New Home for Daislebee - Ashlett Creek

Ashlett Sailing Club is part of the Esso Sports and Social Club and is home to many south coast Drascombers.
Having been at Chichester Marina since I bought the boat I was sorry to be leaving as I have many happy memories of setting out and returning there, and hate to think of the amount of beer Adrian and I must have got through...waiting for the tide.....

But it is a fact that any event in the Solent requires an extra day at both ends to cater for the long haul back to Chichester...that coupled with the lack of time I have to pop down to the boat and the sheer harsh economic reality for the difference between the costs of Chi and Ashlett  made it an easier decision.

So it was after the Marina rally I hauled out and dropped the mast to get her ready for trailing. It didn't take as long as I thought as we were soon on the A27 heading west.

It only took about an hour - as opposed to the 1/2 day to sail it, before I was pulling into the compound. I found what appeared to be a vacant space that was ideal for access to pull in and out with the car and having settled her down set off for home.

The distance and time to travel are almost identical so it is hopefully the start of a long and happy association with the club.

Chichester Marina based rally 22nd - 25th May 2015

The rally, based in Chichester Marina got off to a very uneventful start. Launching for those who came by trailer passed without incident and after drinks on one boat or other the group gathered in Chichester Yacht Club for the evening meal.  The collective included skippers and crew of Dabbers, Luggers, Coasters, Long Boat Cruisers, Shrimpers and Deben Lugger, a Lunne Whammel and a Red Fox 200 - all very welcome. Some were sleeping aboard, other camping in the field behind and some in caravans and motor homes on local sites.

Sharon, from Churchouse boats made me a lovely presentation for my birthday of a cartoon character, drawn by Bob Heasman of a remarkable likeness of Sharon and myself sailing Daislebee with L plates displayed

The blue and yellow flag indicates 'difficulty manoeuvring'

Saturday

With the tide taking us down to East Head most of the fleet headed that way for a leisurely lunch. There was a little drama as a Coaster arrived with its mast laid neatly along the cabin, and then tried its best to get neaped on the beach ..but with assistance from Richard Goldsmith I managed to get ashore and help them float and they headed out to the raft for final adjustments.
The fleet that sailed from Ashlett joined us having crept into harbour late the night before.

Alex's Deben Lugger

Possibly the youngest crew

Keep your lines ready

The weather was fine with a good wind and the fleet headed back to the marina for the BBQ. The band played and we were joined by some other boat owners who curiosity at our rag tag bunch had intrigued them.

Sunday

Another fine day which saw the fleet spread out with the Ashlett crowd planning to stay out in the harbour to get a good start the following day. Several of us negotiated the Thorney Channel and saw a couple of seals before rafting up for lunch.
I had a guest helm, Glenys Cowie, whose berth in Moksha was taken by Sharon GH.

Guest Helm

Douglas H

Monday

The Ashlett fleet departed en route to the Weymouth Festival...and the majority pulled out in preparation for the journey home. Peter, Tony and I sailed to Emsworth. En route I drifted up on of the rithes and did some seal watching.

At the Pontoon there was nearly a diplomatic incident with a large white yacht who wanted us to move so he could come alongside the deeper side of the pontoon. When we pointed out that the depth of water was the same on both sides he refused to believe us and resolutely parked his  40 foot yacht  in a 25 foot space at the end of the pontoon..

International incident over we adjourned for drinks and supper.

Tuesday

Peter and I crept up the the quay at Emsworth to get some provisions and collect Sharon who wanted more time on the water. Back at the pontoon bacon rolls and coffee were taken before we set off down the harbour. Another first for Sharon was achieved when we stuck our heads out to see, going as far and the Bar beacon - her first time in open water.

Returning to the marina I had an early night ready for hauling out the next dyt to take Daislebee to her new home.

Chichester Harbour Rally 1st - 4th May

Friday 1st

The rally started in the usual way with boats arriving on trailers - the first rig for some, of the new season, new engines being started and new kit being made ready. There was only one arrival by sea, the intrepid Tony Wood had set out for Ashlett on the Thursday and had a interesting journey along the coast.
The rest of the Ashlett fleet decided to abandon the plan to sail round and any plans to sail at all as the weather grew worse.  Douglas Hopwood and Ian Cowie trailed round and launched at the marina.

We were joined by new faces, David McWhirter brought his bright yellow, and huge gig Tra Bhui which attracted a lot of interest, Adam Norman, in his Coaster Jester, Aidan Stowe in Rob Cat II and the unforgettable Howard Worsley and his wife Ruth.

Sharon from Churchouse also joined us to watch launching and we went for a motor down the harbour to charge my batteries, which she seems to enjoy.

Later the rally split into several parties and evening meal was cooked and beer and wine consumed.


Saturday 2nd

The day started very well, sun and a reasonable wind and many set off for Dell Quay on the last of the flood and enjoyed a good sail. On the way back down Howard had had one of his 'episodes' and gone aground with his rudder getting stuck. He managed get free before assistance arrived and most of the fleet set off down the harbour.
One or two decided the marina was the place to be but 4 or 5 of us arrived at East Head for lunch, meeting Richard Goldsmith in his Cornish Coble.
Howard had an 'episode' with his mast, and a fore stay pin failure which resulted in him and Ruth coming into the shallows at east Head to rectify...unfortunately on a falling tide he was in danger of being neaped  so Richard kindly put me ashore to help ...in water 2 inches deeper than my sailing boots but heh ho...... got him off and partially fixed so he made his way to the raft to complete the repairs. We had to be quick as we were starting to run out of water ourselves.
Once all sorted we motored across to Mengeham Rithe where Howard, Tony and I pick up a buoy for the night - Peter T and Adam made there way to separate buoys.
The evening meal was very good - steak, egg and chips and we settled down for the night after some wine and a dram or two.
Then the washing machine started and lasted until about 04.00 am - we must have got the springs just right because there was no boat clashes just a lot of pitching and rolling....but we survived and woke the next morning to grey misty conditions.
In view of the weather and the outlook I decided to cancel the rally and we all made our way up to the marina to join that had remained in comfort.
Ruth and Howard kindly bought breakfast and we adjourned to our berths to get some rest.
Tony decided to trail back to Ashlett so hitched a ride with Ian to collect car and trailer.

Ruth, Howard and Tony

The others departed during Sunday although the sun came out and Monday was a lovely day so I snatched a quick sail before turning for home - saving the two days leave for another time.

Lets hope the weathers better next time......

First rally approaching

The first May Bank Holiday rally is rapidly approaching. What with work and other commitments I seem to be behind schedule but have sent out the rally notes to those who expressed an interest - the usual suspects but also some new names amongst them which is good.

General plan is to r/v on the Visitors pontoon on the Friday ad then see where the wind and weather take us. Bembridge is a possibility and with 18 or so boats planning to attend we will need to think where we can go without finding there is no room at the inn.

Some are planning on staying out during the week so it should be fun - hope the weather is kind to us.

Second outing and the CYC dinner - 27th February

Sharon was going for it again - Friday saw us down at the marina and heading out through the lock. Another bright and sunny day with a nice F3 westerly. We motored down to the entrance to the Thorney Channel which gave us a nice long tack across towards East Head. Sharon held the boat head to wind whilst I raised the main sail. As the boat bore away I turned the engine off and Sharon found herself at the helm of a boat under sail for the first time. We had covered the various points of sail as we travelled down the harbour and once she worked out where the wind was coming from Sharon was quite at home, even when a passing wash hit us at the same time as a gust causing the boat to lean and move about. No sounds but I thought I detected a whitening of her knuckles on the tiller. We soon had the jib unfurled as well and were having a cracking sail, We tacked and gybed in the empty harbour until we decided that lunch was the order of the day.

Having progressed so well it seemed a simple task to sail into the East Head anchorage - furl the jib and then come up into the wind whilst I dropped the anchor. Very professional - shame no one was about to see Sharon at the helm.

After lunch we departed the same way, raising the main head to wind as the anchor was recovered and then bearing away to deeper water.

With a rising tide we were soon making good ground up the harbour.

Sharon at the helm

We avoided buoys and boats that were apparently 'coming towards us' and sailed all the way to the end of the channel leading to the marina.

Once through the lock there was some discussion about who was going to reverse into the berth and I lost - but Daislebee was reversed in very tidily and we were soon tied up and chatting to Peter and Emma Tiplady who had come down to collect an anchor I had borrowed sometime ago.

We drove to the hotel and meet up with Stewart and then Brad and Bob who were already in the pub...no surprises there.

A taxi later to the club and we were soon enjoying the meal and drinks with old friends. All too soon the night was over and we were all back at the hotel heading for bed.