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.

Winter Maintenance Jan-Mar 2012

We've had some pretty bleak weather this year, but it has, at least, been dry. The boat was lifted out at Southsea Marina and work started, slowed up to almost a stop in the freezing conditions, but has now kicked into gear. The target re-launch date is the 20 March, so if you fancy a sail in the summer, why not give a hand now........

Some way off the North Coast of France

Some way off the north coast of France, there's an island that's surrounded by fierce tides. It's rolling hills and chalk cliffs look down upon it's wrecks, and hide its secrets. On the Downs, and by the shoreline, the Autumn leaves turn golden, rusty, and red. Some drop, to be blown around by the wind, then crunched under foot by the marauding hoards arriving by boat, blown in on that same wind.

Politely the Harbour Master at Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, tells us the harbour's full. Our Rally is split. The boats that arrived early are rafted-up inside. We leave to anchor outside.

Two weeks later we try again, and drift into the quiet seclusion of Bembridge at the eastern end of the island. Avocette is the party boat. Then it a hike across the causeway to the local yacht club for a warm welcome, victuals, and beer.

It has been a kind autumn so far. Blue skies and warm breezes, have seen Avocette dropping her hook in her old haunts, and the Beaulieu River in the New Forest, and most often of all, in Newtown Creek. It's migration time. Butterflies, Swallows, Martins, Ospreys and Peregrins all flying south. My favourites, the Swifts, are long gone, having left, as usual, during the first week of August. In their place are the winter visitors, waders and the geese - thousands of them! I must get up the marshes...

Avocette - A New Role

It's the end of September, and finally the English summer arrives. The winds go light and variable. The sun comes out. Even the water is warm - well "warm" that is for the UK.

Sailing in tides again brings an extra dimension too. Returning from the Needles I was surprised to see the Shingles bank, like a new island, rising a full meter or more from the sea - and it wasn't yet low tide. The shallow patches in one of my favourite creeks had moved too (glad it was mid-week and empty of other boats!!).

Why is it that any piece of rope, and my mooring strop with pick-up line, when left alone for any length of time will contrive to prove that at 3,854 knots the Ashley Book of Knots is one short! Thanks for the photo Robin.

Avocette and I have found a new role as Committee Boat for a few local regattas. Race boats have varied from the fast and powerful Farr 45's, through Beneteau 40.7's, to the pretty Westmacott designed Victory Class and Bembridge One Designs. The Victories are my local One Design Classics and it was great to see my old boat Z50 winning the regatta, with Z54 that I have raced on so often coming second. Catherine's photos are worth a look too http://web.me.com/catherineking/Victory/Victory_Class.html

Immediate plans include an overdue scrub-off, local and channel sailing, and the inevitable round of maintenance, and polishing (volunteers welcome). Next year the plan is the Baltic, Finland and Sweden, and I am actively looking for crew. The plan is to leave in April and transit the Kiel Canal, returning late August/September. Actual ports and Countries to be visited are yet to be decided. If you would like to join for all, or part, of the cruise please do get in touch.

Trojans Maiden Voyage

It was dark at 3am. Half a moon lit the withies as we threaded our way down the shallow creek, into the main channel, then out across the bar. Chichester Harbour soon disappeared into the darkness astern, and we headed for the Owers - the rocks at the southern end of Selsey Bill. The sun rose, a crimson ball, heralding the dawn as we turned east.

Launched a month ago, this was Trojans maiden voyage. The owners had built her on the harbours edge, and now I was delivering her to the French Canals.

You don't see many Dutch motor barges making passage in the Channel, and we drew quizzical looks from all who passed us by. A stop over in Sovereign Harbour, then up early to catch the forecast, the 0430hr lock, and off to Dungeness. Dover Coastguard "tagged" us as we crossed the shipping lanes, and entered Calais.

Re-built after the war, much of the city is that chunky, uninspired architecture of the 50's and 60's, but the Hotel De Ville is fabulous, and its ornamental gardens make a fine setting for Rodin's famous sculpture of the Burghers of Calais.

Newtown Creek - A favourite Anchorage

Finally the sun has come out, not a lot of wind, but the sky is blue(ish), and it's much warmer.

Cowes week looms and the local classics, the Portsmouth Victory Class, are readying themselves for a hectic week. It will be a memorable week of racing as this Cowes Week also celebrates the XOD's 100 Anniversary. The top helms from the Victory's have "jumped ship" to race in XOD's. Word has it that it has made their top boats sit up and take note.

Me, I'm sitting in the sun at Newtown Creek, cow's chew the cud here! Will I race in the Victory's.....