Cowes Isle of Wight

[TJBi]

Yes that sounds right. I have a feeling the boat was called "Serendipity". Maybe. I did my night passage for my RYA Skippers certificate on it after 5 pints of Stella. The bloke that looked after it took me under his wing when we met up and asked if I wanted to go out and he could sign my certificate. I still have it somewhere. I think it won its class in the Fastnet twice.

I was only there out of luck really. A bloke called Martin Stephenson who was on the UK sailing team and was skippering the boat that day worked for a software company I was dealing with and he wanted our business so I got an invite. I helmed that day for a good while. Great fun.

Can't say that I remember the name as a rival competitor, but as you say, it's a long time ago. Certainly sounds reasonable as a name - there are currently 100 UK-registered ship radio stations on vessels with that name (19 of them having some form of suffix).

 

[barryd]

Can't say that I remember the name as a rival competitor, but as you say, it's a long time ago. Certainly sounds reasonable as a name - there are currently 100 UK-registered ship radio stations on vessels with that name (19 of them having some form of suffix).

It could be in a breakers yard or on the seabed by now of course. I might have that wrong but I remember thinking it was a bit of a lame name for what was considered a formula 1 of racing yachts in its class.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

The boat I sailed on was called Growler.

It's named after a type of wave...

Wikipedia: H-boat

Her captain died last year. He was 95. RIP Julian.

 

[Robmac]

The boat I sailed on was called Growler.

It's named after a type of wave...

I always thought it was a type of small Iceberg Marie?

 

[mariesnowgoose]

I always thought it was a type of small Iceberg Marie?

No, in this case it was definitely a wave??

But maybe not - my memory has failed me on this one...

 

[mariesnowgoose]

I always thought it was a type of small Iceberg Marie?

You're right, Rob.

AI Overview

Bergy bits and growlers are smaller, dangerous fragments of glacial ice that break off from larger icebergs or ice shelves in polar regions. Both can severely damage ships, but because they sit low in the water, they are extremely difficult to detect on marine radar. [1, 2]

Growlers

• Size: The size of a small truck or grand piano.
• Height: Less than 1 meter (3 feet) above the sea surface.
• Danger: Because they are nearly awash with the water, growlers are notoriously difficult to spot. As trapped air escapes a melting growler, it can make an animal-like rumbling sound, giving the ice its name.

 

[Robmac]

You're right, Rob.

AI Overview

Bergy bits and growlers are smaller, dangerous fragments of glacial ice that break off from larger icebergs or ice shelves in polar regions. Both can severely damage ships, but because they sit low in the water, they are extremely difficult to detect on marine radar. [1, 2]

Growlers

• Size: The size of a small truck or grand piano.
• Height: Less than 1 meter (3 feet) above the sea surface.
• Danger: Because they are nearly awash with the water, growlers are notoriously difficult to spot. As trapped air escapes a melting growler, it can make an animal-like rumbling sound, giving the ice its name.

I think we're both right Marie;


AI Overview



A "growler" usually refers to dangerous, heavy secondary breaking waves that form on top of a primary ocean swell during severe weather, often making sailing incredibly hazardous. It can also refer to "Prowlers," a legendary deep-water big wave off the coast of Ireland, or a "groveler"—a specific type of surfboard designed for small, weak waves.

YouTube·Sailing Zingaro +3

1. Sailing Hazard

In offshore sailing and meteorology, particularly in winds exceeding 45–50 knots, the interaction of primary swells and wind-driven seas creates sudden, steep, and breaking "growler" waves. These waves often ride on top of larger swells, creating a "wave on top of a wave" that poses capsizing risks to vessels if a captain isn't prepared to adjust their navigation angle.

YouTube·Sailing Zingaro +1

 

[TJBi]

It could be in a breakers yard or on the seabed by now of course. I might have that wrong but I remember thinking it was a bit of a lame name for what was considered a formula 1 of racing yachts in its class.

It's come to me now: Serendip.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

I think we're both right Marie;


AI Overview



A "growler" usually refers to dangerous, heavy secondary breaking waves that form on top of a primary ocean swell during severe weather, often making sailing incredibly hazardous. It can also refer to "Prowlers," a legendary deep-water big wave off the coast of Ireland, or a "groveler"—a specific type of surfboard designed for small, weak waves.
View attachment 206961YouTube·Sailing Zingaro +3

1. Sailing Hazard

In offshore sailing and meteorology, particularly in winds exceeding 45–50 knots, the interaction of primary swells and wind-driven seas creates sudden, steep, and breaking "growler" waves. These waves often ride on top of larger swells, creating a "wave on top of a wave" that poses capsizing risks to vessels if a captain isn't prepared to adjust their navigation angle.
View attachment 206960YouTube·Sailing Zingaro +1

Phew! Thanks Rob.

I thought my mind must be playing memory tricks!

 

[Wooie1958]

Our Jezza and the gang knows the true meaning of Growler ............................

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Not "true meaning" at all, just sniggering teenage innuendo

 

[mark61]

I'm going with the sniggering teenagers.

Bergy bites, indeed!

 

[marchie]

Not "true meaning" at all, just sniggering teenage innuendo

aka The Italian Suppository ...

Steve

 

[barryd]

It's come to me now: Serendip.

Google AI found this

Historical yachting records provide several details regarding the Sigma 38 you crewed on, as well as its journey through the racing circuit.

Information About Serendip

• The Boat and Owner: During the late 1990s, the Sigma 38 named Serendip was owned and campaigned by Paul King. [1, 2]
• Team Scotland (1996): Just one year before your 1997 season, Serendip was selected to represent the Scotland Red Team in commodore-level racing alongside the J39 Jackdaw and the Humphreys 45 Old Mother Gun. [1]
• Subsequent Upgrade: Paul King and the Serendip crew were highly competitive in the Solent. Around 2000–2001, the team upgraded from the original Sigma 38 to a faster Prima 38, carrying over the exact same name, Serendip (Sail number GBR6510N). [1, 2, 3, 4]
• The Serendip Trophy: The legacy of the boat lives on in the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC). The Serendip Trophy is a perennial award presented annually to the best overall Cruiser-Racer series production yacht. [1]