A Classic Experience
by Howard Wilton, Founder Member since March 06
I answered the call for a volunteer to move Hampshire Maid from Shoreham to the Orwell before the SYH Classics Regatta on the 10th/11th June.
I found a colleague to crew who has just bought a GibSea and wanted some night sailing experience, so we drove to Shoreham on the Sat morning of the 3rd, found Lady Bee marina and met up with Jonathan and Jonjo.
They went over the Maid, showing us the ropes etc, Jonjo emptied the last of the diesel in the jerry can into the tank, and then we cast off into the harbour to raise the sails (and for Jonathan to see if he could trust us with the Maid)
We passed muster so joined the queue for the 1300 lock opening, and made our farewells.
"How far can we go on the diesel in the tank?" says I ~~" Halfway to Inverness" came the reply as we left the dock.
Only Force 2 outside so we motor sailed east, keeping up 4kts SOG as I wanted to make the 100 miles to Ramsgate in about 24 hrs.
Off Brighton marina was like the M25, powerboats everywhere, bur we soldiered on, and by Beachy Head the sea breeze came more onto the beam so we gave the donkey a rest and had a good sail past Eastbourne onto Rye, but as the sun went down so did the wind and we had to raise the donkey from his slumbers.
We were treated to glorious sunset, a nice supper but no wind, so we plodded on into the dark.
We could see rows of lights off the starboard bow in the distance; it looked like a liner but miles away.
Ken went below for some sleep, as I headed Southeast towards our next waypoint a mile off Dungeness. As we slowly approached, the GPS showed our track going outside the lights, and I could eventually spot the Dungeness light behind the power station illuminations.
It took ages to round Dungeness, even though it was Neaps, and my GPS was only reading <2kts SOG instead of the 3.5kts I was expecting. By 0100 I could turn north towards Dover in the small craft lane inside the TSZ, and at 0200 Ken showed his head and took over the helm as I went below to get some sleep.
It was not easy with the donkey kicking away, but I was just drifting off when the engine suddenly slowed and stopped. "Peace at last" I thought but no.
"Howard! The engine has stopped, " came the cry from Ken so I went to join him.
A calm moonlit sea but no wind greeted me. The engine turned over but would not fire. I opened the Diesel filler but could not hear any fuel sloshing around! "Halfway the Inverness" indeed!
Searching the aft locker produced a small 2L container that smelt like diesel, so in the tank it went, but no joy from the starter button.
We raised the Genoa, but there was so little wind I could not even get steerageway, and we were drifting round in circles. I found the Yanmar instruction manual, but trying to bleed the air from an unknown diesel in the dark using a torch was a step to far.
Situation not desperate, but rather uncomfortable, so time to talk to Dover Coastguard on VHF. Usual discussion re position, size, crew and intentions.
I was prepared to sail on to Dover, but could not do so without wind, and I was unhappy with no engine (Ken was even less pleased!) so the Dungeness RNLI lifeboat was given the shout. She soon appeared out of the dawn and came alongside. A lifeboat man, Steve, came aboard and helped make fast a tow line and we set off for Dover at 6.5kts. It was now light and by the time we were approaching Dover, Steve had managed to bleed the air and wake the donkey, but for how long?
The lifeboat shortened the tow to alongside and took us into Dover harbour to the Neptune holding pontoon. We offered to buy the guys breakfast, but they had to return to station, so Ken and I went off for a fry-up breakfast in town while we waited for the fuel barge to open at 0830.
We filled the tank (Only 22 L!!) plus another 20 L in the Jerry can and set sail for Ramsgate.
1400 We both live in Broadstairs so Ken's wife gave us a lift, I was a rather light headed by this stage as I had had no sleep, and my message left on Jonathan's phone was a bit vague. A call from Brian, my crew for Monday to fix our departure time, a taxi booked for 0640, the alarm set then Sleep!
Monday
0800 A beautiful clear day. The wind was light and on the nose as Brian and I motored out of Ramsgate, but by Broadstairs we could hold our course sailing due North close hauled right up through Foulger's Gat to enter Black Deep.
1230 Our course through Black deep was NE into the wind plus the tide was now against us so it was time for some more motor-sailing to point higher and keep gaining ground.
1430 The NE breeze let us bear away over the top of the Gunfleet sands on a beam reach to the Medusa buoy, on to Harwich and up the Orwell.
1800 Jonjo was working on the boats at Pin Mill, and Jonathan was mighty pleased to get the call " I've just seen the Maid racing past Pin Mill " as we headed for Wolverstone marina. (My mobile phone had succumbed early on Saturday, so I had not replied to any requests for progress reports!!)
Force 4 on the beam with a favourable tide and she certainly can get a move on!
1830 We were met at Wolverstone by Ian and Jonjo, but Brian had to get a train back to London, so after looking over the "Nancy Blackett" and meeting her crew, 1930 Jonjo and I took the Maid back to a mooring off Pin Mill. After some negotiation, Ian agreed to row us ashore, then down to the Butt for a meal and a beer.
What did I learn?
~~The RNLI are superb, so confident and helpful even at 0430, they fully deserve our support and more.
~~We over-estimated the cruising range of the Maid without much wind power behind her. We maintained 4kts SOG motor sailing in order to reach Ramsgate by Sunday PM, as Ken had to work early on Monday.
~~I knew we had left Shoreham without a full tank of diesel (I thought it held more than it did) plus an empty Jerry can. I was hoping for more help from the sea breezes. I could have diverted into Brighton or Eastbourne marinas for more diesels, but chose to sail on by. Enough said!
Howard Wilton Founder Member since March 06. | 