Yep,

What an exciting and exhilarating weekend. Full on max sailing with challenges from every direction. The upwind/downwind gate is a feature of the Grafham Cat Open. We run the same course at Rutland. It ensures that the race committee can keep track of the boats and manage the race. It did cause a number of DSQs especially in the first race. I am told I fell foul of this but I don't remember passing through the gate downwind. Far too busy watching 30+ other boats converging on a 100 metre wide leeward gate at speeds of 15-20 knots. Yes I clocked 18knts on the Garmin, no wiring downwind, too many nasty gusts for that.

I managed to keep the boat upright using max downhaul, max spanner rotation and easing the traveller. Easing the traveller 6-12 inchs really calms the boat down.

I managed all 6 races up to the last lap on the final race when the wind blew up, in my estimation, to a steady F7 with gusts. Spray was blowing off the tops of the waves. It was so strong that the leech on the main was flogging. There were two singlehanders left in the race, Ian Smith on his Shadow ( member of my local club) and me. There was 100 metres between us. We looked at each other and headed for home. Annoyingly seconds after Ian crossed the gate the race committee raised the shortened course flag.

More than once I got the spinnaker sheet under the bows. Any advice on how to stop thi happening. Its slow having to stop, climb to the front and retrieve the sheet.

Looking forward to Datchet in 2 weeks. Just need to repair the dent in the hull where I fell on the boat coming in off the trapeeze.