Aug 13, 2005 - 0800hrs UTC │Plymouth

0800hrs 13 Aug 2005 UTC Plymouth

The morning after. Pete and I went to bed really early last night – 2 consultationsA regular engagement with alcohol. One might say this whole epic is a Consultation with a bit of a sail round it. See also Conservation Mode; Linear and Parallel Methods of Consultation, a big plate of lasagne at the yacht club and a visit to a huge catamaran that a friend was on and that was it.

Checked the results this morning and it’s true – we really did crack second in the 2 hander and 11th overall. Blimey! Andif we’d had the tide for the last leg into Plymouth, we’d probably have won the 2 hander. Having said all of which, it was very much a small boat race. All the top few boats arrived at the FastnetFastnet Race: 608 mile biennial race from Cowes, UK, Isle of Wight, to the Fastnet Rock off Southern Ireland, finishing in Plymouth. Berrimilla took part in 2005 and 2009. at exactly the right time to catch the sleigh ride home. We flew the big purple kiteSailors’ slang for a spinnaker all the way from the Pantaenius turning mark 7 miles SW of the Rock to Mevagissey, past the LizardThe most southerly point of the British mainland.. 18 – 20 knots on the quarter and clocking sustained periods of 8 knots plus. WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOa primitive, exultant, gibbon-like call given out by an old geezerDictionaries define a geezer as an old person, generally an eccentric old man. Its origin likely in the word masquerader (colloquially, guiser) from Middle English gysar. Go figure, as the Americans say.; many variations as listed, in order of emphasis: Woohoo Woooohooo WOOOHOOO WOOOHOOO! WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!! Wearing Malcolm’s daggy hat. A slightly hairy bit approaching Bishop Rock where we had to sail dead downwind in biggish following sea to get around but no dramas.

We put up the assyAsymetric spinnaker almost immediately after dropping the biggie and ploughed past the Eddystone right on the edge to within a mile of the finish at the Breakwater. That’s probably what got us into second place – we were doing 7.5 – 8 knots with the lee gunwale awash and lots of overpower against a 1.5 knot-- Speed: definition of speed at sea. One knot is one nautical mile per hour. The nautical mile is about 1.15 % longer than the "statute" mile used on land. A knot is about half a metre per second. -- A knot is also the result of winding a rope around itself or another rope to make a join or a loop . tide for 50 miles. Grand – Berri was wonderful.

I’ve just heard Pete open our very last can of Smoothie – cheers.

Rations minimised for the race – got it just about right – ran out of tsnk water in the marina! – half an hour too late. Cant win em all.

And now the press and the TV mob are looking for us. Prizegiving around mid-day.

Lot’s of articles on http://www.regattanews.com

Photos here

[ed: 11th overall, 8^th in class, 2^nd two handed, details here, the map is here , and FastnetFastnet Race: 608 mile biennial race from Cowes, UK, Isle of Wight, to the Fastnet Rock off Southern Ireland, finishing in Plymouth. Berrimilla took part in 2005 and 2009. Piccies are here including the awards ceremony and a damn big trophy!]:

 

 

Fastnet briefing in Cowes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Land's End