by Eric Coleman

Roamer was launched late May ‘72 and up to July had received no cruising tests beyond a few weekend trips from Maldon, her base, to places as far as the Colne 15 miles away. The appalling weather had enabled us to check her performance in sheltered waters but it was time she was taken on a week’s single handed cruise.

With supplies for at least a week stowed away, I left Maldon on Monday 10th July just before H.W. at 12.30 p.m. with one reef and working jib because the forecast was “continuing unsettled” and there were frequent squalls F4-5 westerly. Once out in the open, the wind dropped a little but there was ample to keep the boat moving fast. With the sun peeping through the clouds the weather was almost like summer so that I was really enjoying myself. Reaching the Colne well before low water I had to fight a fast ebb and was now hard on the wind which was freshening considerably so that I had to sit the boat up. A couple of long and short tacks and I was at my favourite anchorage at the mouth of a small creek on the west bank at 3.45 p.m. It is too shallow for yachts here so is free from the usual racket from outboards and the shrieks and bellows of late night parties. Squalls were now F5-6 and as the evening drew on, the sun was busy setting up backstays indicating more wind to come. With an interesting book to read the time passed pleasantly to a background of seagulls breeding on a nearby island and the wind whistling in the rigging.

Tuesday morning forecast was S.W. F4-6 so my original plan to sail S.W. was abandoned and I turned over in my warm sleeping bag to have a lie in and leisurely breakfast. By midday the sky had a wild look with many mares tails against a dark blue background. Wind was still West F4-5 squally and I decided to sail N.E. to Walton Backwaters. Leaving at 1 p.m. I was close reefed with storm jib, using for the first time, a safety harness clipped to the mast when working on the foredeck. The harness length was such that I could just roach the forestay for changing jibs but not long enough for me to fall overboard. At the entrance of the Colne, the wind dropped to F3 just to make me look silly but I was making adequate speed with 6 hours tide in hand so was quite content to carry on. Shortly after a flat bottomed cloud case over and we were back to F5.

These conditions continued as I made my way up the coast but by the time I reached Clacton, the sky looked relatively mild and hazy with occasional clouds overhead accompanied by F4 squalls so I let out one reef and changed to working jib. Approaching the Backwaters, I came hard on the wind which was still dropping but the sea was rough so I shook out the reef to get more power knowing that the boat could carry full sail in F4 if required. Reaching the narrow entrance channel I found that once again I was too early so had to buck the tide but I could lay my course because the wind obligingly veered slightly to a little north of west. Reaching Oakley Creek which I had all to myself, I sailed well up and anchored at 6 p.m. Again, the sun was busy setting up backstays and a vivid yellow sunset indicated more wind on the morrow.

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Wednesday. I nearly had a heart attack as the forecast was for hot weather. Sure enough, the sun blazed out of a clear sky and there was a fresh cool breeze from the east. Pumping up the 7’ 6” inflatable and loading it with supplies, radio (for forecasts), ordnance survey map, clothes and electronic metal detector, I commenced to explore the maze of channels associated with Pewit Island which has remained unchanged for hundreds of years. The E.M.D. is responsible for Britain's latest outdoor activity - locating buried treasure. If there was any smuggler's gold around, I was going to find it. However, the thick long grass prevented me from getting near the ground, so, before developing a technique to deal with this problem, I transferred my attention to a delightful little sandy shore and immediately had an indication of something deep down. I eventually dug up a magnificent, pristine can of Dutch beer (empty). I knew that I would find something in this area. On my way back to the Roamer, the sun was so hot that I had to wear a sun hat, plastic mack and a towel over my legs to avoid severe sunburn. There was no one to comment on my appearance and the curlews did not mind.

Thursday, weather as yesterday. This day I discovered another stretch of unspoilt sandy shore and as I walked along it I spied another in the distance which I could not reach because of deep water channels, and the fresh onshore wind would have made a coastal trip in the tender a wet business. It would keep until next season no doubt as this area is off the beaten track except for cruising dinghies and wildfowlers. No wonder some people stick to dinghy cruising all their lives. I continued my exploration of this area which included getting lost in a channel which came to a dead end. The tide was now falling so I landed on a steep bank, hauled the inflatable to the top and on the other side was a deep water channel leading to the boat whose mast I could see in the distance.

Friday. Still fair weather with wind E. F2-3. Left at 6 a.m. with genoa set and sailed back down the coast and had a look at a few miniature creeks along the Dengie Flats before sailing through the Ray Sand channel to the Crouch where I anchored in the River Roach at 2.30 p.m.

Saturday. Left at 6.10 a.m. with full sail, wind N.E. F3-4. 8 miles down the Crouch the wind increased to F4-5 and with wind against tide, the waves were soon above eye level with breaking crests about a foot deep. The whole sky was covered by small clouds with the sun beaming down between them giving a remarkable appearance. I took in a reef and changed to storm jib in case things became worse. Left to her own devices Roamer’s motion was violent and I felt obliged to lie down on the foredeck when changing jibs. These were the conditions which really tested the ability of the boat to look alter herself. Once under way again it was not more than 1/2 hr. before I was rounding the Whitaker Beacon and out of the rough water. Sailing up the Swin channel, I checked off the buoys until I was off the Havengore passage and made my way across the sands which were just covered thus hiding the deeper channels. I used a mixture of walking with a tow rope and rowing when I reached a channel. The current through these was so fierce that I could not hold the boat and had to leap on the foredeck. I was soon near enough to the coast to see the lifting bridge but could not see the beacon marking the entrance. By now the wind was E. F5 and onshore so that waves were buffeting the boat even though the depth was about a foot. After a lot of walking I thought I saw the entrance so let the boat drive ashore. Just before I grounded, I realised I had walked too far and was trying to get in one of the blocked entrances. Around me were several obstructions so I was literally driving myself into a corner.

Down went the anchor then I tidied up the boat and set sail under main only. The boat had to go off on the wrong tack of course with an obstruction dead ahead and little chance of coming about in those conditions with plate and rudder up so gybed round with only an inch or two under the keel hoping for the best then thankfully shot out into deeper water and made my way along the coast to the correct entrance where the beacon stood proud and alone, obvious to all except the semi-blind. Passing under the bridge which the vigilant bridge keeper had raised for me while some distance off, I sailed through the backwaters to a tributary of the Roach and anchored at 4 p.m. It had been a hectic day but the sun was hot so I could take things easy and plan my next activity which was food.

Sunday. Early morning conditions were much as yesterday so I thought I would sail north in the evening. This was a mistake for it was blowing N.E. F6-7 by the afternoon so I had a lazy day reading and doing odd jobs.

Monday. Started off at 6 a.m. with the idea of getting through the Ray Sand channel before the wind came up but I was being struck by F5-6 squalls after sailing only a mile so gave up and sailed to a creek near Paglesham where I landed in the inflatable, rang up my wife and bought a loaf and a few other supplies in case I was storm bound for a few days.

Tuesday. A grey discouraging start to the day so started off timidly close reefed as forecast was N.E. F5-7 and I did not want to reef halfway along the Ray Sand in wind against tide conditions with every chance of going aground. This meant, of course, that the wind was about N.E. F3 until I got fed up with slow progress and shook out both reefs at the mouth of the Crouch. 5 minutes later I was overpowered by squalls and had to put both reefs back. 10 minutes later I was tacking slowly down the Ray Sand in F3. I slowly made my way up the coast in long and short tacks. As the tide was about to turn and flow south, I decided to reach the Blackwater a little sooner by sailing over the edge of the shallows with plate half up and touching occasionally. I was in this position when the wind suddenly banged up to F5 and I was on a lee shore surrounded by breakers which took only a few minutes to form. There was no chance of coming about because it would have taken some time to pick up enough speed and all the time I would be driven further ashore so it was a case of gybing round and pulling the plate up at the samc moment. With helm up she came round and I decided to let her gybe all standing whilst I concentrated on getting the plate up which took a little time as I had no quick action cleats aboard and the hoist wire had snarled up. The boat should be able to cope. Unfortunately my weight was on the lee side when the boom did come over so the test was more severe than intended. I don't know to what angle she heeled but it was quite alarming and I had a fleeting thought that this testing business could be overdone.

Now I could beat out into deep water again and this tine I kept well out until I reached the Blackwater where the wind came aft and slowly moderated to F4. I reached Maldon about 1 1/2 hours later after a phenomenally long passage of 11 hours but feeling that the boat was beginning to show her ability to look after the crew which is the main aim of the design.