Once out in the channel the
weather was brisk to say the least, force 6 and force 7 occasional 8 was the cry from the
radio. Excellent let's go for it! Bearing in mind this is a
motorsailer it has handled the winds beautifully, 7 knots with
wind power only. We did have one rather serious issue, the gib could not be reefer in we were getting blown through everything in front us, we turned
head to
wind slightly to reduce Foresail and it was jammed under the
furling, bad situation with gib flapping like mad and
boat being thrown around, quite violently. I crawled forward and lay on the pulpit over
bowsprit, one hand round the
boat and one hand to free the jammed
furling. It had been a bit loose at some time and had twisted round under the furling casing, any it was freed quite quickly and we reefed in reduce the pounding.
We were approaching Isle of White in a force 7, the waves when entering the Solent were 5 meters high, minimum. What an excellent experience. Thrilling and terrifying at the same time. As we got into the Solent things calmed down wind and wave wise, but the bloody
engine would not start. (what have I bought, I kept thinking). We sailed to an outer pontoon in Cowes and were quick with
mooring lines.
It turns out sea
water has come up the
exhaust and into the
engine. The rough sea's causing this to happen. Not good at all.