish Crabber Club - Solent Rally 2015
Sunday 21st June (the longest day - it was for some!) - Yarmouth - Poole.
Last year was the first time that the Rally had gone to Poole, and on that occasion we had light airs, easy seas, and had a quick and quiet passage. Perhaps it was too much to expect those conditions again. Preparations for leaving were made, and as we did, it was necessary for a distinct order of departure to be employed since we were so tightly packed into an awkward corner of the Harbour. There was a moment of excitement when one of our boats Creekability 2 had an issue with its throttle control. Somehow it appeared to be jammed in “full ahead” as other crews were trying to quietly push her backwards from her berth into the main pool of the Harbour. This did not work! A lot of pushing was getting the boat nowhere as the engine drive was forcing her forward. A quick thinking and very agile Graham Woodward (Sally Lightfoot) jumped aboard C2 and moved the throttle to neutral. After this the pushing backwards operation had a lot more success, and Chris and Sue were on their way! The rest of the fleet followed into what was become quite a blowy day! YoYo and Moores Claws were unable to come on to Poole and stayed over in Yarmouth for one more night before returning to Chichester the next day with the favourable tide.
Having thrown out my second reef on the trip to Yarmouth, I had set sail to Poole with that same reef in place. As we approached Hurst Narrows it was clear to me that I would need the second reef. So for the first time, and with my wife Mary on the helm, I raised the mainsail and put in the second reef at the same time. It was blowing quite strongly by now, and whilst the operation was successfully completed, it would have been a lot easier to have done it in harbour. The trickiest bit was securing the sail ties together whilst trying to balance securely at the same time. It all turned out fine, safely double reefed with both foresails furled and a strong wind F5 gusting F6 against a fast ebb. That would be fine! The fleet got quickly separated as different crews employed different methods of sail setups and indeed some motored. Creekability 2 had an issue with its jib furling, which resulted in some damage being evident when she arrived in Poole. I think a new jib was required! Alice Pellow had a few issues on the boat, and realised that the need to motor sail would leave him very short, if not out of fuel, so she decided to turn back to Yarmouth. The rest of us plugged on. In our case and that of a few others we decided to go across Christchurch Ledge which was a little bumpy but then wherever one was on that day would have been bumpy. Summer Breeze copes really well in a blow, and just bashes on through whatever is thrown at it. After a long five and a half hours we eventually reached Poole. It was in the Harbour that Mellow said her goodbyes to us and returned to her berth at the RMYC. Inyanga peeled off here too and went to her mooring. The rest of us berthed at the Poole Quay Boat Haven. A fleet of Cornish Crabbers alongside numerous enormous and very ostentatious Sunseeker Yachts is a sight of some contrasts. I know which I prefer!
Once we had all settled in Poole, Andrew and Caroline Turner invited all to drinks aboard Sea Wind. We exchanged views about our crossing. It turned out that most husband and wife crews had at some stage during the trip had some quite animated conversations! I can’t think why!
There was no organised supper on this evening, and so it was a rush to the chippy before closing to secure the last portions of fish and chips. We were all pleased to be having a lay day the following day.
Last year was the first time that the Rally had gone to Poole, and on that occasion we had light airs, easy seas, and had a quick and quiet passage. Perhaps it was too much to expect those conditions again. Preparations for leaving were made, and as we did, it was necessary for a distinct order of departure to be employed since we were so tightly packed into an awkward corner of the Harbour. There was a moment of excitement when one of our boats Creekability 2 had an issue with its throttle control. Somehow it appeared to be jammed in “full ahead” as other crews were trying to quietly push her backwards from her berth into the main pool of the Harbour. This did not work! A lot of pushing was getting the boat nowhere as the engine drive was forcing her forward. A quick thinking and very agile Graham Woodward (Sally Lightfoot) jumped aboard C2 and moved the throttle to neutral. After this the pushing backwards operation had a lot more success, and Chris and Sue were on their way! The rest of the fleet followed into what was become quite a blowy day! YoYo and Moores Claws were unable to come on to Poole and stayed over in Yarmouth for one more night before returning to Chichester the next day with the favourable tide.
Having thrown out my second reef on the trip to Yarmouth, I had set sail to Poole with that same reef in place. As we approached Hurst Narrows it was clear to me that I would need the second reef. So for the first time, and with my wife Mary on the helm, I raised the mainsail and put in the second reef at the same time. It was blowing quite strongly by now, and whilst the operation was successfully completed, it would have been a lot easier to have done it in harbour. The trickiest bit was securing the sail ties together whilst trying to balance securely at the same time. It all turned out fine, safely double reefed with both foresails furled and a strong wind F5 gusting F6 against a fast ebb. That would be fine! The fleet got quickly separated as different crews employed different methods of sail setups and indeed some motored. Creekability 2 had an issue with its jib furling, which resulted in some damage being evident when she arrived in Poole. I think a new jib was required! Alice Pellow had a few issues on the boat, and realised that the need to motor sail would leave him very short, if not out of fuel, so she decided to turn back to Yarmouth. The rest of us plugged on. In our case and that of a few others we decided to go across Christchurch Ledge which was a little bumpy but then wherever one was on that day would have been bumpy. Summer Breeze copes really well in a blow, and just bashes on through whatever is thrown at it. After a long five and a half hours we eventually reached Poole. It was in the Harbour that Mellow said her goodbyes to us and returned to her berth at the RMYC. Inyanga peeled off here too and went to her mooring. The rest of us berthed at the Poole Quay Boat Haven. A fleet of Cornish Crabbers alongside numerous enormous and very ostentatious Sunseeker Yachts is a sight of some contrasts. I know which I prefer!
Once we had all settled in Poole, Andrew and Caroline Turner invited all to drinks aboard Sea Wind. We exchanged views about our crossing. It turned out that most husband and wife crews had at some stage during the trip had some quite animated conversations! I can’t think why!
There was no organised supper on this evening, and so it was a rush to the chippy before closing to secure the last portions of fish and chips. We were all pleased to be having a lay day the following day.
