Yachting Monthly – May 2018

A QUES TION OF

SEAMANSHIP

James Stevens, author

of the Yachtmaster

Handbook, spent 10

of his 23 years at the

RYA as chief examiner

Q 

Chris, Pete and Steve have

set out from Cowes on their

annual cross-Channel trip.

They are on board Compass

Point, a 32ft fin-keeled Najad

320 owned and maintained by Chris. Chris

holds a Yachtmaster Offshore certificate and

the rest of the crew are experienced sailors.

There is a 10-knot westerly wind and

because they left a bit late, they decide to

motor against the wind to take advantage of

the last of the favourable ebb tide westward

to the Needles before turning south. Soon

after engaging the prop, there is a clunk

and the engine stops. Chris looks over

the side. The end of some polypropylene

Can we sail ourselves out of trouble?

A 

Yes it is possible, but it’s

not for the faint hearted

and you have to be a strong,

confident sailor. The crew

has to be well briefed. As the

approach is to windward, you have to keep

the mainsail up as long as possible but have

it ready to drop instantly. Set a small jib. Set

up the fenders and warps and approach

from the south on port tack, tack on to short

starboard leg giving just enough boat speed

for the final approach, which will be almost

head to wind, starboard side to. Let the main

halyard go just before arrival. If it goes wrong

and you need to get out, it is much safer with

just a jib. Bonkers? Well, in summer, fleets

of keel boats do something similar in West

Cowes every Saturday.

line is floating near the transom. The rest

is presumably round the prop. Without

an engine, there is no chance of beating

to the Needles before the tide turns and

floods at around 4 knots.

Steve looks at the shipping and thinks

it’s a real emergency and fully

warrants a Mayday call. Pete

thinks the best option is

to sail back to Cowes,

pick up a mooring and

phone the marina. The

problem with that idea

is that if the marina

sent out a boat and

arranged a lift in the

hoist, the cost would be well over £100.

Chris has realised that any hope of getting

across the channel that day has gone and

that Cowes is the best option. There is the

Town Quay which he knows can be used

by yachts which can dry out against the

wall. They would have to pick up

a mooring until high water and

sail alongside. Compass

Point will dry out safely

against the wall if he

can sail it there. The

Town Quay is in a

tricky place with the

wind from the west.

Is it possible?

West

Cowes

Town

Quay

Marina

30m

Ferry

Terminal

River

N Medina

Compass

Point

?

WIND

10 knots

THE KNOWLEDGE

Even with an experienced crew,

Cowes Town Quay is a tight spot

to tack a cruising yacht into