Round Britain Diary

whisper · 01 November 2014, 16:53

As promised...

I aways wanted to do it and when starting ribbing I watched this trailer several times over...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEwevfkWNOg

I'd already done round IOW, Alderney, Cherbourg, round Anglesey and the Scillies but I didn't think that round Britain would happen for me....

I had listened to tails from Biffer and Andre about their circumnavigation in 1999 and I was fascinated... I think Biff was the engine man, he stood all the way wedged between two 2 strokes. Legend!!!

whisper · 01 November 2014, 17:06

It was Trevor G that picked up the challenge and we arranged the whole thing via email.

Bushrider needed a partner so we agreed to share the driving and all the costs and before I knew it, I was ordering kit and airing out my drysuit...

I was worried if I was fit enough for the challenge but I couldn't back out and let anyone down.

whisper · 01 November 2014, 17:18

On the 23rd July I meet up with Jurgen (Bushrider) at Biffers home.

Jurgens home is near Berlin Germany but he works in Kiev full time so he had to do all the preparation on his own and we used skype to plan our Round Britain trip...

whisper · 01 November 2014, 17:28

The weather was really warm and sunny and we spent the afternoon sorting out our kit and finding the best place to store it. Biff was on hand to giving us lots of advice.

This was the first time I had met Jurgen and within minutes of meeting we were making loads of decisions and planning every small detail..

Jurgen gave Biffer a bottle of Vodka? shaped like an AK47 assault riffle for his hospitality.

Jurgans 7m Vipermax was awesome, 2 x wideboy suspension Scott Seats and a 250 e-tec

whisper · 01 November 2014, 17:33

Later that night we dropped the boat in the water and then went to meet up with the other teams near the river Itchen...

Meanwhile at home my kids were already missing me but I had arranged for Mrs W to get a Map laminated so they could follow us round and could gauge how long it would be before I returned.

whisper · 01 November 2014, 17:50

Photos...

whisper · 01 November 2014, 17:55

I forgot to say that on the way to the slip we had a blow out on a trailer tyre so we had to change the wheel.

Both Jurgen and myself stayed over at biffers that night and we were told in the morning that we both snore... VERY LOUDLY

whisper · 01 November 2014, 17:57

Team Black Hawk ready to go, next to Duma a Shearwater Cutter

This pic was taken on the River Hamble...

whisper · 01 November 2014, 18:04

This has to be one of my favourite pics...

Go Team Black Hawk

whisper · 01 November 2014, 18:06

A Facebook post from Mrs G...

Day 1
Black Hawk, Duma, Finn, Blue Ray, Kalish and Into the Red are mustering at the Hamble for a quick photoshoot and then they'll be OFF!
Picking up Watershed off Lymington and Sea Salt off Old Harry.
Planning a coffee stop at Weymouth (Portland marina) and then on to Plymouth for the night,
Might get caught in some light rain forecast this afternoon.
Picking up Excalibear in Plymouth, and I hear there is another RIB doing a similar route but not joining the group - Oli Frankish & co?
Have fun guys!.

HUMBER P4VWL · 01 November 2014, 18:08

Keep typing fella...

whisper · 01 November 2014, 18:13

Jurgen helmed all the way to Portland and I took over just before we arrived, but something was wrong

every time I put the throttle on we would loose power. Nothing major, it turned out to be a sheared R clip on the throttle cable at the engine.

Now if your going to go round Britain then best to go with a well prepared German

Jurgan had a spare R clip and we were good to go again in a few minutes

whisper · 01 November 2014, 18:34

We had to stop and wait for the range to stop firing, it was either that or quite a detour around. But if you don't ask then you don't get, well done Mike D

A few pics on the way to Portland...

whisper · 01 November 2014, 18:45

After lunch we were off to Plymouth where we were staying the night.

Flat seas and sunshine all they way and then Day 1 was completed...

Facebook post by Mrs G:

Apparently a very hot, flat run with a couple of minor problems that have been fixed - a throttle problem on Black Hawk dealt with by the able crew, and a corroded cable on Blue Ray that Adam has fixed.
A bigger problem with Excalibear which might end their cruise almost as soon as they started!... we'll have to see if they've managed to get it back on water tomorrow.
Watch out for sun burn and sun stroke!

whackywoody · 01 November 2014, 18:52

Nice write up Alex

Looking forward to seeing the rest of the write up!

This maybe a daft noobie stupid question

but on the trailer video it mentioned that a boat had to be abandoned - does anybody why it wasn't it towed in and surely it didn't get left to be washed ashore?

JamesF · 01 November 2014, 19:33

Quote:

After lunch we were off to Plymouth where we were staying the night.

I think I was working away from home when you went through, but pictures 4 and 5 show the beach I launch from

.

After the hotels residential buildings on the left, the low one is the independent lifeboat station (they launch and recover at the other end of the esplanade). Next to that, with the balcony and a pale green box on top is the sailing club.

We normally launch and recover on the right hand side of the rock groyne.

whisper · 01 November 2014, 19:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by whackywoody

Nice write up Alex

Looking forward to seeing the rest of the write up!

This maybe a daft noobie stupid question

but on the trailer video it mentioned that a boat had to be abandoned - does anybody why it wasn't it towed in and surely it didn't get left to be washed ashore?

I managed to get hold of the full (VHS video) documentary to borrow, the rib wasn't left to float off, but from memory a lot of ribs didn't make the first leg inc a porno SR4 stacked up to the sky

It's quite old now so prob no longer available.

Bushrider · 01 November 2014, 19:55

hey dude - really enjoy reading - keep on writing !
Feel like it was just yesterday !

whisper · 01 November 2014, 20:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bushrider

hey dude - really enjoy reading - keep on writing !
Feel like it was just yesterday !

Will do

whisper · 01 November 2014, 20:41

We met up with some of the other teams for dinner at the marina then everyone went off to their B&Bs, Trev slept on Blueray and his son Rick slept on Watershed one of the Targas.

On the way back to the boats I stopped and filmed some fish in the marina, now I know some think these lights are a bit silly but since seeing this I've been trying to get Biff to fit some on Sunny

Myself and Jurgen were like little school boys, determined for the adventure of our lives so we slept rough

Jurgen bedded down on the deck of Sea Salt and I slept on the deck of Watershed. Sleeping out under the stars is easy after a long day at sea

Film of the fish

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGh2...ature=youtu.be