Have you been out today?

[Ru88ell]

Yes! One super quick passage from Lymington to Poole. Barely saw less than 6kts OTG the whole trip - and usually a lot more.

[Ru88ell]

After a sort of 'storm bound' day in Poole we made a dash for it early this morning and had a fantastic downwind sail to Newtown Creek in the Solent. Left Poole and sailed directly to the SW Shingles and Bridge buoys off The Needles, then through Hurst narrows at 10.4kts OTG.

Zephyr left the rest of the fleet for dead again. Great boat, and my best dinghy racing techniques, looking back to spot waves and then surfing down them.

Brilliant fun. I might leave here at 8pm and make a night passage back to Northney.

[Ru88ell]

I did. I left Newtown Creek and sailed to Emsworth, arriving at 01:30. Fabulous experience, even though I thought I was going to get wiped out by a tanker and a car transporter off Ryde.

Currently on a mooring, but will move off soon to Northney marina to get hauled out. Zephyr is going to get some TLC here before heading off to Morbihan on Saturday.

[Dennis]

Interesting sail today!

Wind F4 gusting to F6.

Started the day with staysail and double reefed mainsail, ended the day with yankee, staysail and single reefed mainsail.

Sailed all day with the sprayhood up, needed it.

A couple of torrential downpours this afternoon, managed to stay dry by pointing the boat just off the wind, running the engine (slowly) and putting the tiller pilot on auto, while I sat in the dry under the spray hood.

14 Nm covered with a max of 6.1 kts and an average of 3.3 kts.

[x-man12345]

We left the pontoon at 10.00, full set of sails up immediately and all the way to Porthbeor beach (the other side of St Anthony lighthouse).
Turned around, pulled in the jib and sailed back as far as Flushing. Engine on and up to Penryn.
Back on pontoon at 14.00. Cup of Railway Platform Chai (thanks Arun) and a lovely smoked salmon sandwich (thanks Heather) in the sun.
Well pleased with the mast rings.

[Dennis]

Another 15 Nm covered on Kielder Water today.

Interesting conditions!

Wind generally F4 westerly but occasionally F0 and often gusting to F7, gusts often with large shifts in direction. Sailing on a lake certainly can be entertaining.

Overall average 3.4 kts with a max of 6.6 kts. Most of the day spent with staysail and double reefed mainsail.

At least the sun was shining and it did not rain.

[Dennis]

A cracking day sailing today.

Warm, 17C rising to 22C, this is almost tropical by Kielder standards.

Wind F0 to F5 with everything in between.

Sails: Full mainsail, yankee and staysail down to single reefed mainsail and staysail only.

18.6 Nm covered with a max of 7kts and an average of 3.1 kts

[SimonW]

Went out today with Mike Brooke on Sea Badger II. Chichester harbour for 3 ours. Great guy and nice boat, very well balanced and noticeably stiffer than a Shrimper. 15 ish knots gusting 20's.

[popeye]

15 ish knots gusting 20's.

Hi Simon,
which sail configuration Mike has choosen for this conditions?

Regards, Frank

[SimonW]

Hi

We started with a single reef and staysail, then added the yankee, then the full main. Wind came up towards the end so we ran back down with the main down and the yankee poled out just to show how easy it is. Mike has a preventer system which always helps. I am not sure how useful the Genoa is. I suspect a sail set of yankee plus gennaker probably covers a wider range than adding the genoa?