Who was out this weekend?.....

Went to Whitstable twice, but only got out yesterday after some technical issues on Saturday led to a hour or so of percussive maintenance in front of the clubhouse (hello to any Whitstable folks reading who were amused by this display). Pity, the wind was rather better on Saturday, though we achieved what we set out to achieve on Sunday (which wasn't what we'd set out to achieve on Saturday.

Originally posted by Ross That almost looks like you've purchased an 18 foot skiff.

*DING DING DING*

We have a Winner!

That almost looks like you've purchased an 18 foot skiff.

Baled on going to Weymouth speed week and raced the Blaze instead.

As usual when I do something I'm not supposed to God punishes me..

Over at the start, came back to reround, got into irons, pfafed about,
evetually rounded the windward mark last. Quite a breezy first reach
caught a couple of tail enders including my mate in his Phantom, baled
and chicken gybed at the wing mark, I am such a pussy, back to last place
after a second session in irons, irons at the gybe ffs, get a grip you
woman..

Manned up a bit from thereon in, it was quite breezy by now and a
couple of shifts had me back in contention, managed to handle the
gybing on the run in a more masculine manner, scored another decent
beat as the weather began to take it's toll on the fleet, with breakages
spillages lollipop shaped spinnakers on poles pointing skyward with
bodies hanging over the side, spinnaker poles chucked in the drink and
lost, lasers death rolling, but the final triangle a brisk 4 -5 gave me the
first taste of what the Blaze boys must be going on about of it's reaching
speed, just about managed to hang out far enough to sheet in on a tight
reach but nearly went over the front when the lee wing contacted a wave
and almost stopped me dead.
Then I actually nearly did a text book gybe (well if the text book included
a bit where the sheet gets ripped out of your hand and deposited over the
lee gunwhale) I did manage to get it back and sat on the label down the
next reach watching the nose perpetually bury in every damn wave that
came along, I did consider body dragging out of the back at one point in
and effort to get enough weight back far enough to lift the nose.

Turned out I managed third over the water but I suspect a laser might
have finished close enough to knock me back to fourth on handicap,
thanks to breakages and an enthusiastic race officer binning a few for not
finishing or going through the course correctly, so not so bad after all..

I had my Start Racers on Saturday morning and my Level Ones in the afternoon (let's hope I never get them mixed up).  Both groups are really fun and interesting to work with and we all had a great time on the water.  Excellent weather helped.

No sailing for me on Sundays until after an exam this Wednesday.  Then the contender gets to show just how little 'time in the boat' I have spent this year and I go and embarrass myself at the Inlands....