OYT Trip 03 of 2025 - Day 1

Saturday 5^th April 2025

0000 hrs

Lat: 50° 53.66' N   Long: 001° 23.34' W
Ocean Village, Southampton, Hampshire

I had driven up to Ocean Village on Friday night and arrived in time to meet the Sea Staff leaving Prolific for a meal ashore in the Maritimo Lounge. I quickly stowed my kit in the forepeak and headed off for supper.

0700 hrs

The alarm rang and it was time for breakfast and to get Prolific ready for her new crew. The usual loading with provisions, deck walk and skippers breifing followed by lunch and a final tidy up.

1300 hrs

The crew arrived in one minibus and are welcomed aboard, the round of safety breifings are held, kit issued and people settle into living aboard.

1645 hrs

Unusually, the decision to slip lines and motor to Portsmouth had been taken. It had been decided that winch drills would be done the following morning as the average age of the crew was quite young and darkness would be falling by the time we got to Gun Wharf.

Not having to do winch drills meant that the youngsters could go on deck and could look round and enjoy an hour or so on deck getting the feel of being on a large sailing vessel.

1845 hrs

Lat: 50° 47.68' N   Long: 001° 06.52' W
Gun Wharf, Portsmouth, Hampshire

Arrived Gun Wharf and after much adjusting of the boat the skipper was happy with her position and it was time for supper.

Spinnaker Tower from Gun Wharf

All times are UTC.

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Prolific Log

	Underway	Distance NM	Avg SOG knots	Max SOG knots	Night Hours
Day:	02h 15m	15.90	6.00	9.00	0
Trip:	02h 15m	15.90	6.00	9.00	0
Year:	06h 31m	45.90	7.06	10.40	0

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Crew: Constantinos (Skipper), Michelle, Katie, Cathy, Sara, Chris L, Sandy and the school group.

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Sunrise: 0535 hrs    Meridian Passage: 1203 hrs   Sunset: 1843 hrs

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Weather: The shipping forecast issued by the Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, at 00:15 (UTC+1) on Sat 5 Apr 2025 for the period 01:00 (UTC+1) on Sat 5 Apr 2025 to 01:00 (UTC+1) on Sun 6 Apr 2025 .

There are warnings of gales in Viking, North Utsire, Lundy and Irish Sea.

The general synopsis at 1800

High Norwegian Sea 1037 slow-moving, declining 1033. Low south FitzRoy 1001 losing its identity

Thames, Dover, Wight, Portland

Northeast 4 to 6. Moderate, occasionally slight. Fair. Good, occasionally moderate

© Met Office Synoptic Chart 05/04/2025

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OYT Trip 01 of 2025 - Shakedown

Thursday 20^th March 2025

0000 hrs

Lat: 50° 53.66' N   Long: 001° 23.34' W
Ocean Village Marina, Southampton

I popped up to Prolific in Southampton for some maintenance work and the shakedown trip with the riggers onboard. I find this sail at the start of the season allows me to reacquaint myself with all the lines and get involved in some sail hoists.

0901 hrs

The spring equinox.

A quick blast down Southampton Water and into the Eastern Solent sailing at all sorts of wind angles to allow the riggers to adjust the rigging with some of the biggest spanners I've seen. Then back to Ocean Village for more maintenance.

All times are UTC.

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Prolific Log

	Underway	Distance NM	Avg SOG knots	Max SOG knots	Night Hours
Day	04h 16m	30.00	7.00	10.40	0

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Crew: Constantinos, Josh, Sara, Rooby, Patrick, Sandy, Linnea & Shaun

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Sunrise: 0611 hrs   Meridian Passage: 1207 hrs   Sunset: 1817 hrs

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Weather: The shipping forecast issued by the Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, at 23:30 (UTC) on Wed 19 Mar 2025 for the period 00:00 (UTC) on Thu 20 Mar 2025 to 00:00 (UTC) on Fri 21 Mar 2025 .

There are warnings of gales in Biscay, Trafalgar and FitzRoy.

The general synopsis at 1800

Low Trafalgar 993 expected FitzRoy 986 by 1800 Thursday. New high expected Norway 1023 by same time

Wight, Portland

East or southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 2 at first. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in Wight. Fair. Good

© Met Office Synoptic Chart 20/03/2025

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OYT: Trip 46 of 2024 - Day 1

Sunday 22^nd September 2024

0830 hrs

I climbed on board the train for the journey east to Southampton for the last trip of 2024 on Prolific. As ever the rain was hammering down, that is sailing in late September and early October for you. Part of my journey was to be by a rail replacement bus, a first for me.

At Gillingham in Dorset we de-trained and headed for the buses to take us to Salisbury, all quite painless if a tad damp. The unexpected drive through parts of the country I'd not seen before was enjoyable, but the grey sky dampen the mood.

While waiting at Salisbury for the connection to Southampton I spotted a couple with luggage who were clearly going on a cruise and we joked about the weather that we might encounter. They off to the Mediterranean and me round the Solent.

With the bus arriving to collect us outside the station we all clambered on and found a seat. Beside me was a retired Australian General Practitioner who was doing some travelling after a life of looking after patients. We chatted in detail about how the UK and Australia dealt, or did not deal, with the COVID pandemic.

1330 hrs

The bus deposited us outside Southampton Central railway station and headed off to its final destination. I then headed down to Ocean Village to await Prolific arrive from one of her short day sails and set up the camera to take some pictures of her arriving at her berth.

Prolific heading towards Ocean Village.

1600 hrs

Once Prolific had tied up alongside I made my way down to the boat to join her. The crew would be arriving tomorrow.

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Crew: Constantinos, Lauren, Glyn, Cathy, Lima, Rose and Sandy.

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Sunrise: 0552 hrs Sunset: 1802 hrs

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Weather: Forecast valid from: 01:00 (UTC+1) on Sun 22 Sep 2024 until 01:00 (UTC+1) on Mon 23 Sep 2024

Dover, Wight

Variable becoming east or southeast, then veering southwest later, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 in Wight. Smooth or slight. Thundery showers. Good, occasionally poor.

© Met Office Synoptic Chart 22/09/2024

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OYT: Trip 09 of 2024 - Day 4

Friday 26^th April 2024

0000 hrs

Lat: 50° 45.70'N Long: 001° 17.67'W

1300 hrs

Slipped lines and headed out past the the Cowes Breakwater. On the main hoist a line got tangled and it took some time to fix. I helmed, attempting to keep Prolific 'on station', using a couple of transits. A useful exercise in keeping the boat still.

1500 hrs

An afternoon in the east Solent tacking and gybing in some fresh winds.

1900 hrs

At anchor in Ryde Bay, dinner and sorted out the night navigation exercise back to Ocean Village.

2100 hrs

Anchor raised crew take over command and pilot Prolific into the north channel, then up Southampton Water to Ocean Village.

0000 hrs

Tied up alongside, time for a coffee and then bed.

All times are UTC.

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The Log

	Distance NM	Underway	Avg SOG knots	Max SOG knots	Night Hours
Day:	20.00	9h 45m	10.00	17.00	3h 00m
Trip:	148.00	7h 15m	3.80	17.00	3h 00m
Year:	140.00	31h 26m	3.84	17.00	3h 00m

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Crew: Constantinos, Lauren, Glyn, Katie, Willoughby, Vince, Sandy and the school crew.

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Sunrise: 0425 hrs Sunset: 1950 hrs

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Weather: Forecast valid from: 01:00 (UTC+1) on Fri 26 Apr 2024 until 01:00 (UTC+1) on Sat 27 Apr 2024

Dover, Wight, Portland, Plymouth

Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally easterly or northeasterly 6 in north Wight and north Portland. Slight or moderate, but rough for a time in west Plymouth. Rain or showers. Good, occasionally poor

© Met Office Synoptic Chart 26/04/2024

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Southampton Boat Show

Saturday 23^rd September 2023

As I had not been to the Southampton Boat Show for a few years and the dates conveniently coincided with an Ocean Youth Trust voyage that ended in Southampton I found an AirBnB in Southampton and stayed the extra day.

Gosh what a tired looking show it has become!  Tiny in scale when compared with to pre-COVID times.  The usually stall holders were either absent or on stalls a third of the size that I saw on my last visit.

I whizzed round the show, spent some time catching up with old friends on stalls and quickly fought my way through the incoming crowd, yes I really was leaving that early and probably saved a small fortune in lunch.

Following the visit I can't ever see a return one.

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