There is something reassuring about sitting in front of a roaring log fire on a cold Sunday night in February, especially when contemplating the events of the previous twenty four hours out there on the Solent. My family have always thought that this sailing thing was a vaguely mad hobby, pouring fifty pound notes down into a bottomless bilge and then, would you believe, turning out on a Friday night in winter in a determined effort to sink the boat, drown the crew, and never be seen again.Well, after the January Fast Cruise the family’s suspicions came near to reality as we told of the pasting we had experienced going to windward on a cold and very windy day, and actually enjoying it. What on earth were we thinking of at our age partaking in dangerous sports.
So in order to pacify these family concerns we thought the time had come to seek some kind of undertaking from the Fast Cruise organisers. This Saturday we must assuredly be entitled to bob about gently on a glassy sea, with light easterly winds wafting us westwards and the perfumes of spring drifting across from the Island. All guaranteed, I believe I heard them say, and supported by the Commodore’s legendary unconditional good weather certificate.
And so with anxieties banished by these solemn assurances we looked at the five day weather forecast, the four, the three, the two and the twenty four hour. There was this funny wiggly thing that kept appearing on the weather chart with angry arrows pasted across it and coming across from somewhere in the Arctic, and would you believe followed closely by another, this one labelled ‘Manna from Hell’.
So we looked at the list of boats attending, some of them indeed skippered by legendry heavy weather sailors. You know the sort of chaps, reefing lines? Never use ‘em, what are they for? So off we set from Langstone Harbour, around the corner by the Hayling Ferry which was straining at its moorings, and in to the first wave sloshing up the channel. Never seen that before.
Out in to the ocean, the troubled ocean, heading for the Cambrian Wreck where as ever boats began to appear from all directions. Could that be Barrie with a reef in, Oxygen with life jackets on, and Charles and Brian each with two in the main and a jib that looked more like a hankie? Surely not or things were indeed looking grim.
Eleven o’clock came and went and would you believe it but Storm Petrel was in the lead to Saddle. Her skipper fancies himself as a bit of a fast starter even though he is known as a slow finisher. SP’s crew looked wide eyed over their shoulders at a really stirring sight, nine yachts bearing down on us, heavily reefed and going like the clappers. Quite a sight, we have to say. Some yachts stood on in to Gilkicker, others tacked and headed for the Island.
And now the Coastguard was piping up over the radio to gloomily remind us that a gale was imminent, indeed it might rise to a storm. Well thanks, we think it’s already here!
So we pressed on and there were signs of us making ground on one or two of the speed merchants, one was wallowing in the shipping channel, one had stood on to Ryde and yet another was calling on the radio.
This was not good but we resolved to forego our three course luncheon, to stick at it and finish the course. Which is what most of the others managed along with us after four hours and twenty minutes of really exhilarating and exciting sailing.
We met a Solent Chop to match all Solent Chops, we endured a consistent thirty five to forty knot wind, we had poor visibility, and we were slashed in the face by icy squalls. Correction, the man at the wheel endured the icy squalls, the crew were cowering under the spray hood. Suhaili would have loved it!
We finished our days sailing, arrived in Cowes and tied up whereupon the wind dropped and we sat with the whisky bottle and blissful silence. The three course lunch, along with the pots and pans, had taken quite a few trips across the cabin along the way but still went down very well indeed.
These winter outings never disappoint, we know there was discomfort on some yachts but we are sure that especially for those embarking on a sailing career for the first time this will have been a true experience to remember in years to come. Yes, this was truly a great occasion but please organisers, a nice spring day and lighter airs for the last one of the year in March!
And the Marmalade Trophy was presented to that vertically challenged yacht Ronhilda and her boy and girl racer crew. Well done indeed.