Guernsey storm trip boat

This was the boat that was sinking under me as I struggled to helm her to Guernsey in a force 10.

Prior to leaving Phillips yard, the company that undertook to sort the leaking skin fittinge and didnt. We were moored opposite the Royal navy college on the same pontoon and up river of us was moored a large plastic gin palace, that had just had two new propellors fitted and was leaving before us to go back to Bournemouth.

I assisted with the casting off and took controll of the mid cleat line which was the mid spring. as the tide was ebbing the GP was being pressed back on to us and to protect my asset I was going to hold on to that spring untill the GP had some forward movement against the quite fierce tide .

The engines were ticking over nicely and warmed up and the skipper a crusty ex navy type ordered "cast off" and the well disciplined crew let go of the bow and stern lines.

I waited as I said before, for him to move forward. he looked fiercly at me and shouted OK! ok, cast of the mid spring if I must ask you especially? and he plunged the throttles into gear and promptly surged astearn, against my still held spring, towards my bow approximately a foot away. The pontoon and my boat luckily also went with it, as he tried again and again to find out what was wrong.

I asked him to cut the engines which he did, and climbed aboard still hanging on to the spring, asking him to make fast for a few seconds and then as I shouted to him that I thought that the props had been installed the wrong way round. he looked back at me and started up the engines again and thrust them down into astern and he went ahead. The works was shut and the next time there was going to be anybody at the workshop was on the monday. I had diving gear on board but was bu**ered if I was going to change his props around for him after that unnecessary chirlish display and of I went to sink!!!! :o)) or was it sulk? no! I think I was right the first time? Sink!!!!!