11.2 knots
27 September 2021 | Torquay
Ulric Almqvist | SW6
Lawrence asked me on the first day what Queen's Ransom top speed had been. I couldn't remember exactly, but told him around 10 knots. Today he was here to set a new speed record at 11.2 knots. We achieved this in 28 knots of true wind and a true wind angle of 145 degrees with a reefed main sail.
We had an awesome day sailing! It didn't start very well. Lawrence woke up at 4am from Princess Ransom slamming on foredeck. We had lifted her out of the water because of the front we expected to pass through during the night. By the time we had got outside, she had already blown off. No trace of her! Pitch black and rain. We couldn't do a thing. Clearly we hadn't lashed her properly. There had been gusts of 56 knots at Prawle Point for a very brief moment around 4am. This vicious wind must have caused it even though the River Yealm is very protected.
The River Yealm habour master came around at 8 and I explained the situation. He promised to search for her up river. We were pretty sure that she hadn't drifted out to sea as the tide was flooding and the wind blew in from the sea. 45 minutes later, the harbour master launched towed Princess Ransom back. What a sight! The naughty teenager doing a runner at 4am. Queen's Ransom was not pleased!
Next challenge was the swell over the bar leaving the river. We had first waited to depart as it was still blowing more than 30 knots at Prawle Point. However, tide against wind at the River entrance would be an even bigger challenge. We left exactly when the ebb started. No problems, it was a smooth exit. Plenty of activity around. There must be some naval exercises as there were warships from both from the Netherlands, Germany and Norway outside. Another warrior, i e Rainbow Warrior of Greenpeace interrogated fishing vessels in the Marine Protected Area by radio and rib.
We had an aft of beam reach over Bigbury Bay to Salcombe in glorious sunshine. There was quite a swell form the West. We gybed outside Salcombe and had smoother seas as we surfed along Start Point and down towards Dartmouth. The headland protected us and made the speed record possible. We had a rain squall with high winds near Bear Head and then some calm returned over Torbay towards Torquay which will be Queenie's port for the next 2 weeks.