Brilliant sunshine but no wind was the weather for the Lymington rally but everyone agreed it was preferable to wet and windy!
The rally was well attended with 13 boats participating; 8 alongside the Dan Bran pontoon, Lookin Foor Kloos alongside the Royal Lymington Yacht Club pontoon as host boat for the pontoon party, 3 other local boats (left on their moorings) and the Sams who arrived by car.
The pontoon party was attended by 28 crew in lovely evening sunshine before moving into the Royal Lymington Yacht Club.
As we had a private room, I twisted Andy and Sara Horwood’s arms to give a talk on their summer cruise to Northern Spain and back. It was very well received with some excellent pictures and included accounts of two crossings of the Bay of Biscay and what to do when your propeller falls off in Spanish waters! Many thanks to Sara and Andy for sharing their experiences.
Dinner followed with some excellent catering from the club.
On the Sunday, fine weather continued for the journeys home.
Boats participating were:
| Lookin Foor Kloos | Leda of Hamble | Aloni |
| Ariam | Asante | Amylou |
| Morfan | Blue Lightning | Mistral |
| Caribou | Out of the Blue | Zuma Blue |
Julian Trimming
Solent
10th /11th May – Yarmouth with dinner at ‘On the Rocks’
24th / 25th June – Universal Marina, Hamble with dinner at ‘Banana Wharf’ in the Marina
2nd / 3rd September – Lymington Dan Bran pontoon with dinner at Royal Lymington YC
7th / 8th October – Shepard’s Wharf, Cowes
West country
15th / 16th July – River Yealm Yacht Club
Rally details, joining instructions and host yacht information will be issued in due course.
As you will see, the rallies are currently ‘south-coast-centric’. If based away from the South Coast and happen to be passing at the time of a rally (with or without your Maxi) and would like to attend, please contact Steve Harridge on southcoastrally@maxiowners.net . Should a group away from the South Coast (for example, on the East Coast) decide to have a rally of their own, please just let Steve know. Assistance can be given!
Built 1990 and well maintained with many updates including a new engine 2018, further details below. Currently located in Porchester. 2020 survey available. For further information contact Richard Collier on 07747788040 or Richard.Collier41@gmail.com or see brokerage listing https://www.boatpoint.co.uk/boats/8515555
Life raft serviced 2022
New dan bouy 2022
Standing rigging 2018
Most running rigging replaced as required 2018-2022
Wind speed anemometer and wind direction 2021
Wheel leathered and turkshead 2021
Main sheet traveller 2022
Compass in Binnacle 2019
Raymarine Repeater chart plotter at helm & Raymarine chart plotter at navigation table
Sea talk network NEMA 2000 2019
Flux gate compass 2019
Cockpit tent 2019 and cockpit cushions x3
Spray hood, Sail cover, Snood and Wheel cover 2018
New engine 2018 C100 hours Volvo Penta D1-30 regularly serviced
MDI replaced under warranty 2021
New internal cushions through out 2019
Fitted mattress 2019
Refrigerator unit 2018
AISb send & receive 2019
In line VHF splitter 2019
Navigation lights converted to LED 2021
Internal lights LED with IR control & multiple USB charging ports 2021
Sails new 2018 Main, Genoa, Blade and asymmetric in snuffer.
Spinnaker new 2016
Hatches x3 replaced 2019/2020
New Heater exhaust and ventilation pipe insulation 2019
New anchor 2021
Heads and sanitary fittings replaced 2018
Shower tray and pump 2022
2x gel domestic batteries – split current relay charging system 2018
Charge indicator
Full suite of previous sails including spinnaker
Cockpit table
Gas regulator 2022
Hull scrapped back to gel coat and re-epoxied before anti fouling 2021
Cons
She’s a 32 year old boat!!
There’s the inevitable gel coat damage from mooring and use, most professionally repaired, some less so – see survey
Warps (renewed 2019) and fenders (2019) also showing evidence of wear but all serviceable
Some crazing in side windows
The keel tends to rust in places despite the numerous coats of epoxy
A couple of the Stanchion bases have cracked.
Weather forecast: SW force 5 to 7 – it must be time for a Maxi rally in the western Solent!
Fortunately, Maxi owners are hardened sailors and also gifted with some forward planning so while we had a few drop outs due to weather (and COVID), we still had 7 Maxis in the Lymington Yacht Haven with boats arriving in Lymington on Friday or coming over from Yarmouth on Saturday.
Steve and Sue Harridge kindly hosted the pontoon party on Aloni moving it from her normal berth to the working pontoon which was a bit more sheltered. While we had strong winds to contend with at the pontoon party, we missed the heavy showers which were passing either side so the weather gods were kind to us after all. At the party we were joined by the Lymington Maxi owners with 4 boats represented. Dinner was a short walk away at the Fisherman’s Rest which catered for us very well. Maxi yachts alongside were: Ariam, Wild Blue, Aloni, Suive, Skerryvore, Blue Lightening, Leda of Hamble and Windhover with Lookin Foor Kloos, Morfan, Mistral and Wenimbi joining by car/foot.
For the second year running MOA held a rally on the River Yealm over the weekend 3rd and 4th September. A combination of unsettle weather forecast and unhelpful tides for heading west from the Solent , resulted in 5 boats signed up for the rally. In the end 3 Maxis came together on the visitor’s pontoon, AmyLou from the Solent, Reflection and Skyfall both from Plymouth.
The obligatory Saturday pontoon party was held on aboard AmyLou.. Asante attended as a “wheels rally” driving down from the Solent and were dinghied out to AmyLou. Afternoon rain meant the Pontoon party was held under the protection of cockpit tent.
Just in time the rain stopped, and the sun shone, suitability lubricated inflatables headed for the harbour office, pontoon, making the walk along the river path to the Dolphin Inn at Newton Ferrers. The Pub provided a thoroughly enjoyable evening dinner. The return to the dinghies was challenging with no moonlight, a return along the river path was abandon in favour for the streetlights of the road.
Many new friendships were made, with another member enjoying their first rally with the MOA.
The overnight rain dried out Sunday morning, allowing Reflection and Skyfall an easy return Plymouth. AmyLou had the week to return to the Solent and opted to stay in Dartmouth for 3 nights while the worst of the wind blew through.