The Solent is at its best now. The sun has come out of hibernation; the kids are still in school; the place is empty – perfect.

So, making best use of the opportunity, we sailed up Chichester Harbour to Northney Marina and the Portsmouth Sailing Clubs rally and first BBQ of the year. Sausages were cremated, chops fared little better, but it was a great excuse for a beer, a glass of wine, and some great sailing, in good company. Leaving Northney Avocette headed down the Solent for some crew training in preparation for the trip to the Baltic. A great reach down to Newtown Creek, then up the Beaulieu River, out around the Needles to Freshwater Bay, before heading back into the Solent, Newtown Creek (again), and back to Portsmouth – a great couple of days.

Throw in a couple of races in the Victory Class (one design classics), and it was back to Chi Hbr. this time with Dad, to drop the hook off Itchenor, an idyllic anchorage, with a good pub and a friendly sailing club.

The planned departure date is now the 7th June. I still have space if you would like to join me, just drop me an email. It would be great to see you.

2012 The Olympic Year - and new challenges

It's been a long cold winter (for England). It seemed to start when I arrived back in the UK last July. Grey skies and tumbling temperatures made for hard work during the winter refit.

An escape to the mountains was called for, and Passo Tonale, in Italy, provided some of the best snow conditions I have enjoyed in a long while. Blue skies, sunshine and packed powder - awesome - with great night skiing (complete with free Gluhwein), and fresh powder on the last day. Perfect!

Delivering an Oceanus 42CC, Odyssey of Truro, from Falmouth to the Tower of London was a fun break. So too were a couple of weekends onboard Condor as committee boat for the Warsash Spring series. The entertainment kindly being supplied by one skipper who "parked" his yacht on the spit at the Hamble entrance. Nice balance on just a fin & bulb! How lucky too, that the wind died. Four hours either side of low water it was blowing 30kts!

The Autohelm hydraulics, and Gyro Compass, both packed-up at the end of the trip back from the Azores, so had to be replaced. The propeller too had come to the end of its life.

Now choosing the correct propeller is a Black Art. Lots of discussion, careful calculations, and sound advice from Darglow Marine Engineers suggested going for a 20" Featherstream to replace the worn-out 18" Maxprop. Launch time came, and with great expectancy, I nudged her into gear, and slipped out of Southsea Marina, bound for our mooring in Portsmouth Harbour.

The sound like a Harrier jump-jet hovering over the mast, the pull to starboard on the wheel, the stern being sucked down burying the bottom brackets of the hydrovane, were all signs that we had got it wrong! Wrong big time!

A telephone call to Chris at Darglow, and help was at hand. They couldn't have been more supportive or helpful. They ordered a new 18" Maxprop, cut the taper, and posted it down to me in a little under two weeks.

A lift-out and hold in the slings over lunch, and the props were changed over.

All is now well - except for the weather. A shake-down cruise to France looks like being a trip towards the West Country, as SE/S winds bring more rain to the South Coast of England. On the bright side, the weather men are saying that "more normal" temperatures are due in a week or two. Lets hope so, then I can head upto the Baltic for new adventures.