OYT - Change Over Day

Wednesday 9th April 2025

0000 hrs
Lat:
50° 53.66' N Long: 001° 23.34' W
Ocean Village, Southampton, Hampshire

0800 hrs
Wake, breakfast and Prolific given a deep clean.

1100 hrs
Voyage sum-up and crew depart.

1200 hrs
Lunch and prep Prolific for the next crew.

1700 hrs
All Sea Staff head off for a pint.

All times are UT.


Prolific Log

Distance
NM
Underway
Avg SOG
knots
Max SOG
knots
Night
Hours
Day:
Trip:
Year: 154.60 28h 50m 5.18 12.00 00h 00m


Crew:


Sunrise: 0527 hrs    Meridian Passage: 1201 hrs   Sunset: 1849 hrs


The Shipping Forecast

The shipping forecast issued by the Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, at 00:15 (UTC+1) on Wed 9 Apr 2025 for the period 01:00 (UTC+1) on Wed 9 Apr 2025 to 01:00 (UTC+1) on Thu 10 Apr 2025.

There are gale warnings in:
Trafalgar.

The general synopsis at 1800:
New high expected Forth 1033 by 1800 Wednesday

Sea Areas:
Dover, Wight, Portland, Plymouth

Forecast:
East or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first. Slight or moderate. Fair. Good

Image of the Met Office Synoptic Chart for the day.

© Met Office Synoptic Chart 09/04/2025


Update: 15/12/2025


OYT Trip 03 of 2025 - Day 4

Tuesday 8th April 2025

0000 hrs
Lat:
50° 42.70' N Long: 001° 59.11' W
Poole, Dorset

0700 hrs
An early start for breakfast and happy hour.

0945 hrs
Slipped the lines and head out into the Poole Bay, renamed 'Pot Hell', eastwards towards the Solent and back to Ocean Village.

1200 hrs
Lat:
50° 39.14' N Long: 001° 47.40' W
Noon Position

1400 hrs
Another afternoon in 'Pot Hell' the lookouts being kept busy as they searched for pots. Back into the Solent via the North Channel.

1600 hrs
The Trust has use of a mooring off Yarmouth that we were to pick up, prepair supper then do some pilotage work before motoring Prolific back to Ocean Village after sunset.

Chris and I were asked to go forward to pick up the mooring, armed with the longest boat hook I've ever used Prolific was skilfully manoeuvred to the mooring where I was lucky to get the pickup buoy on first strike and brought the mooring line inboard.

Image of Getting Ready to Picking up the buoy

Getting Ready to Picking up the Mooring Buoy
© OYT South 08/04/2025

1820 hrs
With the sun setting we cast off from the mooring and the crew navigated Prolific back to Ocean Village.

2100 hrs
Happily tucked up on the pontoon in Ocean Village.

All times are UT.


Prolific Log


Distance
NM
Underway
Avg SOG
knots
Max SOG
knots
Night
Hours
Day: 42.20 08h 30m 4.96 12.00 0h 00m
Trip: 124.60 25h 55m 4.87 12.00 0h 00m
Year: 154.60 28h 50m 5.18 12.00 0h 00m


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


Sunrise: 0531 hrs    Meridian Passage: 1202 hrs   Sunset: 1850 hrs


The Shipping Forecast

The shipping forecast issued by the Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, at 00:15 (UTC+1) on Tue 8 Apr 2025 for the period 01:00 (UTC+1) on Tue 8 Apr 2025 to 01:00 (UTC+1) on Wed 9 Apr 2025.

There are gale warnings in:
Trafalgar.

The general synopsis at 1800:
High Forties 1029 slow-moving with little change

Sea Areas:
Thames, Dover, Wight, Portland, Plymouth

Forecast:
East or northeast 3 to 5. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in shelter. Fair. Good

Image of the Met Office Synoptic Chart for the day.

© Met Office Synoptic Chart 08/04/2025


Update: 15/12/2025


OYT Trip 03 of 2025 - Day 3

Monday 7th April 2025

0000 hrs
Lat:
50° 45.62' N Long: 001° 17.59' W
Sheppards Marina, Cowes, Isle of Wright

0600 hrs
Awake for an early start, breakfast and away for Poole.

0715 hrs
Slipped the lines and head out to the western Solent on a stunning April morning.

Out past Hurst Castle and into the North Channel.

1200 hrs
Lat:
50° 37.59' N Long: 001° 42.60' W
Noon Position

1400 hrs
Crossing Poole Bay was very much a game of dodge the pots in delightful sunshine.

1615 hrs
Waiting in the main channel into Poole Harbour for the Channel Islands supply ship to pass when a small speedboat zoomed between us and the supply ship! A total twonk who clearly had no idea of the risk he was taking.

As we were reversing into our berth at Poole Quay Boat Haven the same twonk entered our allocated berth as the marina staff, who were waiting to take our lines, looked on in utter astonishment. It was clear that he had not looked behind him and had no idea we were reversing a 105 tonne vessel towards him. The marina staff asked him to move to the next pontoon - he was insistent that he was just 'picking up his wife' who was clearly holding some fish and chips.

As I was on the stern I looked on I could only look and wonder about the lack of basic seamanship demonstrated by the speedboat skipper. Had I been on the helm it would have been five blasts on the horn.

Image of Pool Quay Boat Haven Office

Poole Quay Boat Haven

1730 hrs
The crew ashore for showers, ice cream and stocking up on sugar.

All times are UT.


Prolific Log


Distance
NM
Underway
Avg SOG
knots
Max SOG
knots
Night
Hours
Day: 42.00 08h 30m 4.94 12.00 0h 00m
Trip: 82.40 17h 05m 4.83 12.00 0h 00m
Year: 112.40 21h 20m 5.72 12.00 0h 00m


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


Sunrise: 0530 hrs    Meridian Passage: 1202 hrs   Sunset: 1848 hrs


The Shipping Forecast

The shipping forecast issued by the Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, at 00:15 (UTC+1) on Mon 7 Apr 2025 for the period 01:00 (UTC+1) on Mon 7 Apr 2025 to 01:00 (UTC+1) on Tue 8 Apr 2025.

The general synopsis at 1800:
High Viking 1030 expected Forties unchanged by 1800 Monday

Sea Areas:
Thames, Dover, Wight, Portland, Plymouth

Forecast:
East or northeast 3 to 5. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later. Fair. Good.

Image of the Met Office Synoptic Chart for the day.

© Met Office Synoptic Chart 07/04/2025


Update: 15/12/2025


OYT Trip 03 of 2025 - Day 2

Sunday 6th April 2025

0000 hrs
Lat:
50° 47.68' N Long: 001° 06.52' W
Gun Wharf, Portsmouth, Hampshire

0800 hrs
After a quiet night in the forepeak with Chris, a new trainee mate it was time for breakfast then moving swiftly into 'happy hour' that time of day that crews love best when it is time to tidy up Prolific - a task that always takes longer on the first day as people need to find where things are.

1000 hrs
We slipped our mooring and headed out into the eastern Solent for a day of winch drills, sail hoists and MOB practice

1645 hrs
We tied up at Sheppard's in Cowes, the crew piled off the boat in search of a shop for sweets, biscuits and all things sugary.

All times are UT.


Prolific Log


Distance
NM
Underway Avg SOG
knots
Max SOG
knots
Night
Hours
Day: 24.50 06h 20m 3.90 9.00 0h 00m
Trip: 40.40 08h 35m 4.71 9.00 0h 00m
Year: 70.40 12h 50m 5.49 10.40 0h 00m


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


Sunrise: 0532 hrs    Meridian Passage: 1202 hrs   Sunset: 1843 hrs


The Shipping Forecast

The shipping forecast issued by the Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, at 00:15 (UTC+1) on Sun 6 Apr 2025 for the period 01:00 (UTC+1) on Sun 6 Apr 2025 to 01:00 (UTC+1) on Mon 7 Apr 2025.

The general synopsis at 1800:
New high expected on boundary between Forties and Dogger 1029 by 1800 Sunday

Sea Areas:
Humber, Thames, Dover, Wight, Portland, North Plymouth

Forecast:
Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6. Moderate or rough at first in Portland and north Plymouth, otherwise slight or moderate. Fair. Good

Image of the Met Office Synoptic Chart for the day.

© Met Office Synoptic Chart 06/04/2025


Update: 15/12/2025


OYT Trip 03 of 2025 - Day 1

Saturday 5th 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

Spinnaker Tower from Gun Wharf

All times are UT.


Prolific Log


Distance
NM
Underway Avg SOG
knots
Max SOG
knots
Night
Hours
Day: 15.90 02h 15m 7.07 9.00 0h 00m
Trip: 15.90 02h 15m 7.07 9.00 0h 00m
Year: 45.90 06h 30m 7.06 10.40 0h 00m


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


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


The Shipping Forecast

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 gale warnings 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

Sea Areas:
Thames, Dover, Wight, Portland

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

Image of the Met Office Synoptic Chart for the day.

© Met Office Synoptic Chart 05/04/2025


Update: 15/12/2025