Winter Series 2

After not getting a race last week due to there being no wind at all, it was irony that this weeks race should also be abandoned due to too much wind or perhaps race officer panic.

Steve Fraser's report on the WSC website shows it quite nicely with a photo of FarrOut goosewinging into the leeward mark after having done an early kite drop.

http://www.wsc.org.uk/node/1688

The upwind section after this point with a lot of wind prompting me to request shortening sail. Sharpo (driving) preferred just to flog the crap out of the sails and rig, I had to point out to Stephen (main trim) that he could say that because it wasn't his rig! We took a reef....a good move as we were then met with 41.8 knots of wind. Interesting that the tough little Laser with 7 on board seemed to fair a lot better in the weather than some bigger and more expensive boats. God love her.

The best bit for us was a lovely chinese gybe following a little lay down. Two crew, Jon and Alice got wet legs in that one. They were smiling afterwards. Rumrunner did something similar but managed to break their spinnaker pole. Shame.

Vendee Globe starts tomorrow 1302 GMT

I can't wait. If there's any yacht racing that I love to follow it's this.

The Daily Sail have had Alex Thomson and Mike Golding on the pontoons walking around the boats and having a chat. There's a few videos on YouTube, this one about Bernard Stamm's Chiminees Poujoulat:



If you're doing the Virtual Regatta Vendee Globe, then I'll be FarrOutGBR814WeySC