Post by BMBA Admin on May 25, 2009 22:55:40 GMT
I'll leave it to someone more eloquent and literate than I to give a proper report of our exploits this weekend.
Just have to say that I had an absolute blast today. After spending the weekend tearing up Fowey harbour with the rabble and battling the spring tides up river from Penmarlam, New Boy and I decided to join in with the Bank Holiday races this morning. Which, it turns out, were way, way out beyond the harbour bar.
Sailing down from Golant to meet up with him at Penmarlam for 9am was bliss. Deep, deep blue-green river, long straight, out flowing spring tide and the wind behind you. The peace and quiet of 8 o'clock Sunday morning disturbed only by the crack of my top batten as I gybed from reach to reach. You really had to be there to feel it. But only I was, which I guess was kind of half the charm
The morning race was fun. Thrashed New Boy, who we've discovered hates tidal flow. And I really mean hate with a capital Huh. However, he returned the favour this afternoon, when in strengthening conditions (let's just settle on calling that a modest understatement) and with the tide turned his extra weight and the recently uncanny pointing ability of Painted Lady gave him a decided advantage on the beat.
But before the final beat in to the harbour, back out at sea, the reach, oh the reach.... Utterly awesome. Atlantic has never, ever moved so fast. And I count day one of last year's Nationals in that. Went round the gybe mark, picked a lane of clean air and just pumped up onto the plane (once, naturally) sat back and rode the rush of pure, unadulterated adrenaline (and just a little bit of terror) for the next forever. Though it was, at times, a bit like having the tiger by the tail....
So sea, no problem. Utter pleasure. Very salty, but managed not to fall in. The swell added interest. In a good way. I thought the Moth coped with it well, but in that respect tide and location and conditions of the day were being kind to us. Wide, rolling sort of waves, so no sharp, short choppy smacking of the hull, at least not on the reach. Wouldn't want to beat to windward in much more than we had however. Talking of which . . .
Back up the river, after leaving New Boy at Penmarlam, and then turning the corner for the beat back to Golant .... That was quite different. The spring tide rushing back in was having, shall we say "issues" with the, by now, quite determined wind that had built up over the day and was coming down river against it.
Once around the corner from Penmarlam, there is a long, long straight back to Golant. I've today discovered it kind of funnels the wind. Beating back up it through two foot standing waves complete with white caps is, to say the least, interesting.
It is the only single time this week I've been just the little bit, well, I wouldn't say scared, just kind of "Oh, what have you got yourself into now you fool!" which, to be fair, suggests my sailing has improved on last year, as that was then how I felt for most of the duration.
But we made it, and now we've made it I can say it was fun, wouldn't have missed it for the world, but not really in a rush to do it again
Though the sea...
Got to have more of the sea.
A planing (or should that be planning?) reach forever really does make the beat back worthwhile
Just have to say that I had an absolute blast today. After spending the weekend tearing up Fowey harbour with the rabble and battling the spring tides up river from Penmarlam, New Boy and I decided to join in with the Bank Holiday races this morning. Which, it turns out, were way, way out beyond the harbour bar.
Sailing down from Golant to meet up with him at Penmarlam for 9am was bliss. Deep, deep blue-green river, long straight, out flowing spring tide and the wind behind you. The peace and quiet of 8 o'clock Sunday morning disturbed only by the crack of my top batten as I gybed from reach to reach. You really had to be there to feel it. But only I was, which I guess was kind of half the charm
The morning race was fun. Thrashed New Boy, who we've discovered hates tidal flow. And I really mean hate with a capital Huh. However, he returned the favour this afternoon, when in strengthening conditions (let's just settle on calling that a modest understatement) and with the tide turned his extra weight and the recently uncanny pointing ability of Painted Lady gave him a decided advantage on the beat.
But before the final beat in to the harbour, back out at sea, the reach, oh the reach.... Utterly awesome. Atlantic has never, ever moved so fast. And I count day one of last year's Nationals in that. Went round the gybe mark, picked a lane of clean air and just pumped up onto the plane (once, naturally) sat back and rode the rush of pure, unadulterated adrenaline (and just a little bit of terror) for the next forever. Though it was, at times, a bit like having the tiger by the tail....
So sea, no problem. Utter pleasure. Very salty, but managed not to fall in. The swell added interest. In a good way. I thought the Moth coped with it well, but in that respect tide and location and conditions of the day were being kind to us. Wide, rolling sort of waves, so no sharp, short choppy smacking of the hull, at least not on the reach. Wouldn't want to beat to windward in much more than we had however. Talking of which . . .
Back up the river, after leaving New Boy at Penmarlam, and then turning the corner for the beat back to Golant .... That was quite different. The spring tide rushing back in was having, shall we say "issues" with the, by now, quite determined wind that had built up over the day and was coming down river against it.
Once around the corner from Penmarlam, there is a long, long straight back to Golant. I've today discovered it kind of funnels the wind. Beating back up it through two foot standing waves complete with white caps is, to say the least, interesting.
It is the only single time this week I've been just the little bit, well, I wouldn't say scared, just kind of "Oh, what have you got yourself into now you fool!" which, to be fair, suggests my sailing has improved on last year, as that was then how I felt for most of the duration.
But we made it, and now we've made it I can say it was fun, wouldn't have missed it for the world, but not really in a rush to do it again
Though the sea...
Got to have more of the sea.
A planing (or should that be planning?) reach forever really does make the beat back worthwhile