The race for Moules Frites and beer

Our motivation!

Our first race of the campaign was the Cervantes Race on 2 May 2015 - across to Le Harve on the French coast. Aimed to be approximately 135 nautical miles, the course was set to take us west out of the solent and across to Anvil Point (the other side of Poole Bay) before turning to make our way to Le Harve. Hopefully arriving in time for a lunch of Moule Frites and some beer!

As this was our first race together as a crew, with the addition of my friend Alexis who I sail with regularly on Aztec to get us to 6, and as the forecast was for winds of at least 20 knots, we decided to use the Dacron main, rather than the full race main and risk damaging it so early on in the campaign. This was undoubtedly the right decision, as we started in at least 20 knots and experienced stronger later on and on the delivery back from Le Harve.

The start, from the RYS line in Cowes, was downwind and very busy. We played it safe, keeping away from other boats where we could and deciding not to put the kite up having not actually hoisted it as a crew before then due to the severe weather experienced on our training weekend (see blog entry here). This did put us slightly behind, but after watching a number of boats struggling to hold their kites, especially as they left the solent and headed across to Anvil Point, we all agreed it had been the right decision and started gaining on some of the boats which were struggling in front of us.

Le Harve Marina in the sunshine

It was a fun reach across to Anvil Point, before turning round DZB buoy and heading across the channel - for Tony and Rich for the first time ever sailing! Now that we were going closer to the wind and as the waves increased in size, we were soon getting sprayed by water and really starting to experience offshore sailing, it was also at around this point that we started into the formal watch system.

The watch system for this race, saw Andy leading 'A' watch consisting of himself, Rich and Alexis and myself leading 'B' watch, consisting of myself, Lyndon and Tony. We change watches every 3 hours, with one member of the off watch on 'stand-by' - so remaining fully kitted up, lifejacket included, so that they can be on deck as quickly as possible if they are required. On the watch roster, someone is also assigned 'Mother' duties for the preparation of different meals throughout the race.

For this race, my watch had the first on watch, so we were on deck just the three of us from 1600 to 1900, thankfully our course was such that we didn't need to tack during this time and the wind was fairly consistent throughout. We came off watch just as Andy had finished preparing the first meal and were then able to get some rest, although I was the standby so only really dozed in my bunk with one eye on the nav station which I could see from my bunk.

Unfortunately (or fortunately maybe) I am writing this several weeks after the race (and then backdated it), so I am unable to recall the exact details of every sail change and each watch. My residing memories of the race are of our motivation to get to Le Harve in time for the Moules Frites and Beer, of it being relatively windy throughout, with a sail change happening in the dark near the shipping lanes taking us off course temporarily, of Alexis being seasick (sorry Alexis!) and realising the watches in the dark go much quicker than those in daylight! Especially when we get stuck in the tide and can see the same bit of land for way too long during one watch, if not across multiple watches!

In the end we did make it to Le Harve in time for a late lunch, after a quick beer in the yacht club first to hand in our declaration form. We found a restaurant which served Moules Frites and settled in with more beers. Most of us asked for a large beer (how very British!) whilst Lyndon asked for a small beer - apparently the French waitress found this amusing and turned out to have a sense of humour, as said small beer was initially brought out to the table in a glass not much bigger than a sherry glass! The look on Lyndon's face was a picture!

The weather coming in...

The heavens opened whilst we were eating lunch and we all decided there was no particular rush to leaving again as we could see a front coming up and knew the weather would be bad underneath it. By the time we left the restaurant, the sun was shining and we walked along the back of the beach back to the marina to do some odd jobs on the boat before getting ready to leave - at roughy 6pm.

Leaving Le Harve in light winds

By this point, there was no wind and it was a lovely evening so we put up our cruising chute for the first time ever as a bit of a learning experience and patiently tried to make progress whilst the sun set and the moon rose behind us. Unfortunately the weather didn't stay quite as calm and we experienced winds of over 30 knots during the middle of the night, fortunately we could tell they were coming as they tended to be accompanying big dark clouds which you could just about make out against the night sky. So there was at least one sail change and an extra reef or two put in the main on the way back over. Typically by the time we reached the solent, the wind had gone again completely and the sun was shining on a glass like water so we put the motor on and made our way back to base - Port Solent.



So in summary it was a great learning experience, we came 96th out of 114 starters, beating a couple of very fast boats on handicap and we had a great time bonding as a crew.

Sunsets as we head out into the Channel with Cruising Chute up

Andy and Rich with the moon rising behind

The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry

When putting a crew together, especially for something as significant as an offshore season, it's normal (and wise) to do some training together prior to racing and this was Andy's intention from the outset, however the best laid plans often go awry.

Our first outing was hampered by Castalia not being ready for us after her rig maintenance over the winter - so we went for a shakedown on a chartered boat just so people could get to know each other and to hopefully experience conditions outside of the Solent. Most of us arrived on Friday evening and went out for a few bonding drinks and a meal (with some of the work bunch who were also in Port Solent for a different event) before heading to bed to be rested for the following day. Saturday morning saw us leaving the lock and heading out to the Solent and beyond - luckily the weather and sea conditions were in our favour, over 30 knots and bigger seas than most of us are used to once we made our way round Bembridge and out behind the island. Unfortunately this did also test some people's stomachs and not everyone managed to keep their breakfast down – I now actually understand why people are said to turn green! Although sea sickness is not something to be embarrassed about, whilst so far I'm lucky enough to have been affected I fully expect that one day, probably when I'm least expecting it, it will hit me full force and I'm not looking forward to that day. We did however still manage to do a few manoeuvres and if nothing else practised putting reefs into the mainsail before heading back into Port Solent. After packing the boat up we all headed round to Andy’s house to see Castalia and have a beer together. Very jealous of the walk out of the back door onto the pontoon and the boat arrangement that Andy has going on and it was great to see the boat which will be taking us around the Fastnet rock later in the year.

Our second outing was more successful, starting on Saturday morning we made our way out of the lock – this time on Castalia and headed out into the Solent. Our plan was to practise manoeuvres, man over board, using the emergency tiller etc. aiming for Lymington at the other end of the Solent.  Again it was quite windy, so we got the sails up complete with reefs in the main and started making our way – Andy then pretended the wheel wasn’t engaging with the rudder and we suddenly found ourselves fitting the emergency tiller – a big heavy metal L-shaped bar which fits into a fitting at the stern of the boat. Everything about it makes me hope we never have to use it for a prolonged period of time – firstly it’s fiddly to get the cap on the fitting out, using a winch handle that is hard to turn in the space available, secondly lifting the bar in is heavy and awkward work and thirdly it’s heavy to helm, often requiring two people one on each side to enable it to be moved.

As the wind got up, we put more reefs in the main and decided it was as good a time as any to practice putting the storm jib up instead of the number 4. Probably not quite as windy as it would be to use it for real, but definitely a good experience – even if I only witnessed it from the safety of the cockpit letting the idiot men go up to the front and get soaking wet! As we progressed to Lymington, we noticed a top gust of 47 knots but after that particular gust we don’t really know what the wind was doing as our anemometer (which had recently been reattached) blew straight off the top of the mast, leaving us without a wind reading for the rest of the weekend – given what happened the following day this was probably a good thing!

We eventually got to Lymington and were all very happy to discover what have to be some of the best showers on the south coast – complete with heated towel rails and underfloor heating in every shower, before heading to a nearby pub for a much deserved hot meal and some drinks. We risked looking at the weather forecast over dinner only to be presented with warnings for the whole of the UK – it was going to be an interesting ride back to Port Solent! 

We were proved right about it being an interesting ride home - forecast for Force 9 winds, but definitely hit at least an F10 at times. Bramble bank recorded an average base wind of 45 knots that day and a friend saw a gust of 62 knots further down the Solent. It was time to use our storm jib for real - and Castalia managed 10 knots with just this tiny orange handkerchief at the front to pull us along! 

Storm jib in action

This really doesn't do the size of the waves justice

If we'd hoped it would be a bit calmer on the way up Portsmouth Harbour to Port Solent we were only going to be disappointed - Castalia was heeling over with no sails up even right outside the entrance to the lock and it was just as gusty on the other side in the 'shelter' of the marina. I did not envy Andy having to moor up in those conditions! 

Whilst our plans for practicing manoeuvres went awry, we did at least get to experience what those kind of weather conditions are like - that was certainly the most wind I've ever seen from a yacht - whilst still in the relative safety of the Solent. Not many other boats were out there with us that day I can tell you! 

Next stop - our first qualifying race to Le Harve!