Roam Story.
This article describes our journey to becoming the proud owners of our Rival 34 and the first year of ownership. In this year we have travelled far in terms of our outlook, skills and confidence. Even if we did not cross an ocean or venture too far away, it was a rewarding and eventful passage.
I
Typical! After saying out loud to Fiona that I thought that we would arrive at our destination too early, thick fog engulfed us half an hour later. We had sailed into the fog bank, visible for the past twenty minutes as it slowly crept up to us. Maybe if I had kept my thoughts to myself this wouldn’t have happened but fate being what it was, became inevitable. No sane sailor ever utters such unwise thoughts aloud as we all know the likely outcome of such confident predictions!
So, with visibility down to about 400 metres, once again we wondered if our plans would be ruined by the weather. Along with the fog, the breeze dropped to a zephyr and our speed reduced from 6 knots to 1.5. An early arrival at St Mary's on the Isles of Scilly was now unlikely. This in itself was no bad thing as I had planned to arrive at low water so all of the hazards were visible in the approaches. Of course, this would be irrelevant anyway if the visibility remained at 400 metres! So, what to do?
Luck like this had prevailed upon us in previous years too and I reflected on the journey we had taken to get to this point.
Our voyage had really begun several years before. Eventually, after much agonising, hand - wringing, gnashing of teeth, not to mention meticulous study of yachting magazines and thrift bordering on the scrooge like, a decision was almost made. It was August 2001 and yet another effort to sail to the Scilly Isles from the home base in the Solent had ended in failure. Something had to be done. What we required was a proper sailing yacht rather than a bathtub cum caravan that we were currently in possession of. A yacht that could sail to windward rather than skid sideways in anything over a force 4 to enable us to reach new destinations and the ultimate dream, to sail away into the sunset.
Instantly I fell in love. A vision slowly drifted into my consciousness, as we lay moored in the Cove at Weymouth. It appeared as if I had been waiting all my life for this moment. A Rival 34 gracefully floated up to the pontoon and her willing crew unhurriedly tended lines and fenders to bring her to a halt. Truly a vision from nirvana.
My decision was made. A Rival 34 it had to be.
In truth, I had been whittling down the design of boat on which to stake my potential cruising aspirations for several years and the sight of the Rival finally persuaded me that this was to be the future.
On arriving back home (after leaving the current boat tied up weather bound in Weymouth of course!), the September issue of Yachting Monthly was waiting for me. In the classifieds there was an advertisement for a solitary Rival 34 and an excellent example as well. Straight away I called up the owner who to my amazement told me she was still available (the magazine was several weeks old by now) and an appointment to view was made for the Bank Holiday Monday, which was the following week. This was of course dependent on whether it would be possible to sail my current boat from Weymouth (where we had left her) back to the Solent where the Rival was moored.
We returned to Weymouth by train and sailed from there on a typical English summers day. First of all a sunny and clear morning sky eventually giving way to persistent drizzle, poor visibility and later on, fog! Sodden and glum we finally sighted the Needles from half a mile off and eventually arrived at Yarmouth.
Landfall made and after drying off, Fiona and I went ashore to celebrate finally returning the boat to home waters by a meal ashore in the Wheatsheaf. Whilst waiting for our dinner, a group of 4 pleasantly asked if we would share the table where we were sitting and naturally a conversation about sailing and boats ensued.
“What type of boat have you got then?” was the question from Jane. “well currently we have a Westerly Centaur but tomorrow we are going to look at a Rival 34 with a view to buying it” I replied. “Oh really, we have got a Rival 32 ourselves” came the retort and the subsequent conversation confirmed all of the virtues my years of research had suggested, that the Rival was a wonderful, safe, cruising yacht. Moreover, the evening felt like a visit from destiny herself. Surely it was too much of a coincidence, the night before our viewing to share an evening with people who wanted to regale us with tales confirming our hopes and dreams, that the Rival was the boat for us.
At the end of the evening, cheery with the benevolence of providence (and several pints of 6X!), we were very pleased to accept an invitation from Jane of “Rival Breeze” to take a look around their “32” in the morning. It seemed that someone up there was telling us that it was meant to be!
In the morning Fiona and I were able to view a Rival without any of the pressures of a sale transaction. We were able to have a good old root around and ask questions and all thanks to Jane and her husband for giving their time so willingly. If they are to read this they can take credit for our penultimate conversion to the merits of Rival ownership.
Of course the ultimate conversion was impossible until we actually viewed “our” Rival later that day in Cowes. We had arranged with the owner to moor up alongside his swinging mooring in Cowes Harbour in order to conduct our inspection. Eager with anticipation, we inspected “Circe of Coldham” with a mixture of excitement and apprehension that a future large outlay of cash invokes and a feeling that fate now had a hand in our task.
The viewing convinced us further that Rival owners we were to be and my offer to purchase our vessel was accepted and after a glowing surveyors report we concluded the sale at the end of September 2001.
So keen was I to become the owner of a Rival that I still had the small matter of selling my other yacht. This state of affairs was also to mark me out amongst certain of my friends as “Terry Terry” because as was pointed out to me, not only now were we a two car family, we now also owned two boats. My pleas that that this was an undesirable and uncomfortable state of affairs was lost amongst the ribaldry. (thanks Gary!). So during last winter I was forced to partake the work of two men with boat maintenance projects on two boats, one for fun and the other for the lessening of severe financial pain!
Ultimately however, I still managed a couple of months of tentatively learning how the Rival handled and importantly, handling the re-registration and name change from the haughty “Circe of Coldham” to the simple and evocative, “Roam”. There will be those of you reading this who are aghast at both my courage and folly. To change a boats name is to those superstitious folk, a deed attended by certain doom. My dream however was and still is to freely sail the seas “Roam” therefore expresses my future plans to cruise far and wide. I am prepared therefore to run the gauntlet of fate and am hopeful that Neptune will spare me. “Roam” (I think) reflects the philosophy for which all Rival yachts were designed and built.
A winter of occasional trips to the mooring to check all was well and to keep the batteries charged was also a winter of frequent visits to the other boat in order to show potential buyers the leaking fuel tank, the drooping head lining and the leaky companionway as well as to attend to essential maintenance such as cleaning up bird droppings and dead frozen leaves from the deck. This miserable wintertime experience was rendered worthwhile when finally in March 2002 I successfully persuaded a buyer into to purchasing my Centaur. (I’m being harshly unkind to my previous boat for which I apologise sincerely, she was a fine vessel, instrumental in my sailing apprenticeship for which I thank “Sea Bound” profusely. My comments are made merely to show the esteem in which I hold my new Rival, “Roam”).
Sale achieved I could now focus all of my energies to preparing “Roam” for the 2002 season. Haul out was in March now that I had to pay only one set of hard standing charges at the boatyard. Terry Terry was now simply Terry again and as can be judged by my financial health at the end of March, was an unjustified title in the first place. Most boat owners I know are only too aware that owning one is commitment enough, but two!
An Easter of productive and not too demanding maintenance activity on “Roam” and the surprising success of Southampton FC made the early spring a happy experience. The launch date was set and in April, “Roam” was afloat on her new pile mooring in Cowes harbour. It took about 5 seconds to accept the offer from the Cowes HM of a berth from the waiting list. After 5 years in the Hamble River dealing with anonymous, avaricious, arrogant, corporations bent on the destitution of sailors of moderate means, I was glad to leave. Moreover, paying thousands of pounds each year for the dubious privilege of keeping a boat in a marina with few facilities, in a polluted river which fouls the hulls of boats protected even with the strongest antifouling and having to row to the mooring as well. I think you can tell from my sentiments, that leaving was a welcome event! Now we are located in a harbour that cares you are there and looks out for your vessel!
II
The inaugural voyage of
“Roam” took place in the first weekend in April, a modest trip from Cowes to
Shamrock Quay in Southampton where I fulfilled another of my long held
ambitions, to travel to a Southampton football match in my own yacht. Saints
duly obliged by beating Derby County 2-0 in the new St Mary’s stadium. The
scene was set for a marvellous sailing season.
Of course, nothing runs entirely smoothly and the period after this was spent discovering minor and not so minor faults in “Roam’s” electrical and fuel systems. Those who attended the south coast ROA event at the Folly on May 18th 2002 would have noticed the forlorn new ROA members attending without a boat, which was unavoidably left on the piles in Cowes due to a major fuel leak. Luckily no one seemed to mind and we enjoyed a wonderful evening with the other members who made us so welcome, even without a boat! Next year we hope to attend with “Roam” to prove that we are the real owners!
By June the problems seemed to be sorted out and plans for the summer cruise began taking shape. Fiona and I both work for the same company and had arranged to take advantage of an extended summer leave period of 6 weeks. We were determined to get to the Scilly Isles. After previous years of strong headwinds, we would give ourselves sufficient time to get there this year, even if it meant waiting in Falmouth for two weeks!
Typically, the weather
in late June and early July was unpredictable at best and downright disgusting
at the worst. Our plans of an enforced stay in Falmouth looked prophetic!
Eventually, we listened with much surprise to the favourable weather forecast
that we craved. The forecast predicted a suitable week long window in the
usually unreliable Cornish weather and we were able to make it around the Lizard
and into Penzance and from there out into the Atlantic towards the Scilly
Isles. 
On passage of
course the weather gods still were not smiling completely on us when thick fog
reduced the visibility to less than half a mile as recounted earlier.
Fortunately, “Roam” is equipped with radar and this was the opportunity we
needed to actually get the manual out and learn how to use it! Not very
seamanlike I admit, but the “sink or swim” method we frequently end up
following! St Mary’s finally emerged from the mist when we were 400 metres
offshore and still sailing at 2 knots under full sail in the flukey force 2
southerly wind. Engine on and then a decision to anchor in Porth Cressa where
we tentatively motored in and dropped the hook.
The two weeks we spent in the Scilly Isles were a dream for us. To finally make it after years of attempting the passage gave us a real sense of achievement. As we suspected, sailing a seaworthy craft made all the difference and the joy for us was learning how the Rival 34 handled and marvelling at it’s sailing qualities.
The tour of Scilly began by remaining at anchor in Porth Cressa off Hugh Town in St Marys for four days. The weather continued to be foggy and chilly but on occasions the sun would peek through the mist to reveal a wonderous land and seascape, which has captivated travellers for centuries. Remote and visually stunning would describe the scene and we were grateful for the window in the weather, which enabled us to make our objective.
One of the surprises was the number of French Yachts, particularly from Breton who proudly flew their Breton ensigns in preference to the Tricolour. Some of these ensigns were truly enormous symbolising the pride that the Bretons have in their region. Some of the seamanship left a little to be desired though, particularly a very casual attitude towards anchoring procedures. Hardly an anchor ball or light to be seen!
After St Mary’s, we popped across the short distance to St Agnes where we anchored in The Cove just a short dinghy hop from the “Turks Head” which I discovered (on several occasions during our stay) served the best beer in the islands!
St Agnes and Gugh are small enough to easily circumnavigate on foot and were a wonder of beautiful seclusion with amazing rock formations and dramatic landscapes. The added attraction of the pub made this island a favourite of mine.
During our third night
at anchor in The Cove, the predicted swell appeared when the wind changed to the
southwest. 
The
subsequent rolling, despite our hastily deployed “flopper stopper” (made from a
canvas bucket with large stones inside for ballast) was so uncomfortable that we
decided to move 5 hours earlier than we had intended and this meant that we had
to go around the long way (because of a foul tide through the short cut) to our
next intended stopping point, New Grimsby Sound between Bryher and Tresco.
Again, lack of wind in the high pressure meant that we motored.
Tresco is a vision. Despite being the second largest island in both size and population (the permanent population of 130 swelled during the summer to over a thousand) is one of the most visually beautiful places I have come across in the British Isles. Beaches of white sand, lovely countryside and the famous Abbey Gardens create an idyll plucked straight from my childhood experiences contained in my Enid Blyton books! Four days spent securely on a mooring buoy in New Grimsby enabled us to explore the island thoroughly and on one rainy day we took the launch to St Mary’s to stock up with provisions. The New Inn also provided a pleasant diversion from all of the exploring and enabled us to check all the weather reports on the internet access provided there for visitors.
Bryher is characterised by beautiful sandy beaches, striking rock formations and cute picture postcard cottages. With a total population of about 80, it’s not hard to find a bit of solitude and we definitely agreed that we would like to return at some future date. The Hell Bay Hotel is also here and is an island in itself offering the guests a luxurious enclave in all of the natural splendour.
Another luxury hotel is located on the eastern coast of the Tresco next to Old Grismby Sound. One sunny afternoon whilst Fiona was visiting Abbey gardens, I went there for a pint. My slightly dishevelled appearance created by three weeks or more of onboard living was a surprise to the hotel receptionist who eyed me up and down unfavourably. I thought that she was going to throw me out because I would contaminate the scenery for the beautiful people who were the hotel guests. OK, I’ll own up and say that I hadn’t shaved in two weeks and was wearing my “comfortable” clothes and Tilley hat. Quite acceptable (I think) in most yachting circles but obviously not quite so at the Island Hotel! Nevertheless I managed to secure my pint and hid away in the garden to avoid embarrassing any of the immaculately turned out hotel guests.
We
continued our voyage with the short sail around to Old Grimsby, a quieter spot
between Tresco and St Martins. Here we spent many hours watching the changing
seascape as the myriad rocks and islets covered and uncovered with the ebb and
flow of the tide. We practiced our traditional pilotage skills by taking
transits whilst moored but the resulting cocked hat on the chart often had us
sitting right on top of an awash rock. More practice required here I feel! At
low tide we also tried to identify the way through the rocks to St Helens Gap
where we would ultimately exit the Islands.
After two days in Old Grismby we weaved our way through the rocky passage to St Helens Pool where we anchored in perfect shelter and tranquillity.
An unwelcome legacy from Old Grimsby, not discovered until later was an overheating engine due to weed blocking the engine inlet. This was undiscovered until we returned to the mainland! Of course, Mark Fishwick in his “West Country Cruising” specifically advises against running engines at low water to charge the batteries for this very reason. Naturally that’s precisely what we did! Yet another lesson learned for us.
The anchorage at St
Helens is in fact a perfect jumping off point for Tresco, St Helens and the
other large so far unvisited (by us)
island of St Martins. Again, sweeping beaches of perfect white sand and great
walks although the pub opening hours were a mystery! It was interesting also
to observe the day mark on St Martins, which we were assured, was always the
first visible sign of the islands from the sea. Naturally, this was our first
view of this famous landmark due to the fog that had blanketed our arrival two
weeks earlier. We took several photographs of it to ensure that on our next
visit, fog or not, we would still be able to see it before anything else!
Alas our time on the islands was up when the reports from the weather wizards predicted that a low was approaching from the southwest. Our two weeks on the islands had been during a period of high pressure hence the fog. Now regrettably we had to leave as gale force winds were forecast and being of a certain cowardly nature, it was time to return to the mainland.
Our summer was still not over and we still had two weeks remaining of our six-week break. Our main objective for the cruise had been achieved and apart from the need to buy a wet suit in Falmouth so I could dive under the boat and remove the weed from the engine water inlet that was harvested in Old Grimsby, the rest of the trip was relatively uneventful. We sailed back to Cowes very slowly with frequent stops in Cornwall and Devon with many happy memories of a wonderful time in the Isles of Scilly. Moreover, the years of slowly gestating thoughts concerning which yacht I should end up with were very well spent as “Roam” was all that we had hoped for and was a marvellous home for us for the entire time. We would have no concerns living in her for an extended period, particularly if the weather was warmer! Our sailing skills were also examined more thoroughly than ever before. We now are more prepared to go to sea in heavier weather than before due to the increased confidence we are gaining due to the fabulous sea keeping qualities of the Rival
Next years cruising plans
are as yet undecided but a major winter refit is planned to upgrade “Roam” more
to our tastes. We eventually hope to sail her everywhere we want to go. My
hopes and plans for a yacht have been fulfilled by the Rival and I am very proud
that “Roam” is currently in my care, hopefully for many years. Our journey has
just begun!