I bought Eilidh, out of the water, with the mast down, in a boatyard packed tightly with some 25 boats due to be launched before me.

That gave me a lot of worry.

Eilidh now had some 5 months ashore before I could sail her. In the meantime, I had sold my old Seamaster 23' to a friend in Laugharne, South Wales. Eilidh's new home would be in Swansea. She would to be my second boat.

I had only been sailing cruisers for two years. My longest journey as skipper had been from Dale to Swansea, some 55 NM. Last year my family and I had a cruise from Swansea to Solva, via Tenby and Dale. Thus experience would not be on my side.

I had two choices on how to get Eilidh home. I could put her on a lorry, all done in a day, or sail her back, a journey through the Solent, off Portland Bill, rounding the Lizard and Lands End, and up the Bristol Channel to Swansea.

It did not take very long to decide. The challenge of sailing her home could not be turned down. A chance in a life time.

The preparations took 7 visits to the Hamble, measuring up, fitting deck furniture, GPS, sealing hatches, fitting new anodes, anti- fouling.

Fuel, water and food were calculated. Waypoints were fed into the GPS. A spare GPS was included. A Navstar on board was a back up. Ports of Refuge were tabulated, and loaded into the GPS, weather report times looked up.

Route Planning involved a lot of time. I decided to keep 5 NM off all headlands, with the exception of Salcombe; the tide maps not giving any major tidal gates at this headland.

Apart from myself as skipper, the crew was to be Dave Evans, a fellow from navigation classes the previous winter, and Jo, a friend from the Swansea Sailing Club.

I planned the launch week in detail. Arriving at the Hamble with my family, we would launch the boat, and spend a week rigging and sailing Eilidh. The following week, my crew and myself would sail the boat back to Swansea.

So much for detailed planning! Joan, Robert and I arrived as per plan. But ...

Eilidh was launched a day early. Hamble Point Marina stepped the mast a day early. We had a forecast that predicted very settled weather for the next week. A chance too good to be missed.

Dave was able to respond to my emergency call. Jo was tied up in work, and was unable to come. Joan was persuaded to join the crew, and Robert (7 years old) had no choice!

Departure day, Thursday 10th April. Dave arrived at 10am. Joan went to Tesco to victual the boat. At 12:30, with boat loaded, harbour dues paid, sun shining, we cast off, and headed out to the Solent.

Error No 1. I had not tested the Autohelm. It proved not to work in compass mode. We could just get it to function with the wind vane, but even that was a chore. In the end we manned the tiller for the whole journey.

We were thrilled to be sluiced through the Solent at 9.5 knots over the ground. The tide was with us, Hurstpoint and the Needles flashed passed, and we were out into the English Channel.

Five miles off Swanage a small white blob was spotted, and we decided to investigate. The blob turned out to be a dinghy, belonging to the Swanage Council. We called up the Coastguard, who told us that vandals had untied several small pleasure dinghies the previous night. 'Ours' was one of several that had been reported.

Portland Bill soon slowed our progress to a couple of knots. My five mile offset was barely enough. Darkness came, and we headed out into Lyme Bay. The radar reflector was assembled, and hoisted. The wind being force 2 at the most, we motor sailed.

Joan and Robert took watch from 20:00 till 23:00. She handed over to Dave for the next three hours. By the time I took the watch at 02:00 hours, we were motoring across Lyme Bay. Dave went off watch, and turned in. The winds slowly rose to a force 4, and the sea began to get lumpy. Dave, who could not sleep, got up and joined me. We put up the jib, and switched off the engine. We were sailing Eilidh properly for the first time.

Error No 2. The pounding into the seas caused the radar reflector to cut through its halyard. It fell down, narrowly missing me, and slashing the mainsail. Joan was soon on watch, and I took the opportunity to reef the main, to relieve the strain on the tear.

By 09:00 on the Friday, we were off Bolt Head. In glorious sunshine we were almost becalmed. We emptied the inflatable, which had taken some spray during the night. The diesel tank was checked and topped up. We then set off for the Lizard. Eddystone Light House was spotted in the distance. After lunch, Dave and I were sleeping, when a cry from Robert woke us. 'Porpoises'.

Well, for three hours, three magnificent porpoises kept us company. They dived under the boat, surfaced as they sped passed us, disappeared, then did the same again. To think that I had considered putting Eilidh on a lorry!

The winds varied from a force 4 to light airs, Joan and Robert took us around the Lizard, and Dave took us nearly to Lands End. I took over several miles from Lands End, in the dark at 02:00 on Saturday morning. The wind was behind us. I wanted to keep on course and this meant running goosewinged to my waypoint 5 NM off Lands End. There were several fishing boats around, thus a good look-out was essential. The sea was quite lumpy, and my hands were full.

At 03:00 hours Saturday morning, I changed course from 291 degrees magnetic to 0 degrees. The wind was now on my starboard quarter, and gusting quite strongly. As if she sensed that I needed some help, Joan came up at half past three. Together we sailed past Pendeen and St Ives. We changed course to Swansea, timed at 04:45. The sky was very grey. the sea was choppy, and it was raining.

We hove-to to refuel, and soon Dave took over the helm. This was to be a long slog up the Bristol Channel, Padstow came into sight, and stayed there! An erratic trawler kept Joan and Dave on their toes trying to avoid it. As usual in the Bristol Channel, the wind came from where we wanted to go. We tried the Genoa up, we tried the Genoa down. Quite a frustrating part of the trip. Puffins, gannets and other sea-birds relieved the tedium.

Eventually, Lundy Island came into sight. The familiar lights at Hartland and Bull Point came into view. Joan turned us around, back to Land End. But only for a minute, and we were back on course to Swansea.

Dave took watch, and the rest of us fell into our bunks and slept. Tiredness was beginning to show. At 02:00 hours on Sunday morning, I took the watch. Dave, on handing over told me of his floating village, a fleet of fishing vessels lit up like a small town. It confused him for a while, as it was totally unexpected.

The night was clear, cold and no wind. I was now in familiar waters. I could see that the tide was taking Eilidh to the west, and steered to compensate. Eventually I saw the red flashing light of Mixon Shoal, off Mumbles. The dawn was breaking, my goal was in sight. How appropriate for me to make the Swansea landfall.

At 04:45 the engine stopped.

I checked the fuel level. It was low. I quickly put two gallons of diesel into it, and restarted the engine. Off we went once more, but after another few minutes, the engine died again. I tried to start it, but it had seized. No oil.

There we were, five miles off the Mumbles, no wind, and slowly drifting on the tide up the channel. Dave broke our spell, and clamped the Seagull onto the inflatable. We tried to tow the boat from the bow, but the inflatable just skidded on the surface of the sea. Rafting the dinghy to the side of Eilidh proved successful.

The Cork Ferry appeared over the horizon, as we had just motored into the dredged channel off Mumbles. We radioed the Coastguard to advise them of our situation. We asked them to warn the ferry. However the Seagull pushed Eilidh clear the channel in plenty of time. With its 4 horsepower, and 40 years of service, the old Seagull motored Eilidh at 4 knots to Swansea harbour.

From there it was a matter of locking into both the River Tawe and Swansea marina, and finally tieing up to my berth. Home by 08:45 on Sunday morning.

As if we had not been tested enough, we then drove back to the Hamble in Joan car to collect Dave's and my car from Warsash.

Addendum: the motor 'unseized' itself, has been tested for oil pressure by our local marine engineer and has been given a clean bill of health. A new mainsail has been ordered.

Mark Johnson - S.V Eilidh


- from OFFSHORE - Fall 1997

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