Looking Back on the Autumn Rally 2024

All crews met at Port Hamble marina on Monday morning with the weather forecast favourable. We checked the four boats chartered from Fairview Sailing and prepared to depart for Yarmouth. The first to leave was Carte Blanche, followed by Protégé and then Femme Fatale and finally Avant Garde. We were expecting to see Fulmarks in Hamble but weather conditions the previous day meant they stayed in Gosport and set out from there to meet us in Yarmouth. Those who left the earliest had the better of the unexpected rain showers that stayed over the West Solent for most of the afternoon, abating as we approached Yarmouth pier. Now all five boats with 21 crew and battle flags aloft were tied safely to the pontoons in Yarmouth with the gallies covered in wet outer clothing and heating turned on. Facilities in Yarmouth are excellent with warm showers and crews got ready for early evening drinks, followed by mostly eating out either at The Bugle or The Terrace.

 
A quiet night’s sleep was greeted in the morning by sunshine with the odd shower, not long though. All boats departed between 10am and midday, some stopping at Newtown River for a navigational exercise and Fullmarks staying overnight, whilst the rest headed for the Bucklers Hard. The downwind sail from Yarmouth to the Beaulieu River entrance was peaceful on headsail only with engine on to navigate the 3.5 miles stretch of narrow shallow river before arriving at Bucklers Hard Marina. A lot of building work was going on in the marina, but the surroundings were not spoilt by the noise. All four boats moored onto the visitor pontoon, shallow on the inside. Well, I say all four, but with Avant Garde needing a little help from other crews with the incoming tide. Nice places to walk ashore and places to visit, followed by early evening socialising and all opting to cook on board for the evening meal.

The next morning saw discussions between boat skippers about the best time to leave to have sufficient height over the bar at entrance to the river. In the end all four boats finally left about the same time. The weather was clear and sunshine prevailed. Getting out over the bar with recorded depth 0.9 metres below the keel we think but following another yacht the same size helped confidence prevail. Turning west with full sails raised and a 15-17 knot SE wind helped us have a memorable single tack sail to Portsmouth in no time at all, arriving an hour before expected. Four boats mooring safely in Gunwharf Quays with Fulmarks opting to visit East Cowes.  The Spinnaker Tower stood tall over our mooring lit with purple lights and helped us enjoy our open air drink party in Protégé's cockpit and below deck as a four crew aboard. All eat out that night in a choice of restaurants surrounding the marina with some watching a football match.

The following morning, we didn’t need to depart early, as the tides where best later that day. One of our crew who had not been to Portsmouth before, went up the Spinnaker Tower to the visitor glass floor platform, others just went shopping. All four boats departed before midday and sailed mainly downwind sailing with boom preventer attached. We made our way back to Port Hamble Marina visiting the fuel dock on the way. Avant Garde, being the last to arrive, had to raft up against Femme Fatale which made the approach  and offloading the crew’s luggage much harder. One good thing the Club invested in is fender steps, which makes it easier for short legged crew members to step up and off the deck of the Oceanis 37. That evening after a warm shower and drinks aboard Fulmarks, we held our rally dinner at the RAF Yacht Club in Hamble with the chance for all five boat crews to reminisce about the trip and enjoy a really good meal. We all slept on board our boats that night, some staying out late, and needed to be off the boats by 11am the following morning before the drive home.

This year's Autumn Rally was an enjoyable sailing trip, helped by good company favourable winds, sunshine, a nice group meal and the odd joke along the way. 

Words David Reed

Pictures Mary Coles