I got my wetsuite on and did as I was told. With winds reaching 39mph I was soon to find out that a six foot four, thirteen and half stone sailing novice plus a small boat  equals disaster.

It was almost minutes before I was blown helplessly down to the far eastern end of the reservoir – Capsize Corner – a place I know well.  While I was there I decided to do a bit of reservoir maintenance and  drag the lose buoy safely onto dry land. All this took some time. As they couldn’t see me due to the fog the folk in the club house became a little concerned and Stuart sailed out to check that I was OK. I got back in the boat and tried to follow him back to the club house. This wasn’t at all easy as the boat just didn’t want to sail anywhere near the wind. I fought with it for a while and was almost back at the clubhouse when I stalled on a turn. After another 20 minutes of battling and bouncing off the dam wall I ended up back down at Capsize Corner. Where I stayed.

Now all this seemed a little more than the ‘ghostly hand’ that sometimes paralyses Gwyn’s boat so I came to the conclusion that there was a problem with the rigging and as, I’d been over a couple of times, that there might be excessive water in the hull. I decided to un-rig the boat, empty the hull of water, re-rig it and sail happily for the rest of the afternoon. Well, I wasn’t going anywhere else. As I dragged the boat onto the reeds and eventually onto dry land at Capsize Corner I noticed Stuart and Andrew racing. I don’t know how much time passed but the next I knew they’d taken their boats in and walked down the dam wall to help me.

We dragged the boat towards the western end of the reservoir before emptying out the water and rigging it. Then with me on board Andrew dragged it into the spot in the water most likely to enable me to sail happily back to the club house – home and dry. The wind had other ideas and wasted no time in driving me straight towards the dam where, after a couple or three more capsizes and plenty of time in the water I beat a hasty retreat back to my favourite corner. So much for the time spent re-rigging the boat then!

Andrew asked if he might try. Relief!

As I was wading chest deep through the water pulling the boat with Andrew in it back to the launching point I remember feeling like I was in one of those Vietnam war films. I gave Andrew (and the boat) a hearty push. He was off! And it looked like he might make it. Forgetting I was atop the Pennine Moors, in a reservoir, in the rain…and the fog, I tried a celebratory swim. It was fun too but it wasn’t long before I lost all feeling in my fingers so I hopped out and walked back along the dam.

Expertly handling the boat through the horrendous wind Stuart made it back long before I did. Now freezing I changed out of my wet suit and drank a cup of tea before packing the boat away.

You can’t plan day’s out like this. Great experience, great camaraderie and most of all great fun.  The end of the (official) season is closing in fast now but I’m planning on going right through winter.

Wind SW

I thought something was wrong when I arrived at the club to find no boats rigged and people still sitting around clothed.  It wasn’t long before folk sprung into activity and we were soon sorting out who was sailing what and where. To make the race more competitive and enjoyable for the Enterprises, Andrew all but insisted that I take the Laser out again. I did what was best for the club and got it rigged.

We got plenty of races in and as usual there were plenty of incidents. Charles finished the first race almost underwater due to a missing bung, Noddy lost the wind and ended up going against the traffic at the start of a race before crashing into Charles etc… luckily none of them involved me (this time) – well not that I know of anyway.

Due to a rigging mistake I handicapped myself by half a lap in the first race but somehow still managed to come second. Andrew worked out a handicapping system – everyone except me and Philip and Pat could miss the F bouy on the last lap. This proved very effective and the subsequent races all had much closer and exiting finishes. One of the most memorable saw Stuart in his Topper expertly holding me off in the much faster Laser to win the race. I spent most of the races in Philip and Pat’s wake trying to work out how to get past them – I couldn’t of course but it was good fun and educational.

I did win a couple of races, the ones on which I got good starts but up at Redbrook it really is the taking part that is so enjoyable. A glorious autumnal afternoon with some great sailing and wonderful people.

• Me: Laser
• Andrew: Pico
• Stuart: Topper
• Philip & Pat: Enterprise
• Noddy & Milly: Enterprise
• Sally: Topper
• Charles: Topper

Grabbing the end of the sail (we’ve been here before) I was able to navigate my way onto the dam wall where I tied the boat to a rock, de-rigged it and walked back to the club house. Kindly saving me the job Gwyn took to the kayak and rescued the Minisail – forerunner to the Topper. By the time he’d got it back to the jetty I’d got changed and decided to call it a day. I dragged the boat up to the mooring (is that the right word?) and was about to leave when Andrew suggested that I should borrow Philip’s (or Richard’s?) Laser. Hmm, this might just save the day. I began to perk up again.

Meanwhile back at the ranch….

dragon boots

Next season's fashion?

…Gwyn’s quest for the ultimate cold water winter sailing foot furniture has led him to acquire the above! Who else but Gwyn could find such an appropriately eccentric loafer in the Cuckoos Nest? Note also the rubber over sock worn under the shoe, essential to the mechanics of the whole system (I’m pretty sure gaffa tape was involved somewhere too).  Whatever, he was keen to test them out and was soon zipping across the reservoir on Captain Chaos.

Back to the plot

Me and Philip (mostly Philip… a lot mostly Philip) got the Laser rigged and onto the water. It wasn’t the size of the boat or its reputed speed that made me nervous. It wasn’t even because the sail was big enough to have it’s own gravitational field. It had a centre main – the Laser’s mainsheet operates from the centre of the boat, not the transom where I’m used to. I don’t understand the mechanics of this system and the last time I tried was on Charles’s Topper at Rhoscolyn… just before capsizing.

Andrew found a stick (tiller) and a piece of rope (main sheet) and demonstrated the procedure. I practised Tai Chi like on dry land hoping to embed it firmly into muscle memory before getting into the boat. After a while I felt I’d got it. It felt right. I was confident(ish).

I got in the boat and set off for the first race. I managed to get a couple of practice turns in at the start line, it somehow felt different from the Tai Chi on dry land. The starting hooter wailed and we were off. I decided to hang back, take it easy and get used to the boat and the centre main procedure. The boat had another plan all together and it wasted no time in letting me know. My first turn was rather a panicked affair but it kind of worked. It was so inefficient that it put some distance between me and the other boats.  This was good. For everyone. After a few more turns I realised that the technique I had committed to muscle memory only worked when using the tiller extension. I wasn’t using the tiller extension.

I stayed out after the race to practice and got a bit more comfortable using the tiller extension. Changing to centre main was a bit like driving a left hand drive car – it feels a bit weird at first but after a while it feels probably more natural. I think I came 2nd or 3rd in the next race and began to get a feel for the Laser which, after sailing the Minisail – forerunner to the Topper – felt manageable and stable.

Race 3 and I got a really good start. I somehow managed to catch Pat up rather a lot faster than I had the ability to deal with and just about managed to avoid crashing into the back of her. Seconds after this incident Pat capsized. I felt responsible and hung around to make sure she was OK and shouted my apologies.  An excellent and experienced sailor Pat was soon out of the water, back into her boat and sailing again.

I don’t remember much more of the race except that I found myself in the lead and being chased down by the two Enterprises: Noddy in his and Philip in Gwyn’s. The Laser seemed to be able to sail really close to the wind and I’d noticed that Philip had had to put in an extra tack but Noddy hadn’t and I could tell by the sound of his boat that he must be catching me up. I just managed to get over the finish line in front of him to finish the race first – probably not a win after handicapping but a most enjoyable sail.

race route - wind direction: south west(ish)

Zuni took some great video and photos:

What a great day. Arrived at Redbrook plate glass mirror with little expectation of any sailing taking place. The only thing disturbing the surface of the water were midges but I optimistically rigged my boat anyway. Andrew, Stuart and Philip turned up with the rescue boat and set about some much needed buoy maintenance. A breeze developed. Enough to push boats round the reservoir. We were off.

I took my boat out then took Gwyn’s Enterprise out with Sally. Andrew organised a race. Me and Sally took part in the Enterprise and managed to come 2nd (disregarding handicaps). Though this was mainly due to other people making mistakes it did feel like we’d sailed a good race – for us novices.

The next race I did in my boat and did quite well until the last half of the last lap where I completely lost the wind and finished a day or two after everyone else. Great fun though. Very chilled out and relaxing. A most pleasant and enjoyable afternoon.

race route

Not much to report from today’s sailing day because I’m sulking about it.

• My boat tipped over whilst tied to the jetty. The hull filled with water. It capsized a lot.
• Brought my boat back in and emptied the hull.
• Set off. The difference of and empty hull was immediately noticeable.
• I shot across the reservoir nearly 50 yards before my rudder broke.
• I fixed my rudder. Things were good.

• I went out on Gwyn’s topper to compare it’s stability and manoeuvrability with my minisail. It was far, far better and I enjoyed 5 minutes of excellent fun until getting stuck at capsize corner.
• I was held here by ‘the ghostly hand’ that haunts Gwyn’s boat for about an hour.
• I held up the start of the racing.
• The hull filled with water.
• Rigging came undone.
• I got wet and cold.
• Stuart excorcised ‘the ghostly hand’ and I limped back to base.
• We emptied the water out of the hull – this is becoming a theme of my sailing.

• I took Gwyn’s boat out for a race.
• I kept stalling or nearly capsizing.
• I capsized.
• I took my boat out for the next race.
•  I capsized.
• Gwyn took some excellent photos and a video.
• I need a better boat.
• I dragged my boat out and went home.
• I was looked after by Jess and the kids.
• Corned beef hash, cake and coffee.
• All is well with the world.

race route