Treguier Trip – report by skipper Alan Howells

Boat: Delphia 40 ‘Ventis Secundis’ from Liberty Yachts, Plymouth

Skipper: Alan Howells

Crew: Don Hirst, Jeff Woolmer, Brian Adams, Ian Collins and Peter Howard

Took over Ventis Secundis (built in Poland for an Italian customer) during Thursday afternoon and full crew assembled by 20:00 enabling a departure at 20:55.

The W – SW breeze held until about 04:00 giving a very fast passage (up to 7K) to that point. The wind then died and we motored the remainder. The log was almost unbelievably accurate. We were navigating traditionally and looking for Hurd Deep when I was asked “when do we expect to cross it?” After a few moments at the chart I replied “about now” and immediately the sounder began its rapid fall. Shortly after it became very foggy and we were using the radar. It looked like a sea fog which would clear over land so we continued to the 50m contour before switching on the chartplotter display to find ourselves close to Isle de Brehat in our small grey dome. La Jument appeared out of the fog at about 30m, Basse Crublent at only a slighter greater distance. Two miles further in it was totally clear and we were easily able to follow the channel to the marina which we entered into the ebbing tide at 17:30. Those who have been there will appreciate the knitting necessary to hold a 40’ yacht on such a short finger though they seem to have beefed up the flotation since I was there last.

The following day began with a brilliant morning necessitating erecting the bimini for shade and, though the afternoon was overcast, it was still 24 degrees when we went for the evening meal.

Leaving on the ebb at 06:00 we were faced with a stiff Westerly breeze with a Westgoing tide. The original plan of Tregastel was out of the question which raised interesting problems. Perros Guirec can only be entered at high water so we went to Port Blanc to await a rising tide. That unfortunately is accompanied by an Eastgoing tidal stream necessitating motoring into both wind and tide prior to negotiating the 6m entrance and mooring on yet another short finger in fluky gusts.

Perros Guirec appeared closed – at least 6 bars were shut. There would probably be something open in the town centre but I remembered a Bohemian bar that I was sure would be open and it was.

No wind in the marina made our departure easier, but we had a good sail back to Port Blanc for breakfast and later lunch after which we left in light Northeasterlies and a clear sky giving a good sail for a few hours before the clouds covered the sky again and the wind dropped requiring motoring. Shipping lanes were very busy and we combined conventional collision avoidance with radar practice. A good Southerly appeared in the early hours, enabling us to sail towards Bolt Head before gybing and reaching to Plymouth. Vast quantities of water were falling as drizzle bringing the visibility down to about 500m at times and the radar stayed on.

Moored at QAB and handed back. Ventis Secundis is roomy, stable and sails very well. Simon pointed out that they will probably replace the two blade prop with a three at some stage and in the meantime it would be necessary to be very positive in the use of power when manoeuvring, and so it proved. As is usual with Liberty she was in excellent condition. I was able to translate the Italian switch panel without much difficulty.