Who was out this weekend?.....

Test sailed a Vago we currently have on trial.

Not the best boat to sail in gusty conditions solo!

Then watched everyone capsize during racing including at the start, very entertaining.

i was out in the 600 both days, saturday was getting daft with the gusts and shifty as a shifty place in shifty conditions, not ideal for 600 sailing but i went out on the big rig anyway. I probably shouldn't have in reflection, but it was fun. The boat was going from sitting by the mast underpowered to flat out on the wire cranking on the kicker and downhaul til the downhaul eye was at gooseneck level. I cant remeber where i finnished, i think i was the only boat in fast handicap. It was great fun but as the gusts came through a couple of times it felt like the mast was going to break, it was an odd feeling having everything bouncing around as the gusts came through. In the end the only thing to break was the clevis pin pulling out of the mainsheet block.

Sunday was less windy and less gusty but i was the only boat in fast handicap again but i went out for a play anyway.

Saturday got pretty full on at Grafham- rig breaking for some. We ripped a kite and blew out a jib. Sunday was a bit more genteel, sat/lay* on the foredeck for much of it. Did badly- out of seven races:
Race 1: missed the start due to conjestion at the slipways.
Race 2: Retired after pissing it in whilst trailing badly. A gybe drop from a rather hot angle was, on reflection, a bad plan, though it was partly forced by traffic. Small tear in foot of kite due to not taping spit rings on forestay combined with an attempt to windward launch at too high an angle.
Race 3: Last. Swimming didn't help.
Race 4: getting tired, Barry getting annoyed with various tangles, went ashore whilst it was still reasonably quiet...

Race 5: Not last! Yay! But speed and pointing upwind seemed to be severely lacking, and whilst we weren't doing badly down wind, the best heavy lads like us can do is keep in touch in those conditions. Frustrating

Race 6: DFL

Race 7: Following the pack, and a little luck, we managed our best result of the weekend... one of the other boats had a shocker, having banged right on the first couple of laps, and built a fifty yard lead out of the gate at the end of the second, they went right again... and were overtaken. By everyone. They trailed in last in the dieing wind. Gutting...

Was out in the 600 for a blast on saterday and done some filming for my GCSE PE video http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ccwXnFeRIE4 

Edited by Splosh

Saturday - Drilled some holes in someone elses boat, rebuilt his kicker, and saw the worried look on his face when I started lifting the boat by the kicker ... (Went and practiced reversing with the trailer on in an industrial estate in Watford .. I can now do a s-turn in reverse with the boat on the back, and get it into a bay ... without unhitching!  )

Sunday - Was still asleep when they started the races! Vareo is packed up for Grafham already, and I had other plans ... Good job too, after hearing what the wind was (or wasnt ... ) like!