Forecast: Sunny spells and patchy cloud, max 16 deg, min 7 deg.

Wind east or north east 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in south, visibility mod occasionally poor. HW 12.42 BST.

Ian Johnson had already pumped most of the water out of the bilges when Jack and I arrived with the recharged battery. The Three Brothers' head rope was slackened so the stern was next to the slip for ease of boarding. The gear was placed aboard after the life jackets had been taken out of the museum locker.

The Pirate Ship was asked for a tow which meant we had about 15 minutes to get ready. The small jib sail was deployed and the three reeves from the last sail were kept in the main sail. The rudder was positioned after the Three Brothers was moved alongside the head buoy, and the dinghy secured to the head rope. The Pirate Ship came to pick up the tow just as Ian was fastening one end of the tow rope to the Three Brothers' front cleat. The tow was faster than the previous week because the sea was not quite as choppy.

The tow was dropped near racing buoy no.9 and the bow sprit run out, followed by hoisting the jib and then the main sail. A course was set towards the south sewage outfall buoy, but the easterly wind meant that we were not able to go far enough seawards by the time we travelled far enough southwards. We tacked towards the buoy and then sailed towards the North Bay. The wind was a force 3 at best so when we were opposite Trinity Cut we turned and headed back into the south bay. The sewage outfall buoy was soon reached and passed as bubbles were streaming from or stern. Ian then turned the Three Brothers about so that we passed the buoy on the seaward side. A course was then set back to the south bay.

When we were opposite the harbour entrance we turned eastwards to approach the entrance and gibed as we moved to a position south of the entrance. Another gibe brought us to a northerly course with the harbour entrance at our bows.

We sailed into the harbour just as the Pirate Ship was sailing out so as the wind was favourable we turned and headed slowly towards our berth. The main sail was dropped as we passed the dredger and the jib was lowered when we had reached the end of the chicken run. We had enough way to reach our dinghy and the mooring ropes, but we had the oars ready just in case!

The bowsprit was run in and the sails stowed away before disembarking at 1.30 pm.

Three Brothers crew: Albert Brownhill, Frank Bull, Ian Johnson, Ian and Jack Thompson.

   Photos by Ian Thompson

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Contact michael.wilson@tesco.net for further information.