GSA sailing trip 28 – 31 July  – report by Phil |Steele

This was a “Skills Trip” that is scheduled several times per year. Skippered by Brian Hawksworth (Fleet Manager) and Mate Bob Dallimore, Bob stepped in at the last moment to replace Ian Wallace who contracted COVID, Robin Ashcroft  managed to join despite family difficulties as a candidate crew along with Phil Steele  also a candidate crew. The candidates were to be assessed as potential GSA Skippers.

The boat Celtic Flame 2   is berthed in Plymouth Yacht Haven, a 34 ft Dufour that is well maintained and kitted out, each club boat has its own boatswain. The boats are lifted out in the winter for maintenance. The boat is significantly lighter and smaller than the normal BSA charter boats making it a little less stable in moderate seas and a few knots slower, never the less Celtic flame 2 sails very well and is a joy under sail easily making 5 kts, 4.3 Kts average under engine at 2000 rpm.

Accommodation below is good in the main cabin for socialising but bunks are narrow and a little short. The fore and aft cabins can only accommodate one crew in each. The nav area is very good and so is the galley and a good size fridge. A maximum of 4 crew is practically the limit, the aft heads are well positioned for comfort underway.

Before the trip the candidates were asked to submit a passage plan Phil to Salcombe and Robin to the Yealm that might include an evening sail.

On arrival Thursday afternoon we stored on board our kit and the supplies that would be about right for the average BSA trip but turned out that Phil had over catered by about a day. The candidates were asked to complete inventory checks which turned out to be a little bit of a treasure hunt especially for the engine seacock, fuel filter, fuel shut-off and gas valve. Time was pressing and Brian was concerned that we needed to apply ourselves to a local hostelry, so we departed with haste, when all was done, to the Mount Batten Hotel Bar. Brian and Bob were concerned about a small seepage of sea water into the bilge throughout the trip, the briefing included use of heads re the detrimental chemical action of sea water and urine best prevented with at least 20 wet pumps.

Friday morning Phil was acting skipper but a crisis had arisen from the previous night, Brian had lost his expensive reading glasses, after trying Phil’s cheapo pair we went to Morrison’s for a replacement pair of his own. The boat on the adjoining pontoon was a high sided gin palace owned by Steve and his partner who seemed tolerant of the fact that their boat was susceptible to damage from Celtic Flame to the extent that they had swopped berths.

Phil took the wheel the bow line was slipped prematurely the wind started to blow the stern on swinging the bow anchor towards the gin palace, Bob was quick with a roving fender, Phil used the engine to spring bow in but the boat had to held because of traffic behind, once clear Brian slipped the stern Robin pushed us off followed by brisk exit to get water over the rudder and a two-point turn. On request Bob stayed on the bow as look out and ensured our safe departure from the Marina.

Arriving in the sound sails were raised with a gentle beat to Salcombe in a slight sea F3-4 ESE sunny skies 22 degrees. Bob took the role of caterer for lunch while Brian checked Phil’s knowledge on collision regs. En route a helicopter was seen mucking about towards Bolt Head and as we approached, we took turns at guessing at what it was doing, on nearing we could see that it was collecting sea water to put out a fire on the cliff face and fields above.

We arrived at Salcombe entrance, dropped sails, and motored in due North on the transit marks, turning into the channel at the green cans. The harbour master was called and informed us that there were no buoys adjacent to Normandy, Brian thought that there might be a pontoon in the Bag, HM was asked who confirmed there was a business-pontoon marked with yellow piles that we could raft on. Brian identified a space in the pontoon between a rafted gin palace and floating garbage skip. Phil was given the wheel taking account that the wind making the gin palace a lee shore, oh goody. An extra offing was given on the approach but even then, the light weight Celtic Flame’s stern slid sideways attracted to the gin palace’s gel coat requiring using the rudder and engine as a stern thruster. CF popped into its berth nicely, before mooring for the night in this isolated spot. We caught the water taxi to the town and walked to the Yacht club for drinks and shower not before Brian announced that Phil would be recommended as a coastal skipper for GSA.

That night Brian and Phil had late night beverages on deck shooting the breeze and stargazing at the milky way, Brian was not so impressed because he gets better views from his own boat in Corfu.

The next day Robin skippered and Phil achieved 71 yrs (same day as Jock’s birthday). We had to spring off, reaching the entrance we found it lumpy until we cleared Rame Head. Wind WSW 14-17 Kts warm and cloudy, beating to the Yealm. Brian informed us that we would demonstrate MOB, Phil was pleased that it could be practised because there is usually little opportunity on most trips. Phil outlined his procedure and discussed it with Brian. Arriving too early after a lovely sail to enter the Yealm Brian thought it a bit choppy for MOB and suggested that we anchored behind the Mew Stone. CF has an electric windlass, hooray, Bob took over the job as anchor-man. We started to drop the hook then Bob shouted for help, the clutch was not working so he could not stop the chain paying out including some warp. Phil and Bob managed to pull some chain in with engine assistance to cleat off.

Time for a cuppa and consult the manual, answer the clutch is releasable and had been left off, this is probably because of the fine control needed to engage the safety pin. We entered the Yealm after using the windlass and rafted on a pontoon. Happy Birthday G &T time. No water taxi so Robin cooked a meal on board after being informed of his success.

Next morning, we used the wind to drift off the berth into the channel then leaving the Yealm motoring head to wind in a westerly 14 Kts moderate seas with drizzle. Beam reaching into the sound on genoa only, sailing nicely with one sail. On arriving in the sound lunch on the hoof observing preparation for the Plymouth Sail Grand Prix. Fuelled up and made our way to the pontoon with Brian at the helm, he experienced the same magnetic attraction gel coat by the CF’s stern but a roving fender ensured safety. We thoroughly cleaned down removing all supplies according to rules before making our way home.

Big thanks to Brian and Bob for giving up their time for the skills trip and for being thoroughly nice guys.