Tough Economy

There must have been 7 Mach2 's sailing yesterday at HISC. I wasn't one of them but I did get to see the smiles on the guys faces as they came in, and so last night I went to bed early determined to do well today.

A reaching start with a big windward/leeward was very "America's Cup" and I think I'm finding my feet again after a non too impressive period. Ricky and I rounded the bear away together and I led by a boat length at the leeward mark, which at 26 knots wasn't far away. I felt I had really good upwind speed but couldn't tack, until I reminded myself that you do actually have to cross the boat at some point! Ricky's vang rope broke and that was his race over, and I found myself a really long way in the lead.

I'm still surprised how it happened, and still kicking myself for not doing a "gack", but anyway trying to tack in about 18 inches of water tends to produce only one result.

I could see Mike Lennon in the distance and was frantically dragging my boat back upwind into deeper water. It was a long pull and in the end I just jumped in, and with the boat bouncing along the bottom I took off again with the uncertainty of Wilbur Wright's first attempt, I was on on a dead run but up nevertheless "up".

I'm still amazed at the punishments these Mach2's can take and equally my ineptitude in a harbour that I've only been sailing in for 3/4's of my life. Anyway I just crossed Mike, keeping my lead and had no further incidents.

When I got in there wasn't even a scratch on the foils. just a bit of sicaflex missing from the tip. A bit that I'd put in last week. Sure, other designs may be cheaper but none are as tough as a Mach2!