In a previous post this trip was described in reverse – Tulka, Horse Rock and Home. Another day, another season and with opposite wind conditions the jaunt was undertaken, again in company, but “arse about”!
With sail stowed and canine crew ever alert, we departed the Marina a little late, to rendezvous as planned with “Donnington” and her crew at Billy Lights Point. We were en route to Tulka via Horse Rock – a downwind row of about five miles followed by a nice reach under sail of about three miles. We made contact with “Donnington” and her crew, Rob and Rohan, abeam of the Billy lights Point Slipway and rowed from there in close company to Horse rock – threading our course past two mussel leases and through another! Conditions were cold with breeze to about ten knots NNE and with the sun shy but occasionally peeking past the cloud. Ideal conditions for rowing – not too warm so as to stress the oarsmen!
“Donnington” is a beautiful, cold moulded timber whitehall built by Rob over thirty years ago but she carries her age modestly! She is of identical design to my Whitehall but without slide seat. Rob had recently fitted outriggers and gone to lighter, longer oars and in doing so he revived his passion for rowing. He and another mate were rowing two up on this jaunt – one behind the other, a pair of oars each – sort of like twin engines to my single! As such and rowing in company, this was a classic demonstration of the hull speed to horsepower curve. Admittedly my slide seat was effectively concealing an illegal turbo boost and my wee canine crew weighed, in combination with skipper, well under “Donningtons” combined load. However despite these inequities, our speeds were very similar. I suspect that we were at hull speed when fully exerting ourselves and extra horsepower required to go beyond the hull speed was well beyond what either of us could muster!
Horse Rock hove abeam in about an hour and a quarter and oars were shipped in favour of spritsails. A westward change of course to make landfall in south Tulka brought the breeze toward the beam and we completed the jaunt with a very pleasant broad reaching sail. This Whitehall sailing is a treat – just set and relax – no constant, itchy arsed twitching of sheets or hauling on the tiller, just the occasional change of position in the boat to bring her back to wind’ard or swing her off the wind. Wouldn’t be dead for quids!
And the piece de resistance, the icing on the cake, the cherry on the sundae, the sweet lagniappe – a wee dram of Drambuie at Rohan’s… arrrh….blissful day!!