Bad news, Good news, Good news

Ok, bad news we were at the back of the field in the IRC class again last night. Another bad start put us there and we couldn't make it back on the dying breeze. Nuff said - the last RAC race is on sunday and we will be in the front rank on the start or OCS no matter what.

The first good news is that probably over a dozen dolphins were out to play with us while we were racing; jumping, tail standing and cackling. Really beautiful, and we're so lucky to have them so happy in our bay.

The real good news yesterday is the announcement by Artemis that they are creating an offshore school of excellence both at the Weymouth and Portland  National Sailing Academy and at La Grande Motte in the med in the winter. Sailing wise, I don't think it's necessary to have a warm winter venue other than to experience med conditions and terrain and of course to make sure the condidates can speak french. I'll let you read the announcement for yourselves at http://www.artemisoceanracing.com/news/view/artemis_investment_management_continues_commitment_to_british_sailing/

I haven't really been that bothered about the  WPNSA, the olympic sailing and RYA programmes, as they seemed to have little relevance to the club racing and offshore scenes that we're involved in. However, my attitude has changed and it's great to see the kids that are learning to sail here on our doorstep and the Offshore school has got to be the right way for Britannia to rule the waves in solo and short handed sailing. Well done Artemis. We'll have Samuel enrolled in a few years time!

Round the Island Race

I'm glad I changed my mind and decided to race, we had an amazing time on Rattler.
It started well with the feeder race from Weymouth with 10 boats on the start line, unfortunately it was so light in the bay that we had the engine on for 35 minutes until we found some wind. It was a shame to retire but really it was all about the delivery to Cowes.
The race around the Isle of Wight  itself was a classic and probably one of the better ones I've done. There was plenty of wind allowing a circumnavigation in just under 8 1/4 hours, which after the 0600 start (or was it 0601 for us!) meant that we were back in the marina at a very reasonable time.
Highlight has to be the tussle we had with the other Figaro 1 entered - Black Diamond around the top of the island. We got to the finish line in front of them but not by much. Really good to sail against another Figaro. I think it's probably quite a while since Groupe Partouche (Rattler) and Assiwa (Black Diamond) have sailed against each other.
We were so exhilarated that we even danced later...or maybe that was the Red Bull?
A photo of Richard a la barre, he drove really well:

Coutts Quarter Ton Cup

I'm very enthusiastic about the quarter tonners at the moment, it seems to me that this class is the kind of Grand Prix yacht racing that penniless can thrashers like myself can aspire to. I've just watched the video of race 1 on the unofficial Quarter Ton Blog http://quartertonners.wordpress.com/

We could have entered when we had the GK24 but it's not really the ship to use, and we couldn't afford the brand new North sails that everyone seems to be sporting. Saying that, there's alot of hard work put in by the owners to restore these fine machines of yesteryear and with multiple ownership I guess it all becomes a bit more possible to race at what appears to me a very high level. It's also a class and type of sailing that has UK sailors out front and that's where we should be.

I'd never sell FarrOut but perhaps we can find an old quarter behind somebody's shed. But after sailing a Laser 28 it might have to be a Farr......chances of finding one of those? Where's Nenufarr?

Post Script: A disparaging remark on Sailing Anarchy this morning related to a quarter tonner laying flat after a broach. Maybe they think the fun of sailing is all about doing well....they obviously don't appreciate a good high speed crash like we do on FarrOut!

Family Trip to Lulworth

FarrOut and Rattler enjoyed a day out to Lulworth Cove on sunday with the girls and kids. Fun was had by all and the conditions were sunny and a lovely breeze. Kite to Lulworth and close hauled back. Samuel enjoyed life at 45 degrees on the way home:

No race

Howling wind from the NE caused the race to be cancelled this thursday. So here's a nice photo of the jamon that we eat at Stuart's house instead.

Rear Admiral's Cup 2 - Hugh Rose Trophy

We battled on saturday to actually finish the race, but there was no wind to be had quite soon after we'd rounded the windward mark at Arish Mell in third place. In fact there were only two finishers of the race Snow Goose and a half tonner from the RNSA called High Hopes which looked like a good fast boat.

Darren and Kerry had gone on Manana as we had too many people and Mickey didn't have enough in the light airs. It was fun trading tacks with them and watching them hoist all the headsails that they had including the drifter and the blooper. Manana's offshore track seemed better than our inshore when the wind shut off!

Still a nice day out on the water but no results for WSC boats in this race. Let's hope we have good breeze for the third and final race on 27th. I'm absolutely determined that the cup is coming to our club this year!

End of thursday 1 series.

So no cup for FarrOut at the end of the thursday one series. What can I say: we were forced right on the first beat, everyone else went left. The breeze filled from the left, game over.

A new thursday series starting next week.....