With what started to be a normal delivery from Gosport to Weymouth on a stunning Sealine SC38 actually turned in to quite a fun and exciting day on the water. Below our Captain Ben Harris comments on his most recent delivery.

 

The Journey started with quite a lengthy train ride to Fareham, eagerly waiting outside the station was the client standing with his shades on smiling, leaning on his nice Mercedes. A firm hand shake and introduction to his family.  

 

Conversation started with the client’s son and learning about his interests in all things on the road, mainly his passion for cars.

 

On arrival to the marina, the family and I jumped on board their lovely Sealine SC38. A thorough check around the engine room then opened up the hard top at a flick of a switch, turned over the engines and she roared in to life!

 

Slow little passage to the marina next door to pick up some fuel and then we waited for the Sealift at Haslar Marina.

 

Gently driving her in to the lift, she was promptly lifted, sprayed down and anodes replaced, in preparation for our delivery to Weymouth.

 

  

 

Meanwhile, the client and I were chatting about how beautiful the boat was, then wife and son had disappeared only to return back 30 minutes later to say they were not coming on the trip and instead challenged us to a race back. Wife and son in the Mercedes and client and I in his 40 knot Sealine.

 

I must note at this stage that wife and son were running along the pontoon and we were still in the lift!

 

Passage plan done, boat sorted and we proceeded astern away from the lift and gently motored out in to the Solent. Now being a professional I was not going to thrash this boat from cold so we warmed her up in the usual manner and once the engine temps had reached normal readings we opened her up to a steady 34 knots.

 

We reached Cowes and passed rapidly down the western Solent. My client then phoning his wife to check on their progress, we opened her up a little more by a knot or 2, the tide with us we were flying! It was a scene out of one of the series of Top Gear and the only thing missing was the helicopter and Clarkson!

 

  

 

An hour later, with plenty of smiles, and 15 minute checks to see where our opponents were, we were approaching Anvil point and the race is still on! We were neck and neck, and we knew the Mercedes was going to get stuck in some traffic, the adrenaline was pumping my client was competitive to say the least!

 

In a flash we arrived at Weymouth Harbour, crept under the bridge, desperate to see if we had won.

 

Contemplating on what we were going to do to celebrate and there they were standing on the pontoon waving at us! Damn it! We had lost! And only by 4 minutes!

 

Lots of discussions then proceeded in the restaurant afterwards about how the other side cheated! All Good Fun!