Solent - Weekend 5/6 May 2007 - Page 4

Neil Harvey · 04 May 2007, 23:16

Woohoo

The bbc forecast for Sunday just got a whole lot better, with white clouds and no rain instead of dark clouds and rain.
Still got the wind though, so Nos and I can put our new boats through their paces

Nos4r2 · 04 May 2007, 23:27

Yeeeeeeeeeeeehar!

matt h · 05 May 2007, 07:22

Enjoy that awesome boat!! have a great time, still hunting!!!

Nos4r2 · 05 May 2007, 07:46

Cheers dude!

Hugh Jardon · 05 May 2007, 07:59

any idea how much hamble point is and how easy is it to launch with a regular car and 6.5 boat?

Hightower · 05 May 2007, 09:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hugh Jardon

any idea how much hamble point is and how easy is it to launch with a regular car and 6.5 boat?

Nope, but might be a tad busy this weekend

clicky

Biggles · 05 May 2007, 11:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

I'll be out Sunday... I wanna play in the lumpy stuff

And Me.

Nos4r2 · 05 May 2007, 12:52

Neal · 05 May 2007, 15:46

Sorry all starting problem again dont think we will make it out i must get this sorted as i was looking to enjoy my first trip out this year.

******* boats.

Biggles · 05 May 2007, 15:57

Neal,

Chin up.

Neal · 05 May 2007, 20:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biggles

Neal,

Chin up.

Tar its only just spent so much time in the last couple of weeks doing lots in the evenings to get her ready for the new season and i dont get to many days that I can get out. Oh the joys of boating, still nothing that cant be fixed with the help of you lot

Hugh Jardon · 05 May 2007, 23:55

was a good day out, just got back, couple of pics here

Hightower · 06 May 2007, 12:27

Some nice pictures Chris.

Jigsaw looks lovely, how did she perform? Makes me wish my new boat saw ready for the water.

This morning the kids and I went down to see Biggles, Matt and Neal off on their voyage. Last seen heading in the direction of Portsmouth. I should have been joining them, but for some last minuite family changes that ment that I have to be somewhere in the afternoon.

Anyway some pics taken down at Warsash.

Neil Harvey · 06 May 2007, 20:15

Well, since the SB&RIB show yesterday was naff all use to those looking for bits and pieces, ended up taking the RIB out for a saunter prior to todays run, Called Hugh Jardon, and he had just left Calshot on way to Pompey with Bedajim, so they waited and we caught them up mid solent.

Great run up to Portsmouth, sun shining, wind in the hair etc, oh how I wished the forecast for Sunday was like this.

Anyway, once there, couple of drinks in Lightship before heading back unaccompanied to Drivers and off to the campsite.

Couple of pics attached.

Neil Harvey · 06 May 2007, 20:31

I'm never camping on a farm campsite again. Rudely awoken by cockerals at 4:20 this morning, who proceeded to keep me awaik til I got up at 6:30.

Anyway, early start, packed up and set off from Drivers a 7:45 am.

Down to Warsash to meet up with Biggles and Nos4r2, no sign, so motored up to Swanwick marina for some cheap fuel, and they were ready and launched when I got back.

Took a run over to Yarmouth for a warming drink. What a contrast today was to yesterday, but quite an easy run over to Yarmouth nonetheless.

Then out to the Needles for a play. Very lumpy indeed, but a good run enjoyed by all, if a little unnerving for some maybe. But you couldn't keep Biggles away; Nos and I began the trip back in to Yarmouth with Biggles joining us, only to see him turn around and go back out quickly disappearing from site.

Fleet back together and into Yarmouth for lunch.

After lunch, headed back towards Cowes. Very lumpy run, during which Matt continued his track record by stuffing the 5.4 (Karen was worried having seen the event from my boat as I was told to go back and see if Matt and Liz were OK). Unfortunately, camera was not at the ready.

CArried on in a steady fashion back to Cowes, where I left the others and headed back to Drivers. Nick and Matt continued to Pompey for a drink at the lightship with no doubt a little drying out to do.

Meanwhile, I managed to give Karen a pretty good soaking crossing the solent.

Wasn't my fault to be fair - she was given the option to move to the lee side.

Fab weekend and good to catch up with people. Lots more to come over the summer hopefully.

Neil Harvey · 06 May 2007, 20:34

Not sure I would have gone so far on my own today, really is nice to be in company in those conditions, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who felt that way on a couple of occasions. Just what Ribnet is all about I guess.

Last few pics

Biggles · 06 May 2007, 23:24

After all that wonderful weather we've had over the last month. A RIBNET planned cruise just went and spoilt it. But hey that's why we have RIBs and that's why god made the wind over tide phenomenon. As we launched early in the morning things were starting to look promising weather wise and I was actually thinking it was going to be warm and sunny in the afternoon.
Anyway as has already been said, Nos4r2 in his new SR 5.4 and Neil in his new Shakespeare along with myself left warsash after being waved off by the Hightower clan. We cantered over to Egypt point and then took a run down to yarmouth with no major problems but the sky was now looking dark and foreboding. A quick coffee in Yarmouth and then it was out to the Needles for a play. Oh what fun to be in some proper rollers and not that crappy Solent chop. Just a shame it was a bit dicey to take some photos. Mind you it was very difficult to see Dominator (Matts boat) in its grey colour scheme against the background of grey water and misty sky. As Neil said I found it very difficult to tear myself away and retreat to the comfort of the Kings Head (Another RIBNET Bistro type place) for Ale and food.
After a hearty meal it was back in the boats for what I think we all expected to be a pretty casual trot to portsmouth. Unfortunately we had masses of wind over tide at this stage. It seemed like the whole of the West Solent was trying to get to Poole. About half way back after encountering seemingly endless walls of water Matt went in to submarine mode. Although I didn't see the accident I saw the aftermath which was dramatic in itself. Matt had lost his hat and his hair was absolutley soaking after taking a Solent chop in the face. His boat was pretty much full of water and poor Liz was scrabbling around under the water in the back trying to close off the fuel tank air vents. After we circled a couple of times to make sure all was okay and hoping that we wouldn't have to do a tow as it would have been very slow progress in the prevailing conditions, Matt managed to get the boat going and clear the decks. It was indeed a race to Portsmouth then. For Nos and crew to warm up and I think more importantly for Matt to have a cig. Neil and karen departed off Cowes. Whilst Matt and I enjoyed the calm waters in the Central and East Solent. After a couple of drinks at the light ship and meeting Pete7 it was back in to yet more wind for our return to warsash.
Although a long and dramatic day, and a good reminder why the RIB is the 4 x 4 of the sea we all got back safe and sound.
Oh and its the wettest I've been on a RIB since I sold the 4 meter searider last summer. Another thing you learn in those conditions is just how to catch the spray right so your mate takes it full on his side. Always worth a laugh to lighten up the fact your getting battered all over the place.

Below are a few photos.

1) Andy Hightower and kids coming down to say hello.

2) Some cheerful banter prior to battling the Solent in full flow.

3) A shot of Vixen.

4) Another shot of Vixen.

5) Battering along the West Solent.

Nos4r2 · 07 May 2007, 01:03

I think it's all been said...

The new boat is awesome and I now own the 1st ribnet t-shirt to be involved in a stuff

. Not quite sure what happened there-the 1st thing I knew was being hit full frontal by a wall of water.

Nos4r2 · 07 May 2007, 10:36

Huge thanks to Pete7 for running me up to a garage for a tank of fuel yesterday-I did make it back without it in the end but only just.
Cheers Pete!

Ian M · 07 May 2007, 10:59

Matt, glad your boat's the dog's danglies, if not quite 'stuff proof'

What about the other new boats out there, how did they perform?