As I was about to row the diver back I
decided to give the outboard one more
yank, and behold it fired and propelled me
to the shore and back quickly, but that
didn’t stop the torrential downpour.
We again chugged southward another
36NM through a dull drizzle and
headwind, reaching Lake Worth without
further incident.
As we emerged from the protected cut
into the large lake we were nearly
knocked over by 35-knot gusts and 1m
(3ft) waves from the south-east. I’d
intended to find an anchorage near the
outlet to the Atlantic Ocean, but I knew
anywhere would be roly-poly in these
conditions. I turned back and laid
Britannia on the dock of The North Palm
Beach Marina, which we’d just passed.
Here, many others were waiting to cross
the Gulf Steam. One Beneteau owner had
been there a week already.
The forecast was the same for the
following week – south-east 20 to 25
knots, 2m (7ft) seas in the Stream, running
at up to 3 knots. Kati and I had crossed a
few times before and we knew it would be
very rough in such conditions. Fighting a
3-knot current at right angles was an
added nuisance.
At a visitor rate of £100 per night we
Replicas of the Columbus
ships Niña (left) and Pinta
at Vero Beach MarinaThe squaresail is furled and reefed by a
single line coming back into the cockpit
I soon became confident enough to
continue through the narrower passages
and under fixed bridges.
A conventional square sail billowing out
on a 7m (23ft) yard would normally need a
crew of at least four to scramble up the
ratlines and along the yard to handle the
sail. I had no such crew but I knew the
value of square sails and devised a system
of rolling the sail inside a hollow yard,
much like in-mast furling, but horizontal.
I did become a bit anxious when the
wind increased to 25 knots, which, adding
our forward speed, gave a true speed over
30 knots. Force 7; it was time to reef. The
sheets were eased, spilling wind, as I
wound the self-tailing cockpit winch and
half the sail disappeared inside the yard.
It worked a dream. I’m sure Nelson would
have given his other arm for this system
on HMS Victory.
We had a magnificent sail north, but
three days later staff at our marina were
surprised to see us coming back so soon.
I’d told them we’d be gone a month, not
two weeks.
We were disappointed to have not
reached the Bahamas but I was sure I
made the right decision not to attempt the
crossing. Maybe next year.
In total we covered the vast distance of
260NM, half of it against a strong head
wind, so there was definitely one thing
I learned – there isn’t much wrong
with the engine!1
Always lift the lid of a barbecue
before lighting the burners.2
Don’t leave an outboard
standing for months with fuel
in it that’ll go stale.3
Make sure things on the boat
work before setting off.4
Don’t mistakenly try to lift a
half-tonne mooring buoy with
a boat-hook.5
Make sure the end of a line
is tied to the boat before
throwing it ashore.6
Always tie a line to an anchor
before letting it go overboard.7
Always check the weather
before setting off.8
Don’t sail with my brother ...
or me!9
Stay tied up in a marina – it’s
so much easier!LESSONS LEARNED
*Send us your boating experience story and if it’s published you’ll receive the original Dick
Everitt-signed watercolour which is printed with the article. PBO’s contact details are on page 5.couldn’t stay long at the marina, so after a
second night we decided to return 24NM
north to Hobe Sound anchorage, which
we’d passed on the way down. This was a
tight passage in urban surroundings, so
even with the wind behind us we couldn’t
actually sail.
The south-easterly was still blowing
strong and the anchorage was full of
boats. With our now amiable outboard we
took the dinghy to the outer bank and
looked at the wild Atlantic. It was littered
with whitecaps and waves rolling into the
shore. With my untried boat and rookie
crewmember I didn’t want to brave that lot
for the 61NM crossing to the Bahamas.
After three days and still no change in the
wind the Bahamas were becoming
untenable for Paul’s timetable. Reluctantly,
we decided to head back north, which
would at least be downwind.Hoist the squaresail
I was determined to test my new
squaresail, called the forecourse, in the
following breeze. When we entered a
section of waterway with deep water either
side of the channel I squared the yard to
the wind, set up the braces and sheets,
then unrolled the 40sq m (430sq ft) sail
from inside its yard, then mercifully
switched off the engine.
This was the first time we had actually
flown the new sail above a gentle breeze,
but after tinkering with the lines we had it
pushing hard. There are a few terms
which are different when you fly a square
sail, for example, the sail doesn’t ‘pull’ like
Bermudian sail terminology, it pushes.
There is no better sail for going
downwind. The boat is stable with no roll,
and no messing with poles and
preventers, or worrying about gybing.SHAKEN, NOT STIRRED