The Great Squall

Ava and Alexander joined Toucando on Friday evening ready for a prompt start on Saturday to take part in the Old Gaffers' Annual (Race and) Rally (Toucando was not racing).  We left shortly after eight on what seemed to be a fine morning. The forecast was for winds of Force 4 or 5, with the possibility of a 6 "near headlands". We raised the mainsail with two reefs near Dockhead in very calm conditions and unfurled the staysail and jib. We proceeded to have a nice sail on a beam reach down Southampton Water.

We had hoped to see the other Gaffers somewhere off Cowes, but we couldn't.  The wind, however, was much fresher when we got out into the Solent proper.  We headed in the general direction of Ryde, and started picking out the occasional gaff rigged vessel.

By now the wind was more or less behind us, so we went on a training run, executing a number of excellent controlled gybes.  By now we were close to a good part of the fleet.  We looked over our shoulder and saw some dark grey clouds.  Each of us went below and put on our waterproofs as a precaution.  Then in the space of about half a minute, just off Gilkicker Point, the wind rose from Force 5 to the top end of Force 7 and the rain was lashing down.  We turned north to be well clear of gybe point, and were grateful for the two reefs as Toucando heeled in the squall.  As we were not racing we had no inhibitions about turning on the engine and getting the main down.  We then turned back on course and completed our passage to Gosport quite comfortably, under the staysail alone.

We had a good berth at the end of a pontoon in the Royal Clarence Marina, near Morwenna (Heard 28) and Brilleau.  We enjoyed a stroll around Gosport, which was rather dominated by the festival music throbbing in the park.  Then we called into the bar where the results of the race were announced.  All the talk was of the squall.  Fortunately no damage was done, but many boats had had an  exciting few minutes.  Mark Woodhouse's Foxhound was the overall winner.

Sunday was a day of doing very little, except sitting on the boat and reading.  Toucando had a few admiring visitors, many of whom recognised her lines as a Heard.  In the evening we joined in the barbecue on the dockside, and listened to shanties provided by Terry (amongst others).  Amazingly they muffled the sound of the Gosport Festival quite effectively.

On Sunday Three Brothers rafted up beside us... she is an amazing traditional fishing boat, with very little in the way of modernisation.

We set off about 1100 to catch the west flowing tide.  We raised the main in the harbour and unfurled thejib and staysail in the Swashway.  We tacked up the eastern Solent to Warsash, by which time the wind was definitely from the northwest, and the tide falling: not a good combination for getting up Southampton Water efficiently, so we completed the passage under engine and made a perfect landing on Toucando's pontoon.

Thanks to Alexander and Ava for being a very efficient crew... and the Solent Gaffers for a great event.