Snakes and Ladders

Start of the season today and Hayling Island Sailing Club ran an "Average lap" pursuit race to mark the occasion.

Tim Boon in my old boat led Mike Lennon in his Blade Rider and me in my Zero off the line but the three knot tide made life hard. Tim lost a lot in the middle of the course and Mike and I went round together. I had the MSL10B sail up which is the only sail I have that measures at the moment, its built for a breeze and I was just hanging on in this marginal stuff. It was real snakes and ladders but at one stage I pulled out to a leg ahead. On the last lap Mike went round the last leeward mark around 300 metres behind me and I tried to stay between him and the top of the course. Mistake!

I struggled to foil as Mike came in from the right corner and with the wind down to 6knots I understood the lay line and with Mike flying in, I had to put a quick tack in, but it wasnt a quick one and I capsized! Christ I havent done that in a while, and Mike and I went round together. As the wind died I fell off the foils and Mike snatched the win.

Anyway great racing, awkward conditions, I think I expected too much out of the 10B, but I'll have that sorted this week.

Excellent to have some really good competition at this time of the year. God knows how many races I've sailed as the only Moth.

Incidently we sailed off 677 and we finished one and two..