Defeat at the hands of Europe!

The way I think of it is that sometimes old and cunning beats young and fit, and sometimes young and fit defeats old and cunning. I fear I've somehow managed to arrive at old without acquiring the cunning.

Ha, I've always been that 'old' person, I didn't start competing til i was thirty, so had to be a bit cunning in the world of young fit kids.

But Twiname had it dialled , there are two basic things you need, one boat/board speed, basically the ability to make it go at least as fast as everyone else (that's the bit I still haven't got in dinghies) two the knowledge of where to go, I was always lucky in knowing that bit, it became instinctive, got to the point it's almost like cheating, I couldn't believe it was 'allowed', anyway it saved my ass on numerous occasions when some young fit hotshot was tearing all over the course, generally in the wrong direction.

Anyway, that girl.. she's got both, in spades.

Edited by iGRF - 21 Feb 14 at 10:35pm

I've owned a couple of Europes, and raced against some very good Europe sailors - the time spent in the boat, week in, week out, by some people who were already very talented makes a small boat go far faster than one thinks it ought. The Yardstick of the Europe was hellish for many years - 1139, I think it was, for a boat a foot shorter than a Solo with a metre less sail.

Loved sailing it, especially in a blow. What put me off in the end was the low boom - not the getting under it, but the feeling of being somewhat cut off from the rest of the fleet - all you can see is the sail! Buying the Lightning gave me a similar feeling boat - albeit with fewer tuning possibilities - but with a bit bigger hull and a better view! I do sometimes look at photos of my old boat and wonder whether another one would be fun.

It happened again today, lucky for me i was languishing at Hythe, all rigged and no wind down there yet the Lake crew obviously got one in and the Europe piloted by my Topper nemesis Yvonne Mumford who is Karens sister, came through the fleet life a knife through butter I understand and she did it coming from behind, dangerous combination that, good Topper sailors switching into it, now I'm even more certain I'm not going to show myself up by trying one.

Really annoyed at missing the race though, spent all day yesterday bimbling the Alto, the bread knife not speaking to me, a warm bright day and I ended up doing nothing worthwhile, our anemometer was stationary, yet the lake had a passable breeze on it, very strange indeed, we need a webcam/weather station down there.