Challenging times

The weather has been appalling for the past few weeks with only an occasional small boat sailing day as wave after wave of depressions and fronts created winds of gale force strength across most of the UK. The gallant Hilary Lister (see last post and link) has been holed up in Lymington since 2 July waiting for a break to dash on to Portland.

In desperation I have been scrutinising the forecasts looking for short periods when I might venture out, and hopefully return, with nothing stronger than force 5 expected. Should force 6 materialise then I know that if I'm somewhere up-wind I can run back into Southampton Water safely now that my confidence in Misty has grown.

In the Solent the tidal stream (see above which is what I use for planning) has to be a major consideration in any planned small boat sailing trip. Once out of Southampton Water and into the Solent proper the tide floods in from the West until about 2 hours before High Water at Portsmouth. By HW Portsmouth the direction has reversed and an ebb is established when the water rushes back from the East again until about 4-5 hours after HW Portsmouth when the whole process slowly reverses again. The strength of the stream varies with time, location and phase but through the Hurst Narrows at the western end of the Solent there can be over 4 knots between 1 and 3 hours after HW Portsmouth during Springs. Another consideration is wind direction and strength relative to tidal stream direction and strength. A strong wind blowing in opposition to a strong tide creates short choppy seas which can be uncomfortable in a small boat and really kill the boat speed if beating into the wind.

Yesterday a 'window of opportunity' arose and I made a trip across to the Isle of Wight and back. With a forecast W-SW Force 4-5 wind and an east-going tide I did not want to end up in the eastern Solent with a long slog back so I headed down for Gurnard, to the west of Cowes, then back across to Lepe and home. It all worked out fine but the beats down to Cowes and back up to Lepe proved quite a challenge against large waves driven into and up the Solent by gales in the channel. Enough words - see attached video taken off West Cowes.

Misty had the first reef taken in with the genoa rolled up to balance it. For the homeward downwind leg in these conditions my tactic is to get rid of the main and run under as much of the genoa as I dare. Yesterday this didn't quite work out as the wind veered round to the north just as I turned the corner into Southampton Water and I was lashed by vicious rainstorm. Oh for some shelter as I quickly furled the genoa and started the engine for a slow, wet, slog home into the wind and rain.

Sailing Round Britain

No not me, at least not yet! There are currently two gallant spirits sailing small boats on circumnavigations of the UK. Well, one is taking a short cut through the Caledonian Canal, but then so did Ellen MacArthur and last year Geoff Holt. The first is an almost unbelievably brave attempt by Hilary Lister, a 35 year old quadriplegic from Kent, only able to move her head, and who sailed solo across the English Channel in August 2005 by using a ‘sip and puff’ system of straws to control the sails and tiller. Hilary has recently started her trip and is sailing in a clockwise direction. Hilary's web-site is at http://www.hilarylister.com/

In complete contrast in almost every way is the able-bodied Dylan Winter who is sailing his 19ft Mirror Offshore in an anti-clockwise direction and posting a series of fascinating and very professional travelogue videos as he progresses from port to port. Both Hilary and Dylan mention that over-used word 'Freedom' in describing what sailing does for them. I can heartily endorse that and dread the day when the petty legislators turn their evil gaze offshore and realise what is going on controlled only by common sense, good will and the RYA.

Well worth a visit is Dylan's story to date at http://uk.youtube.com/user/KeepTurningLeft

Good luck to both, perhaps they will meet part way round.