One Stella too many

In November 2008 whilst TJ, Fletch and I (two Stella owners and one who gets paid to race proper yachts) sat drinking beer in the Office (The Black Buoy pub, Wivenhoe) I mooted the idea of perhaps taking a Stella down to Cowes to compete in the British Classic Yacht Club Regatta. Being in their 50th year, Stellas had been invited to join in this most prestigious event and it sparked an idea in my mind to go and give them a run for their money. A few quizzical looks were exchanged and an idea was hatched. My pitch was simple. TJ had a tricked up beautifully restored Stella (named Estrella) which was ready to take on the best of the south coast classics. We had a top crew who was prepared to take a busmen’s holiday racing for a week with his mates and of course when it came to selling my exceptional skills it was easy: I’d be the village idiot who would drink loads of beer (something I was later to prove every bit as good as I’d promised I’d be). With the idea sold the planning began. Fortunately Estrella comes complete with a trailer and so all we needed was something to tow it. Pro Crewman came through with his VW van – transport sorted.

For the rest of the winter nothing much was said about the regatta and we pushed it to the back burner. Fast forward to June and the idea is brought back on the gas and planning takes place. Estrella’s owner hands out various tasks to us crew safe in the knowledge that we would be focused and respond with the requested information etc. Unfortunately crew fails to pull finger out and so Estrella’s owner organises regatta entry/berthing etc – could this be the theme for the week?? Anyway before we know it we’re strapping Estrella’s mast on deck and leaving Ipswich Marina fully loaded with boat, wet weather gear and coffee. As it transpires coffee was to play a major roll in the week as it was discovered that Pro Crewman does not respond to any known language until he has consumed at least two litres of strong, sweet coffee. In fact it was noted that Pro Crewman generally failed to get very animated at all on terra firma and so soon earned the nick name Bag Puss, as given any flat surface that was at least 6’5 long and three foot wide he would soon be horizontal and snoring ...very loudly. In fact his snoring on one occasion prompted our normally placid Estrella owner to get extremely violent with a cushion at four in the morning – a treasured moment for me!

Anyway, we left with boat in tow on the Saturday at five in the morning. We were meant to be on the road at four but waking Bag Puss at four in the morning should only be attempted at a safe distance and so I was pleased to be outside his house well out of range of claws etc. On the road and first litre consumed. Bag Puss starts to stir having been driving for an hour already – ‘alright, what’s happening?’ was all I got but at least I knew he was entering reality albeit at his own pace – slowly. The trip down was easy and we arrived in Warsash Marina on the Hamble ready to launch. Warsash made us East Coast sailors feel at home as there wasn’t a lot of water to launch the boat and so frantic activity ensued, much to Bag Puss’s annoyance. As the slings were slipped around Estrella ready for launch we were busy cleaning her bottom readying her for a weeks racing. The launch was uneventful, the staff were friendly and we managed to get the rig up and the boat out into deep water in no time at all. That’s the thing about the Stella, fantastically simple – much like a dinghy to rig.

With the boat rigged our attention turned to more pressing matters – where’s the nearest pub. It was suggested by our sensible skipper that perhaps 10am is a little early and that breakfast after a visit to the chandlery would be a better idea. After a bit of scratching and mumbling it was agreed and we headed off for essential boat stuff and a fantastic breakfast with great views. This took us up to lunch time and of course after all that bacon we had a thirst and Bag Puss knew of a place at the top of the Hamble for liquid refreshment. Apparently the Jolly Sailor is a famous pub and we headed in that direction. Before we got to the pub we wandered through the Elephant boat yard which was very much up my fender board - full of old wooden boats, some of which were stunning and some of which were rotting. A number of metre boats and all other manner of classic wooden boats sat on the pontoons whilst on the other side of the river the white plastics were so bright Bag Puss had to put some ‘sunnys’ on. Anyway after having a good poke around we were off to the pub for a few ales. We had a fair few ales and hatched a plan to get back to the boat and get underway to Cowes. The weather was grey and Cowes didn’t look that inviting but off we motored down the Hamble and out across the Solent making the marina by late afternoon. Once in, calls were made to the ‘digs’. Digs had been organised by the famous East Coast boat Clarion of White. It turned out that Clarion was just entering the marina after us and so we left Estrella and headed for nearest pub to await their arrival.

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