Solent sailing “Lady Emma  ” 7/8 M arch 2015   – report by Bob Buchannan 

Skipper: R Buchanan; Crew: Becky Goddard  , Colin Evans  , Kevin Lay  and David Winks 

Lady Emma is a 42ft yacht; she is a ten berth with hank-on sails. She is berthed in Haslar Marina on the same pontoon as “Spellbinder” but the fourth from the end.

The last time we sailed together was back in November, so it was nice to meet up again. We had a few beers and a few bottles of wine, then a meal cooked and supplied by Becky. We had a bit of a late night as we had lots to talk about and things to catch up on.

SATURDAY.

After a nice long lie in, then a cooked breakfast, we slipped our moorings at 12.30

I was on the wheel, and the wind was up to about F5 S/W. I reversed out, as we have done many times before, but the boat went over to port and hit the boat in the next pontoon, the bow of our boat went over starboard and hit the pontoon, we were stuck. The problem was, there was a small rope tied between both sterns of each boat, the last crew had thought it was a good idea to stop the boats bouncing about in the swell, but had failed to let the next crew know what they had done, this was immediately reported to the boat’s administrator.

We reversed out of the marina and put the sails up, the main with three reefs and the no.3 jib. Out in the Solent the wind was up to F6 S/W and with a spring tide helping us along our speed was well up into the 7 to 8 knts. With Colin on the wheel we hit 9.4 knts. It was a warm day with plenty of sun and wind, a very good day to go sailing.

When we arrived at Cowes, at about 15.00hrs, we went into Cowes yacht haven; there were not many boats about and our marina fees were just under £25.00. With the boat tied up four of us went into town and left Becky on board as she wanted to relax and read a book.

In town I saw a sailing jacket in a shop window that looked good, and it was in a sale, the other three persuaded me to go in and try it on. In the shop I put it on and it was a very good fit, we all haggled with the shop assistant and I finally did a deal and bought it. We came out of the shop and went into the pub, as I really needed a beer after all that.

We left the pub and headed back to the boat, but not long after that I realised that I had left my new jacket back in the pub. I went back and had a look for it; it was not there and no one had seen it. Great, I thought to myself, just bought a jacket, now I have just lost it. I came out of the pub and saw Kevin with his jacket under his arm and he was smiling, as all the rest of them were. Kevin had my jacket wrapped up under his. I called him a few things then gave them all a smile, it’s the sort of thing this lot will do. We got back to the boat, told Becky what had happened, and then all went out for an evening meal, at the Cowes Tandoori. It was a fairly good meal, and then it was back to the boat for a nightcap.

SUNDAY.

After a late breakfast we all went into town, then a quick beer in the island sailing club.

Back on the boat we left at 14.30 hrs. The wind had died down to W/SW F3/4, we pulled up a full main, but still kept the no.3 jib on, it was more overcast but we still had a good sail all the way back and through the transit with the monument, then sailed right up to Haslar, (with the engine on)

We arrived back on the pontoon at 17.30 hrs and had a meal on board before we all went home

Total NM 22.