Richard just sent me this video clip, his first attempt at making a short movie with a digital camera and uploading it to Utube. You may need to let your browser run scripts/active X controls in order to see the video (i.e. 'Allow blocked content'). The video shows HSC club boat Merganser sailing in the Roach earlier this summer. Looks good filming to me, but maybe rather a lot of sail flapping at the end, crew looking at the camera when they should be adjusting the sheets?
[HW Southend 1st August: 10pm BST]
As last year, HSC members sailed Merganser round to the upper reaches of the Crouch for a barbecue hosted by SWFYC, at the invitation of Dougal McEwen, a member of the Dinghy Cruising Association.
Herman, Mark T. and myself made up the crew, and we departed Paglesham just before mid-day. The wind was southerly F3-4, and we had an easy sail down the Roach. We were able to lay a course up the Crouch to Burnham, where we decided to get ashore for a cup of tea. My first attempt to bring Merganser up to the RCYC pontoon was not very successful: I was still a bit rusty, having done little dinghy sailing this year. We managed to get moving again on starboard tack, and I aimed to bring the boat up to the town pontoon further up river. This was accomplished and we tied up on the main arm of the pontoon [the Wallasea ferry uses the end of the pontoon].
We had noticed a blue and white Gull dinghy approaching, though I did not at first see the DCA burgee. This turned out to be Peter [Moore] who had launched at the SWFYC slipway and sailed down river. He identified us from Dougal’s description, and he joined us as we went to the chandlery, and then to the café next door.
Nearer to low water we set off again to sail the nine miles or so with the tide to the YC where the barbecue was to be held. The Gull sailed well under mainsail alone, and seemed to float very high in the water. We did not sail as well as expected, perhaps because of three crew and camping gear, perhaps because of some growth of barnacles, and though we nearly caught up, we were still about 50 yards behind when Peter reached the slip at 6pm.
The weather had turned to light rain by this time so we joined the crowd in the Yacht Club after quickly pitching our tents on the grass outside. We were very grateful for a hearty meal provided by the club’s members, and got better acquainted with Peter, who hails from Tonbridge, and also talked again to Muriel of the Tideway Owners’ association, who we also saw at the Dinghy Exhibition at Alexandra Palace.
Around 10pm we headed for our tents for a welcome night’s rest, not disturbed this year by any raucous revellers.
Sunday dawned dry and sunny, and we made an impromptu breakfast at the clubhouse, at Dougal’s invitation. Peter had a short sail and hauled his boat out, while we prepared to depart after the ebb set in around 10.30. We had plenty of time, as we knew it would be evening before we could get back onto our mooring at Paglesham, so we went down under jib with the tide. We reached Creeksea in about 2 hours, where we raised the mainsail and again put in at the pontoon. We had an afternoon snack and took a stroll down the front as far as the chandlery below RCYC.
Setting off at 4.30, we had a straightforward sail back in mostly F3 south westerlies. We had to wait a while after unloading before I was able to walk the boat up to the mooring to make her secure, but it was now a very fine and pleasant evening.
Thanks are again due to Dougal and the friendly members of the SWFYC for their hospitality