A ROLLERCOASTER SEASON
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016 turned out to be quite a rollercoaster of a season on board
Madelaine!
Each year we try to balance family, hobbies and work, which means we
have to target the sailing events we do and the time on the water we
can have to get up to speed. In 2016 we agreed that we would aim for
Round the Island, Cowes Week and Folkboat Week.
Round the Island was a classic, shifty winds forecast to increase to F6 by
St Catherine’s. We started under the island shore with the first of the ebb
tide out and our marker boat, Jo Richards H-boat ‘Woof’ started under
the mainland shore. The wind was north-to-north west and expected to
move west to southwest in the first hour after our start at 0730.
An hour later we crossed half a mile ahead of ‘Woof’ as we sailed past
Newtown river, the forecast wind-shift coming good with the island shore
paying over the mainland shore. The boat was going like a rocket as we
sailed on through fiddler’s race, then the slingshot from sconce to Hurst
and the right hand tidal escalator to the Needles.
The photo (right) was taken as we headed out to the Needles, the wind
up to F6. I can remember thinking the boat was going like a rocket, as
we were level on the water with the top rated IRC Group 3 boats. We
hugged the Needles and hoisted the kite as soon as we were clear of the
rocks given the big seas and the boat took off.
Early into the spinnaker leg down the back of the island, we saw Purple
Haze sinking. There were safety boats all around her and the last of the
crew were stepping off their sinking platform. It was a very sad sight and I
remembered the close racing we had enjoyed over many years at Cowes
week with her as we sailed on, noting that all her crew had made it safely
to the rescue boat.
As we headed in to Brook ledges for the first of the favourable tide, a
heavy gust hit the sails. Despite bearing away to depower and easing the
spinnaker out, the mast snapped and our flying race was over!
Once over the excitement of making sure everyone was still on board,
we lashed the mast to the side of the boat and retrieved all of the sails.
A call to the coastguard saw the Freshwater lifeboat come to our rescue
and they towed us through heavy seas back to the Needles, into the West
Solent and home to the Lymington Yacht Haven.
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