When Mr T says it’s looking a little fruity he ain’t talking about no crazy fool!

The race team said longer courses…. Great in 25 knots of breeze wind over water….

Course.

West Ryde Middle

Prince consort

Wightlink

Norris

SE Ryde Middle

All to port, east going downwind start, tide going West and building.

At the start with the wind at 20+knots just getting the kite up is an issue, Z69 first to hoist , Z80, Z71 hoisted inside, Z54 decided that being at the pin end would give them more breeze (more breeze!?!? Nutters).

As the fleet roared (ok from in the boat was are pushing ninety percent of the Solent out of the way, so it feels like you are roaring along).

Halfway down the moorings Z80 found their diamond wires flapping around the forestay and quickly dropped sail to preserve the rig!

A few of the boats white sailed this leg, sensible, as the fleet reach into the middle of Solent the waves built and the wind? Well this wind be so mighty as to smite? Yes. Definitely some mighty wind out there.

Z69 rolled ( when I say rolled I really mean rolled!) Her way down to West Ryde Middle, rounding with a small lead, Z71 next, Z75 and Z54 all in close combat.

The beat to Prince consort saw no change, in either windspeed or places, but the sea state was now about was based as it gets for racing small dayboats.

Z69 rounded first, Z75 and Z71 just in front of Z54, a gap to Z77,

Another dead run, joy. Another chance for the sailors sphincter muscle to get a work out, squeaky bum time part Deux! Z69 was now rolling like whore in an Amsterdam cafe, the Solent occasionally making past the shroud plates and scooping into the boat. But the surfing was bringing out other notes from the team. Whohoo! Huge surfing sessions pushing the down to Wightlink. Z69 made it in one Z71 gybed decided that the spinnaker was an issue and left it behind in the Solent, “we’ll pick it up after the mark” Gareth days, then realised the pedantic time is a boost and her equipment must sail the course, so Z71 turned around to collect the spinnaker allowing Z54 and Z75 in.

A short beat to Norris saw no change.

Another run, another woooohooooo. Another squeaky bum….

No changes at Ryde middle, a beat home with the tide rushing underneath is a fairly low stress beat; and so it was, Z69 led the fleet home.