Trip on Galaxy starting 2018-10-27
SOLENT SAILING 27/28 OCTOBER 2018 – report by Bob Buchanan
YACHT “GALAXY
” BAVARIA 36. Lymington yacht haven
Skipper Caroline Mclynn
Crew Bob Buchanan , Kevin Lay , David Winks and Colin Evans .
We all got down to the boat early Friday evening to find Caroline had already done the hand over.
She had sailed with us quite a few times and this year had taken her Day Skipper theory and practical in Lanzarote. It was her first time as skipper. That evening we had a few beers and a few bottles of wine then had a fish pie meal cooked by Caroline.
Saturday.
After a full English breakfast we slipped our moorings at 11.00hrs. The plan was to catch the last couple of hours tide going east, turn around, then head up to Bucklers hard.
The wind was F6 N/E so at Jack in the Basket (the entrance to Lymington) we pulled up the main and Genoa with one reef in. Going along at 8 to 9 knots the skipper’s hat blew off, she was on the wheel at the time. It’s my favourite hat she said, let’s get it back. We turned back to recover it but could not find the boat hook. Colin grabbed the brush and said we will have a go at getting it with this. After three failed attempts, Kevin appeared with the boat hook. With Caroline still on the wheel the skipper’s hat was finally retrieved on the next go.
We had a very good brisk sail up to Cowes then turned back with the tide and headed up to Bucklers Hard. We dropped the sails at the entrance and motored up the Beaulieu River; as we passed a dinghy sailing pontoon there was a big fat seal lying on it sunbathing. At 14.00hrs we berthed at Bucklers Hard (£41.40 for a night’s stop, although the facilities have been re-vamped and are excellent)
That evening, we booked a table at the Master Builders. The beer was not cheap, but the meal that we had was excellent.
Sunday.
After a cup of coffee we slipped our moorings at 09.00hrs. The weather forecast was 30kts N/E. We had booked a Sunday lunch in the Island Sailing Club for 13.30hrs. We left the Beaulieu River and pulled out the Genoa, two reefs. The wind was 30/35 knts gusting up to 40knts. After a very good wet and bouncy sail up to Cowes, we berthed in Cowes yacht haven for a lunch time stop (£12.07)
We had lunch in the Island Sailing Club, excellent as always, and then back to the boat.
The wind was still blowing N/E about F/5 so we put in a reef in the main and Genoa and had an excellent sail back to Lymington. We re-fuelled and got back at the pontoon at 15.30hrs cleaned up and went home.
Total NM 35