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We Survived 47 Knots

Posted 5 months, 13 days ago

We Survived 47 Knots
Last night's Wednesday Evening Sail, sponsored by Arnschell Hydraulics was BIG in more ways than one. With a predicted wind speed of 18 knots we had many boat owners down at ABYC expecting a pleasant sail. Most of the guests were accommodated on Warrior with a few of the die hard adrenaline junkies on the smaller boats. When Sean explained to a group of guests that it was expected to be wet and a little bit rough, four of the male guests willingly gave up their berths in favour of their wives who joined Cooking for a sail. Now, at the best of times, Cooking is a wet boat well known for dishing out a bit of adrenaline and getting people wet. After all, what is a good sail if you can't go fast and the spinnaker looks so much better with a belly full of 30 knots as opposed to listlessly hanging from the halyards in 5 knots! The normal Wednesday Evening start line was manned by Ronnie and Glynis and most boats elected to proceed out of the harbour with only a jib up. Much debate on Cooking saw us choose to eschew the main and stick with the number 3 in the rapidly increasing wind. The only hard core boat that went out with main and jib was Chinook. Much to Young Bill's disappointment, in a war between main sail and wind, the wind came out eventual winner and tore Chinook's mainsail. Leaving the harbour precincts was pleasant enough until around 500 metres out with a little bit of surfing on the waves marching OUT from the land toward the open sea. Port Elizabeth's famous North Wester made it's appearance and the wind speed rapidly increased - great fun if you are used to sailing and are prepared to get wet with the right gear on, not such great fun if your impressions of sailing are gently chortling along in a mild breeze and sunshine with a gin and tonic in hand served by an impressively half naked serving person, the gender of your choice. With the wind rapidly increasing to what some measured as 47 knots in the harbour it was time we thought to tack and make our way back to the harbour. Owing to the relative inexperience of our guests our first change in direction was a gybe - just to get people used to moving to the windward side on the boat. The gybe was not too shabby with everyone eventually assuming the pie on the rail position. Now we were beating against the waves and starting to become thoroughly soaked, even Gavin at the stick rapidly assumed the 'standing in a shower' look despite being shielded by five people ahead of him. Then the time came for the tack and, adrenaline time for all on board - a combination of crew not moving quick enough to the windward side and a stalled sheet put Cooking on her side. Megan was holding on for dear life and shielding guests from falling further into the water whilst we were stalled, on our side, dead in the water. A quick tug to release the sheet and we slowly righted the boat with people scrambling onto the windward side. What an experience for Sean's guests to take home. Will they come again? One guest, the only one to have brought a change of clothes with, indicated that she would love to come again. The only problem is that further sailing has been dulled down for her as evenings like last night come around far too little. The other three guests rapidly exited and raced home to get into dry clothes and back to the club to enjoy the fine hospitality laid on by Arnschell Hydraulics. I think the next order of business is to organise a whole set of T-Shirts for the guests on Cooking that says; "I Survived 47 Knots" - something that many of our sailors will be just a teensy bit jealous of. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Algoa Bay Week 2008: Post your willingness to crew and your crew requests in the feedback / comments section please. ABYC Week 2008 NOR Full Story »

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