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.

Marchwood

Marchwood is really only just round the corner.  You go down the Itchen, turn right into the Test, through the docks, and there it is just by the waste incinerator, opposite the container port.  The forecast was not particularly good - south westerly five to seven, with rain/squally showers.  My crew - Jocelyn and Felicity - turned up at 1000 and we had a bumpy tender ride out to Toucando's pontoon.  After some boat familiarisation and briefing, and the issue of trawler specification wet weather gear, we got ready to spring Toucando off.  The manouevre worked perfectly.  A visitor on the pontoon stoodby to help, but wasn't really needed.

I had run the engine for half an hour previously without a problem.  We motored down the Itchen.  Felicity and Jocelyn quickly mastered the art of lowering and raising the bowsprit, belaying and coiling ropes, as well as steering the boat.  A passing yacht commented that there seemed to be "smoke" coming from the exhaust... anyhow, we raised a sail and reached up the Test.  We had the pleasure of seeing ten gaffers sailing towards us as they set off on the race.  Behind us Cap Stephens approached: a huge container ship with three tugs.  We got out of her way.  The race continued down Southampton Water before returning.  Cap Stephens did a 180 degree turn right on the finishing line.  The racers were seriously impeded.  We found our berth on the Marchwood Yacht Club pontoon, making a perfect arrival.  It turned out that as a result of the container ship and other large vessels only three of the racers actually crossed the line, and one of those had to retire following a "protest" from the harbourmaster.  Before long a good number of gaffers were berthed.  We had lunch.
Jocelyn and Felicity (both orienteering experts) cleverly managed to find their way to the Pilgrim Inn for an early evening drink, while the skipper had a rest before doing dinner.  After our curry, we sat in the clubhouse with the other gaffers to the background of some shanties and folk songs.  A variety of opinions were offered on Toucando's engine: the consensus was that occasional flotsam such as seaweed was reducing the intake of cooling water, and that the "smoke" coming from the exhaust was in fact steam (or water vapour to be more accurate).

The view from Toucando when we got back from the clubhouse: a fine prospect of the container port

In the morning we had a leisurely breakfast.  Anything up to a force 8 was forecast, and quite a lot of the gaffers had decided to make an early getaway.  We left at a respectable time and went down to Southampton Water where we sailed about with the main and staysail, tacking and gybing, and trying various points of sail.  The wind varied between a Force 3 and 6, and there were several sharp showers, keeping us on our toes as we coped with the rapidly changing conditions.  Our old friend Cap Stephens headed back out to sea, and a few car transporters moved about, as well as the usual ferries and large number sof yachts, dinghies, and motor boats.   When required the engine was fine, which may or may not prove the theory.  We got back to Toucando's berth in time for a late lunch.
Thanks to Jocelyn and Felicity for all their help and their quick mastery of the principal halyards, purchases, sheets and stays required to control Toucando.