Highcliffe, Jesus what a night. We slept in Tim's horrific yellow microbus. All of us. I think we were supposed to stay at your house or that is what I was told. Now I know why we did'nt hahahah. Anyhow I had to bail early as I was so trashed. I did'nt even see the stripper.
Dear John. He was UK Nacra and Prindle champ many times. I remember in the races that stag day I was calling the course for ever focused John on the 19 and seeing an absolute lunatic way way overstander come reaching down as neared the windward mark. This fellow was now coming from behind and higher with miles more way than us on a big breaking wave as fast as a cat can go in those big seas. I expected that he was going to pass in front, head up, probably stall and then miss the mark. I just saw him, told John to do exactly what I told him and stand on but pinch up slightly (he hated that) and ignore anything that might happen next. You know how John would lose it sometimes briefly if distracted. Anyhow whoever it was could'nt harden up and and just massively pitchpoled at full chat one boat to leeward one boat in front. John just turned to me with that look and shouted, "y++ b+st+rd" in his best NZ vowel depleted way. We never made it out for Sunday we were so wrecked.
I am still in touch with Tim. I was off sailing when I went to the Middle East for a few years and then ran a J105 for my lawyer wife. Very boring so started racing motorcycles for a while as I had done in the Middle East. Just got back into it with the Nacra as we already had it in a warehouse gathering dust. Running this now very custom NA6 that we had stored and figuring out what to do next. Boys are sailing too as crew. We are having immense fun. Depending how things go Tornado is probable next bet.
I see that the Tornados are very active at Stokes but we are in the USA at least for a bit longer. At least until we start drilling for gas in the Kimmeridge.
Good to hear from you Paul. I am still fairly crap as a helm but who cares when you have that much power.