Blaze v Phantom v Laser EPS, Celebrity Death Match

I wouldn't take last nights buggering about as the definitive view by a long chalk, by nature I sail stuff very high in those conditions, it's just my way, years of being a lightweight, all we can do is stuff it high. I expect in reality the EPS, in all probability would make better ground sailed loose and fast, I just can't do it, or bring myself to, sailing free and fast, never have, unless the conditions are absolutely perfect.

I wonder if it's a sea versus fresh water thing? Barry in his Phantom in iffy semi planing mode is extremely fast off wind especially if there are surf able waves, and as I said, we were not both on exactly the same point of sailing, I was a bit broad, he had an angle.

At that point it was only blowing 7-8 knots, he is 85-90kgs I'm only 70, I should have been faster but wasn't really, upwind I pulled away, could be our weight difference, off wind he pulled away from me, but like I said, free sailing, open water, no marks to point at.

So when it came to the race, which was a short beat then a long reach then back upwind again, luckily by rounding 1st with the Merlin and taking them to windward, he was left thwarted by the rest of the fleet, long enough for me to get clear and that was what did it, clear air, not inherent boat speed, as is always the case racing, it's not always the boat and its speed, it's where you put it.

The thing I love about this boat is the control I have with it, can put it anywhere I like on the line, it tacks and gybes on a sixpence (compared to anything else I've sailed, not saying its better than any other boat, just the ones I've come across).

Anyway, I'm pleased to read your comments, and bow to superior experience, it would be good if it is indeed faster off wind than him in normal wind conditions, I suspect i might have better technique to weather than him as well. We're neither good dinghy sailors, but have years of racing each other on boards.

First outing for me on the sea was even more rewarding than the fun I've been having on the lake and all that practise of tight courses and mark roundings, multiple tacks has paid dividends, I came very close to winning over the water, was leading half way up the final beat in fairly light conditions until a breeze filled in behind me and brought the Merlin I'd been swapping tacks with over the top of me just before we crossed the line.

So the little legend that this Laser EPS is grows almost with every outing, no doubt once any serious wind and the Blaze shows up it'll be a different story, but right now, I simply can't fault this boat and half the members at my club are scrabbling to see if they can't pick one up after watching it go last night.

Before the race there was a fair breeze from the West, nothing to serious but enough to have it up on its ear a couple of times and a few wavelets to give one an idea of what might happen when the water appears in it's normal horrible bumpy shape. The wings come close but don't quite bury in the bear off, and you have the leverage to ease the sheet then harden up to the crest top before footing off down the face, no worries of boom burying or any of the other issues that have plagued me with other single handers.

I recovered a half ass shift created gybe with the sheet still cleated whilst I was messing with something else (trying to adjust the footstraps), relatively safely by chucking myself up the side. In fact it's about the only thing I can criticise that they don't adjust, but that's more to do with the previous owner I'm going to guess than the original boat designers and easily corrected.

Unfortunately what appeared to be a freshening breeze did the usual thing just as the gun went and dropped so other than my dual with the Merlin which took us considerably away from the bulk of the fleet, which consisted of Contenders that don't like light conditions, an RS400, a Vareo, some Lasersof various denominations, 2ks and standards, a 470, it was a fairly uneventful virtual drift round against the tide, so probably not a fair test, but my first win in it so sweet tasting nonetheless, especially as I came so close to winning actually over the water which would have been super cool, as it was they had me by ten seconds..

The Phantom finished third over the water, we crossed Port Starboard off the line but I think he had a muddle round the first mark, in the earlier practise, I sensed off wind he perhaps had the edge, it was difficult to really tell since we weren't racing hard, I had it upwind but those Phantoms do love the sea off wind and I was broad and he was coming in from an angle, as I said, to early to really tell we'll have to wait a bit for round two, I'm consigned back down the Lake for now, no sense in upsetting them any more, there is nothing worse for a club, than having me around after a win like that..