We had four days of great sailing in Plymouth.
Atalanta came from Falmouth and Zulu made it back from the Championships in time for the first two races on Thursday afternoon in a brisk wind.
On Friday winds were over 30 knots at times with a very lumpy sea outside the breakwater. Atalanta stayed shorebound with their boom under repair. Zulu and Maverick sat out the first race – the sight of Rob Leggett’s mast being fresh in Zulu’s mind. They both ventured out for the second race, and a stormy race it was. No 3 and two reefs. The course was partly inside the Sound and partly outside the breakwater. Zulu briefly had the chicken chute up, and although nothing untowards happened, the sight of so many nearby boats showing their keels convinced the crew to take it down. There was a man overboard incident from a broaching half tonner on the second run.
Zulu went home for the third race of the day, but Maverick stayed out and saw it through being one of five boats to finish in IRC B
By Saturday the wind had eased to no 1 and one reef, and we were joined by Wisecrack. Atalanta was back on the water so we has three good races with four Impalas. In the second and third races of the day Maverick and Zulu had a good tussle finishing 15 seconds apart in each race, first with Zulu in front, then Maverick in front for the third race.
Saturday dawned almost calm, and we motored out past the breakwater to the start expecting a light wind day, but after a half hour delay some wind filled in and increased all day, so that towards the end of the last race the word reef got mentioned.
The next Plymouth week will be in 2013 and if we can entice some other Impalas to take part we can opt for our own class start if we wish.
Thanks to Tom Gruitt for providing a selection of photos which give a hint of our “all rugged up” conditions !
Results are at: http://www.plymouthraceweek.org/results.html
Photos at: www.fotoboat.com
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