Tall Ships Youth Trust : Fastnet Challenge 2015 Part 2

While some of us are either busy in the yard, or catching up with office work at the weekend, Vernon has taken part in his second weekend preparing for the Fastnet Challenge.

Friday 19th June 2015

Our third race started at 1930 on 19^th June with a spectacular run under spinnaker down the eastern Solent and out past Bembridge ledge en-route for Guernsey. All was well until a  crew member went to the windward heads, in socks (two mistakes  later admitted), and took a flyer from the windward heads across the companionway and through the leeward heads door, making a very firm connection  of  face on sink unit...........and lay VERY stunned, and bleeding. Some attention made a temporary repair to a facial wound, but the casualty had also impacted eye and teeth : the wise move with a head injury such as this was to put  ashore for an A&E assessment, which we did, with a trip back to Portsmouth, costing us 12 hours. (A later report suggested the casualty was OK, fortunately, though pride will have suffered.) We continued racing, but did not have time to reach Guernsey, though we had some excellent sailing, and a variety of changes, notably from spinnaker to Yankee2 + staysail at night, slightly later than ideal, and very strenuous in ‘bouncy’ conditions, but better not to attempt that when crossing the main shipping lane ! We all arrived back very tired, but had some welcome rest at anchor in Sandown Bay before making our way back to Portsmouth.

Some of us have lost weight : I certainly have, despite plenty of ‘fuel’ on board.

We have now completed our training for Fastnet (which this year is reported to have over 500 entries), so the start on 16^th August certainly should be spectacular down the western Solent and through Hurst Narrows

I will report back on Vernons experience when he has completed the Fastnet Challenge, in the mean time we have our own exciting times ahead, delivering a new along boat to Falmouth next month, along with joining in with the Drascombe jolly going on and all the family going sailing, ending up with being invited to the launch of the new Longboat, which we are very excited about, as Mrs Kate Watkinson and her son James will also be in attendance, what a great photo that will be.

In the meantime, it doesn't look like I will be out sailing before Falmouth, so Dick P owes me some sailing time for cancelling.

Happy sailing everyone xx