Spi bag for companion way launch.

As I couldn't find an easy way to post a picture on the Laser28 forum. Here's a photo of our spi bag arrangement.

Racing cancelled again today! Gusting 50 knots again

Virtual TJV - Finished

FarrOutGBR814WeySC finished the virtual Transat Jacques Vabre last night in 4179th position out of 93,000 odd players. It was fun, but I think I'll wait until the next Vendee Globe to do another one.

GBRToeinthe Water is still going, but I've got a beer on the bar for him.

Hopefully, looking at the forecast, we might be able to do some real sailing this sunday.

Racing Cancelled

Winter series race 2 is cancelled. Thank God. It's blowing a hooley again. We went out to Portland Bill to see the raw power of the gale.

That's Admiral Sam and I with the roughest sea behind us.

Virtual TJV

I've been clawing my way up the rankings trying to recover from the mistake of reaching off south last week. you can almost smell the coffee in Costa Rica.....

Weekend Storm

That's the view on the screen at WSC on saturday when Sam and I went to check Farr Out on her mooring. The gusts actually maxed at 72 odd soon after. She was leaning over heavily against the boat next to her but didn't seem to be in trouble not that we could have done a right lot about it in that breeze.

It's blowing again today (monday) but we did have a weather window for race 1 of the Winter Series. A second for us, we couldn't seem to shake Paul Barford who had that little boat flying. Good to get out but we needed another couple of people on the rail.

Virtual TJV - Lying in the 10,000s at the moment. I've recovered a bit from where I was but to be honest it's going to be hard to win. Having a little sub-race with another British boat "GBR Toe in the Water" which is some more fun.

So close

So close to winning the series....Did the broach on race 4 lose it for us? What would have happened if race 5 hadn't been cancelled? Should we have protested race 3? If race 5 wasn't cancelled would we have been at the club and have protested race 3?

Anyway, well done to Paul and his crew. There's the winter series starting on sunday (although there's a big blow predicted for the weekend).

After stating after the Virtual Vendee Globe that I wouldn't do another virtual yacht race, I'm steering FarrOutGBR814WeySC in the virtual Transat Jacques Vabre. Doing alright at the moment (around 2,500 / 85,000) and am hopefully going the right way.

End of Autumn Series

We did our best to win the series but it was not to be. Paul Barford and his Achilles 24 managed to win the PY autumn series at Weymouth Sailing Club. We haven't got the official results yet but I feel confident that we were second.

Yesterday's race was delayed to a 1335 start due to rememberance day and we started in a cold and brisk northerly wind, gusting to 30 knots with about 24 constant but as always on the northerlies in our bay not very stable. The on-off wind saw Darren doing a lot of work on the mainsheet but keeping us flat and fast at 6.1-6.3 knots upwind under No. 4 headsail and one reef.

The job was one of maintaining a lead so we were going downhill under white sail mostly with a spi hoist only on the last lap. I had to agree that the gusty conditions could easily spin us out and while we were still pulling out our lead and people behind weren't hoisting then that was the right thing to do. On the other hand we had 6 guys on board who all know what they're doing and 25-30 knots of breeze, to me that's a recipe for the most fun you can have in a Laser 28!

When we were all moored up, Paul Barford entertained us by sailing onto his mooring, aborting on go one and going around again only to get a reefing line caught on a pile on the second go thereby pulling his boom off and ripping his mainsail:

Race 5 cancelled.

It's blowing hard here this morning. God did this because our weddings banns are being read in church today and normally I wouldn't be in attendance 'caus I'm sailing.
Some nice gusts, about 49 knots I think. I had a look at the webcam at Overcombe beach and there's some wicked surf. All good windsurfing weather I think, but out of control on a Laser 28 and dangerous for our 1986 rig!