Boat Handling and Sail Training 2-6/6/24  . GSA Boat, Celtic Flame II  Dufour 34 @ Plymouth

Skipper Jeff Birkin  . CrewRhian Phillips  , Sue Fowle  and Kath Liddiard 

Geoff Norwood was originally scheduled for this trip as he will be skippering the same crew in Corfu later this year. However, injury forced him to abandon and I stepped in.

This was my first full GSA trip as skipper - Geoff’s injury left me to bring this same boat home with Neal Webber. On that occasion we had problems that took some sorting but thankfully they have all been fixed. Unfortunately, the boat still leaks but more about that later.

Rhian and Sue met at my home on Sunday afternoon and Rhian drove us down. Kath was delayed until Tuesday lunchtime.

Once aboard we had a safety briefing and talked about the theory of handling with emphasis on the fact that every boat is different depending on several factors and just how this can change with the wind conditions, tidal stream etc. Following a few drinks we headed for a pleasant meal at the Bridge (marina) restaurant.

Monday was a partly sunny, partly cloudy day with light winds of F2-F4. Motoring out into the River Plym we began exploring and explaining why and how the boat handles. The benefits of turning with zero throttle and then how to turn on the keel using just the engine were all explored and practiced repeatedly.

Accepting the limited number and acrobatic abilities of us all, I decided to concentrate on single midship line docking. This underused method offers many advantages. Sue and Rhian used their knowledge of turning in a tight space as they left the mooring before returning to the same location several times, each showed some real skills improvement. Later we practiced lassoing a buoy and reversing - an essential med skill - until fatigue set in. By 4:30 we were back on our birth and a well deserved libation or two, rounding off the evening with a good meal at the Boringdon Arms.

Tuesday dawned windier and greyer with the odd light shower. With the wind blowing CFII hard onto the pontoon we reversed out using a snubber. Although the manoeuvre’s clarity was spoiled by a fender tangle, it was very effective in rapidly turning the bow into the wind, getting us out without a scratch. The crew found their manoeuvring skills learned the previous day were more difficult or impossible with the increase in wind strength. More practice on the buoys and reversing all acted as a contrast with the conditions of the previous day. Kath had arrived by 12:45 and was waiting for us on the fuel pontoon which, naturally, we approached and moored using a single line. With a strong wind keeping us pinned, to ensure we could leave without risk of a collision, we warped the boat around before using a stern spring to leave under maximum control and with minimum stress.

After lunching on a buoy off Drake’s Island, we sailed and motored up the Tamar. Perception of height is difficult and there were some concerns our mast may not fit under the bridge. We just scraped under with about 50 feet to spare. With no chart and relying on the sat nav and an old RYA guide, we navigated a few miles up to Cargreen on the top of the tide and took a buoy for the night. With a delicious pasta meal - thanks Rhian - a fun evening with music, laughter and more than a few drinks made it a night I will look back on fondly many times in years to come.

Wednesday, in clear and calm conditions we slipped just after the top of the tide and Kath had chance to practice more of the principles of manoeuvring including tight turns, turning on the keel and then they all had a go at ferry-gliding towards a buoy. Later we practiced MOB recovery including the use of the RYA approved methods and the use of the ubiquitous rescue sling. It soon became clear that, once in the water, the rope acts like a long train and keeps the sling flowing along the path of the deploying vessel. All then completed a SOLO OscarLine rescue on their first attempt.

In the afternoon we sailed, with the occasional use of motor, over the Bridge at Drake’s Island then, using the headsail for power, raised the main. We then zigzagged down Plymouth Sound gybing many times in a controlled and safe manner before heading out the East entrance towards The Mew Stone. For a while, with Rhian at the helm, we goose-winged in the near perfect late afternoon conditions. With Sue on the nav, we entered the Yealm and moored on the North Pontoon at 5:30. Sue made her delicious version of Shakshuka and another very convivial evening with a final attempt to consume all the alcohol followed. We failed.

Thursday dawned cold, sunny but idyllic, with the Yealm at its best. Ferry-gliding out of a tight position, we headed out through glassy waters and motored back to base. After fuelling, watering, cleaning and leaving the boat, we had lunch in The Bridge before heading home.

My sincerest thanks to Kath, Sue and Rhian for being such good pupils, great company and being up for a laugh. It was an absolute pleasure to sail with you all and I hope something of what you leant will help make your future sailing a little more fun.

N.B.

Although CFII is a really good sailing boat, throughout the trip the bilges filled with water but not when at rest. I tried hard to find the source expecting it to come from the stern gland but the dryness in that area does not indicate this. As movement is the necessary factor, keel bolt problems are the most likely candidate. Thankfully the bilge pump works very effectively now with the new bilge filter attached. GSA Fleet Manager is fully aware of the issue.

Update 12/06/24

A further CFII trip a few days after ours was abandoned and returned to Plymouth due to the water ingress. The skipper believes the leak is from the sail drive hull plate. They will be lifting the boat out to locate and deal with the problem.