I had a great week instructing recently. I was on board S/Y Solis Invictor (Solis), an Atoll 43 converted to assist disable sailors. Solis is owned by Mr Antonis Mangos, the school accountant and one of its directors. It was the first course this year that included a student with mobility problems and it turned out to be quite eventful.
On the day the course started, Georgina pointed out to me that the average age of the crew on Solis that week was quite high – a combined age of over 302 years. In fact, James Colt, the crew member who had a disability, was the youngest. I saw that I might have an interesting week.
On board Solis were James, from the USA (who was quickly renamed Jamie), Mel and Jane Toulson from Scotland and Ireland, now resident in Cyprus, and Christine Matheson from Australia. Jamie and Mel were doing their RYA Day Skipper Practical course whilst Jane and Christine were RYA Competent Crew candidates.
None had done a lot of sailing, although Jamie and Mel had both recently completed their theory course. Jamie had the most experience, having windsurfed in Hawaii for 15 years before the climbing accident that caused his disability.
We had three yachts out, with a total of 11 students from five countries. All three crews decided to eat together each evening which proved to be very social and enjoyable.
The first couple of days followed a similar pattern to many courses. Morning briefings were followed by drills, then we sailed, doing navigation exercises on the way, and anchored in a bay for lunch. The winds in the morning were light but came up nicely over lunch and we had good sailing each afternoon.
Tuesday afternoon saw as at Mandraki, on the Ermioni peninsula, where Mel took us in and ‘med-moored’ the yacht to the pier. We had 14 kts crosswind, which did not help his approach, but he still managed a good mooring for his first attempt. After the daily debrief we made plans for the following day – little did we know what it would bring.
The Wednesday weather forecast was NNW 4-5. The day started with exercises in alongside berthing and springing off. Unfortunately, Christine tripped on the jetty during the practice berthing but did not think she had hurt herself.
Over lunch large black clouds began building in the sky, the wind came up, and we could hear thunder. We phoned the office for a weather update, the forecast was now NNW 5-6 with a 91% chance of rain. It was due to last at least 12 hours.
All our yachts had planned to night sail that evening. Christine’s knee now hurt, and we had Jamie on board whose mobility was poor. I radioed Martin, Zotelot’s instructor, who was 10 miles ahead of us. He told me that the weather was closing in around him. There was only 1mile visibility, 15kts wind, heavy rain and 2 metre seas.
I called Mark on Valentine and we agreed the weather was not going to get any better. Mark also had an inexperienced crew on board so we decided to cancel the night sail for our two yachts and make passage back to Poros straight away.
Solis sailed first. We had not gone far when the rain started. It was very heavy, almost like monsoon rain, and the visibility closed to less than a mile. The wind was also rising so we hove-to and reefed the sails, with the wind gusting 20-25kts all on the nose.
At 1630 the wind dropped but we still had visibility of less than half a mile either side of us. We stowed the foresail and started motor sailing with the main sail only.
Then the engine stopped.
We hoisted the foresail once more while I tried to restart the engine. It would start but stopped again as soon as the revs went over 1000. I radioed Mark and asked Valentine to stand by us. In company with Valentine we carried on motor sailing slowly, doing just 4 knots in the big sea. I calculated that we would arrive at 2000 – still daylight, but only just.
The wind was building on the nose again … and then the engine stopped again.
I was sure it was a fuel problem. As the sea was rough I thought dirt from the bottom of the tanks might have been swirled around and blocked the pipe. This time I could not restart the engine so we continued under sail while I considered our options.
There were no suitable harbours close by but we had a couple of anchorages on our port side in which we could take refuge if necessary. I decided to sail on to Poros, hopng that once out of the channel we would be on a reach all the way to the entrance. I calculated that it was now unlikely that we’d arrive before sunset.
With visibility improving and the wind at 16kts we reached Nisos Tselevinia at the easternmost end of the Hydra channel. We turned north towards Poros – and the wind swung with us, still on the nose. This was turning into a long day.
I radioed Martin on Zotelot and informed him of our situation. He decided to cut short their night sail to find us berths in the port. They would also stand by to help us alongside. With no engine and neither Christine nor James able to assist much with berthing the yacht I needed all the help I could get.
At 2045 we arrived at the entrance. We dropped our sails, rigged towing bridles, and Valentine took us in tow though the narrow channel and around to the North quay – a distance of two miles. When we reached the quay Valentine slipped the tow and we managed to berth alongside with the help of the other crew.
By now it was past 2200. Luckily this is by no means late for dinner here in Greece. Once safely ashore, a great meal was enjoyed at George’s Restaurant, with much crack on the day’s events!
The following morning an engineer was able to fix the engine. The problem was a fuel pipe that had not been tightened after a service to change a fuel filter. It was drawing in air and as soon as revs were added the engine stopped. One yellow card for that service engineer; another and he is out!
Next morning we sailed around the Methana peninsula. We had a 7mile beat to windward up the east coast, then a reach westwards. Methana has a stunning coastline – green, with many trees, old lava flows, hot water springs, and pumistone outcrops. We carried out gybing practice before entering the little harbour of Vathi on the west coast.
Jamie was in charge of mooring in this tiny harbour. Although there were only two other yachts in it was still difficult to moor safely due to the fact that it is impossible to lay your anchor far in such a small port.
Our total mileage was now 112nm, mostly under sail. Following a wonderful meal of fish soup, salads, Greek starters, lobster and fresh tuna for some, and lamb chops for others, it was time to hit the sack.
The following day we carried out some emergency drills using the three boats.
All yachts took it in turn to tow and be towed, then practiced picking up a buoy under power. We anchored for lunch in a little bay on Angistri island, where the Competent Crews assisted a Med mooring by rowing long lines ashore to complete their dinghy drill.
After lunch, and a swim for some, we sailed in company around the north of the island. Once out of lee of Angistri we pick up 14kts of wind from the south and sailed to Aegina, doing a sail past the marina, where the school had arranged a photographer, before berthing at the end of the course.
The crews cleaned the boats, packed their bags, and filled out their logbooks for signing. I was very happy that everyone passed the courses. One by one they were presented with their well-earned certificates. Jamie’s Day Skipper certificate had a special endorsement to state that he must sail with an able bodied Competent Crew.
I wanted to write about the week because it was special in many ways, other than the unexpectedly long sail we had mid-week due to the engine problem.
Among the 11 students that week were 5 Russians, all great people. I found it hard to believe that I had spent 32 years in the Royal Navy thinking of them as the enemy. The other instructors, also ex-navy, expressed the same feelings.
The students on Solis, young at heart, impressed me by trying (successfully) to learn a new skill late in life. James, disabled after a mountaineering accident and trying to rebuild his life, took a big step forward by passing his Day Skipper course. Christine, our Aussie, not so young but very gutsy (as the ANZACs proved many times before) is learning to sail in order to, maybe, buy a yacht in the future.
They are an inspiration for others who fear they may be a little old to start sailing.
Two of the students on Zotelot were from Eire, and Jane on Solis was originally from Northern Ireland. This also reminded me of my past life (I served in Northern Ireland) Great crack, wonderful people.
All in all it was a very rewarding and emotional week. My thanks for this go to the office staff, our instructors, Mark and Martin, and most of all to the crews of Zotelot, Valentine and Solis Invictis.
I had a great week with great people
Yours Aye
George Burton
