So, the Open Day Race…
It was windy and very gusty. It wasn’t for the feint hearted. It was great! A bit of apprehension as the more experienced sailors reefed their sails but I was keen to get out on the water. I did OK too. I managed the gusts and stayed on my boat for the most part. Funnily enough I only fell off twice, both times when the gust suddenly disappeared leaving me hanging off my boat with nothing in the sail to counter my weight. I’m not sure they were capsizes really, more like me jumping backwards off the boat and thus kicking it away as I did so. Is that a capsize?
hustle and bustle in a busy club house
Anyway. People turned up. Tea was drunk and lots of sailing took place. My mum and dad even turned up to see what I was up to. and Jess and the kids. With lots of people who had turned up to ‘have a go’ and potential new members the club house was fuller than I’ve ever seen it.
Andrew suggested a race. A small figure of eight circuit across the front of the club house with (I think) 8 boats, the experienced sailors taking out people who had come up for ‘taster sessions’. Recognising the obvious dangers Andrew expertly went over the ‘give way’ rules for racing. What could possibly go wrong?
The one minute to go hooter went and saw Noddy, Charles and me in almost perfect place for the starting hooter. We were off.
It does look good with boats on it
Here’s how I remember the rest (after several conversations):
Charles got off first, followed by Noddy then me. What went on behind me I’m yet to find out. I was travelling faster than Noddy who – though he was in an Enterprise – had his sail reefed and was carrying passengers so was obviously not racing. I tried to overtake him on the outside when rounding a bouy but this left me further behind. I was happy with that though because it put some distance between us so I could sail without the fear of a collision. I caught him up again. Rounding the next bouy I decided to try to pass him on the inside. Now what were those rules about overtaking? Windward boat? Two boat lengths? Shouting something? Starboard Tack? Right of way? Ah I remember – panic and hope the more experienced sailor sees you and gets out of the way.
Charles takes five
I picked the optimum panic moment. It was as the huge wake from Noddy’s boat engulfed my bow like a tsunami. My poor little boat nose dived like a submarine with a puncture. Tony rounded the bouy in front of me as I came round the wrong side of it. Unable to steer I did the next best thing and shouted “look out” or “man the rescue boat” or something.
At this point I’m not sure of the exact sequence of events. Not that it matters because the result was the finest comedic carnage.
Still in front of Noddy, Charles shot past. Just as I heard him shout “Watch out for my boom” I felt something hook through my jacket and into my buoyancy aid. Yoink! I was pulled backwards off my boat. I can’t remember whether it was before or after this point that my boat T-boned Noddy’s with one hell of a thud. His main sheet ended up tangled around people and bits of boat that it shouldn’t have but his boat did stay upright. Not so for poor Charles. My weight on the end of his boom arrested the forward movement of his vessel and off he flew. Carnage.
race route
As the sail on Charles’ boat filled with water and began to sink I could feel whatever was stuck in my back trying to take me down with it. It wasn’t enough to drag me under it but wasn’t something I was comfortable with. Charles was also caught up in some of his rigging and I couldn’t see how he was as I had my back to him. I eventually freed myself by ripping whatever I was snagged on out of my clothing. I turned to see Charles was OK and trying to right his boat. I set about recovering my boat and off we set to finish the race like the plucky chaps we are.
Great fun and the perfect end to a great day’s sailing and socialising…. Except that is for the couple of pints and the huge Sunday Lunch in the Great Western afterwards.
