Northumbria Sailing
September Newsletter
A knot is never ‘nearly right’: it is either exactly right or it is hopelessly wrong, one or the other; there is nothing in between. Clifford Ashley – Ashley’s Book of Knots
Holiday in Heaven?
The Greens spent their holiday chartering a yacht in Greece and produced this enviable image.
‘The day we spent with you was invaluable. We were able to get straight into it with confidence.
Hopefully day skipper course next…’
Whilst back on the North Sea?
I couldn’t believe this one at first, but it’s genuine. Mark & Tracey laughing through the squall off Tynemouth.
They really did enjoy their Practical Crewing Course and are well set up to go to the next stage, Malta in September.
Victim Dave also enjoyed it – see below
East Coast Sail to London – Did we do Well?
Skipper Melvyn reports; A successful and enjoyable trip leaving Royal Quays for Whitby on the first night. Then to Grimsby topping up fuel at an incredibly low price. Next stop Wells on the Sea, arriving after dusk and escorted in. A shallow channel – see image, and we did touch bottom on the way out. A long trip to Harwich, a mooring at Queenborough and up the Thames arriving amid a melee of boats at Tower Bridge. Snug for two nights at St Katharine’s Dock. Four onboard and every day we had a F6 at some stage.
Report from Skipper Malcolm; ‘Following Melvyn’s eventful but comfortable, multi-stop trip South, a group of 4 intrepid mariners set off from St Katharine’s to bring Lian back to Royal Quays. The trip was intended to be non-stop back to the frozen North, partly for mile-building, partly for nautical bravado, and partly to avoid the tedium of worrying too much about shallow and muddy East Coast harbours – but the theory was that if the weather blew up or we fancied a drink en route, we’d turn left.
Departure was brisk, to catch the 0645 lock-out from St Katharine’s, about an hour before high water at Tower Bridge. Passing the lock was uneventful :), and fantastic views started straight away, in a beautiful blue sky devoid of any central London smog.
The section along and out of the Thames was a photo-safari, with amazing views of the temples of Mammon, the Cutty Sark , the Emirates Air Line and the Dome. Negotiating the Thames Barrier involved taking to London VTS – a bit of a shocker that they don’t speak with a Geordie accent!
Dolphins off Southend pier, which was a bit of a surprise, but the main sightseeing highlight of the trip out of the Thames was a visit to the Estuary Forst, built as anti-aircraft platforms during the war, by my grandfather’s engineering company. The two ‘Army’ style forts are at Red Sands and Shivering Sands (sand is a very notable and unhelpful feature of the Thames Estuary). It must have been a fairly anxiety provoking experience being out there as the might of the Luftwaffe passed directly overhead night after night. However, the Germans missed their estuarine tormentors! Even after 70 years, most of the structures are still there, huge, desolate and deserted, apart from the odd historically minded visitor.
As we continued out along the Knock John channel under a Mediterranean sky, unwelcome weather news started to come in. Talk of Storm 10 in German Bight, and strong Easterlies. This caused a rethink about our intended well offshore course, and we turned closer to East Anglia when the swell got big enough to interfere with our culinary plans, and so that we could duck in somewhere if we needed to.
Unfortunately the good weather left us in the night, and from about Lowestoft the going was grisly and wet. The weather continued to build the sea and by the time we reached Hartlepool there was a 3 metre easterly swell, which was regularly breaking and blowing. But we had a good sailing wind, averaging around 20 knots pretty much the whole way, and made the 353 miles in 53 hours, ten less than we had budgeted for assuming and average boat speed of 5 knots. Lian can certainly cut it in a biggish sea, and she brought us safely and gratefully back to Royal Quays by mid-afternoon of day three’.
Boat Delivery
I am pleased to announce a Boat Delivery service is now available using a qualified and experienced Yachtmaster™. Ask for a quotation. Use this link to learn the ins and outs of Boat Delivery Boat Delivery
2016 in Scotland or Orkneys & Shetlands
I am preparing the sea for a sail in 2016 and ideas have included the Orkneys & Shetlands. Anyone interested or with other ideas is welcome to make contact.
Why an Evening Class?
In my day there was a choice between an evening class or correspondence and I actually did my Day Skipper Theory twice. First by correspondence and later by evening class as I wasn’t convinced that I knew the subject as well as I wanted, even though I had passed the correspondence.
The Local Authority Evening Class had a cost subsidy so was cheap, but a large class, perhaps 20+, and set in school. The large number prevented the instructor from giving personal attention and proceeded at a set pace and it was up to you to keep abreast, or fall away. Over two terms as well, the class seemed to go on forever.
The Local Authority classes seem to have expired leaving, realistically, class, private or online. The RYA is developing a part online Course as an option and some schools provide their own version.
You can now choose which suits you best and factors you may wish to consider are:
If you live so far away you will probably only have the online option or a residential Fastrack
There are some subjects which, in my opinion, are difficult to learn online. Chartwork principally, but also tides and time zones. I have seen many instances of the correct answer being produced with chartwork, but quite the wrong drawing.
Online multi choice, as one victim put it ‘I could see that by clicking an option I would be allowed through, but couldn’t understand why’.
Most of my victims haven’t done anything like this for many years and need time to assimilate together with explanation, not just given another paper to try.
Learning in company creates friendships and a bit of laughter
I have a warm and comfortable room in a modern building in Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne with unrestricted street car parking at hand
Update on Courses & Trips;
THEORY COURSES
RYA OCEAN YACHTMASTER Explore the wonders of a sextant with Celestial Navigation and Ocean Passage Planning. This ‘top of the range’ RYA theory course can lead to the coveted ‘Ocean Yachtmaster’ ticket. I have four sextants, one new lightweight metal, one plastic & two old brass, for you to handle. A practical session is included. Next class daytime Fridays 0930-1430 October 9, 16, 23rd, November 6, 13, 20, 27th December 4, 11, & 18th. Cost £450 or £725 on tailored tuition. It’s possible to come for the Celestial Navigation only.
RYA COASTAL YACHTMASTER The advanced Course, a must for those proceeding to Yachtmaster level. Cost £395 for class & £595 tailored tuition. You need a good knowledge of this Course before being tested by the RYA Examiner. Autumn Class, evenings/Saturdays; September 30th, October 7, 14, 21st, November 4, 11, 18, 25th, December 2, 5, 9, 16 & 21st
FASTRACK RYA COASTAL YACHTMASTER A new opportunity for those already experienced who wish to by-pass the Day Skipper Course. Basically, It’s the Coastal Yachtmaster Course with some Prep beforehand. More of an individual Course this will probably be one2one, although could be done in class form. Not the cheapest option and not for the beginner, it does have the advantage of flexibility in content and timings. For one2one it would be £575 plus the cost of the Prep.
RYA DAY SKIPPER A popular starting point for many. Same Course for Sail or Power. Maximum 8 to a class and located in Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne. Included is a half day visit to the School boat. Cost £375. Autumn Class, evenings/Saturdays; September 28th, October 5, 12, 17, 19th November 2, 9, 14, 16, 23 & 30th (FULL) Daytime class on Thursdays 0930-1430 October 22nd, November 5, 12, 19, 26th, December 3, 10 & 17th 2016 Class; provisionally; January 13, 16, 20, 27, February 3, 10, 24, March 2, 9, 12 & 16th
Four Instructors
My new Chief Instructor, Trevor, suggested we have an Instructor’s sail. This was quite new to me as there had only ever been two of us! Now that there are four which gives a lot more flexibility on timings and types of sail offered, although if and when victim selection of Instructor happens I might think again…. So I can offer profiles, but not a beauty contest:
Melvyn Wallhead, Yachtmaster & RYA Instructor. I started this business in 2010 partly to justify keeping our rather nice Hallberg Rassy yacht, never expecting it would grow to it’s present level. The North East has a long maritime tradition but potential mariners have had to go outside the area or deal with local colleges offering an inflexible ‘service’. I have sailed all over; UK, Med, Europe, Caribbean, Thailand, four continents in all and hope I can encourage others to do the same, without the ‘incidents’.
Trevor Jefferson, Yachtmaster & RYA Instructor has a long pedigree in teaching with dinghy sailing going back some 40 years and is an RYA Race Trainer. Sail Cruising has been his recent activity with instruction time in Gibraltar and the West Coast of Scotland where he owned a watersports centre. Newly appointed as my Chief Instructor he will ‘raise the bar’ for Northumbria Sailing instruction standards.
Don Gunton, Yachtmaster & RYA Instructor has extensive sailing experience primarily on the west coast of Scotland. Other trips have included a scary one to Norway with me onboard. Note ‘scary’ due to the weather. He would probably list sailing to St Kilda as one of his great achievements. Don has been instructing with Northumbria Sailing for a few years and can also do a useful turn in nautical slang due to his previous experience in the Merchant navy.
Malcolm Young, Yachtmaster helps keep our average age down and has come through the ranks with Northumbria Sailing. Malcolm has sailed in the west coast of Scotland, the Caribbean, Med, Norway as well as the North East. Sailing ambitions have to dovetail with running a company but he has already shown his capability of coping with the high winds we have experienced so far this season.
PRACTICAL COURSES
All local courses take place on the school boat, a quality 36 foot Hallberg Rassy, well known for its comfort and steadiness afloat. Properly equipped with modern electronics, the preferred wheel steering and comfortable bunk cushions you will be well set up to handle whatever may come your way. Courses are fully inclusive, except for a kitty contribution to drinks onshore.
PRACTICAL CREWING My version of RYA Competent Crew. Three days, 0930-1700hrs onboard for three persons. 3:1 private tuition and you will be up to the Comp Crew standard. No experience necessary. Cost £275 Next session September 14, 17 & 1st October provisionally
DAY TRIPS. ‘Taster’ days run throughout the season with the aim of having a pleasant day out on the water. You can see whether yachting is for you at modest cost. Trips operate out of Royal Quays 0930 – 1700hrs. Cost £50 weekday & £65 weekend (maximum 5 customers onboard). 18th September. Ladies Day Sunday 27th September cost £55.
RYA COMPETENT CREW A 5 day, live aboard, course where you will learn ‘the ropes’ and to become a useful crew member. A good start to, perhaps, a lifetime boating. Cost £550. September 20 – 25th, 2016 April 17 – 22nd Course Review
RYA DAY SKIPPER PRACTICAL The key to bareboat charter, this course aims to get you to the ability ‘ to skipper a small cruising yacht safely by day in tidal waters with which the student is familiar’. Then you can be let loose to find your own adventures and provide endless anecdotes for you to enjoy telling. Cost £575. September 20 – 25th, 2016 April 17 – 22nd
INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATE OF COMPETENCE (ICC) This can be done on the same course as Day Skipper/Competent Crew. Cost £525 with dates as above. Alternatively I can test you on your own boat at much cheaper cost. Individual quotations are given for this which will be from £225 for one day, own boat.
YACHTMASTER PREPARATION Following on from the successful session last June, where three new YM’s were delivered, there is to be a repeat format during September or October. Three days preparation followed by examination by an RYA Examiner for two days. Cost £595 excluding exam fees (2015 rate for YM Coastal £181).
Northumbria Sailing on YouTube
Have a look at my Theory Training Centre with this video. Training
Onboard the Hallberg Rassy training yacht, by courtesy of Mark Batey and the kind co-operation of victims Andrew and Clive. See me giving berthing advice in trying to avoid the electric supply post Mark Batey Day Training
RYA Competent Crew in the sun, by courtesy of Mark again Mark Batey Competent Crew
In a clip from 2013 you see the appreciation of Ladies on an RYA sponsored day at Royal Quays Ladies Day
Pieces of Eight
South Shields Herd Groyne Light
Dir Oc. 10s 14m 19M (5M by day)
& Oc RG 10s 13m 11M & F.R
This characteristic is a real corker to decipher and it’s right on our doorstep, off South Shields beach.
Would you believe there’s actually THREE lights referred to here.
The Directional Occulting is a white PEL (Port Entry Light) flashing dark i.e. off, once every 10 seconds. The height is 13 metres above Mean High Water Springs and visible 19 nautical miles by night and 5 by day. The Herd Groyne dates from 1882 and the PEL was installed in 1999 when the high and low lights were extinguished.
One metre under this is a sectored light with green visible to the north of the white sector (246.5° to 251.5°) and red to the south, visible 11 nautical miles (at night) The correct line for entry is white or green, ensuring compliance with Port of Tyne Regulations to keep to the north side of the channel. This is also occulting and you see either red, white or green depending on the sector you are in.
There is a third light, a fixed red, confirming this is a starboard hand mark. The bell is no longer in operation, the only fog signal in the Tyne being from the North Pier. (I am grateful to Alan McPherson, deputy Harbour Master for this explanation)
Victims (all) at Sea
David & Kerry Hopwood, have their Beneteau 31, New Dawn, at Royal Quays and are exploring the North East. My offer to practise confined space turns along their pontoon wasn’t met with great enthusiasm!
Mandy Tulip, a recent DS Practical, has just sailed on a tall ship from Aalborg to Germany to broaden her experience
Graeme Walker from Oceanic, not a victim strictly speaking, but now enjoying a new position in the company which involves looking after the rich on the yachts in the Med. Stories are filtering through about huge tips and demanding customers.
David Wylde on Mysti Fly is at Cartagena, Spain. I have happy memories of being there in 2006 & 2007 sampling excellent tapas and not so good watching Arsenal lose their European cup final.
Rob Langley took his 37 foot Najad Pendragon to Belgium this year returning to the shallow areas of Titchmarsh marina, Swallows & Amazons territory near Harwich. He pushed his luck even further to visit Wells next the Sea, unlike myself avoiding a grounding. He now has the time to go for his ‘Ocean YM’ commencing with the Theory from myself. He also patronises Facebook. I wonder if he will dare to publicly monitor his progress through the tricky Celestial Navigation element of the Ocean Course.
Thomas Langley won’t be outdone by his father though. A rare victim able to do private tuition over only six days for his Day Skipper Theory. Now at Cambridge and enjoying the delights of quizmaster Paxman in University Challenge, where he answered three starter questions in the first round.
Jeff Forster managed time away from fellow shipmate Neil to enjoy a less dramatic holiday (remember the two gatecrashing at Monaco in Grand Prix time?) for his 50th. ‘I took my wife and children to Lefkas in Greece, to pick up a flotilla and sailed to Cephalonia, it was fantastic’.
Rob Forster has a 26 foot Westerly Centaur, Border Legend, and sails out of Kippford. Even with a bilge keel it takes some balls to sail out of there. Terrific tides and a channel very close to the shore, which alarmed guest crew Mark Batey.
Dave on Aquarius was a beneficiary of the squall and heavy downpour on 21st August. Anchored in 30 metres amongst the big boys just outside the entrance to the Tyne, he was stuck. He heaved and pulled to no avail. Gave up when the squall hit, then one last try when it passed. Lo and behold the chain came up! He wasn’t so lucky a few days later when he caught a lobster pot rope causing damage.
The English Armada, 427 years after the first, departed with 31 sailors setting out in the Northern Ionian. 7 victims, Twelves, Large, Humble, Karat, Ramshaw, Vine & Hunter took their families to seek adventure. Adventures they surely found commencing with Large’s boat in the wrong Ionian (hired skipper’s fault), involving a night sail of 25 miles to the correct Ligia, under threat of crew mutiny, to reunite with the rest of the Armada.
En route to Preveza the sudden F7 squall resulted in Large’s in mast furling coming out completely and a noisy shredding ensued. Ramshaws also weren’t quick enough either and had their genoa shredded. A long night with engines on with victims valiantly at the helm and families in comfort ashore. One shot engine throttle was the consequence, prematurely ending Twelves’ sailing but leaving lots of yarns to tell. ‘All that was missing from the week was a sailor’s breeze…’
Frazer Venters is now returning his boat, a Sun Odyssey 34 Coquet Connection, back home to RNYC, Blyth. All pubs enroute are warned….follow him on his Facebook page.
Gary & Noreen Michaels are setting out on their learning journey. Indeed Noreen is pushing Gary to buy a boat!!!How many husbands would have a wife like that? They are currently looking at a Westerly.
Specialist Courses include;
RYA VHF Still available in class or private tuition. Don’t be caught without a proper licence as you could be fined up to £5,000, plus 6 months inside, plus equipment confiscation – yes it’s very severe! At Northumbria Sailing you will receive tuition one per training set. As you will be assessed for practical skills as well as theoretical I think it’s advisable that you have every opportunity to familiarise yourself with the equipment. Next session, daytime; October 15th. Cost £110 plus £60 to RYA Also available One to One at £160 and online at £85 to include manual. Assessment £60 extra. Try these links. RYA Online VHF Radio and RYA Online VHF video
RYA RADAR Are you safe using your set? Can you properly identify a collision situation? If you have radar you are required to know how to use it properly and could be held responsible if an incident was to occur. Day or two evening courses. Cost £120, plus £9.50 to RYA.
CEVNI test for the Inland waterways endorsement to your ICC. Done online, cost £25
RYA Essential Navigation Online. Do this starter course on your own laptop. A good introduction to the theory part of sailing, with yacht or power boat. Cost £95 plus £27 to the RYA
RYA FIRST AID. All day for the RYA certificate, valid three years. Be prepared for all day activity with lots of practical work. Cost £85, £100 with Cat C drug endorsement. Next Course; 7th October
Defibrillator
Defibrillator points are settting up in several public places and you should have been on an AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) Course to know how to use one safely. My First Aid Instructor can do this and it would last for half a day and include CPR. Cost £60. Apply for further details.
Highest Tide Possible?
An early rise on 1st September allowed me to see the Highest Astronomical Tide (HAT) at Royal Quays. 5.8 metres on their tidal gauge. September 29th has a similar range at 0430 BST for HAT and 1109 BST for almost LAT.
This highest tide occurs when Earth, Moon and Sun are lined up and the Sun and Moon are at their closest point to us. Storm surges may produce even more with the highest recorded in North Shields at 6.16 metres in 1953
For more information try my web page or mail me
Sail Safely the RYA Way 🙂