Blue Demon Qualifies for RBI by Guy Warner

Blue Demon Qualifies for RBI ~ Skippers Debrief
by Guy Warner

After a few 2005 months of pottering around in the Solent and a few local races, I decided that my brand new Maxi 1100 Blue Demon should do something serious in 2006. What better than the awe inspiring two-handed Round Britain & Ireland Race? It would obviously have been better to qualify at the end of last season but an attempt in October proved abortive and resulted in my co-skipper crying off. This gave me a problem because I was to be away most of April so would have to qualify in March to meet the deadline of 1 May and with a new crew. So it was that I found myself onboard Blue Demon in Shamrock Quay Marina Southampton on Friday afternoon about to welcome Nicki Crutchfield who was a volunteer from Petit Bateau. We had not met before and the boat had only gone back in the water on the Wednesday.

The forecast was not promising but consistent – strong Easterlies throughout the weekend. How were we to achieve an ‘open sea’ track of over 300M ‘measured in straight lines joining not more than 4 points’ without a heavy beat East at some point. I had read Jerry Freeman’s excellent article ‘Ten times tougher’ on www.petitbateau.org.uk (at least we were forewarned!) and got busy with a Channel chart, a ‘300mile’ length of string and some blue tack. I particularly did not want a hard on the wind last leg home when we would be tired. The tide dictated an Easterly exit from the Solent and Nab Tower could give us a convenient start and finish point for the qualifying miles. The first leg southeast to the Fecamp area seemed sensible at about 140 – this would give us 70 or so miles. We could then run off at about 285 up the French coast to around the EC1 area – say another 100M – this could even be a spinnaker run if the wind dropped! We would then reverse course and sail a fine reach down to the Ouistreham area before turning North for home – again hopefully on a reach. Both of those legs measured about 75 miles giving around 320M. That was the plan.

We left the marina at 1525 – about 1 hour later than scheduled due to boat preparation – I always seem to leave an hour late – must plan for this in future! After motoring down the Itchen River into Southampton Water, we put the sails up - opting for 3 reefs in the main and staysail rather than jib (this was to be our configuration for the entire weekend). The wind was already at F6 from ENE. We were able to sail the courses to Nab Tower passing it at 1906. Freeing off slightly to 140 saw us off to a brisk start.

By 1950 the wind was up to 34 kts but the boat was sailing well on the planned track and we were comfortable. However, it was soon after this that I began to feel seasick being unable to face the macaroni cheese dished up by Nicki. I had not been seasick for many years despite much blue water cruising so it was a bit of a surprise but a fact of life for some on a rough first trip of the season. I was seasick for some 30 hours but it was never debilitating enough to stop me sailing and keeping watches as normal. I had planned a rigid watch timetable of 3 hours each at night and 4 during the day but it soon became apparent that 3 hours was too long in the cockpit as it was bitterly cold. We dropped into an informal 2+ hours give or take a bit and this worked well throughout – especially as deep sleep proved to be impossible in the conditions. Nicki had the after cabin and I had the saloon.

The first leg had the tide going east until just after midnight. Conditions became easier after the tide turned and we still made good speed on our 140 track - bearing away 20 degrees or so as we approached the French coast. We gybed round to about 285 at 0440 off Cap d’Antifer having covered some 72M on the first leg at about 7.5 kts. Crossing the shipping lanes had been uneventful but I was conscious of the fact that my plan had us crossing the lanes 4 times – 1 down and 3 to go – the radar could prove useful!

The sea was easier with the wind on our starboard quarter and the tide with us until 0630. However, true wind speed was now well above 30 kts and increasing. It was evident that the beat back would tangle with the Barfleur race unless we were very hard on the wind – not a pleasant prospect in at least a Force 7 – so we altered the plan to make 300 taking us further North and giving us more sea room on the way back. The Saturday run would have been a great sail with less wind but with gusts of Force 8 and beyond (58 kts recorded at the Channel LV), Blue Demon was knocked around a lot in the by now boisterous seas with wind against tide. The cockpit was only tenable for any length of time huddled under the sprayhood and we had to be meticulous about being clipped on. Fortunately, the Raymarine autohelm ST6001+ performed faultlessly and we had her set to steer a constant apparent wind angle. We had radar at the helm but also below to alert us to ships as visibility was moderate at best in the conditions. It was also perishingly cold! Nicki did a great job in an unfamiliar boat and only one of was ever needed in the cockpit apart from helping with furling adjustments to the self-tacking staysail.

After, the tide turned west at about 1300, we reached speeds of 10 kts but conditions remained difficult and there seemed to be plenty of ships around. By 1730 we had covered about 98M on leg 2 (again at about 7.5 kts) so we reversed course some 30M SE of Portland and tried to make the beat as comfortable as possible. We heard the Mayday off Portland and the subsequent search but did not learn until later about the man lost overboard. Blue Demon was carrying a transponder being monitored by Martin Berkeley and Jerry Freeman but they must have been reassured by our track continuing – as were other friends and relations who tuned into www.oceanracetrack.com in search of something more amusing than England losing to Ireland at Rugby.

The beat back towards Normandy was the hardest part of the trip – a freezing cold Saturday night in heavy seas and wind never less than the mid 30s. We kept ourselves going by assuming it was our last night at sea on this adventure. For the record, I had 6 layers of clothing on and very thick but sodden gloves. Our dodgers were ripped off but Nicki lashed what remained to the guard wires and they are being repaired (mental note to remove dodgers in winds above F6). To make matters worse, ships had become a problem with many of them menacing us. However, we managed to stay out of trouble by altering early and not worrying too much about our course. We only had to do 2 complete circles! I see from the log that our first fix on this leg was at 2110 – we must have been busy earlier in the evening!

We managed to stay some 12M from the Barfleur headland and eventually tacked for home off Normandy at 0630. We had covered 69 miles on leg 3 at about 5.5 kts, which reflects the ship avoidance manoeuvres. Leg 4 was the easiest – we initially made ground to windward on about 010 but were able to bear away to about 350 in mid channel as it became apparent that we could make Nab comfortably and the wind was constant from the East albeit still at 30+ kts. A bit of sun eventually appeared and Sunday turned out to reasonable – the wind even dropped to a F6 in the afternoon. We passed Nab Tower at 1812 having covered 78M on the last leg at about 6.5 Kts, which again reflects some mid channel ship avoidance. We had covered 317M in total at an average speed of about 6.75 kts over 47 hours.

It took us another 4 hours or so to get up to Shamrock Quay as the tide (Springs + 3) was against us the whole way. By now we were very tired and despite being aware of the danger, I had 3 elementary lapses that could have been embarrassing at best. We nearly hit an unlit mooring barrel coming up Southampton Water (better to keep to the main channel at night as many unlit buoys) and we were nearly run down by a Red Funnel Ferry in the Itchen River as we turned to lower our sails oblivious of its presence until 5 long blasts very close made me jump! I didn’t know ferries that size went up the river but she turned into Ocean Village ahead of us. Finally I managed to go aground just short of the marina by going the wrong side of some moored ships. Fortunately some quick thinking by Nicki had us rolling out and backing the jib to assist the hard-pressed engine – I think he thought he was going to miss his well-earned beer ashore!

My Maxi 1100 came through an extremely testing sail very well although we had a list of things to fix and replace. These included the helmsman’s seat which I had forgotten to bolt on after changing a gas bottle, a part of the bowsprit board and the engine stop pull-up handle which I had broken by putting my foot against it while bracing myself against a wave. Still pliers managed to stop the engine. The batteries had stood up well to the 12-hour nights and a lot of radar and autohelm albeit with some charging. Most importantly, Nicki and I had forged a bond of mutual confidence in each other that should stand us in good stead in the race itself. Message for others – qualify in the previous season or maybe April will be fine!

Final Hazard; Falling asleep driving home! Ed.

Guy Warner