Who was out this weekend?.....

Saturday, started off teaching kids at the club, was teaching a kid one to one and he was sailing around fine with me simply observing yet as soon as I jumped out into the rib he promptly sailed 20m, accidently gybed and fell out . Still sailed very well for an 8 year old, first time ever in the boat and in strong/gusty conditions.

Was blowing its nuts off outside the harbour so I told Dad to bring the Osprey sails down. We headed out through some big swell in the harbour mouth and beating Dad was constantly being kocked by waves that were bigger even thatn last weekends blast. 2- sailed around for a bit and was extremely fun, though he thought that a lack of Safety boat out in that weather was asking for trouble, screamed back into the harbour on top of a wave the promptly buried ourselves in the back of the next one. Good days sailing

Sunday could barely have ben mroe of a contrast. No wind initially and sea as flat as a mill pond. Breeze did pick up for the first race. Had an ok start at the port end of the line, however it was soon evident that the right hand side was better, though we had to wait for 2 cats and a Merlin to get out the way first. Third to the windward mark with a dodgy crew called tack infront of a Fireball though they didn't call for turns. We were thrird to the windward mark overall behind an ISO whom we duelld with for most of the race. We swapped places several times but we finally pulled out on the third beat and maintained the lead to the finish. Was second over the line behind a Spitfire and placed 1st overall which was nice, though it has to be said that our club handicap for the Merlin is rather savage as they're better than the rest of us, Merlin would have won on a better handicap.

Quite windy on Saturday at Bough Beech.  I spent Saturday coaching a bunch of Fevas - most had a capsise so that doesn't say much for the coach.

Sunday at Wilsonian was good.  We had about 8 to 10 mph from the east in spite of a foracast of westerly 6mph.  It produced nice demanding sailing although not strong enough for 4000s to shine in the results.

Race1. Got away to a good start and was 2nd or 3rd around the 1st mark but soon the 800s ground their way past and the Osprey was ahead after taking what I thought was a bit of a flyer.  Still our main rivals were behind.  However they gained and we had a bit of a tacking duel up the shallows and we rounded the next mark ahead of them.  They got to us by the next mark though and we them at the next and so it went on during the race but they were ahead as we finished.  The other 4000 was well behind, the Osprey, a 29er, a canoe and the 800s ahead - some by a good margin.  So we came about 7th out of about 15.

Race 2. Again a commanding position at the first mark - ahead of the Osprey, our rivals, the 29er - the canoe was gone however.  800s all around so looking good.  We were not really challenged by any of these during the race except near the end - which was all down wind.  We had a terrible time with day trippers, power boats and slower asymmetrics sailing too deep and we had to continually gybe to keep clear air or avoid collision, and clearly we were not judging the optimum angel either as on one leg we made no gain on a 600.  We finished barely in front of our rivals, but it was infront, so we were overjoyed but only 8th overal.  I should point out that the canoe is sailed by Mark Goodchild so not too much disgrace.

We had force 4 to 5 with waves at Lancing for our Laser Open. The gybe mark was just off the club in the afternoon and provided great entertainment.

It is now blowing a 5 to 7 from the north and we are off to the club.

i'm quite pleased with myself this weekend. It was the laser open at Hill Head and because there was very little wind (although it built to a very nice 3 for the end of the second race and the third race) i put the full rig on. i enjoyed myself immensely stuffing up steve cockerill when he was trying to barge in at the comittee boat end  (shame they general recalled that race). anyway 20th out of 39 (or possibly 36 im not sure) was good i thought. and what made it even better was the fact that i beat one of my closest rivals in club racing overall and was first Hill Head boat in one race . Also i beat the guy who taught me to sail who came down from essex, that was fun. With the training on Saturday all in all it was a good weekend!

and now its back to the grindstone with a week full of exams.

Originally posted by Villan Yay!!! My cunning plan worked! We got "Junior Boat" and "Junior Helm" trophies today!! Huzzah!

Well done Villan, I must have been at the bar when you got them because I missed it!

It must have been horrid out there though, I had a lovely day sitting in the sun with a beer