Six Mach 2's put some hours in on Saturday out in Hayling bay where the water and sky were matching blue and the wind danced around 8 to 10 knots. I had decided that I would try to be "professional" with the limited time I had to train before the Europeans. That meant knowing which mast I was using, getting a good nights sleep, eating well and making every yard count.
So I was feeling good as I sailed out into the bay with Richard Lovering, Ricky Tagg, Mike Lennon, Jason Russell and Graham Simmonds. Anyway back to trying to be professional, and noticing that the wind was building I'd changed from my stiff mast to my soft mast as the wind hit 12 knots before I launched.
So I was feeling a bit vulnerable as the breeze softened.. but I was pleased with my speed. Acceleration upwind was a bit down but height was good although much had to do with just getting into the groove. You could add another knot by just sailing well as Haylings short chop threw us around a bit.
Sunday was race day and we started with the fast handicap fleet on an impossibly short line in just enough wind to come out of a tack and foil again after a few yards.
I lead the fleet out followed by Mike and I felt I had good height and pace, again using the soft mast, but as the sea breeze filled in we spent the rest of the time reaching between marks. Still fun lapping 14's with only half the race gone though.
Later I lent my boat to Ollie Spensley-Corfield who posted a first time out run of 20 knots! As the breeze built Mike and Richard hooked up the gusts and put in some impressive speeds in the impossible short channel where the Speed Puck and the shore played Russian roulette. Mike hit 26.7 I think.
Just great fun.
No comments:
Post a Comment