Page 17 - Eagleye Spring 2020

Solent sunset sailing
calls, working as a well-oiled team. This was also the day during which crew members spent the most time clipped on to the boat to avoid being thrown overboard as a result of the impressive waves! Needless to say, Placuna made her way through the Solent and after completing an hour of tack and gybe drills outside Southampton Water, sailed up the Southampton Estuary to Hythe. It was here that perhaps the most testing part of the whole passage occurred (for the Skipper!), negotiating a lock-controlled access into Hythe Marina. This tested the Skipper’s skills in expertly manoeuvring Placuna alongside in a very cramped area. He was highly dependent on the Crew to help maintain good separation from other vessels and in securing her to the pontoon.
Following a night away from JSASTC, Thursday began with the promise of ideal conditions for sailing; the wind promised to be blowing from the right direction, and the sea state was considerably calmer than it had been for the previous couple of days. By 0900 the crew were ready to set sail, with only the daily checks to conduct prior to departure. This was when disaster struck! During
morning checks of the engine bay, Flt Lt ap John noted that the ‘Water in Fuel’ light was on, prompting some very rapid self-education in maritime diesel engine maintenance. As with all diesel engines, maritime engines don’t run particularly smoothly if they ingest water, and the skipper along with Flt Lt ap John were forced to undergo some emergency maintenance. This involved removing several of the panels surrounding the engine bay in order to gain access to the relevant engine parts, in order to first drain, then replace the water filters, before priming the engine in readiness for departure. Thankfully the repair held and Placuna was able to set sail by 1000. Placuna made her way across the Solent from Hythe, heading for Cowes in order to moor on a harbour buoy for lunch, cooked on board by Sgt Overend, who proved that not all meals onboard need to be dry biscuits! This was the day during which the crew members, who had previously had no sailing experience were given control of the vessel, responsible for tacking, gybing and direction
Relaxing on board
setting with minimal input from the Skipper, demonstrating exactly how far they’d come during the week. Placuna made her way back along the 20km route to Gosport from Cowes with conditions proving ideal for the journey, arriving in Gosport just as the sun was setting. The Crew brought her alongside with newfound confidence and secured her for the evening.
The final day of the expedition was taken up with swabbing the deck, pumping the bilge, and generally getting Placuna back into a fit state to be handed back to JSASTC for the next Crew. The week had proven to be a huge success, with the skipper Flt Lt Nile being given the opportunity to consolidate his Day skipper qualification and allowing Flt Lt Neill to revisit her Comp Crew qualification. More importantly, it had given those crew members who had previously had no sailing experience the exposure to a new activity, which they were all keen to take further. A successful week of Adventure Training!
Cowes from the sea
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