Who was out this weekend?.....

Thanks Bert!

I went out on a Topper Vibe for the first time. It's a new boat for the helm too and he wanted to give it a try with a crew who's not afraid of swimming. Just as well because we capsized twice! It was in a NE force 5 with big gusts, that's my excuse anyway.

Did my 1st ever Topper open (at the tender age of 41!).  One of my Kids group didn't feel well on the Sunday morning, so the others ganged up on me to "put my money where my mouth is".  Had a hoot!  Fleet of 64 at Chichester and I came 18th overall (including a 6th!).  It was blowing strong, so my 13st 8 stood me in good stead upwind, but planing and surfing just wasn't happening on the reaches/runs.

Had a great sail at Draycote this Sunday in the 5oh, F3 gusting 4.  No racing just trying to set up the new mast before the 5oh winter series.  Kite haliard to long, jib Halyard needs lengthening.  Kite halyard chaffing somewhere (nearly snapped) our gybing was shocking and needs some work, but we were getting there by the end of the day. The 505 is without doubt the best all round boat i have ever sailed.  Its fast up and downwind, stable, powerful but yet manageable!!  I'm hooked!

Got some sort of fluey hacky cough lurgy kept me up all night, but it was such a nice day, sunny warm and freshening breeze, kind of summers last blast, so went out anyway. Capsized straight after the launch managed to right it without being spat back up the beach, then hung around for seemingly eons whilst the race box flapped about with start sequences that simply petered out. The course was too tight for the kite, so pretty much brought up the rear until the run, then having launched it, the wind dropped only to return mid gybe with a massive gust which set me on a course of further capsizes ending up in an unusual mast close encounter with the bottom, decided it was me not being 100% on par and retired with another capsize ten foot from the beach as I was coming ashore - nightmare.