Well the forecast wasn't great with 5-6 gusting 7, but the direction was good as it was all Easterlies. The crew consisted of 2 well experienced and 2 with less. I flew into Southampton with my brother on Thursday evening last (March 28) with a plan to sail on the Friday midday spring tide from Port Hamble Marina. All going well we would be spit out of the Solent with a 3 knot tide pushing us along. We provisioned for a 60 hour sail back to Dublin which meant we arrived at the boat late - 10pm in the dark.
Next morning we started to familiarise ourselves with the boat. We had a few hours to pack away sails and get to know the boat before heading to sea. The life raft was stowed, life jackets taken out and lifelines fixed. The cruising sails were fitted - we could find no battens for the main. We checked out reefing points and cut lines to secure the reefed sail. It was blowing a steady F5 as the other two crew arrived at 11.00am. I was having problems getting the engine to engage. The throttle lever is a winch handle and it seemed to be pushing in the pin that put the engine into neutral. Eventually some WD40 seemed to do the trick. We motored to the fuel dock and filled the tank (86 ltrs). The forecast was now for a gale.
We were using a great iPad app iGrib over the past week to monitor expected wind speed and direction. We decided to head out as the wind was Easterly and sea state still slight. As we would be on a run we put a single reef in the main. This proved a little too much so after about a half hour we decided to put in a second reef. This was a challenge as we bounced about and the luff decided to pop out a few times. The reefing lines were also a challenge. At one point the jib halyard went and the jib dropped (all seemed in slow motion as I ran forward and caught her before she immersed herself in the water). All part of getting used to the boat ! After all before last night I had seen her for only an hour on dry land. It was bitterly cold and the sea state was getting agitated. After a few hours with the wind in our back blowing mainly F6-7 with gusts of F8 we decided that although the boat was handling well we should not take her through the night. Forecast was for F8, moderate to rough, and temperatures of minus 2 (feeling more like -7). I called up Portland Marina and booked a berth for the night. Portland is easy to enter - faces east but a major port and easy to gain access even in this easterly blow. It was dark when we arrived and we again struggled with engaging drive, with the boat going into neutral as we tried to go head to wind. We managed eventually but not the tidiest looking sails as we entered the marina and my hands and fingers took a bashing. Portland Marina is pretty new and pretty empty so we had our choice of places to tie up which was great given this was our first time to dock her and it was blowing hard. A few pints of Guinness in the Green Lantern and we were like new. 55nm of 400nm in the bag.
We headed out the following day into a F5-6 gusting F7. The forecast was for the winds to lighten later in the day. A good sail and the weather eased throughout the day. At one point we were joined by two dolphins for about 15 minutes. The forecast was for gales again overnight so we headed for Darthaven Marina in Dartmouth. Hard to believe that heavy weather was due as the sunset was beautiful as the seas flattened out. We arrived in the Marina about 9pm in flat calm - just as well as once again I could not engage gear as we entered the marina. All hands required to manhandle her into position, the a quick exit for food and a glass of wine. Another 52 nm completed.
The forecast for Sunday was not great with F6-F7 and F8 later in the day. We got up early and checked the weather again. The sea state was rough to very rough. We decided to head off at 6am for Plymouth as this would take another 40nm off the trip home next time out. We booked flights home from Exeter leaving 18.50 and expected to be tied up in Plymouth by 12.30. Again under fully reefed main we headed off and with a bumpy start we soon had the wind behind us and started to enjoy the surfing. John held the record at 11.6 knots until with a fine gust of 33kn I managed a 12.6 kn. Great sailing. We arrived in our berth in Mayflower Marina just after midday. We cooked up, washed up and then cleaned down the boat - she will remain here at least two weeks as this weekends weather is all Northerly - so maybe the weekend of 14th/15th but at the moment it looks like a major low moving in. I will know better in a few days time.
So to summarise, warrior was fantastic, easy to sail and well capable of the conditions we sailed through. A good start to getting used to her - and her to us.
Still have 280nm (80nm to clear Lands End and 200nm north to Dublin) to go to get here home to Dun Laoghaire.
