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Too Much Fun

by | Jan 15, 2020 | Antigua - Portsmouth, Atlantic Adventures, Sailing Holidays, Sailing Trips

We haven’t had a blog back from the crew today, but I do have the Skipper’s Log from Sue for the past 2 days for you. It sounds like the wind picked up nicely after the Doldrums and the crew are sailing again.

 

Trade wind sailing

Sailing downwind

 

Tuesday 14th Jan, 2020

Time : 1522 GMT (1220 Boat Time)
Position : 34 06’N    54.02’ W
Destination : Horta, Azores
ETA : 21st Jan
Sailplan : 1 reef, yankee 2
Apparent wind: 18kts
SOG 8.5kts
Fuel : 3 full, 1 in use
Water : 2 full, 1 in use 1 filling from watermaker
Gas : 2 full, 1 in use, 2 empty

Sorry for the belated report – I was having too much fun on deck, top speed of 12.2kts . The wind started to fill in shortly before 0600 and Linds was able to turn the engine off, making 7kts or so under 2 reefed main & staysail. Once we had some light we shook a reef out, dropped the stay & hoisted the Y1. The breeze is a bit gusty, however, and the sea state not particularly kind so after an hour or so, with some dark clouds gathering, we changed to the Y2.

I’m currently looking at course & weather to see if poling out would give us a steadier ride through a quartering sea. All happy on board & contemplating the arrival time in Horta sweep. The stakes are high and some are waiting for the skipper & mate to make their predictions before committing themselves. The deadline for entries is tomorrow noon, when we will have our official halfway party. Currently distance travelled in a not straight line equals distance to go in a straight line – if that makes sense.

 

Position at noon 15 January

Position at noon 15 January

 

Wednesday 15th Jan, 2020

Time : 1232 GMT
Position : 35 00’N    51.37’ W
Destination : Horta, Azores
ETA : 21st Jan
Sailplan : yankee 2, motorsailing
Apparent wind: 16kts
SOG 5.5kts
Fuel : 3 full, 1 in use
Water : 2 full, 1 in use 1 filling from watermaker
Gas : 2 full, 1 in use, 2 empty

It was all going so well – but these things are sent to try us…

After an accidental gybe last night that sheared the pin securing the main sheet to the traveller pad eye, we sailed under Y2 alone overnight, switching the engine on this morning when the wind direction became unhelpful. A rig check was done as soon as there was sufficient light and a software developer & a doctor have just finished a very tidy lashing to re-attach the main sheet block.

The gribs show light & shifting winds through today, settling briefly back into the west before a big blow on Friday. Once we have the main re-hoisted, with a reef in, we will celebrate passing the halfway point with a nice lunch and a glass of rum punch under chilly grey skies. No more Caribbean for Challenger 2 L. Otherwise all well & good on board & hopefully no lasting effects from last night’s drama. There was one fatality & we mourned the burial at sea of a flying fish as the dawn broke. Currently we have run 1400 miles and have 1100 left to go – in a straight line – to Horta. The countdown begins.

 

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More blogs about this Atlantic Adventure can be read here: Antigua to Portsmouth

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Maurice MacSweeney profile pictureMaurice MacSweeney
11:45 30 Oct 25
Over the last few years First Class Sailing have taken me all the way from complete novice to Coastal Skipper, with theory and other courses along the way (like VHF, First Aid, etc), and there's now no other school I'd want to train and study with. They really stand out from other providers with the quality of their instructors and the support and responsiveness you get from the office team. There's never too many students on a course, so you get lots of time to practise and learn from the instructor. By the end of each course you really feel you've been stretched and graduated to a much higher level of skill. A really high quality outfit and thoroughly recommended!
Response from the owner 13:56 06 Nov 25
Hi Maurice, we're so pleased to have been with you from the start of your sailing journey. That's great that you enjoyed the ratio of students to instructor and felt confident with the levels you achieved. Thanks for the review, we hope you manage to get plenty of sailing in after all the hard work you've put in.
Marty Stromquist profile pictureMarty Stromquist
15:22 24 Oct 25
I just finished another training week at First Class Sailing’s training center. The week was dedicated to Yachtmaster Ocean Theory, with a highlight on Celestial Navigation. The instructor, Nigel Rennie FRIN (Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation), was fantastic. It was very fast-paced, but covered the basics and theory behind Celestial Navigation. The jewel of the week was Rennie. His abundant patience, coupled with his experiences and passion for the art, made the week incredible. First Class Sailing have the best instructors. They know their craft and have real-life experience to make training both fun and memorable. Well Done!
Response from the owner 13:42 06 Nov 25
Thanks Marty. We're so pleased you enjoyed Nigel's expert guidance and passion for sailing. Like all our instructors, he loves teaching and sharing his knowledge, but manages to make it fun too. Thanks for the recommendation.
Anne-Laure McLeman profile pictureAnne-Laure McLeman
10:07 15 Oct 25
Being in an all female boat is a great way to learn. Kirsten, our instructor, had a very calm and reassuring style. The small size of the group (only 3 of us) meant we got a lot of attention and many opportunities to practice. Such a good week!
Response from the owner 13:24 06 Nov 25
Thank-you for the review Anne-Laure. That's great that the all female option suited you well and you enjoyed learning with Kirsten. Hopefully all that practice has set you up well for future sailing. Good luck!
Angus Sandison profile pictureAngus Sandison
19:57 07 Oct 25
Really great experience with First Class. My partner and I did our Day Skipper over two weekends with our instructor Mark. He was fantastic. Patient as we learned and made the whole thing fun. The boats are great and organization by First Class was seamless. Would totally recommend.
Response from the owner 13:17 06 Nov 25
Thanks Angus. That's good that you enjoyed Mark's style of teaching and also had lots of fun along the way. Wishing you lots of happy sailing in the future.
Tricia Bunten profile pictureTricia Bunten
18:48 07 Oct 25
I just finished a fantastic week taking my Day Skipper practical with First Class Sailing and I highly recommend them. I chose the Women Only week and had an incredibly patient instructor who was able to help each of us individually with areas of weakness but also worked great with us as a group. I had never sailed in the Solent before and it was the perfect location for this class. I am so grateful for First Class and my instructor for helping me build confidence and experience.
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Response from the owner 16:59 04 Nov 25
Thanks Tricia, we're so pleased you enjoyed the Women Only week and had a positive experience. We always say that the Solent really is one of the best places to learn and it has some beautiful scenery to explore too, so that's good that you appreciated it. Hope you manage to get out on the water soon.
Evan Ainsworth profile pictureEvan Ainsworth
20:30 05 Oct 25
They do say that what sets great companies apart is customer service. This is my third time with first class sailing the first time was a few years ago when we did our competent crew it was one of the best weeks of our lives. Then we came again in August for the kids to do their competent crew and my wife and I to do our day skipper course. Unfortunately when I did my day skipper course the weather was terrible and I was unable to have a good session to pass. So Jake said to me you can come back and have a free weekend on us to enable you to pass. And again I had a fabulous weekend. There was just three of us on the boat. A wonderful instructor, Tom, and another student. Tom was an excellent instructor he was relaxed, he had great experiences, he got on with the practical part of sailing not just a lot of theory and he was thorough. He had lots of practical tips to make sailing easier and had some good exercises forest to try. We had a super trip down to Yarmouth where he cooked a wonderful dinner and then we went to the pub. Where we met another first class sailing group and spent the evening listening to their tall tales. The following day we had a super sail back to Southampton, with lots of cool exercises and I was thrilled to pass my day skipper.
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Response from the owner 16:46 04 Nov 25
Thanks for the review Evan and congratulations on passing your Day Skipper practical, the hard work has paid off. That's good that the whole family joined you for one of the trips and so now hopefully you have some willing crew members for future sails. Good luck!
hugo kirby profile picturehugo kirby
15:26 09 Sep 25
great course with a very engaged and helpful instructor - who was happy to go outside the curriculum and give us the benefit of his wider knowledge - throroughly recommended
Response from the owner 15:30 11 Sep 25
That's good that you appreciated the experiences and extra knowledge that the instructor passed on. Thanks for the recommendation.
Justin Brooks profile pictureJustin Brooks
11:11 23 Aug 25
We would highly recommend First Class Sailing.

Very well organised with a top quality instructor who provided tuition tailored to our differing needs.

A fantastic option for a couple wanting an entire boat to do a mixed Competent Crew / Day Skipper itinerary.
Response from the owner 14:21 28 Aug 25
Thanks Justin. We always find that mixing the Competent Crew & Day Skipper works well, so that's great that it worked for you too. Hope you manage to get out on the water soon and put all your learning into practice.
ChrisC profile pictureChrisC
15:37 22 Aug 25
Great experience doing a Yachtmaster Offshore prep week followed by exam. Lots of useful paperwork up-front for the course admin and training exercises. The 3-day prep format worked well and Hayley did a brilliant job of cramming in the training over those days. Lovely modern boat too called Sazerac. Will be back.
Response from the owner 14:17 28 Aug 25
Hi Chris, thanks for the review. Congratulations on gaining your YMO qualification. There's a lot to cover, but as you've found, the hard work really pays off. We look forward to welcoming you back in the future.
Miles Barr profile pictureMiles Barr
11:27 03 Aug 25
I completed my Competent Crew and Day Skipper Practical with First Class Sailing. It was a great experience. I hired the whole boat each time, taking my family members along who also earned their Competent Crew qualifications.
Response from the owner 15:21 21 Aug 25
Thanks Miles. That's great that hiring the whole boat for your courses worked well for you all. Now that your family have their comp crew qualifications, you'll have plenty of help onboard for future sails! Good luck.

star rating  First Class experience.  - Very good experience with First Class Sailing. Mark was a terrific teacher and the boat was well equipped and comfortable for a 5 day course. Would definitely recommend.

Michael K
October 8, 2025

star rating  Great night sailing weekend. - I did the night sailing weekend on the Solent. Callum was very friendly and knowledgeable. He planned the weekend together with the participants such that everyone could have an input... read more

avatar thumb Federica D
November 8, 2025

star rating  Yachmaster Ocean Theory  - I just finished another training week at First Class Sailing’s training center. The week was dedicated to Yachtmaster Ocean Theory, with a highlight on Celestial Navigation. The instructor, Nigel Rennie... read more

avatar thumb Marty S
October 24, 2025

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