Getting schooled
I am afraid that I am writing to take strong
exception to your article ‘From inner city to
offshore’ in the February issue of YM. You say
that the Greig City Academy is the first state
school team to compete in the Fastnet Race.
This is not true. In 2009, a team of 20 5th and
6th-formers from Bishop Wordsworth’s School
in Salisbury completed the race in a Farr 65
called Spirit of Minerva. Funding was raised
entirely by the pupils via their own efforts.
The students, and their inspirational teacher
Terry Gilmour, are badly served by being thus
forgotten, and I would be grateful if you would
correct the error. Kevin McBride, race doctor
Jon Holt, Greig City Acadaemy sailing, replies:
I know Terry from Bishop Wordsworth, he is
a very good bloke. As pointed out, the first
school was actually Dauntsey school on Jolie
Brise. Bishop Wordsworth the first selective
state school and Greig City therefore the first
comprehensive. The big difference is that
Dauntsey and Greig City have their own boat.
Meet thy neighbours
James Stevens’ article on rafting (YM, Dec
201 7) covers all the points needed in the well-
regulated ports and harbours of the UK, but
things were somewhat less organised in the
far outposts in the 1980s and 1990s. In about
1990, we were one of a mixed fleet of four
boats on a club cruise from Anglesey to the
west of Ireland. Reaching Dunmore East, very
much a fishing harbour with no facilities for
yachts, we began rafting on an elderly and
clearly unused fishing boat. As the smallest
boat in the group, we were the fourth boat out,
a position we were well accustomed to taking.
We put out shorelines, of necessity, quite long.
The weather deteriorated, preventing
further progress westwards, and more boats
arrived. A second raft began to form against
another inactive fishing boat ahead of us,
and more boats rafted against us. Eventually
there were 12 or 1 3 boats in each raft,
very few of them with shorelines rigged.
James’s point about meeting the neighbours
is a good one. The next boat out from us
was a Pionier 10, looking somewhat scruffy.
The skipper sat in the cockpit with various
disassembled parts of his engine strewn
around. I enquired where he’d come from, to
which he replied Newfoundland. I was proud
of having sailed from Anglesey with a young
family but he put it into perspective! Vyv CoxKeep it strictly simple
In the Sailing Skills piece, ‘Should I stay or
should I go?’ (YM, December 2017), James
Stevens recommended sailing from Newtown
Creek to the top of the Itchen in a wind of up
to F 7 SW under reefed main and a working jib.
Why? Why didn’t he recommend
application of the KISS principle
(Keep It Strictly Simple)? As the
wind would never be less than
80° off the bow, the simple way to
sail the passage described would
be under jib alone. This is well
known as ‘Solent Rig’ as it is such
a comfortable way to sail in the
variable winds and choppy seas
often encountered on the short
passages of Solent sailing.
It completely avoids the risks
inherent in accidental jibes and
when the wind is on or aft of thebeam, it’s only a little slower than with a reefed
mainsail hoisted. It’s also a simple and safe
mode of sailing when the jib can be furled
from the cockpit as with the Corribee
discussed in the article. Nigel WrigleySatisfi ed customer
At the end of a windless passage to Alderney I
noticed that my smart battery charge regulator
was signalling a problem. Next morning, we
checked for loose contacts but found nothing
amiss. I contacted Mainbrayce, the island’s
marine engineers, and within 3 0 minutes
a RIB was alongside and Michael Fitton,
the proprietor, stepped aboard. His checks
confirmed that the problem lay in the
alternator, which he removed and took ashore.
Next day we called to find out if any
progress had been made. Michael told us that
he had spoken to the UK importers and the
makers of the engine. Neither could supply
a replacement alternator within a fortnight.
He then noticed on the defunct alternator
a label which had been painted over. He
carefully prised it off and saw a number
which he recognised as a Volvo part number.
He placed an order and the replacement
alternator arrived by air the following
afternoon. He then had to do a bit of soldering
so the smart regulator could be connected.
The new alternator was fitted the following
morning, less than 48 hours from the time he
was called. How’s that for service? John CadeGraham Snook/YMDavid Harding/SailingScenes.co.ukNigel believes a ‘Solent
Rig’ would have been
a better option in a
strong blowIn a big raft, you’ve no choice
but to get to know your neighbourJohn was impressed
at the service delivered by
Alderney’s marine engineersLETTERSWIN
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