Solent - Weekend 5/6 May 2007

[Hugh Jardon]

What's a VSV? The acronym stands for Very Slender Vessel and applies to the boat shown above, the needle-like MarySlim, a 72-foot wave-piercing yacht design created and crafted by Multimarine Composites Limited. The boat was unveiled today at a ceremony at the Royal William Yard in Plymouth, England. The £1.5 million boat can cut through waves in any conditions and the hull and windscreen have been constructed to withstand the pressure of 50 tons of water. MarySlim has a range of 1800 miles and hits a cruising speed of 25 knots. Multimarine is looking into running her on bio-diesel (like the Earthrace yacht, which is currently racing around the world). The owners' cabin is in the bow is comfortable and has a double berth, hanging lockers and en suite head and shower. There are also four single berths with separate heads. Nothing too lavish here but the boat has a modern saloon molded stone counters, light paint finishes and bamboo flooring.

[tim griffin]

Originally Posted by Sixy_the_red

Well, testament to the wind conditions yesterday...

Mid morning, I'd say about 11:30am a yacht motored into Haslar with the top 6' of its jib sail torn to shreads... It was blowing so hard across the marina that at one point we were having trouble standing on the pontoon - a good day for doing PB1

Hi Sixy
Thanks for helping out on the Powerboat Instructors course at Haslar Sea School for Doug Innes and myself , much appreciated .
Regards Tim

[Sixy_the_red]

Originally Posted by tim griffin

Hi Sixy
Thanks for helping out on the Powerboat Instructors course at Haslar Sea School for Doug Innes and myself , much appreciated .
Regards Tim

No worries Tim, any time - I had fun and actually learned some new stuff!

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Sixy_the_red

Now I'm sure that's not ENTIRELY true, is it Pete?

See it is true

So Viv and I go for a quiet drink in the Ribnet Members Club and what do we find, well, wet foot prints across the carpet followed by a group of soggy members all staring into empty beer glasses. I make a mental note to have a chat with the Commodore about dress standards in the club, (we will have girls standing at the bar next )

We offer to stand a round and its turned down, blimey must be ruff out there but Matt and Liz have big smiles and explain that for once they didn't leave a trail of flotsam behind them which Viv is pleased to here after fishing the last lot out

Tim M's Evolution turns up with the Ghetto blaster playing at full volume, easily heard half way across Portsmouth Harbour, but despite waving and inviting them in, the crew choose to curb crawl around the marina instead.

Back on the pontoons Biggles and friend have been busy with the chemicals as the yellow rib looks spotless, thumbs up for TFR. Matt and Liz give the Avon a quick check and despite some earlier submarine training she is dry, so is Liz, although Matt has a squelching noise from each leg of his drysuit, we try not to notice.

We drive round to Lee on Solent on the way home and see the intrepid team ploughing there way back to Warsash across a grey and choppy Solent but both going well and keeping close together.

Pete and Viv

[bedajim]

Originally Posted by Hightower

you got a pic of your rib from an elevated view bedajim, love to see those jigsaw wear patches.

There you go (I did think it may look like a wot no from the side )

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by bedajim

what is the last boat

It's Richard Reddyhof's latest toy

Looks like a seriously cool piece of kit!

John

[Jimbo]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Tim M's Evolution turns up with the Ghetto blaster playing at full volume, easily heard half way across Portsmouth Harbour, but despite waving and inviting them in, the crew choose to curb crawl around the marina instead.

That's cos it was two of my potential PBI's getting in a bit of practice, not Tim M! I did have a word with them later about stereo volume...

[Sixy_the_red]

Originally Posted by Jimbo

That's cos it was two of my potential PBI's getting in a bit of practice, not Tim M! I did have a word with them later about stereo volume...

Yes - we couldn't hear it inside the bar!!

[Hightower]

Originally Posted by bedajim

There you go (I did think it may look like a wot no from the side )

Looks realy nice mate! Roy did tell me about the gut that ordered Jigsaw wear patches some time ago.

Nice console too! Is that an Outhill one?

[Hightower]

A seriously Sexy Bow shot!

I think She needs some tubes though.

[Nauti Buoy]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

It's Richard Reddyhof's latest toy

Looks like a seriously cool piece of kit!

John

hmmm for £1.5m and 1750hp I'd want something that did more that 32 knots and a lot more comfort than a surface peircing submarine. Perhaps it's just me but what's the point? Plus from what I've heard she does not corner too well!!

[Carl]

oi nauti girl you talking about landrovers again

[floater]

i very sadly read the entire build program and construction diary, and one thing that was metioned was that the owners are part of an exclusive 2000 club which is for people who have traveled over 2000 miles in a rib

any body throw any light on this

Andy

nice boat wish i had the money

[Louise]

Originally Posted by floater

an exclusive 2000 club which is for people who have traveled over 2000 miles in a rib

any body throw any light on this

It was founded by Richard Reddyhoff and Jan Falkowski a few years ago. The 2000 miles has to have been completed in one trip. They are very strict about this: apparently Richard's nephew fell short of the mark by 53 miles! More details were in the February edition of Riblines, the magazine of BIBOA The RIB Club.

[Andre]

Originally Posted by Louise

It was founded by Richard Reddyhoff and Jan Falkowski a few years ago. The 2000 miles has to have been completed in one trip. They are very strict about this: apparently Richard's nephew fell short of the mark by 53 miles! More details were in the February edition of Riblines, the magazine of BIBOA The RIB Club.

True and those who completed the Round Britain in 1999 qualified. I still wear the green sweat shirt with the Club 2000 logo . JK should have one as well

[floater]

well Andre and JK

what can i say,, well done and wish i could do it, may be one day

were not worthy


Andy

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by Andre

JK should have one as well

I think I've still got it somewhere!

John

[ozz]

Saw the VSV on the Bank Holiday in Portsmouth Marina. Looks stunning.

They were getting ready to berth and were putting fenders out along the side. Looked like a very precarious job as the side rails are about as wide as a human foot! Was expecting them to slip off the side!

Then had a nasty trip back to Southampton and got absolutely soaked. Saw two ribs following a windsurfer (nutter) and that was about it.

[Sixy_the_red]

We saw it from behind on Sunday and thought it looked awful. Then when we realised what it was....

[Biggles]

Here's a few more photos that have just turned up. All taken near the Needles and Bridge marker.
Thanks to Karen for these. Most appreciated.