It was strange, but usually when it’s as windy as it was on Saturday there are mutterings of “should we really be going out in this” but I didn’t hear any and it really didn’t cross my mind either.
So it was that 4 crews trudged down the pontoon like lambs to the slaughter, to be met by a steady F6 and wind against tide to boot.
A short course 54 which looped between 30a and 24 three times was set and even I thought that was probably long enough. In fact after the first loop I though it was probably 2 loops too long!
All boats sensibly had one reef in to start and Skipper being 3 up put the 2nd reef in during the race and later reported that they went better with a lot less stress as a result.
We managed to get past the South shore in one tack to 30 which gave us a lead on the other boats as we headed for 24.
Gillingham reach was fun with metre waves and it seemed an increasing wind. The downwind gybe at 30 to go back to 24 was equally as fun – the first being the worst as we all pondered how it was going to go!
We did improve for the other 2 gybes as it certainly made a difference having the reef in.
It turned in to a matter of survival after that but I’m glad to report all boats returned safely with boat and crew unharmed. It just goes to show how strong and safe our little boats are.
I think all boats completed the course – Watersong, Screwloose, Skipper and Cry Havoc in that order? Well done to you all and thank you to the Safety team who kept us and the Dragons company. I think they were cold and wet at the end of it, but don’t of course let this slip to the very cold and wet Richard at the pointy end of our boat, who did a valiant job of keeping most of the water off those at the back!
Paul H Watersong.