OYT Trip 04 of 2025 - Day 1

Thursday 10^th April 2025

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

0800 hrs
Wake, breakfast and sea staff change over.

1400 hrs
The new crew are welcomed aboard. A group of youngsters that MDL, one of the OYTs major sponsors, had funded their berths.

1700 hrs
After settling the crew in, welcomes and briefings we made a quick dash under motor to Cowes for the night.

1830 hrs
Alongside at Sheppard's in Cowes. Supper and showers.

All times are UT.

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Prolific Log

	Distance NM	Underway	Avg SOG knots	Max SOG knots	Night Hours
Day:	8.25	1h 30m	5.50	7.00	00h 00m
Trip:	8.25	1h 30m	5.50	7.00	00h 00m
Year:	162.85	31h 20m	5.20	12.00	00h 00m

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Crew: Andrew W (skipper), Brigid, Katie, Josh, Sara, Si, Harry, Sandy and the MDL group.

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Sunrise: 0521 hrs    Meridian Passage: 1201 hrs   Sunset: 1852 hrs

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The Shipping Forecast

Issued by the Met Office at 0700 on Friday 11/04/2025 via NAVTEX

There are gales warnings in:
None

The general synopsis at 0000:
High Irish Sea 1028 expected The Netherlands by midnight tonight. New Low expected Biscay 1007 by same time.

Sea Areas:
Thames Dover Wight

Forecast:
Variable 2 to 4, becoming East 3 to 5 in Wright. Smooth or slight. Fog patches, good occasionally very poor.

© Met Office Synoptic Chart 10/04/2025

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Update: 24/12/2025

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OYT - Change Over Day

Wednesday 9^th 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.

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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

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Crew:

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

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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

© Met Office Synoptic Chart 09/04/2025

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Update: 15/12/2025

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OYT Trip 03 of 2025 - Day 4

Tuesday 8^th 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.

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.

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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

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

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

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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

© Met Office Synoptic Chart 08/04/2025

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Update: 15/12/2025

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OYT Trip 03 of 2025 - Day 3

Monday 7^th 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.

Poole Quay Boat Haven

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

All times are UT.

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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

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

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

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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.

© Met Office Synoptic Chart 07/04/2025

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Update: 15/12/2025

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OYT Trip 03 of 2025 - Day 2

Sunday 6^th 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.

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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

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

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

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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

© Met Office Synoptic Chart 06/04/2025

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Update: 15/12/2025

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