Youth sailors at Keyhaven Yacht Club jubilant after the Thread the Needles event

THE Thread the Needles event was a day that will live in the memories of many of the youth sailors at Keyhaven Yacht Club for a long time.

The young sailors left the confines of Keyhaven and Hurst Castle, into the Solent, out through the Hurst Narrows, across to the Isle of Wight side before tacking up through Colwell Bay, Totland Bay and Alum Bay, around the Needles lighthouse and back through the gap in the Needles, with an epic downwind sail home.

Conditions need to be just right to make this happen, using the ebb tide and the first of the flood tide to get home. There also needs to be enough wind, but not too much, so it is hugely exciting when the forecast plays ball and the decision is made to go ahead with the adventure.

Shepherding 27 kids and 15 boats on a sail like this is no small task, and everyone concerned extends their thanks to Alastair Craig for organising it.

The youngsters sailed incredibly well, and while a few rescues were necessary, it all happened just about as smoothly as reasonably expected.

The gap in the Needles contains a few lurking rocks just beneath the waterline, so they had to be guided through using the RIBs, then driven with hand signals to make sure they were central in the safe corridor.

Once through the gap, the smiles were broad and the exhilaration obvious. This was an adventure they weren’t going to forget in a hurry.

The return trip was much faster, planing downwind with a brief stop on the Island shore in Totland Bay for lunch. Then a fast reach across the Hurst Narrows – the wind built to a peak of 23 knots – and back into the sheltered water behind Hurst Castle.

Once ashore, they were understandably tired but satisfied.