The Eddystone Pursuit

When Aphrodite was moved to Plymouth I learned about the Eddystone Pursuit and as a member of the Ocean Youth Trust South Volunteer Sea Staff decided to participate in the event, raising some money for the charity allowing others to sail with us.

Arrangements had been made with three sailing friends to make up a crew of four and I drove down to the boat on Friday, shopped for the sail, met up with one of the crew and headed off to the National Marine Aquarium for the skippers briefing, a bite to eat and a beer.

The excellent briefing was conducted in front of the Eddystone Reef tank. It is a bit strange watching some huge fish swimming behind the presenter as he was informing us of the weather, start and finish times. Feeling "fully briefed" we left in search of a decent fish supper and a beer.

The plan was to sleep on the boat and the other crew members meet up in the morning, Steve in his own boat, Stuart and Jane Hall driving down to Plymouth. I settled down to sleep but was not to have a comfortable night as the wind piped up and the boat moved round on her mooring lines. It has always been quite flat in the marina so it must be quite rough at sea.

The alarm went at 0500 UTC and I poked my head out of the cabin, a drech day greeted me! The rain was horizontal and I could not see Plymouth Breakwater! Checked both the Met Office and MetoFrance forecasts and as usual they were not agreeing, no change there then! Both were saying it was sailable but nothing like what I was seeing. I grabbed my wash kit and headed off for a shower.

Back at the boat I started a brew and there was a knock on the hull, Steve who had attended the briefing the night before was not feeling well and felt it was best not to put to sea leaving the crew down to three.

Stuart arrived with apologies that Jane was not 100% so we were down to two - time for another brew. We talked over what had been said at the briefing and prepped the boat for an 0730 UTC departure from the pontoon. By some miracle the skies cleared and the weather looked more like the forecast, we slipped the pontoon and motored into Plymouth Sound, raised the mainsail and headed up to the start line for our 0825 UTC departure time.

Listening to the countdown on Channel M we crossed the line and headed towards the first mark, N E Winter, which had to be passed to our port. Lets just say we messed up the turn, something to do with not enough wind and water moving in the wrong direction - well that is my excuse and I am sticking to it. Finally, passing the mark we headed towards the eastern entrance to Plymouth Sound in really fluky winds and the equivalent of Kew Gardens hanging on for dear life to the hull! Aphrodite had not been moved for a while and there was a huge amount of weed on the bottom.

On passing the breakwater the wind sorted itself out and we started a long beat towards Eddystone Lighthouse, boats zooming past us at some speed, which was a bit unnerving but they let the faster boats out last. Slowly the hull speed picked up as the weed finally let go of the hull.

As a cruising sailor I usually sail to a course but today was different, it was all about boat speed and sailing to the wind. Steering really close to the wind was both challenging and frustrating. I don't think I've spent so long looking at the windex and to cap it all there was a distinct lack of tea on this leg!

We finally rounded the Eddystone at 1400 UTC and turned the boat north thus could sail in a straight line back to Plymouth with the wind at our backs. The boat settled down and we eventually sorted out lunch and get a brew on.

The cut off time for the event was 1600 UTC by which time we were just outside the breakwater! I advised Pursuit Control where we were and that we were planning to cross the finish line. Forty-five minutes later we crossed the finish line to a long blast on their hooter, we gave a big wave and knew we had completed the event.

Turning the boat round we headed back to King Point where we tied up and headed over to the National Marine Aquarium for a meal and mementos, a lovely Dartington Glass Whisky Tumbler.

Much to our delight we were awarded a Special Prize of £250 for the OYT South.

Stuart headed home and I wandered back to the boat for a sound night's sleep.

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Crew: Sandy Garrity, Stuart Hall

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Trip Stats: Distance sailed: 35 nm, Avg speed: 3.75 knots, Max speed: 7 knots, Underway: 9h 36m

Weather: Inshore waters forecast to 12 miles offshore 01:00 (UTC+1) on Sat 15 Jun 2019 to 01:00 (UTC+1) on Sun 16 Jun 2019

Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 for a time at first, then veering westerly 3 for a time in west. Rough at first near the Isles of Scilly, otherwise moderate in west and slight or moderate in east. Rain then showers. Good, occasionally poor at first.

Powerboat II; The Need for Speed!

Day 2

RYA Powerboat II and the second day is the one you do the high speed maneuvering! I am not a huge fan of going fast but it had to be done.

Assembling at 0900 UTC Dan and the three course members arrived and the kettle pressed into service. The day started with a recap on the previous session and some more theory, revision really as the theory is designed for the beginner, after a briefing on what we were going to do during the day. The morning doing some pontoon and boat control work followed by lunch and then the high speed work out at sea we made another cup of coffee we headed out onto the pontoon. To perform the boat, and phone, checks before getting underway.

Checking the RIB and for some of us our phones

With all the checks done, and phones tucked safely away, we headed down the river to Exmouth Marina to do some close quarter work in amongst the pontoons and other boats.

With all three of us performing the required maneuvers to the instructors satisfaction it was back up to Starcross Fishing and Cruising Club for lunch and the last bit of theory work the all important "Man overboard" briefing. All quite different than in a sailing boat as you have the huge advantage of speed.

After lunch and several coffees he again headed down to the pontoon for the high speed work. Being a yachtsman who is quite delighted when we hit seven knots through the water this was going to be a very, very different experience.

Heading down the marked channel looking towards Berry Head

Dan, the instructor, briefed us on what we were about to do then demonstrated it. All of a sudden we were flying along at 30 knots, gripping on for dear life! I'm never happy at speed in anything this felt very, very exposed! I suspect a bit like being on a motorcycle at 30 MPH with the water very close. The other's were loving the sensation.

It came to be my turn and I gingerly opened up the throttle and off we went. WOW you need to concentrate hard with boats and pots about. Straight lines were OK but now we had to do turns. When Dan said "full lock" I took a big gulp and turned the wheel hard over. The RIB responded and round she went, just now and then you could feel the stern lose grip in the water.

At the helm

I was quite pleased when I had completed the high speed work and was able to pass the helm to another student.

The final set of exercises was "Man overboard" two techniques were taught and quite different to doing it on a sailing vessel as you could get to the casualty far faster than you could with sails or even the engine turned on.

We all satisfied Dan that were could pick up the bucket and buoy and we headed back to Starcross for the final debriefing and were delighted to hear that we had all passed, certificates issued we said our farewells and headed for home.

Overall the experience was "interesting", I did learn how to safely handle a RIB and could in the future, but think I would be happy at about 10 knots.

View from Starcross to Exmouth

Powerboat II; Storm Hannah

Introduction

Somebody suggested that it would be a good idea if I did the Royal Yachting Association's Powerboat II qualification to see how a powerboat handles differently to a boat with sails and I knew that my old sailing club, Starcross Fishing and Cruising Club, ran the course so contacted them to support them as an ex-member.

Dates had been arranged months in advance but as anybody knows the weather in April can be "changeable" in this part of the world and so it was to be! Storm Hannah decided to pay the west of the United Kingdom a visit and the first day of a two day course was postpond due to high winds.

Day 1

Sunday was re-rostered as day one and I drove to Starcross, parked the car and gathered my wet weather kit as I knew the RIB was an open boat with no tea making facilities onboard, an essential part of my sailing day!

I knew the instructor Dan from my time at the club and met the other two "students" on the course, both keen yachtsmen about my age. The kettle was pressed into service and introductions completed Dan started on the theory part of the course before we headed the training RIB on the pontoon. With the matra "kill cord" in our head.

Arriving at the RIB we did all the usual checks, so far not that much different to what I do on Aphrodite. All done we hopped aboard and cast off. Dan at the helm.

Out into the moorings he demonstrated the first set of maneuvers a figure of eight round some buoys. Well that was not that difficult! The second maneuver was not so easy a figure of eight in reverse! Never done that in a sailing boat, perhaps I should do as a party trick? This I found challenging as you are going with the tide then against it.

Third challenge for the morning was holding station with a buoy another one that we had done on a sailing boat, so no problem there. This then developed to picking up a mooring buoy, something we were all well versed in.

Back to the club for lunch and some more theory before back onto the RIB for the afternoon's exercises coming alongside the pontoon.

We were all finished on the water by 1600, cleared the RIB for the day and headed back to the club to debrief and arrange a date for the second day.

Coming away from the day I could understand why RIBS are so popular, simple to use and fun.

Second Sail of 2019

A message from Craig saying that he and his partner were free for a sail on Sunday meant that I was driving down to the boat on a sunny March morning with plans for a run round Plymouth Sound to blow the cobwebs away and give all of us a sail.

Arriving at the boat, after the usual stop at the CO-OP for items for lunch, I did the daily checks on the engine, prepped the boat for sea and put the kettle on. Craig and Stephanie came over from their boat carrying steaming mugs of tea; we were not going thirsty on this blast in the sound.

Engine running we cast off and slowly motored out of the marina, raised the main and unfurled the genoa and we were off towards Cawsands Bay. The wind was a bit fickle but on the whole a good F4 with a flat sea.

A cracking sail and just enjoyed being on the water after a couple of hours we headed back to the berth. One entering the marina just after one of the lowest tides of the year 0.40m at 1405 UTC we gently kissed the bottom the end of D pontoon! Note for the future on very low spring tides wait an hour and we should be OK.

The joy that is "getting the boat alongside without damaging the gelcoat" is getting just a tad easier just needs a bit lot more practice. Once alongside we had a late lunch of a hearty soup and talked about plans for the summer.

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Crew: Sandy Garrity, Craig and Steph Salter

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Trip Stats: Distance: 6 nm, Avg speed: 3.20 knots, Max speed: 6.00 knots, Under way: 2 h 00 m.

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Weather Inshore Waters Forecast to 12 miles offshore for the period 0000 UTC Sunday 24 March to 0000 UTC Monday 25 March 2019

Sea area: Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly Wind: Easterly or northeasterly backing northwesterly later, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in far west. Sea State: Moderate in far west, otherwise smooth or slight. Weather: Occasional drizzle at first. Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

First Sail of 2019

Leaving the house in thick mist and driving down the A30 in dense fog I arrived in Plymouth bathed in sunshine, popped into the local CO-OP and purchased some food for lunch and arrived at the boat to be confronted by this beautiful still morning view.

A beautiful February morning

The marina was a hive of activity, people I had not seen for months were down checking their boats and passing the time of day.

Around 1000 hrs, Stuart and Jane Hall arrived for some sailing and a bit of pontoon bashing. We had a brew and slipped the lines with the firm intention of spending a couple of hours trying not to scrape the gel coat off the boat. As we left the marina I though sod it, let's take advantage of this beautiful day and get a bit of sailing done, so we put the fenders away and struck out for a play in Plymouth Sound.

Jane and Stuart Hall

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Crew: Sandy Garrity, Stuart Hall and Jane Hall.

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Trip Stats: Distance: 7.90 nm, Avg speed: 2.30 knots, Max speed: 5.00 knots, Under way: 3 h 25 m

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Weather Issued: Inshore Waters Forecast to 12 miles offshore for the period 0000 UTC Saturday 23 February to 0000 UTC Sunday 24 February 2019

Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly

Wind: Southeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in west, becoming variable 3 or 4 later. Sea State: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in shelter in east. Weather: Occasional rain and fog patches later Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.