Derek Hathaway

Maybe we’re not gentlemen! A shakedown sail and we were shaken and stirred! As forecast it was blustery and choppy and the wind was on the nose. It settled for a while though and we had a great downwind sail back. All working as expected so ready for the season ahead! Thank you to Aidan and Steve as crew.

Choppy conditions for the estuary so not very fast motoring and tough picking up the mooring! But … the season begins!

Very slight almost flat sea but almost no wind (0.5knts at one stage!) so motoring which is ok when the sun is out and it’s warmed up from the cold morning we had. Such a delightful coastline we are blessed with!

Still breezy today. 17-22kts at times. Swell and chop west of Prawle eased approaching the inside passage past Start Point. Lively sail across Start Bay then against wind and ebb up to Dittisham moorings. Double reefed main and Genoa but still up to 7knts boat speed and 6knts SOG overall

A very mixed bag of conditions! Choppy start in 17-22knts as far as Torbay then splendid sailing in 10-15knts on the beam and slight sea past Dartmouth and through Start Point then 20-28knts on the nose from there til Salcombe with 1-1.5m swell and short chop over that pegging me back to 3knts SOG! An hour plus of motor sailing into that then calm inside the harbour. All in a days sailing - often running over 8knts SOG with an average of 6knts SOG for the trip.

Too little wind (often 5knts or less!) and too much rain. A long drawn out “race”. Apart from that it was great fun!

A short excursion (missed starting the app at the start!) with son, his wife and our youngest grandson. Fair weather and very slight sea made it a success. F3-4 often on the beam but incredibly variable direction and strength.

Easterly F4 with slight seas to start but building to 1m swell and winds down to a variable 1-2 before resuming at F4. Foggy start and not lifting to sun til late pm. Not sheltered anchorage locally in easterlies so took lunch on the go sailing around Torbay!