ReviewMOCRA 2019

Officers Reports • Race Reports • Cruising Reports Editors Note MOCRA 2018 Review Contents

Dear Members, 01 Cover Photography of Morpheous By Peter Lillywhite This is your Annual Review. We can only publish the articles you write. So please think during the coming season if there is anything you could write up to share with other members. So also, a big thank-you to all 04 Officers Reports our contributors in this edition. 04 Commodore’s Report 2019 By Phil Cotton I announced at the AGM just past that I would stand down from the Executive Committee at the end of 04 Rating Secretary’s Report 2021, after ten years’ service as Honorary Secretary, if not ousted before then. It has been an honour to be By Simon Forbes at the heart of MOCRA, serving the multihull community with other members of your Executive Committee who have made it an enjoyable and worthwhile experience. 04 Treasurer’s Report By Tim Wilsom There are a number of reasons for standing down: I’m not getting any younger, I’ve had a good period in 05 Memberships Secretary’s Report harness, and it is important to bring new blood into the organization. By Tim Wilsom

I do three jobs at the moment, these are: 05 Cruising Secretary’s Report By Mark Jarvis Honorary Secretary 05-06 Racing Secretary’s Report By Simon Baker The Hon Sec calls meetings of the Executive Committee and the AGM and arranges the venue for the Executive Committee Meetings (currently a conveniently located pub). They are responsible for the Agenda 07 Annual Genral Meetind 2019 - Minutes 12:00 Saturday 23rd November 2019, at the Royal Thames Yacht Club (Knightsbridge) and Minutes of the meetings, making sure actions are completed, and making sure MOCRA is acting according to its constitution. The Hon Sec is also the primary point of contact for members and external 08-09 Income & Expenditures Accounts organizations. 10 Race Reports This is a position that benefits from good organizational skills and understanding the dynamics of a voluntary 10-13 Scottish Island Peaks Race 2019 organization. Tasks are distributed throughout the year, with a peak around the AGM. By Gordon Baird 14-15 The Royal Western Triangle Race Publications Secretary 16-17 MOCRA – Burnham racing report 2019 There are two publications: The Calendar and the Review. For 2019 MOCRA membership By Simon Barnes remains at £25. 18-20 Round The Island Race 2019 The Calendar is straightforward. We need to find photos from the year, preferably from members and at The cost of a rating certificate By Oriel Butcher least of members’ boats suitable for the Calendar, and then liaise with the publishers who do the layout, remains at £26. printing, and distribution. 21-22 Cowes Week Anyone requesting a Rating will By Phil Cotton need to be a MOCRA member. For the Review, the Pub Sec needs to solicit articles from race winners and cruisers (there are usually plenty 23 Buzz, Race Report De Guingand Bowl 8-9 June forthcoming). These then need to be checked for grammar and spelling before passing to the publishers in By Ross Hobson publication order who do all the hard work of layout, printing and distribution. The Pub Sec just needs to review the draft layout. 23 Round the Isle of Wight Race 29th June Selling your boat? By Ross Hobson This position is somewhat seasonal, in that most of the work is in the fourth quarter, with the Calendar 24 RORC Cowes – St malo/Dinard Race 12th July published around Christmas, and the Review around the same time. By Ross Hobson Just a reminder...... Website Manager If you as a MOCRA member sell 24 RORC Channel race 27-28 July your boat to someone in the By Ross Hobson We have a website that contains mostly static information. The technical work is done by a paid webmaster. The website manager is responsible for content, which may include editing pages and uploading files, but UK, you can give the new owner 25 Rolex Fastnet 2019 By Ross Hobson with the support of the webmaster for anything difficult. Making AGM documents available on the website is a FREE year’s membership of the biggest single activity. MOCRA. 26 RORC Cherbourg race 7th Sept and season round up By Ross Hobson The position benefits from someone with basic word processing skills, and generally not being afraid of 27 Cruising Reports computers. A good eye for an elegant web page is also useful. If you would like to email me at [email protected] 27-28 Our Travels to Barcelona None of these roles is especially difficult. I hope suitable people will step forward to do one or more of these then I will send you the applica- By Jeff and Fiona Speller roles. I will happily provide a handover and support any volunteers for their first year. tion form. 29-30 Delivering Toucan 2 By Chris Nurney Fair Winds Matthew West The membership will be for the 31-33 The trials (and tribulations) of Toucan By Chris Nurney Hon Sec MOCRA remainder of the calendar year and a MOCRA Rating certificate 34-38 Prickly Pair Heads for Portugal By Aoife Nichols is not included.

pg3 Commodore’s Report 2019 Rating Secretary’s Membership Cruising Secretary’s Report

2019, our 50th 2019 was also the year that multihulls Report Secretary Report The 2019 none of the planned rallies were held. anniversary were re-admitted into Cowes Week after MOCRA cruise This was quite disappointing but year for four years’ absence (and two years of The MOCRA plans were not entirely a surprise when taken in MOCRA has, lobbying) For those who participated Racing Committee published on the conjunction with the general reduction in my opinion, it was a great success although again did not make any MOCRA website in boat usage and degree of indecision been another the numbers in the MOCRA fleet were amendments to and the dates in the country in general this year. I year of steady disappointing. This was perhaps because the Rating Rule for were added to hope that this will change for 2020. growth and of the timing being just after The Rolex 2019. the Facebook consolidation. Fastnet Race and just before Burnham diary. The plan was for rallies each On a personal note, I have decided Week and Falmouth Week. The overall 102 MOCRA Our membership numbers have once multihull entries were thankfully bolstered Rating Certificates month through the 7 summer months not to seek re-election as Cruising again held up and together with another with the inclusion of 8 boats from the were issued for ending with a final rally in October. Secretary for 2020 and I hope that this year of record rating certificates issued, Diam24od class. Cowes Week will never 2019, excluding 6 The rally venues were left open with change might bring with it a new focus we have generated a healthy cash be a cheap week but if we do want to complimentary ratings for the Bridgedeck the intention of choosing them as the on MOCRA cruising and renewal of Cruiser Class in the ISC Round the Isle of surplus from what are two very modest keep it on our calendar then we do need attendees and weather dictated. interest in organised events and rallies Wight Race. The certificates were emailed fees (£25 annual membership and £26 to support it with greater numbers. I can for the cruising membership. to the boat owners and have been rating renewal). Our healthy cash balance recommend it as a very sociable and Unfortunately, this was not successful in published on the website. has enabled the Executive Committee fun event. The race management team 2019 and no requests for information or Mark Jarvis to spend your Association money to are keen to make the return of multihulls Six multihulls were weighed during the any interest in the rallies this year were Cruising Secretary - MOCRA support 50th Anniversary events around a success and are willing to listen to year using the MOCRA Loadcell. received from any members. As a result, the country and to send a token gift to all our ideas on course length, format and members to mark our Anniversary – enjoy! possibly more than one race per day. Simon Forbes We’ve also decided to “push the boat” out Looking into 2020 a couple of dates Rating Secretary with our AGM and Annual Lunch and Prize are already shaping up for your diaries. In 2019 we have 145 paying members Racing Secretary’s Report Giving being held at the Royal Thames The Round the Island Race is booked and 2 life members. This compares rather Yacht Club on Saturday November for the unusually early date of Saturday Treasurer’s Report unfavourably with previous years. This Another eventful managed to make it to the start line and 23rd. We’ve also changed the format 30th May. The Poole Regatta is just the may be fluctuation, demographics, or year draws to a complete the course. The results were 1st somewhat switching to a lunchtime event weekend before on 23rd-25th May so close, 50 years Wandering Glider, 2nd The Peaky Blinder MOCRA other factors. with presentations in the afternoon from why not link the two together and keep of MOCRA, and 3rd Don’t Look Down. They would Financial Report for what will welcome more entries next year. three highly respected current multihull your boat in the Solent for that week? Year Members 12 months ending 31 multihulls look designers sharing their ideas and theories. Cowes Week is set for 8th – 14th August December 2018. 2015 177 like in another The 2019 Nationals were hosted by I look forward to catching up with many of and Bembridge on the 12th and 13th 2017 188 half century? RWYC with 7 entries. Racing was held you in Knightsbridge. September. This is our first Looking back over three days in varied conditions both Financial Year that 2018 185 over the year inside Plymouth breakwater and out near and forwards the Eddystone lighthouse. It was very Simon Baker will be covering the And finally…. I commented in my 2018 aligns with the 2019 145 MOCRA racing activities under his Sailing Report that your Executive Committee Calendar Year. Due to into 2020. tight racing with Matt Baker on Wombat the process of achieving this alignment, tusselling with Hissy Fit every race, the Secretary’s Report so I won’t repeat but I had all served on the Committee for many Like last year, there are nine people who the last accounts were for the 16-months February, as usual brought us the championships came down to the last would add it’s pleasing to continue to see many years and that some new blood pay old membership fees who are not Caribbean 600, this continues its race. With the strongest winds of the 31 August 2016 to 31 December 2017. strong and growing MOCRA fleets in the would be most welcome. Accordingly, a counted in the total. popularity with 10 racers in the MOCRA event and an offshore course it was Hissy South West and the East Coast and with very big thank you to William Lee who has class. Fit that clinched the last race. Despite the year-end change, there are signs of something of a resurgence in the stepped forward this year to take on the no significant differences to the timing of Like last year, we have a core Solent and Scotland. Once again however role of Membership Secretary. Two other Back in the UK, the East Coast fleet Meanwhile in the Solent, Royal Victoria our underlying receipts as the bulk of our constituency of about 100 people who continues to gather strength; Simon YC offered a series of races over the a general trend continues with numbers Executive Committee members will be Membership Subscriptions and Racing pay early in the year, a minority of whom Barnes representing the area is now a season for the Solent based boats, we supporting local MOCRA regattas such as stepping down at this year’s AGM, Mark Ratings are received over the first and do not have racing certs. committee member. Although not yet hope this series will grow in strength with Bembridge being low (although Burnham Jarvis as Cruising Secretary and myself second quarters respectively i.e. January- finalised it seems that there is a good its ideal central location. Nigel Talbot and Week was something of an exception as Commodore and Social Secretary. On March, and April-June. We have a large number of memberships chance that the 2020 Nationals will be his new ride Sanity will be happy to see with a strong turnout). Your Executive behalf of all the Committee and members held at Burnham, dates to follow. you joining in. from Brazil, France, Hong Kong, The Committee would be delighted to hear I’d like to thank Mark for all his hard work Within expenditure, our main underlying Caribbean, etc, who presumably largely your thoughts as to why this is the case and effort in promoting multihull cruising costs remain the publication of May 2020 the RWYC and Newport YC Bembridge Regatta was down on join for their racing certificates. host the OStar & TwoStar. The race numbers this year and needs a few more and suggestions for change. over many years. For me, I have enjoyed Newsletter/Yearbook and Calendar. coincides with the Mayflower 400 boats next year or we are in danger of my 14 years on the Committee and past However, a notable increase in Website There is still a small number of payments celebrations. For good or bad it moves losing this great end of season weekend. By contrast the offshore MOCRA four as Commodore. I would like to thank related costs has occurred as we paid for which do not easily reconcile. These may the RWYC Triangle race back to the end community is definitely enjoying increased all my Committee members for all their the sites’ updating, including the ability to of May for 2020, maybe the weather will Hon Secretary Matthew West’s pay for Membership, Racing Ratings etc be up to 16 additional memberships, numbers in the classic offshore events, hard work and support over the years, be better? Schionning catamaran, Backlash, is nearly via PayPal. taking this year’s total to 161. notably the Rolex Fastnet Race, The especially to Matthew West, who as ready to relaunch after a major refit. It Scottish Peaks racing this year saw RORC Caribbean 600 and the other Secretary is largely responsible for making will be good to see them both back on Our annual income just about covered our Relatedly, there are some members for South West based Bare Necessities, the water. Backlash is looking better than RORC cross channel series of races. It this Association tick. Matthew oversees expenditure over the Financial Year. There whom we do not have email addresses, Dazcat 1150 make the journey up north new, and it will be good to have Matthew seems that the larger offshore multihulls the website, the newsletter, the calendar, was a relatively small net deficit of £214. to compete against the infamous Baird back sailing and flying the MOCRA and some for whom we have no contact are going from strength to strength whilst all the AGM and Constitutional formalities, However, our Balance Sheet remains Family on Dragonfly 32 Tri Mhor, sadly burgee. details at all. I do hope these folks get the smaller and mid-sized boats are the Executive Committee meetings and I healthy with Accumulated Funds of for Bruce and Alison they had to settle doing fewer “around the cans” races and suspect quite a few other things too. £10,723, which is in excess of 1 years’ some joy from being MOCRA members, for second place. Can anyone beat these Round the Island Race, was another slow perhaps more cruising. Thank you. expenditure. because they don’t get anything else! local champions? one, with park-ups at pretty much every corner of the race. During the very long Tim Wilson William Lee The Three Peaks Yacht race also day a number of boats looked like it might Phil Cotton welcomed Multihulls for the first time be their day. Eventually the Snakes and Treasurer Membership Secretary Commodore in many years. Three MOCRA boats Ladders came through for Hissy Fit and pg4 pg5 Racing Secretary’s Report her crew, I would like to thank them for Shuttleworth, won her first race in part of Commodore, he remains head of the UK Annual General Meeting 2019 continuing to be determined to take every the RWYC Triangle race, demonstrating Diam 24 fleet which we hope will continue opportunity to scrape forwards, trying to blistering speeds at times, nearly twice as to join the MOCRA fleet for some events. I aturday rd ovember at the oyal hames acht lub leave the slower boats behind and catch fast as the rest of the fleet on the leg to would like to thank him for his time at the 12:00 S 23 N 2019, R T Y C up the faster ones. Just when we thought Falmouth. helm of our ship, which has not always (Knightsbridge) we were nearly there the breeze flipped been an easy ride; he has guided us well again only 20m from the finish. Mango 3 The last major race of the year in Europe, through the last few years, thank you Phil. were second and Dragonfly third. the RORC Middle Sea Race, took place in October. Plagued by exceptionally For those members who wish to get Members Present 7. To reappoint the auditors be made at any Annual General Meeting Ross Hobson, owner of Seacart 30 Buzz, light winds there were no finishers more involved in MOCRA and our racing, wins the RORC Season Championship, in the MOCRA class from 4 starters please get in touch if you feel you have Phil Cotton, Matthew West, Mark Jarvis, (See Officers’ Reports file) to fill any vacancy remaining.” made up of 26 Multihulls competing in Disappointing, especially for Nigel something to put in, I have been Racing Tim Wilson, Simon Baker, Matt Baker, Proposed: Matthew West At present, there are no nominations for RORC events around the world. Second Passmore & Apollo who had made the Secretary now for 9 years, so perhaps it’s and third places go to Joel Malardel with effort to get there from Plymouth, let’s time for someone else to bring forward Roderick Walker, Jeff Speller, Simon Seconded: Mike Butterfield the Executive Committee. Tancrede and James Holder with Slinky hope for better wind in 2020. some new ideas. Forbes, Andrew Fennel, Mike Butterfield, Approved by acclamation. Malinki. The following were therefore nominated: More MOCRA Rating certificates issued, 2020 sounds like it should be a great James Holder, Graeme Ward, Harvey 17 Multihulls gathered for the biennial shows a better year, with a continued year, so don’t forget to let others know Bowden. 8. To receive the Membership Fastnet event. 12 making up the positive trend. what your plans are to ensure we have Secretaries Report President Mike MOCRA class and 5 in the Open class. competitive racing. Congratulations to Christian Guyader on 2019 were 102 1. Welcome by the Commodore (See Officers’ Reports file) Butterfield his TS 42 Gauyader Gastronomie for his 2018 were 86 Simon Baker The Commodore, Phil Cotton, welcomed Proposed: James Holder Commodore Rupert Kidd win in the MOCRA class in what was an 2017 were 69 GBR788M Hissy Fit exceptionally fast race with an elapsed 2016 were 76 us to the Royal Thames Yacht Club. Seconded: Graeme Ward Vice-Commodore Simon Baker time of only 60 hrs for the 608 miles. 2015 were 75 Approved by acclamation. Honorary Secretary Matthew Frank Cammas on Maxi Edmond De West Rothschild, just held off Francois Gabart The Racing Committee made no changes 2. Apologies for Absence on Macif with what was a photo finish, to the rating rule in 2019 and only one Apologies have been received from: 9. To receive the Cruising Secretaries Honorary Treasurer Tim Wilson meeting was held. William Lee, Nigel Talbot, Chris Breeze, Report (See Officers’ Reports file) Hon. Membership Sec. William Lee just 58 seconds separating them in a 28 hour record breaking race Freshly The Racing committee are looking into Nick Wood, Piotr Kopczynski, David Proposed: Phil Cotton Racing Secretary Simon Baker Squeezed a Grainger 36 footer sailed fore triangles and J0 sails. Lowe, Michael Thornloe, David Allen, Seconded: Matthew West Cruising Secretary Vacancy by Paul Brant is happy to now be on the water and competing in RORC races. Phil Cotton has decided to stand Daryl Morgan, Simon Barnes, Gwen Approved by acclamation. Rating Secretary Simon Forbes Morpheus Andrew Fennels 40’ down from his current role of MOCRA Chapalain, Lyndsey Knight, Nick Roberts, RYA Liaison Officer Simon Forbes Rupert Kidd 10. To receive the Racing Secretaries Social Secretary Simon Mocra Trophy Winners 2019 Report (See Officers’ Reports file) Barnes Offshore Trophies Seven proxy forms have been received Proposed: Mark Jarvis Affiliated Groups Rep. Vacancy Ross Hobson Shambles Salver RORC season’s multihull points trophy. giving proxy to the Chair or the Hon Seconded: James Holder Safety Officer Simon Forbes Buzz Secretary. Approved by acclamation. Publications/Editorial Vacancy Chritian Guyader Yachts & Yachting Catamaran First multihull over the line in Fastnet Race under 50’ Trophy Secretary Mike Guyader Gastominic 3. To Approve the Minutes of the 11. To receive the Rating Officers Butterfield Chritian Guyader Crystal Trophy First multihull on corrected time under 50 feet in Fastnet Race. Previous AGM Report (See Officers’ Reports file) Scottish Area Representative Guyader Gastominic Proposed: Mark Jarvis Proposed: Matthew West Gordon Baird First multihull on elapsed time under 50 feet in Fastnet Race. Edmond De Rothchild Musters Trophy Seconded: Simon Baker Seconded: Matt Baker Proposed: Jeff Speller Franck Cammas Approved by acclamation. Approved by acclamation. Seconded: Harvey Bowden Offshore season’s point trophy. Or Offshore Ross Hobson Kriter Trophy Approved by acclamation. Endeavour and Persistance Buzz 4. Matters Arising 12. Executive Committee Resolutions Inshore Trophies There were none. (See Officers’ Reports file) 15. Any Other Business Phoenix Trophy Simon Baker There were none. Matthew West gave notice that he would Inshore series points trophy. Hissy Fit (Graham Hutchings) 5. To receive the Commodores Report be standing down as Hon. Sec. at the Nigel Talbot (See Officers’ Reports file) 13. Members Resolutions 2021 AGM, unless overtaken by events or Samuelson Trophy Winner of the Bembridge regatta, Samuelson Trophy Nitric Proposed: Roderick Walker There were none. a replacement was found before then. Matt Baker Seconded: Simon Forbes Formula 26 Trophy Best Boat under 26’ at the nationals Wombat Approved by acclamation. 14. Election of Commodore and The Hon Sec is responsible for the day to Dominic Gooding Executive Committee day administration of MOCRA. He noted City of Plymouth Trophy Best Newcomer at the Nationals Belladonna 6. To receive the Treasurer’s Report The constitution states: “Nominations that the main requirement for an Hon Sec Rupert Kidd (See Officers’ Reports file) for officers and committee members was to be well organized. He encouraged Diana Campbell Rose Bowl Low Ratings winner at the nationals Under 1.200 TCF Senuos Proposed: Jeff Speller shall be made in writing at least fourteen members to consider volunteering for this Trophy Brian Cooke Matt Baker 2nd place at the Nationals Seconded: Mark Jarvis days before any Annual General Meeting pivotal role. Wombat Memorial Trophy Approved by acclamation. except that additional nominations may Simon Baker Commodores Cup National Champion Hissy Fit

pg6 pg7 MOCRA 2018 Review Contents MOCRA 2018 Review Contents Multihull Offshore Cruising and Multihull Offshore Cruising and Racing Association Racing Association

Balance Sheet

Income and Expenditure Account as at 31 December 2018 [note: 2017 is as 31 December and 2016 is as at 31 August] for the year ended 31 December 2018 2018 2017 2016 [note: 2017 is for 16 months and 2016 is for 12 months ended £ £ £ August] Note 2018 2017 2016 Fixed Assets £ £ £ Cost 337 337 337 Note less Depreciation 336 336 336 Income

3 1 1 1 Subscriptions 5,134 5,332 5,126

Advertising 1 0 0 1,045

Racing Ratings 2,096 1,842 950 Current Assets Sundry debtors 60 0 0

Cash at bank 11,499 11,326 11,128 7,230 7,174 7,121

11,559 11,326 11,128 Expenditure

Current Liabilities Newsletter and Yearbook 2,467 2,572 4,545 Accrued expenses and creditors 837 390 180 Calendar 2,914 1,546 2,600

Racing 118 179 0 Administrative expenses 109 331 0 10,722 10,936 10,948

Website 674 64 143 RYA and other subscriptions 200 200 195 £ 10,723 £ 10,937 £ 10,949 Audit and accountancy 210 210 180 AGM / Dinner 2 313 1,652 224 Insurance 439 432 395 Accumulated Fund Balance as at 1 January 2018 10,937 10,949 12,110 7,444 7,186 8,282 (Deficit) / Surplus for the year (214) (12) (1,161)

£ 10,723 £ 10,937 £ 10,949 Net (Deficit) / Surplus of Income £ (214) £ (12) £ (1,161)

Tim Wilson Notes Honorary Treasurer

1. Advertising Income Auditor's Report Due to the lack of volunteers, to help generate advertising income, the The Income and Expenditure Account for the 12 months ended 31 December 2018, and income for the year is £ Zero. the Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2018, reasonably reflect the position of the Multihull Cruising and Racing Association, as presented by those records made available 2. AGM / Dinner to me, and in conjunction with the explanations and assurances made by various officers There were two AGM / Dinners in the 2017 period of 16 months and this, of MOCRA. The scope of my audit must be limited by the very nature of MOCRA, which together with the cost of the services of speakers, has resulted in increased in common with many similar organisations, cannot operate the detailed financial expenditure. controls which should be expected of a sophisticated business.

3. Fixed Assets Barry JY Lomas FCA - Auditor 12 October 2019 The load cell was written down to a nominal £1 in 2000.

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pg8 pg9 RaceMOCRA 2018 Review Report Contents - MOCRA 2018 Review Contents Scottish Islands Peaks Race 2019

The beauty of the Scottish Peaks Race is the majesty of the wilderness experience. The 3 stops are in remote locations and the runs consist largely of machair, boulders or scree, unlike the pontoon landfalls and well- trodden paths of other similar races. The race has several objectives: one is to encourage sailors to appreciate fell running, for runners to appreciate sailing and for both to enjoy what must be some of the best sailing and hill running in the world; but the main objective is to provide a challenging experience to sailors and runners who may be too busy to devote weeks to sailing the Atlantic or trekking in Tibet but who still relish overcoming a challenge which is well beyond those normally encountered in our modern well insulated lives.

The race is for teams of hill runners and sailors over a long weekend around the beautiful West Coast of Scotland. The sailing course of 160 nautical miles includes the strong tides and overfalls of the CorrieBhraeachan and the Mull of Kintyre whilst the runners cover 60 miles and 11,500 ft of climbing. More if they get lost.

When Bruce Sutherland (Bare Necessities - Dazcat) said he was coming up to “do battle” I felt maybe I was missing something. I couldn’t have hoped for a better demonstration of what the race means when, while neck and neck, racing another new and extraordinary day. We endurance experience. Maximum wind Alan Rankin, a previous winner not only often gaining a tide or gaining places Arcona 430, the fastest boat in the fleet furiously (at anchor) in Lamlash, we stood were first and second multihulls with Jim forecast of 5 knots were very much in overall but in the punishing all-rounders while at anchor. Or alternatively creating a in these conditions. These 3 led out of on our foredecks quietly chatting while Smith in Angels Share a Lagoon 45, a the runners favour but would punish the class where each crew member has to stupendous lead which is then abolished Oban Bay into very light winds. This first admiring an otter frolicking in the early relatively short way behind. sailors with long sailing times, rowing do a mountain section was a key player. by tidal gates. But light winds favour leg depends on local tidal knowledge, and morning light. It had been a difficult night fatigue and short rest periods from fast He also owns a beautiful F27 tri. I was the yachts with good runners. in light airs luck with the winds; this latter favours the following fleet. Requiem took rowing 10 or 15 miles but Tri Mhor had A couple of weeks before the race, Joe runs. The forecast proved accurate! weakest link, but at least brought the crew the lead at Lismore with a big southerly handed our runners ashore the benefit years of SIPR experience to around 60. Es and Richard got the Slipway Trophy for Symonds, a first-class national fell runner hook in good tide, while Bare Necessities of a rested night, at the expense of a and a crew member previously pulled A combination of lack of wind and an the fastest 10k run at Oban, but the use leaving in the top half of the fleet soon good rowing performance. We were in out of our team, leaving Es Tresidder to unproven runner increased our scepticism Such a forecast means that sailing times of a kayak meant Clockwork, a wily and made places and gaining from the north their hands. I felt no sense of personal eventually find Richard McLeod, a young about once again winning. My son Iain become less relevant, with tidal gates and experienced First 40 were ahead at the going tide like Requiem. Requiem soon adversity, and I hope neither did Bruce. runner a relative unknown quantity in the was skipper: he has an enviable record local winds affecting the sailing times: Oban channel and both were nip and tuck got into wind leaving the rest languishing It was a sublime moment in the dawn of context of this race having no ultra-long of winning with several trips as skipper. running times becoming more important, with the other front runner Requiem, an in a hole and starting to row.

10pg pg11 Scottish Island Peaks Race 2019 Scottish Island Peaks Race 2019

Necessities over 2 hours behind, a lack of mountain runner experience, particularly navigation in the featureless terrain being a big handicap. Meantime Angel’s Share plugged away, with decisions such as when to take a shower, or a warmup jog round the decks, or perhaps trying to find where the snooker table had been hidden - all between roast dinners!! But they maintained surprising speed in the light conditions.

Going down the Kintyre coast the leading pack included Superstition and Requiem, but Clockwork led until at last a breeze favoured Tri Mhor who eventually took Requiem had a lead of over a mile coming Our lead kept improving, being 7 miles the lead, with Bare Necessities in good towards the first drop, Salen on Mull. With ahead of the bunched fleet and clearly shape at the Mull of Kintyre. At dusk, 10 Requiem well up the hill, Tri Mhor arrived leading Clockwork when we passed miles short of the south East of Arran, in 5th place but only 5 minutes behind Easdale. But the sting is the 7kt tide the wind absolutely disappeared, a 6 mile Clockwork and two others. Clockwork is at Fladda, the entrance to the Sound row to Lamlash allowed Bare necessities the Auld Enemy for us and again became of Luing. Meantime Bare Necessities to storm back into contention with 7kts the one to beat! Running is the key to and Angels Share left close together of wind power beating Tri Mhor’s 2kt success in light weather and within 30 2 hours behind in 18th and 20th place sliding seats. At this point 4 boats seems seconds, Es and Richard overtook Bequia respectively. in contention while Bequia an X412, had into 4th place and with a running time of fallen 10 miles behind. Clockwork rowed 3h 52 gained 8 minutes on Clockwork. But this is a cruel race, not battling fellow past runners taking shifts. Tri Mhor has Back in the lead we left Requiem in the competitors rather accepting the weather never asked runners to row and stayed just after midnight and the rowing began the Bens in sight and a first place overall; a screecher reach into Troon harbour chasing pack, nearly an hour behind. and tides are in control, especially when in marathon not sprint mode. Bequia and in earnest. We knew that our runners they were fresher than Clockwork whose arriving just before midday. Dropping The bad news was that Richard had there is little wind. At 2 am, human’s Bare necessities soon hit the calm spots were the quickest; that Clockwork was runners had been rowing in shifts and Iain and Richard off, Alan and I looked been suffering on the run and was a bit physiological and emotional using runners to row, and that we could would be tired on their third mountain. back in amazement. Bequia arrived under demoralised. Good weather allowed nadir, we arrived at Fladda guarantee a good hill run but the tide or While Bruce was now only 29 minutes spinnaker through the harbour entrance, sailors to provide runners a good feed, with Clockwork taking less wind could easily destroy any rowing lead behind, a great achievement, however with Requiem in hot pursuit. Bequia rehydration and rest: more importantly we tide but more miles outside that we might gain. So, Iain the skipper you analyse the vagaries of wind and had some problems with the drop and emphasised the enormous benefit of the Scarba. By 3 am Clockwork and Alan rowed all the way to Lamlash, tide, sadly his runners wouldn’t equal the Requiem passed in the inner harbour, turned East into the and Clockwork pulled ahead but at the boat’s overall potential in the race - but dropping the dinghy for the marina. infamous CorrieBhraeachan expense (we hoped) of some running it was their first race too and they were with 9kt tides whirlpools time as Es and Richard slept soundly until certainly doing a great job despite the Bequia then pulled neck and neck with and standing waves, while disturbed by cursing from the crew as inexperience. The Goat Fell run was half the paddling finishers and the 2 dinghies Tri Mhor got stuck and was Beqia stormed past at 4 knots, using 2 an hour less than Es’s record of 2h45 for (dare I say it) battled for the first monohull. passed by 3 boats. At first oars and their paddle - a secret weapon. the 18 miles of running and 4,000 feet of Even on the pontoons, a wrong turn could light Clockwork popped out They sounded like steamboat Willie as ascent but a clever sailing pickup was have made the difference. After just under of the tide North of Jura a they passed doing 4 knots at times. It enough to leave Tri Mhor in the lead, neck 2 days, Tri Mhor arrived 2m 10s ahead of couple of miles in the lead. was an absolutely surreal experience and and neck with Clockwork, rowing out of Requiem and Bequia 22s behind them. The tide had allowed Bare quite unforgettable, if frustrating! Not to Lamlash less than 50m apart. The wind Bare Necessities arrived at 15.28.47 an Necessities to make up mention a porpoise blowing off within feet lottery (and steamboat Willie as Beqia overall time of 41h27.50 and Angels Share distance and soon passed of the boat in the eerie silence. was now known) all had a possibility 21.47.07 a respectable 47h47.07. Tri Mhor to enter Craighouse, of winning. At last at 0820 on the 2nd Jura but within yards of each Once again Tri Mhor encountered a hole day Clockwork got stuck, Tri Mhor went Celebrations were as usual rather other, a testament not only in light airs and was passed by a very clearly into the lead. We had had the subdued due to fatigue but well deserved to Bruce’s sailing skills but slippery Arcona 435, a paddled X-yacht. same bad luck against Clockwork the for all the competitors. the power and influence Tri Mhor had 27 minutes to make up on year before outside Jura and we lost half of the various west coast the run against Clockwork. Es already an hour, so we had sympathy. Tri Mhor Gordon Baird tides, affirmed by the fact has the record for Arran; Richard was took the safe rhumb line course, partly on that the first 10 boats arrived now realising that they had the Kings of principle and partly on the basis of staying within 22 minutes. The race South of the other boats because of tide was on, and how!! A new and the southerly forecast. Once again start! Who needs handicaps Requiem threatened but went North, with when nature makes the Bequia between and Clockwork falling decisions! Es and Richard back. Then at 9.30 Requiem again took had made good recovery the lead, Bequia and Tri Mhor considered and set off with the ambition a boarding party so close were they. of leading us out of Jura. Clockwork still threatened from close run and the potential that the pressure This was not to be as the behind. By 11 am Bequia and TriMhor could be less on Jura, by far the toughest 2 minutes gained on the were neck and neck with Requiem’s run. Morale and confidence were restored run were insufficient to get northerly flier failing to pay off as they when we reminded Es that Joe got him in us ahead - so Tri Mhor set fell back to third place. By 11 am Tri the same state on a previous winning run! off in pursuit, with Bare Mhor took the lead for the last time, with pg12 pg13 MOCRARace Report 2018 Review - Contents The Royal Western Triangle Race After what seemed like far too long we Even lighter wind… The start was delayed caught a breath just to the south and east The Royal Western Triangle Race gybed back towards the Cornish coast. until a breath turned up and got us all of the harbour entrance. The race was on. As we converged we were thankful to moving, just! We ended up towards the We fought in the light air upwind for the Plymouth-Falmouth-Fowey start seeing the sails of the leading boats back of the fleet after the start, a scenario first 5 or 10 miles then the wind became in the fleet (The Edge out in front). Once we were to become accustomed to. We more constant and shifted South allowing more lots were drawn: would we cross in had a choice to go upwind with Jib and us to break out the MH Screecher once Overheard on the VHF, Prickly Pair) and we also had some die- inaugural race to get the screecher out. front of him or behind, eating his dust? It Main or reach off with the MH screecher again. And once again we picked our two members of the race hard veteran involvement in the form of A lucky mishap at the start (we hadn’t was our lucky day. We came screaming in again, going further South before gybing way through the fleet on the approach committee: Rupert Kidd on the inimitable Suenos and labeled the ¾ and Masthead screecher at 18 knots and found ourselves a couple for the mark at Fowey. We chose the to Rame Head and Plymouth Sound. By the outright victor, Mr Peter Lilleywhite bags, so mistakenly hoisted the MH when of miles ahead of Chris and The Edge. latter, well why not it worked last time. the time we reached Rame Head (having aboard his intrepid cat Adonnante. (note: we intended to hoist the much smaller A couple of gybes later and we were (LOL)! As we ghosted away at 6 knots stayed close inshore this time and in Man 1: “that tri is clocking up Adonnante and Prickly Pair are Eric ¾) meant that we were soon cracking approaching the Manacles… very slowly. we saw the rest of the multi fleet, lead by favourable tide) we were at the head of some impressive speeds out Lerouge sisterships – they’ve still got along in the teens while yours truly kept the invincible Wombat with Matt Baker at the fleet. there” what it takes). an eagle eye on the mast which was As predicted the wind had dropped the helm head off in the correct direction, bending alarmingly in the gusts above the dramatically and we ghosted around the whilst to our dismay the distance between Gybing in to the Sound we made our way Man 2: “yeah sure but those What’s not to like? hounds….we chose to go way off course buoy arguing about whether we really us and them widened considerably. slowly over the line to a 3rd line honours things don’t go to windward” This year looked to be a bit of a damp and offshore, taking a Southerly route needed a downwind ghosting assy for win, followed by The Edge, Wombat squib…the organisers and participants while the rest of the fleet pulled out their just this kind of situation… a prophetic So we gybed. and Hissy Fit in a rerun of Race 2. The were faced with 3 days of light or no wind. spinnakers and kept closer to the rhumb moment! As it turned out the rest of the handicap results told quite a different Man 1: “actually, I owned a Cancellations were predicted. In the event line. Our main competition in the fleet, The catamaran which went really well season (apart of seeing 30+ knots in the By now we were the back markers, the story, as they had in the previous leg! the wind surpassed all expectations, Edge, kept in line with the rest and we Irish Sea en route to the Fastnet) we were rest of the faster boats having crept along upwind!…..” and although it wasn’t exactly blowing a saw them disappearing into the distance dogged with DDW light air situations the coast making best use of a favourable Congratulations to Matt on Wombat and We laughed out loud. hooley, we had steady light airs for most as we reached offshore …. the mood which frequently occurred towards the inshore tidal flow. Then the wind gods Peter on Adonnante, you both sailed of the course, enough to get the multis onboard was apprehensive: having never end of our races where we saw our leads breathed and we started moving again… faultlessly over the a long and light 3 days The RWYC Triangle race is the best going for sure and at times pushing along raced before we knew precious little about decimated as the Spinnakers came out one by one we crept up and over the lead race in the calendar. It’s the first race at a cracking rate! The social events finding our optimum VMG and since we and the rest of the fleet sailed past us one boats until somewhere close to the Fowey My thanks to I ever took part in (in 2004) and being in Falmouth and Fowey lived up to didn’t have a spinnaker anyway, we felt we by one. However, once around the buoy harbor entrance we just about stole in My crew: Orion Shuttleworth (the boat’s the 1st race of the season makes it the previous expectations with Isa Malo and didn’t have much choice in the matter. We and with the boat generating apparent (goose-winging to negotiate our way up designer), David Hawkins and Sam perfect shake down event. It has it all, the Suenos crew putting on a part y to took a big leg out into the Channel. Soon wind we were able to comfortably tack to the Fowey finish line between the rocks Curtis. Simon Baker, Multimarine and breathtaking vistas, close racing and a remember in Falmouth. Thank you! there were no sails in sight – but we were up to Black Rock. We came alongside at sub 5 knot speeds). We were closely Andy Fox for some very last minute hectic social calendar! I love the fact that heading far far South and some of the at Pendennis and tied up in the early followed by The Edge, Wombat, and repairs to the rig just prior to the race. it appeals to the racers and cruisers alike. Race 1 crew worried that we would hit the French This year two families took part complete (Plmouth to Falmouth, about 40 miles) coast while the rest of the fleet sailed afternoon. Hissy Fit. Alas the handicap win slipped Matt Theobald and Brendan Sewell and with young children (Willam Lee and Co. We had a downwind, light airs start gently up to the mouth of the Fal. from our fingers this time! Jaime Ward for delivering Morpheus on Twister and Jon and Aiofe Nichols on but enough wind for Morpheus on her The Edge came alongside shortly safely on the 400 mile trip from Essex. thereafter, followed by the bigger Dazcats Race 3 Dave Barden and Allspars Plymouth for and the rest of the fleet. (Falmouth back to Plymouth) further help with the rig. As if it were even possible to have a 1st race for the boat, line honours and lighter wind start than in Race 2, the wind Finally, a big thank you to Chris Briggs a handicap win. Sadly, not the shape of at the start of the Fowey-Plymouth leg for all his support, words of multihull things to come, sigh. was non existent. Compounded by the wisdom, and for frequently putting me start taking place directly in the lee of the and the crew/family up at his house Race 2 Cornish hills….so we all spent an hour throughout the season! Author: Andrew (Falmouth to Fowey, about 20 miles) floundering around in nothing until we Fennel - Morpheus

pg14 pg15 MOCRA – Burnham racing report 2019 MOCRA – Burnham racing report 2019

The East Coast MOCRA fleet ran Whitsun Bank Holiday August weekend two regattas in 2019, Whitsun 5 boats were on the start line, we were (Burnham Week) hoping for 6 but John Galloway’s F27 Entered boats were Simon Barnes and Burnham Week(end) – Bank pulled out just before the event. Entered (Persuasion) DF28 Performance, Nick Holiday in August Simon Barnes boats were Simon Barnes (Persuasion) Wood (Origami) F27, Nigel Stevens (Persuasion) and Nick Wood DF28 Performance, Nick Wood (Origami) (Triassic) F27, David Vinten/Ken Whyte F27, Nigel Stevens (Triassic) F27, David (Grey Goose) F32AX, John Galloway (Origami) have been working Vinten/Ken Whyte (Grey Goose) F32AX, (Threedom) F27. The weekend was to be hard trying to attract multihulls Julian Linton (NRB) F32SRC. Three races sailed in light winds and again Multihulls to Burnham and is really starting were sailed in great conditions… sun and were the first to start in a building number wind. Multihulls were the first fleet to start of fleets for this event. to get some traction. Burnham meaning we can use the Roach on the offers a great place to sail and way out of the river to add another leg the race committee have been into our course before any other fleets get there. The first start was our very first very happy to arrange committee general recall as a 20 knot gust came boat starts and allowing us to be through 20 seconds before the start involved with course setting each putting 3 out of 5 boats over the line and would have made for a spectacular photo! day meaning we have had some Once we were off it wasn’t long before we really fantastic courses which are were on our first reach where we got to always followed by a great social see the fantastic NRB stretch her legs at the Royal Burnham Yacht clocking some really fantastic speeds in fact all boats reported seeing speeds in Club…Please come and see for excess of 18 knots which was great. The river was yourselves, all are welcome. really busy Unfortunately for NRB they sailed a lot with RBOD’s, further than everyone else having gone RCOD’s, Squibs, around an incorrect mark leaving Grey Dragons, Elite’s, Goose and Persuasion to expand the gap Class 1 to 5 between the F27’s but alas it wasn’t to be keel boats with Origami taking First place, Triassic and numerous second and Persuasion 3rd on corrected NRB had to retire due to gear failure but dinghy fleets. We time. the results were the same with Origami, arranged some Triassic and Grey Goose at the front on really interesting Race 2 saw similar conditions and another corrected time which was mirrored in the courses over great course. Unfortunately, Persuasion final third race. the weekend lost their mast 10 seconds after the start ranging between 20-26 nm each day when the forestay broke putting them out Overall winner was Origami with three giving everyone lots to think about. The of the rest of the regatta. The remaining firsts, Triassic with three seconds and F27’s seeing some really close racing with boats had another close exciting race but Grey Goose with a fourth and two thirds. Origami and Triassic swapping positions regularly. We had a long sail back to the finish, sailing the downwind angles with Origami first again, Persuasion second and Triassic third on corrected time.

Saturday evening was our MOCRA rum punch party where we had a fantastic turn out of people from various classes and we certainly warmed everyone up for a night of dancing to a band in the club and a great time was had by all. (Thank you MOCRA!) Needless to say there were a few sore heads for our second race on Sunday sailed again in lovely sunny conditions seeing the 3 F27’s finishing first to third on corrected time which was the same story on Monday albeit a different winner, Threedom.

Overall winner was Origami with two firsts and a second, Threedom with a fourth, second and a first and Triassic with three thirds.

Simon Barnes - Persuasion

pg16 pg17 RaceMOCRA Report 2018 Review - Contents Round The Island Race 2019 information coming at him. Our crew was Round The Island Race 2019 far from anything that could be described as a ‘pro-crew’ and was made up of friends of Simon and work colleagues; It was not long after our race had suddenly catch a lift and start gliding might be coming from (or hole), what the Steve Matthews, a sailing friend from Simon’s early days as a Cherub racer. finished, at some point during the off while you remained stationary. Many tide and other boats are doing and so retired as a result of one wind hole too on. Simon, at the wheel, was primarily second or third beer on board many... looking at the wind and sails while Robin They’d lost touch but fairly recently Hissy Fit - D1495, this year’s was clearly focused on the tides. These reconnected and Steve has now been Round the Island Race’s 1st On board Hissy Fit we felt lucky as we two strong perspectives generated a lot sailing on Hissy Fit maybe four or five only fell into four significant holes, the of tactical discussions, usually with more times, though this was his first RTI. Robin Multihull overall and in MOCRA, Russell and Richard Bickford, also friends, winner of The Trifle Trophy and last being perhaps the worst when we input from other crew as well while Simon found ourselves going backwards just a processed all the info, sometimes calling sail fairly regularly on board and were Golden Miler Challenge Cup. few hundred metres from the finish line! the change and sometimes following part of the winning team at the recent We were discussing the strong I pointed out that although there was someone else’s call. MOCRA Nationals, as was Brendan element of luck involved. It had without doubt luck involved the thing Seaward project manager at Multimarine, also with us on the RTI. Brendan had been a particularly tough and that struck me most on Hissy Fit was Simon, apart from very brief breaks, the non-stop discussion that took place. had remained on the helm for the entire taken on Hissy Fit as skipper for the long race with winds varying Simon looked at me in some surprise and race which for us was a grand total of first time just the previous weekend in from 20 knot gusts to 0. said simply “I demand input”. The more 11h:25min:13secs. That’s not necessarily the Yealm – Trebeurden race but for I thought about this the more I realised because he wanted to, but because we the RTI was key foredeck crew, being After a reasonably breezy start boats soon how very true it was. Throughout the all politely declined his offer for someone the youngest on board by some many started falling into massive wind holes race everybody on board is expected to else to take the helm. We all recognised years, was pretty much all about. Finally and tidal streams. These seemed to be contribute to the on-going conversation, that the challenging conditions required myself, Oriel Butcher, (aka Dazcat Media) randomly distributed in little micro-sys- offering their opinions on when to put in his skill, familiarity with the boat and there primarily to record events but also tems so the boat right next to you might a tack or gybe, where the next pressure ability to process the constant stream of expected to take part in the sailing of the boat.

Although the crew worked incredibly hard Hissy Fit provided a superbly comfortable ride. We lost count of how many tacks and gybes were put in, how many sail changes, sometimes one almost immediately following another, and then another… but in between each the crew were kept constantly supplied with sweet and savoury snacks, water, cups of tea or coffee. Obviously, the day had also started first with bowls of cereal for the early 6.30 departure from our berth at the Folly ready for a 7.40 start, shortly followed by sausage and bacon sandwiches to set us up for the day. My pg18 pg19 Round The Island Race 2019 Cowes Week

knots, Simon had a last-minute change of 2019 was something of a As mentioned above, the first Saturday Nicholls on his Dragonfly 800 (Alderney plan. He had enlisted a friend and owner landmark year for MOCRA of Cowes Week brought 30-40kt winds Race) split the Diams finishing 4th and 7th of trimaran The Edge, Chris Briggs, to in the Solent and wisely all racing respectively on corrected time showing multihulls and Cowes Week. was cancelled for White Group boats. that the MOCRA rating does work on help him to sail her up on Tuesday night After being absent for four years, instead. This gave Brendan, myself and Sunday’s forecast looked similar and the vastly different boats. Richard extra time at work but also left multihulls were once again race committee reluctantly cancelled our us with the question of how to get to the invited to participate in the full racing for that day too. The Sail GP F50’s The second race on Tuesday was held also had their Cowes racing cancelled in much more welcome conditions of a boat. Luckily, Andy Sinclair of Highwater Cowes week programme. We on the Saturday but would be racing off fresh SW 14-18kts. The fleet got away Sails, one of our suppliers, was driving should thank Laurence Mead Cowes Green on the Sunday so a number first time with a 1 mile beat into a stiff up Friday lunchtime to join another boat (Cowes Week Race director) of MOCRA crews took the opportunity to breeze towards the mainland shore. so we were able to Hitch a ride with him. for this. Laurence is a strong enjoy the social life of Cowes and to Sofia 3 and Buzz Fluid Boat Services Unluckily we hit what felt like the world’s supporter of MOCRA and was watch the professionals in the spectacular rounded together followed by ADH biggest traffic jam and it was five and a most accommodating to provide F50’s. Four of the Diam24od teams Innotec and Piers Hugh Smith sailing half hours later when we finally arrived at the sort of courses and racing we however felt that some heavy weather Raygun Racing. The next leg was both the Hamble. From here Robin picked us asked for. In order to encourage practise was in order and with one reef a sailing and a navigational challenge in up in his rib and we had a joyride at super and a support RIB had a blast up and a full-on downwind blast at 18-20+kts. high speed over to the Island then up to participation in our first year down the Solent. A particular highlight Less familiar with the Solent, team Sophia the Folly where we quickly decamped to back, our Executive Committee was to demonstrate to the assembling 3 headed too high as did ADH Innotec the pub for dinner. It was a real pleasure proposed that as a class we F50 spectators how well these 24ft allowing Buzz and Raygun Racing to to meet up with the crew of Dazcat 1295 should enter for just the first four trimarans perform in breeze and sailed up slip into first and second rounding the Slinky Malinki, permanently based at the days of the regatta. This would the F50 course in close formation to much leeward buoy before the next windward applause and respect. On their return to leg. A number of upwind downwind legs Folly and also racing. Sadly for them, they keep costs down and use just Hamble Point the teams also had a great followed, each of several miles, spanning fell into one of the unlucky wind holes and two days of annual holiday. view of the F50’s on their way out to the the Solent from East Lepe to Browndown found themselves frustrated at their result race track. and after a couple of hours an exhausted media duties prevent me from putting my Eleven hours is a pretty long time to of sixth place, though this is still pretty Good in theory but sadly not so good but exhilarated fleet finished off Cowes. concentrated focus into the sailing and maintain that level of concentration and good out of 12 finishers in MOCRA… in practice – the opening weekend The first MOCRA race got underway on Buzz Fluid Boat Systems held on to win, as an ex yacht chef I’m comfortable filling physical activity. By 11.30 pm we’d put was cancelled due to extreme Monday in very light and shifty conditions. followed by ADH Innotec in second and the quieter moments with making sure the the boat away, had a beer on board, gone Originally the plan had been to sail Hissy weather conditions and so our Cowes The visiting French Diam team of Hugo Sophia 3 third. week became just a two-day event. crew are well watered and fed, Simon is ashore for more drinks and a delicious Fit back to Plymouth after the race but the Vallerie, Hugo Lotin and Louis Fournier on Nonetheless it’s fair to say that it was a good at getting the right supplies in. On curry and were back on board ready for forecast was on the nose and Simon and Sofia 3 showed the rest of the fleet how After the two races (and no discard) the Brendan had work commitments early on great two days racing and in the end the to sail in such conditions and ghosted first three boats all tied on 4 points. On this blisteringly hot day it felt essential, so our bunks, young Brendan in particular results couldn’t have been closer. after the double breakfast we enjoyed a totally broken by the day’s exertions. Monday. We would be taking part in the away upwind flying their asymmetric count back Buzz and Sophia both had RORC Cowes – Dinard/ St. Malo race in gennaker. Phil Cotton, Paul Wakelin and one 1st and one 3rd but since Buzz stream of ham hock and cheddar twirls, Although the whole team had put their It was somewhat disappointing that we just under two-weeks time and needed to Matt Currell on Buzz Fluid Boat Systems had their 1st in the last race the Cowes beetroot and feta pastries, camembert 100% in, he had definitely done the bulk had only two “pure” MOCRA boats enter be back up here for that… So, after much sniffed out some breeze and followed Week Overall Multihull title went to Buzz. crackers, millionaires shortcake, of the heavy physical work. – Sam Nicholls with Alderney Race and discussion the decision was made to take the French, closely pursued by Will and Particular mention should go to Will chocolate biscuits, pitta bread stuffed Jonathan Hill with Tribu. The numbers Hugo Sunnocks and Mark Self on the Sunnocks and his team on ADH Innotec the boat back over to the mainland after with salad, ham, cheese & salt ‘n vinegar No alarms were set and we went to bed were swelled by the inclusion of seven chartered works boat, ADH Innotec. who sailed most impressively. This team the prizegiving and leave her there. Robin crisps (!), guacamole crackers…and so with a new plan hatching for our journey Diam24 od’s which qualify under the These positions held up to the first mark stepped on a chartered Diam24od for it went on, and on… it was of course home. Racing logistics isn’t just about very kindly lent us his car, we enjoyed a MOCRA “day-boat category” giving us a and almost to the finish until Will and the first time on the Friday before Cowes also necessary to empty the fridge early the race itself. There are numerous other smooth ride home and Robin got his car respectable fleet of nine overall. Results his team found some fresher breeze out Week. A day’s coaching with Paul Wakelin in order to make room for the case of considerations. Plans had been made back 10 days later! A real team effort had were calculated for all nine boats under of the tide and slipped past Buzz Fluid and they ended up with two seconds and beer. A rare direct order from the skipper initially for all the crew to sail Hissy Fit up to go into every aspect of being able to the MOCRA rule together with a separate Boat Services to take second place by on equal points with the overall winning shortly after the start – make sure the beer to Cowes ready for the start on Thursday take part in this race. set of results for the DIAM 24od as a a boat length. Interestingly Jonathan boat. will be cold for the finish, get it in there night. However, as the forecast looked stand-alone class. Hill on his Dragonfly 32 (Tribu) and Sam Phil Cotton - Buzz now (there was still a good bit of breeze worse and worse, with winds up to 50 Oriel Butcher - Hissy Fit around at that point)!

In the quieter moments all the crew enjoyed the spectacle of the 1300 boats against the spectacular backdrop of stunning blue skies and the Island’s famous geographical features. Almost all the fleet were behind us (too far behind to catch any really great photos of them all) but some of the other faster boats criss-crossing our path and little match races going on between us. Those of us who were free to do so would take some brief moments to relax on the net or deck to take it all in. Between the tactical discussions conversation occasionally flitted to talking about the other boats, especially multihulls of course; their innovations or design features of interest, strengths and weaknesses in the conditions and so on. There was also a certain amount of banter and joking but this was more limited and mostly the attention stayed in race focus. pg20 pg21 Cowes Week Buzz, Race Report De Guingand Bowl 8-9 June

Well it had to happen, blowing Rounding the mark and your socks off weather and a big onto the wind saw us meeting the full force upwind leg… not exactly what of the wind and short those of us in lightweight 30ft steep Solent waves… multihulls look forward to. We slamming and crashing watched the weather avidly all up wind we passed week and made the decision to back markers, seeing a number start and ‘see how it goes’. of boats retire.

The start was in a blustery 25-30knots SW We opted for the North with foul tide off Cowes with a short 4 mile channel route to get leg East before turning into the wind. Being inshore out of the foul optimistic we had a reefed jib and 2 reefs in tide and be able to sail the main… about OK upwind, overpowered the North shore to the in gusts and fine in the lulls…. Needles and hopefully less waves… we are But high speeds downwind as we crossed optimistic! the start line and we were soon nearing ‘coffin corner’ (situation in multihulls that As the wind increased more, we opted for But again we learned more about the occurs in high winds and big seas that the the heavy weather jib, but the sail unfurled boat in heavy weather as we prepare for main cannot be depowered and rounding during the hoist, a batten came loose and The Rolex Fastnet Race later in the year. up powers up the boat even more, with high as the jib slammed the back of the main the Next race is the Round The Isle of Wight, risk of capsizing) – nose diving at 20+knots batten departed the jib… through the main. hopefully in more multihull favourable meant a fast reef into the main in the lee of That was it game over. Driving for 40+ mils weather. Osbourne bay. Much better! speeds with a torn main was only going to result in Ross Hobson still in the high teens/low 20’s but no more more damage… we retired. Buzz nose diving.

Round the Isle of Wight Race 29th June

distance. We worked the gybes in the decreasing winds, keeping in the tide and to the north Solent shore past Beaulieu towards the Needles. Actual grabbed a gust better than us and opened up a good lead, quickly passing Jethro the big mono who was flying a massive pink spinnaker.

Disaster occurred as we passed Lymington. There was bang, then the helm loaded up… the starboard rudder pin had popped up releasing the lower pintle and the rudder immediately bent the top pintle = no steerage and a jammed helm. Game over.

We dropped the head sails, then the main as we luffed up wind to a halt… some 10minutes later we had got things sorted… to see Morpheus (the next multihull) sail past us… 10 minutes!!! Well here we go. The biggest We were in the 2nd start 0720 and crossed the line just aft and higher than We had really opened up a lead. sailing race out there, 1,100+ Actual, both of us being slightly cagey boats and an Island… what could pre start and looking for an opening (32m We removed the rudder and headed back be more simple? Start heading of Actual and us at 9.2m!). Both of us hit under 3 reefs and heavy weather jib – a really nice sail plan! Watching the race West, keep turning left until you the accelerator as we crossed the line the headsails unfurling and away we went… tracker and seeing all the boats slow and finish back where you started. Actual pulling away from us as we both stop due to the very light winds… maybe took off. a good race to have dropped out. The line-up was pretty impressive Next up RORC Cowes – St Malo/Dinard including the Ultime trimaran Actual. We We had thought the Diam 24s would be were 4 up, Pip deciding that a day sail fast… but we blew past them quickly and Ross Hobson was ‘comfortable’ on board Buzz. held onto Actual’s tail by a respectable Buzz

22pg pg23 RORC Cowes – St malo/Dinard Race 12th July Rolex Fastnet 2019

we caught and passed the mono fleet the leading boat to catch, Kraken, 14 A bit of reflection first: and some 20 other multihulls and 300 to point high enough to compensate as with the exception of Lady First (Mylius miles ahead. We were soon reeling in 1979 was 40 years ago I was a other race yachts… The gun goes and the monohulls and large multihulls were 60), Tala and Kraken holding on to them the miles at a steady 18-20knots, sailing 19 year old auxiliary coastguard we are off, slipping over the line near the able to do… eating into our lead. as we head south to the first mark at not only faster but deeper than the Ultimes and then chasing them down the Casquets Lighthouse off Alderney. boats ahead. By Jersey we had passed in N Ireland and part of a full on Solent. Scott was kept busy changing By morning we could see the Fastnet Morpheus and Acapella and were within SAR when the Fastnet storm hit headsails as fast as the wind changed, rock as we tacked into the Irish mainland With the wind due to swing west we 10 miles of Kraken and Tala… it was all to the North Channel of the Irish settling for the big blue screecher. We to get flatter water, Morpheus was ahead allowed ourselves (as did Tala and co) play for. Sea… as we could not get a were slow initially in the chop caused by and doing the same. Apollo and Hissy to drop slightly East below the rhumb chopper off the ground due to all the spectator boats, but as the water Fit slipped inside us and rounded about settled we were off, chasing the fast an hour ahead. We eventually rounded line…. Which was fine until 10 miles Jon, Scott and I took 30 min turns the weather we launched a 4m 185 boats came to the start of from Alderney the wind dropped… we pushing Buzz hard (was much easier with 5 and opening up a gap on the rest, a at 0915 Monday and set off on the reach Searider to search the cliff faces this year’s Cowes St Malo race, got stuck in a hole, speed dropped from the B&G instruments working) towards sharp right out into the North Channel at back. In BIG quartering seas that just of Islandmagee. Brett the station 150miles starting 0900 Friday a steady 10-11 knots to 4-5 and it was the finish… crossing the line at 00:56 Hurst Castle instead of the usual down made it too hairy to power up, even with Saturday morning. Solidaire had finished commander and I covered the and past the Needles, got us into Poole all the reefs in we were still surfing to 20+ morning. painful to watch the fleet catch us to weather as we struggled to climb out of 3 hours ahead at 21:04, not unexpected 10 odd miles in horrendous bay. Steady breeze and flat water, kicking catching the waves up. As the motto is “to the hole into the strong breeze and the for a professionally crewed foiling M50 in the turbos we were flying at a steady finish first, first finish”… we kept throttled The opposition for line honours was trimaran. conditions, massive vertical rhumb line. That hurt! 18knots. The Ultimes were ahead and the back well into the day, then as the waves Solidaire En Peloton (M50 trimaran), Tala freefalls into troughs where the rest of the Fastnet fleet behind. eased we slipped out the reefs powering (TP52), Kraken (Volvo 70) and another 10 But, we had almost pulled off the big water (which was normally 20ft+ By the Casquets, Morpheus, Acapella, and catching the Class 40 Boogie Down, multihulls. As usual Buzz was the smallest come back!!! and Venomous had all caught and passed deep) was so shallow at times we First to catch up were the IMOCA 60s at then the Baltic 65 Lurigna as we reached boat in the fleet… and out to punch Portland Bill – 35 miles from the Needles the edge of the Scillies TSS for the left us and were ahead. But we were back in occasionally hit the bottom. The beyond her “weight”. We were 3rd on the water, 3 minutes and 45 from the start. We were steady hand turn toward the finish… still in nasty the breeze and a slight move of the wind rescue was a success and we ahead of the Volvo 70 Kraken, and only 11 with the IMOCA60s until there was a slight seas we held off launching the headsails to the west allowed the fraction Code 0 got a warning about launching We started right at the front of the minutes behind the TP52 Tala. The pocket wind shift and Charal got going on her due to the sea state and soldiered on out and we were off again, chasing down rocket had done it again, if we only had multihull fleet but were soon caught by in conditions way outside the g=foils as she pulled past us. Otherwise zig-zagging downwind towards Plymouth. the boats ahead. At this point Kraken was not found that hole in the wind… Solidaire, who slowly pulled ahead on the ‘operational limits’ of the boat… we remained in good company holding The sea state was physical, catching large 14miles and Tala 10miles, Morpheus and beat down the Solent and then away from but who else was going to do it? steady with the fastest 60’ monos as we waves on the beam, slamming the helms, Next race is RORC Channel Race on 27th everyone. By the Needles we were leaving Acapella 3 miles ahead and in our sights. raced across Lyme Bay towards ‘the wall’ often back onto the rear beam… all three Passing les Hanois as evening fell, we July, our seasons big race - The Rolex There were no other options. the rest of multihulls behind and searching You either do or you don’t. of us have bruises to show. down Kraken and Tala. Bearing away out launched the asymmetric and the chase Fastnet on 3rd August. The “wall” was a ridge of very light to was really on: 50 miles to the finish and Ross Hobson - Buzz of the Needles channel onto a close fetch 20 years ago and the 1999 Fastnet and no wind that was expected to develop The seas improved north of the Lizard and late afternoon and last for 2-6 hours, I led a team of great sailors on the first we got out the blue VMG reacher that had extending across most of the channel. been so effective at the start. Holding off time (IIRC) that RORC let multihulls race, Pre-race there was lots of discussion Manic and a number of other Class 40s in a 30ft trimaran call Paradox. Boy did RORC Channel race 27-28 July of how best to cross this area of light we managed a few hairy moments nose we rock! 6th to the rock and best one wind, we opted north. So, into the wall diving into the back of waves finishing hour average speed of over 20 knots on Well here we are, the last race Isle of Wight to cheat the foul tide to a It was then a close fetch, to the Nab we ploughed south of Start Point and Tuesday 19:35 the way to the Rock. Finishing soon after virtual mark some 20mils away. Scorcha buoys, turning right to climb against the slowed… slowly making progress east, before the seasons ‘big one’. experiencing the eeriness of the total solar got past but we held on gamely until well tide into the Solent. We gamely held onto we watched the AIS as the boats behind We were 8th on handicap, 4th on the One week to The Rolex Fastnet KuKa (Cookson 50) across to the Nab eclipse at sea. That crew were determined past St Catherine’s Point when Tala (TP52) caught us. Rambler 88 and Scallywag water of the MOCRA multihulls and we start and we lined up the little and Team Brunel (VOR65) caught us. By buoys and tried vainly to catch her up to push hard and succeed. the flat water beat into the Solent and caught us just past Start point and we had set a new (sub 40ft) multihull record!! 30ft pocket rocket against some the virtual mark we were back to 4th and tagged onto their navigational brains trust (held for 20 years by Spirit of England). finish off Ryde. We finished just 9 minutes 40 years on and we were again on for the serious opposition: Two Volvo turned around to a 40 mile beat upwind… and followed them north then west slowly behind Kuka in 5th overall… NICE! Fastnet in a 30ft trimaran (report follows) 65s, one Maxi 72, one TP52 and our weak spot, slamming up wind in a crawling out of ‘the wall’. But the delay Ross Hobson - Buzz The experience which could best be a number of fast 50+ft monos. choppy seaway is not fun in a lightweight Next up starting this Saturday – The Rolex hurt us as we lost our big lead 30ft trimaran. Fastnet… described as being in a washing machine 77 boats came to the start line against the rest of the multihulls. as it rolls down a hill. Again, with a great And so into the night and west and as we were the only multi we But we have been learning, sailing slightly Ross Hobson - Buzz team who trusted and worked for each bound we sailed. were going head to head with the lower we hit bigger numbers and our other to achieve a combined goal. big monos. VMG goes up. By the time we were back More light airs off Falmouth to the Isle of Wight (St Catherine’s point Over the intervening years I have learned slowed us again, then it was Starting in almost ideal conditions it was again) we were holding off Lady First (60ft) many things, one I have a great wife and round the Lizard and power a one tack beat to the Needles before and a gaggle of 50 footers. We slipped family who put up with what can only be back on, on the expected blast heading SE to the virtual mark. Buzz back a few more places as we rounded described as insane behaviour. I have lost fetch across the Celtic Sea. As surpassed herself, coming off the start the Needles sailing into a hole off the a number of friends who had so much the wind increased it was 1 reef, line we hunted down the slower monos Shingles Bank as we beat up to the 3rd more to do and give, most recently my then 2 then 3 and we were still who were started ahead of us, holding mark in Poole Bay. We rounded the mark dear friend Anoop who died far too young powering at 18-20knots right then leaving the VOR65s. Scorcha (Maxi as darkness fell, and the big sails were at only 49. It seems that we all get only on the rhumb line. Then B****** 72) and ourselves were level pegging back out and the accelerator went down one go at this thing we call life. about 60miles from the rock, until we got cleaner air off Lymington/ (and Ross went to sleep!)... maxing at just wind swung west sooner than Yarmouth, then we slipped ahead to short of 25knots we were soon powering So, we best just do it. expected and we were now in a round the first mark some 200m in front, downwind… against yet more foul tide 1.5+ m sea with 30knots, 4 reefs leading the whole RORC fleet. and past St Catherine’s point (again) for a And so, to The Rolex Fastnet Race 2019. sand reefed jib, beating upwind 3rd time, moving up the places to the far We lined up, the smallest boat in the fleet, in Buzz’s weakest point of sailing. At the mark it was a deep downwind VMG easterly mark at The Owers cardinal buoy in the first start against 4 Ultimes 100+ Now we were the wrong side of reach, tucking into the south side of the in the early hours of Sunday morning. foot round the world foiling trimarans things, too far north and unable pg24 25pg Race Report - Cruising Report - MOCRA 2018 Review Contents RORC Cherbourg race 7th Sept Our Travels to Barcelona and season round up

We had hoped to reach So the season is over: The last race of the English With the wind forecast to swing to the Barcelona in our Dragonfly Channel part of the RORC North in the early hours, we wanted to 1 line honours get south as fast as possible, but like 1 record (under 40ft Fastnet race) 32 towards the end of 2018, season is the traditional 70 odd the Fastnet, the sea state stopped any 2 Multihull class wins however, the flooding on the mile blast across the channel thoughts of big headsails and really RORC season multihull champion opening the throttles. So we blasted Canal du Midi put paid to from Cowes to Cherbourg. that, with the canal having to along with 1 then 2 reefs then back to The season was fairly hard for a small 30ft none as the wind built, then dropped trimaran. The Cervantes Trophy was fast be closed as a result of the We were out on the Solent and ready a as we waited for the wind swing. Near good 1 ½ hours before the start, waiting midnight, in the last 40 miles we started but cold with lots of hard upwind beating, destruction at Trèbes. Luckily, for the other multihull (Trio Capriccio to experience the odd phenomenon of with more, hard, upwind beating in the we were not far enough along – Dragonfly 35 Ultimate) and 64 other dropping out of the Westerly air flow, Myth of Malham, Morgan cup, Channel the canal to get caught up in it, yachts. With favourable winds forecast we race and Fastnet. The hard, upwind beats getting into the NW wind, so we got the with boats being damaged and were raring to go. big blue VMG up and immediately sailed are brutal, but we know what to expect back into the westerly breeze. We were and how to sail the boat in the conditions devastation to the infrastructure We started on the 2nd start with the IRC right on the transition of westerly to NW and we have the expectation of the fast both of which we were to see big boats and settled into the beat down and with the VMG up continued to sail in spray laden blast back! We are a lot as we travelled on the canal the Solent, cross tacking boat after boat and out of the wind change all the way more confident in the boat and have all the following year and talked as we caught the slower mono’s. Redshift to the finish. Anticipating the wind shift the systems working nicely so 1 or 2 can and ourselves swapped tacks and we had sailed to the west of the rhumb manage the deck, rarely needing all 3 on to those who were caught advantage all the way to Hurst point when line, so the ‘shifting wind’ falling in and deck up in it. We knew of a yard at we were able to free the sheets slightly out of the wind the wind shift meant we had to work hard to keep boat speed up Castelsarraisin where we could and chase down the few boats ahead, Many thanks to our sponsors/supporters with only the 60ft Venomous ahead of whilst also working to the east. Getting leave the boat out of the water us by the Needles as we bore off to the into flatter water as we approached the Octopus Europe over winter, so we travelled back reach/fetch to Cherbourg we blew past finish helped, as did the final wind shift Harken there from Toulouse. The mast Venomous at a steady 18knots. to the NW as we rounded the entrance to Cherbourg harbour and scooted down Maricom / B&G was to spend the winter at the to the finish at 0134 in an elapsed time of Southern Ropes The sea state was awkward to say the yard in Paulliac. 6hrs and 24mins, 15minutes faster than Facnor least, a steep sharp quartering sea on the last year. stern made helming difficult with the stern The French waterways authority, VNF, set of the boat being repeatedly slammed and we look forward to 2020… when we to work repairing the damage with the We had claimed our first line honours of are thinking of going ‘3 Peaks racing’! to port with occasionally what we have the season, 35 minutes ahead of the next intention of getting it open for April. With come to know as a ‘Fastnet slapper’ : finishers, the 2 Class 40s who were only 2 the expected reduced depth of water in when a wave slams the helmsman off minutes apart and over an hour ahead of Ross Hobson - Buzz the Canal du Midi. Once home we spent their seat and into the rear beam, it hurts! the first IRC yacht. the winter building a rudder blade out of 30 year old Kenyan mahogany which had been sitting in a neighbour’s garage. The result was we reduced our draft from 1.4 m to 0.7 m. We were to come across a Westerly Fulmar with a 1.4 m draft which hit a submerged object breaking a blade on the propeller and bending the shaft. With the canal being opened in April, we put the boat back in the water and continued on our way, stopping for the evening just south of Toulouse at Port Sud. We saw Harriers flying along the bank, together with many ducks and ducklings in the water. We were also to come across otters at Gardouch. VNF have been active in promoting wildlife and putting bird boxes in its trees along the bank, together with a massive tree replacement project. Moving from the Garonne to the Canal du Midi we encountered the first of the oval locks at Castenet. This did not suit us being straight sided and it took a lot of care with good fendering for the bow and stern not to touch the lock wall. It wasn’t until a half dozen locks further on that we started

pg26 pg27 Our travels to Barcelona continued Delivering Toucan 2

the River Hèrault. for its rough conditions and indeed a film The question was; how to get We travelled down about wrecking was shot off this headland Toucan 2, a Strider Turbo, from to Agde, where the with false light houses being constructed! buildings are made Puerto l’Escala was our introduction to Dalgety Bay on the Firth of Forth of black volcanic Med type mooring; we had decided to to Kippford, on the Solway Firth? stone. We moored go bow to the pontoon placing the fixed Some 100 miles southwest as just in front of a lines on our stern to avoid the use of a the crow flies. My options were restaurant and were gangplank. At least on this side of the able to admire our Med we did not have to drop our anchor either; put it on a trailer and bring boat whilst eating in a marina with the risk of entanglement. it down by road or sail round dinner. Empúries, a UNESCO designated site through the Caledonian Canal. of two cities, one being Greek and the There were a couple of snags The following day other Roman, is within walking distance, with the road option. I would we motored down although after spending the afternoon to Grau d’Agde, walking around the site, the walk back need a crane at each end and a where our mast was was not that welcome! They still have trailer. It didn’t have a dedicated waiting for us and around 70% of the Roman city still to be road trailer so it was going to be we could become a excavated, but what has been done so costly. It was a very long way to sailing boat again! It far is well presented. Blanes was our last descending and it became all that much took us three days to get the mast rigged, stop before reaching our final destination sail, nearly 400 miles. Up the East easier, with the water flowing out of the stepped and the sails on, by which time of Barcelona and is well worth a visit, coast to Inverness, through the lock. Unlike the Garonne, where the lock it looked as if we were going to be hit by particularly the Marimurtra Garden, which canal to Fort William, then down sequence is initiated by twisting a pole the Tramontane wind the following day. is a botanic garden founded by Carl Faust the west coast of Scotland. hanging across the canal, on the Canal du We motored the short distance round in 1952. There are subtropical, temperate Midi it was necessary to go ashore when to the Marina at Cap d’Agde, where we and Mediterranean sections, all based on Then the Marine Haggis dropped in his a lock keeper wasn’t present. There are remained for 4 days while it blew its way the top of a cliff overlooking Blanes. penny worth. “Why not use the Forth some beautiful spots to moor, such as this through. We spent the time exploring and one at Montgiscard with an old lavoir just walking, before sailing across the Gulf de Then it was on to Barcelona, where Clyde canal?” Never heard of it! Newly behind us, a gothic church up the hill and Lyon and to our final stop in France, Port we arrived on the 20th May. We based repaired, it was due to re-open in mid a couple of restaurants just across from Vendres, prior to entering Spain. It was a ourselves at Marina Badalona, leaving May for through traffic. It was tight but the mooring. typical Mediterranean day, with little wind the boat there over the summer, having do-able. Maximum width of 6m (Toucan’s to start with in the morning and a strong decided to avoid the high temperatures beam is 5.3m) and an air draft of 3m (the En route was Castelnaudary, home of breeze developing in the afternoon. Care and crowds. We enjoyed our time mast has to come down). It’s a go. Cassoulet, and Carcassonne, with its also needed to be taken with sudden exploring Barcelona and particularly the medieval city. By travelling in April, we increases of wind pressure, with no Gaudi buildings. We will need to return in were able to miss the mass of hire boats obvious warning!! 2026, when the Sagrada Familia is due to that we saw moored and waiting in their be completed to mark the 100 years of bases. It was a slow meander along The sail to Puerto l’Escala was to prove Gaudi’s death. and parked the car at the sailing club. expanded in the warm weather and was the Canal du Midi, becoming narrow in uncomfortable, with large waves on our When I got to the Kelpies I took the train stuck, so we had to wait for a man with a places, which at times made passing port beam, which at times were breaking back to Dalgety Bay, going over the iconic very big spanner to arrive to un-stick it. I barges coming the other way difficult, on our approach to round Cabo Creus. Jeff and Fiona Speller Forth rail bridge. thought bascule bridges were like Tower with us having to go astern to a wider There are deep underwater canyons in Aquafly Bridge in London where water fills large passing place. We encountered the excess of a 1,000 m here then rapidly Dragonfly 32 Supreme This trip would mean a lot of car juggling. counterbalance tanks and its weight lifts first of the palm trees at the lock before shelving to some 100 m. It is notorious the bridge. These had 4 hydraulic rams Trèbes giving the feel we were nearing I set off at 0830 in glorious sunshine at each corner and lifted the bridge up. It the Mediterranean. The damage from the reminded me of a table. We then got to flooding was clearly seen at Trèbes and off from the Kelpies basin on passage through the Forth/Clyde canal. There was the fun part. We had to go under the A82, while they had got the canal open, they the main road to Loch Lomond, which another boat in company for efficiency were continuing work on the surrounding didn’t lift and had an air draft of less than in the locks etc. 1145 we had arrived at area. The water in this section was very a metre. The ingenious solution was to the Falkirk Wheel. 3hr 15min to cover 4 high with the top of the locks being only enter a lock basin; the water was then 10 cm above the water, making fenders miles! Mind you there was something like pumped out, lowering us 3m, enough to useless, with the result we had to hold 19 locks. Once on the contour section pass under the bridge; then filling the lock the boat off until the water had dropped we made good progress and reached back up once we were the other side. The Is it a whammy, whammy? Or a double, sufficiently in the lock for us to get back Southbank Marina late afternoon. I didn’t whole process took about 40 minutes. We double whammy? I managed to go over onboard. fancy it! The entrance was very narrow arrived at Bowling Basin at 1800. and under both the Forth Road and Rail and it looked full. The other boat put their Next came the famous Fonserannes flight bridges on my delivery trip from Dalgety nose in and quickly removed it. So we Next stage is to put the mast up and sail of staircase locks near Béziers, allowing Bay to the entrance to the Forth Clyde moved on and after another half an hour south. boats to be raised a height of 21.5 m Canal at Grangemouth. The wind was a or so moored for the night at a canal side over a distance of 300 m and is a well F2 Easterly, sunny but chilly and, because pub. I spent a couple of days putting the mast visited tourist attraction. We had quite the mast had to come down for the canal, up and getting Toucan ready for the an audience as we descended. This was I sailed under jib alone. I still managed An early start was needed to get to journey south. I locked out of Bowling at followed by the Orb lock with a depth to average 5.1kts. Moored at the Kelpies the first set of locks for 0830 when the 0815 and motored down the Clyde. It was of 6.19 m leading to Béziers. This was basin waiting for part 2 of the trip, the operators would meet us and take us calm, still and quiet. Cloch point is where to be our last stay on the Canal du Midi, transit of the canal – at least there’ll be through the west section to Bowling. We the River Clyde turns south, widens and as on leaving we motored to the famous no lumpy bits. I had driven up to Dalgety moored at the Clydebank shopping centre becomes the Firth of Clyde. I arrived there round lock, ecluse d’Adge, to exit on to Bay crossing over the new Forth Bridge for lunch. The bascule bridge there had at 1030, having averaged 6kts. 28pg pg29 Delivering Toucan 2 Cruising Report - MOCRA 2018 Review Contents As the day wore on the wind built to about I reached Crammag Head light at 1530 They were larger than usual and brown in 10kts but it was southerly so I had to and rounded the Mull at 1730. A fantastic colour. I thought they were Pilot Whales The trials (and tribulations) motor into it. I thought about sailing but it speed of 2.5kts. The flood tide sets at first but they had the distinctive sickle was a delivery and time was pressing. slightly north into Luce Bay and with shaped dorsal fin. When I got home I looked them up and think that they were of Toucan 2 hardly any wind I was pushed in between White Beaked Dolphins. By 0630 I had A rather sinister RIB approached the Scares which are jagged rocks half and told me to stay to the east of the rounded Balcary Point and was heading way across the bay on the edge of the My objective was to assess the qualities channel and to keep clear as there was up the final mile or so to Kippford. I was danger zone (there’s unexploded shells of the boat and get to know her. With a a vessel movement. Some vessel! A concerned that I had beaten the tide and from the firing range in the bay). At 1900 good F4 wind we hammered south into Nuclear Submarine with its attendant that there would not be sufficient depth of a light wind picked up from the southwest water in the channel. You can only enter a lumpy sea. I don’t know whether it was tugs steamed past. I passed down the us or the boat reaching the limit but we and I started to make progress. At 2330 the estuary at 2½ hours before high water. Cumbrae channel in flatter water rather decided to put a tuck in the laundry and I was round Burrow Head and abeam I needn’t have worried, the wind died and than follow the main shipping lane. reef down. We blasted up and down, of the entrance to the Isle of Whithorn. the tide caught me up. I drifted up the estuary, tying up alongside the pontoon at beating, running and reaching in the flatter The build up of wind meant that 18 miles in 6 hours, a fantastic 3kts! 0730 a happy bunny. After the all nighter water. Toucan was lifting a hull and hitting occasional waves were hitting the An improvement of ½ a knot, wow! By a shower and a quick kip was needed 15kts – not bad for a cruiser! In the end outboard bracket and water was dousing now it was blowing F3 and Toucan was before I took the bus and train back to both Dave and I were wet and feeling the engine. I slowed down to try to avoid romping along in the dark leaving trails of bowling to pick up the car. our age so decided to come in. Being the worst of this. Originally, I was aiming phosphorescence behind. In the dawn environmentally conscious we sailed for Troon but I was getting tired and the I was joined by 2 dolphins that played Chris Nurney Toucan onto the mooring and retired for a engine was getting swamped more often around the boat for half an hour or so. Toucan 2 well earned pint. and it had started to rain so I made for The trials (and tribulations) of an almighty bang as the kicker broke. Willie normally sails a light weight 25’ Ardrossan which was 7 miles closer. I Toucan 2 Dave thought he was Next, it was Willie and Douglas’ turn to cruiser/racer with a hull speed of about tied up in the marina at 1630. I kept the just going for a quick sail in be initiated. The wind was SW F5 gusting 7kts which isn’t happy in this weight of engine running, took the cover off, dried Toucan. How right he was! Dave god awful so decided on a reef in the the electrics with tissues and sprayed wind, so it came as a shock to him to is an excellent GP14 sailor and main and full jib. Being ecofriendly, we liberal quantities of WD40 over them. sailed off the mooring and short tacked be creaming to windward at 12kts or so has occasionally crewed for me down the estuary into Rough Firth. with the windward hull lifting. Douglas, a This was the biggy. I set off from in cruiser races. We motored young laser sailor, was too stunned to say Ardrossan at 0800 heading for Portpatrick down the channel and put up full Again I was assessing the qualities of anything. I think he’s converted! There on the end of the Galloway Peninsular main as we passed the start hut. the boat so we blasted up and down was a lot of sag in the forestay which some 60 miles away. I took the direct Engine off, main in and away we testing the systems. This short tacking affected the pointing ability. Another job! course, 200°M, and motored slowly into After a couple of hours us old farts were went. With the jib unfurled the showed up some irritating niggles. The the southerly wind to protect the engine. lazy jib sheet kept wrapping around starting to get tired and as the tide started The tidal flow in this part of the world boat accelerated and Dave, on various cleats, jammers and winches - yet ebbing, continuous breaking waves began is negligible but beyond Carswell point the helm, started grinning. another problem to sort. Then there was to appear. Time to head in. would become significant. The aim was to reach this point at the start of the flood tide. I crossed Loch Ryan and reached Carswell Point at 1930, high water. My slow progress meant that I had missed this tidal gate. The ebb was beginning to run in the North Channel and I would be fighting it every inch of the way to Portpatrick. To add to the misery, it started to pour down. This last 10 miles was horrendous! Wet, dark, visibility measured in metres, engine stuttering and a foul tide. To keep out of the worst of the tide I crawled along the coast about a cable off the cliffs. I arrived in Portpatrick at 2330. Was I glad to get in?

Expensive Fuel! I took a taxi 8 miles to the nearest filling station in Stranraer and put 10l in the tank. It worked out at £2.86/ litre. I was ready to go at 1030 but the engine wasn’t! All my tender care came to nought. Never mind there was a good westerly wind and I was going south and east. I got a tow out to about a ¼ mile offshore and hoisted the sails. The aim was to round the Mull of Galloway on the last of the ebb and take the flood tide up the Solway. I would be in Kippford by 2030 at the latest. The wind died! pg30 31pg The Trials & Tribulations of Toucan 2 The Trials & Tribulations of Toucan 2

wind comes over the hills and shifts all over the place so it was a little frustrating chasing it about. We managed to get to the other side of Rough Island before the light started to fade. So did the wind! On the way back in I noticed a distinct smell of petrol and discovered that the fuel line connection to the outboard had snapped off. Not to worry, a nice, light wind meant that we could sail onto the pontoon under jib without too much drama. Nope! It died, and the tide turned so we were going nowhere. If we could just get close enough to the jetty then there would be a couple of minute’s worth of fuel left in the carburettor to motor alongside. The gods didn’t like me that day. Fortunately, some young club members were out waterskiing and kindly towed us in. My daughter was hiding in shame and threatening to disown me. And, I’m not going to be allowed to forget this.

I bought a gauge and checked the rig tension, it needed some serious grunt. With the rig set up taught Toucan was ready for her next misadventure.

It was too good an opportunity to miss. The weather was bright, clear and sunny meant that incoming tide took hold and, with a soft NE breeze of 7kts. John and rather than drift clear of the buoy and I took advantage and took Toucan for tender, we sailed over them. Oops! Out a sail. The wind’s direction meant that in the firth, we gave the asymmetric we could sail off the mooring. I’m one an airing. Initially, it was tacked down of those people who like to manoeuvre to the bowsprit and, although sailing under sail to the point of being an well, I thought it not quite right. We obsessive. It’s a sailing boat, if you can’t experimented by easing the tack off 6” do it under sail get a motorboat! Having at a time. What a difference! With each hoisted the main, I made the mistake of increment the boat got faster until a point putting a little bit of board down which was reached when the sail just collapsed. When we rounded up onto a reach the Douglas was given the helm and had a tack needed pulling down to keep it grin as wide as the estuary as he drove drawing, which is what I expected. us back up stream. There is a 5kt speed limit in the river amongst the moorings – Toucan has an infuriating habit of turning Ay right! Since I swamped the outboard to port no matter which tack and I was on the delivery down I’m reluctant to use doing a lot of chin pulling and head it unless the boat is in flat water. In this scratching to try and figure out what was case we were going too fast to lower it. wrong. On the run down we only had the Big mistake! I wanted to put Toucan on starboard board down half way and there the jetty so that I could fettle those minor was neutral helm. As soon as the port jobs. We got the main down but there board went down on the reach, wham! was still too much power in the jib and Serious turning to port. John put his we were going too fast. Sailing is a non- hand on it and detected vibrations. Our contact sport! conclusion is that the port board is slightly warped. Another winter job! Having done the minor jobs I looked round for my next victim, sorry volunteer. It was a big 8.5m tide and with all the My daughter normally refuses to sail with rain of the past few days the ebb was me, something to do with a “Captain flowing strongly, at about 5kts, and, in the Bligh syndrome”, so I was astonished light wind, we were struggling to make when she agreed to come out in Toucan. headway against it on the beat up to the I later discovered her ulterior motive mooring. Sadly, we needed to motor if we because she bummed another restaurant were going to make it back before we ran meal out of me. It was a late evening tide out of wet stuff. These things are sent to as we motored down the estuary into a try us. light south westerly wind. With the sails up and drawing we were doing all of 3kts Chris Nurney to windward. In this kind of breeze the Toucan 2 pg32 pg33 CruisingMOCRA 2018 Review Contents Report - MOCRA 2018 Review Contents Prickly Pair Heads for Portugal

The Nichols family: Aoife (me/ Mum), Jon (Dad), Patrick (5) and Saoirse (3), took 10 weeks off last summer to sail our 11.5 meter Azuli catamaran, Prickly Pair, from sunny Millbrook to Portugal. This is the first few weeks of our weekly email updates written to friends and family, I hope you enjoy!

Week 1 It’s week one of our ten weeks and we’ve made it to Spain!

We sailed from Plymouth on Monday lunchtime to Saint Evette, West Brittany, arriving on Tuesday after lunch. Flat calm passage, motored almost the whole 160 miles. Beautiful sunshine and saw some Dolphins too. Kids adjusted to life on board really quickly, wearing their life jackets on deck and washing in a basin before bed!

After we anchored up, we spent a lovely afternoon on the beach in Saint Evette rejuvenating the kids love of the boating life. After refuelling and catching up on our sleep for a couple of days we set sail across Biscay from Audierne on Thursday at 11am. Steaming along with 17 knots of apparent wind we covered 80 miles in the first 8 hours. A great start, although tricky for the kids to move around the boat when it’s bouncing like a washing machine. Somehow I managed to make buns with the kids, got to keep morale up! After this as our first day it was good to find our sea legs early and the rest of the passage seemed easy.

The first night was foggy and lumpy sun and slowed the boat for some fishing we found out it was a Minke Whale. rocky and tree lined northern coast of The kids immediately requested a swim! a morning run in the Spanish countryside across Biscay. Saoirse had to sleep in the in the morning. And then for a mid-Biscay Patrick drew it in his daily log book as the Spain. There was the most amazing smell for me), an explore of the local fishing saloon (in the centre of the boat and least swim in the afternoon. The kids were most exciting thing from that day, high of eucalyptus as we got closer and we Week 2 industry, castle ramparts and local bouncy part) and Patrick (with a stomach super excited about this and we played praise indeed. celebrated with some chocolate banana Week two of our ten week adventure and Maritime museum we set sail for A of steel) was happy in our stern cabin. Jon around in the water cooling off until a crepes for breakfast. Patrick was so we made it to Portugal. We’ve settled into Coruna on Sunday afternoon. An easy and I were bleary eyed keeping a lookout whale surfaced 10 meters from the boat, The second night was an easy motor sail excited when a moth landed on his life boat life so much I forgot what day it was 30nm hop from Cedeira. To help make for fishing boats in the fog during our 3 Patrick was in the water at the time but (stuck in the centre of a high pressure with jacket; he loves nature and any kind of and was struggling to remember what the kids feel at home and pass the time hour watches. quickly retreated up the boarding ladder. light winds) with good visibility and some bugs, he was very proud to bring it safely happened in the last week and to write we made some dough and had yummy Although then asked if he could get back amazing stars and phosphorescence. back to land aboard Prickly Pair. So, after myself some notes! pizza for dinner on passage. They were The kids woke to beautiful sunshine and in and swim with the whale! It was pretty a 46 hour crossing from Northern France After arriving in Cedeira (N Spain) last just doing their teeth as we headed into spotted a swimming crab and yet another spectacular and we feel so lucky to have When the kids woke at 7am we could we anchored up in a beautiful fishing Saturday, we recovered for a day and A Coruña and tucked up in bed when we pod of dolphins. We motor sailed in the experienced this. After a bit of research see, through the murky sky, the high village, Ria de Cedeira. night. After a whole full night’s sleep (and decided to anchor in Mera, a peaceful,

pg34 35pg Prickly Pair Heads for Portugal Prickly Pair Heads for Portugal sheltered bay just opposite. think there was a competition, Patrick was it was a bit like a colony of ants walking well impressed! all the paths. I think we are so lucky to With 25+ knt northerly winds forecast for The kids woke up early the next day to the have islands like the Scilly Isles which the following 2 -3 days we decided to sound of booming dance music, turns out in comparison, are so quiet, rural and make the most of them and set off before our marina berth was below a gym! This unspoilt, albeit with less reliable warm breakfast for Cape Finesterre (80nm turned out to be a blessing in disguise water! away). We had a lots of fun making bread as I managed to get to a few exercise dough and scones on passage. It was a classes the following day on a free trial- Tuesday morning dawned and Jon was great sail, steaming along with one reef very happy Mummy. We spent a fun day well enough to mind the kids so I escaped at 6-14 knots downwind with a nice bit sightseeing in the beautiful small city of for a morning run around the island. It was of surfing. We even managed to average Viana do Castelo, kicked off by a cake so peaceful and cool at this time of day 10 knots until we rounded Finisterre and each in the local pasteleria (patisserie in and the islands beauty was much easier rounded up to beat the last 5 miles to Portuguese). The highlight for the day was to see before the day trippers arrived. a sheltered harbour. The scenery here visiting the fairy castle on the hill (phew!) Unfortunately running on a steep rocky is stunning with the high mountains of which we travelled up to on a funicular track back down towards the boat I went Buxantes and Pindo as the backdrop to railway. A happy crew all round! over on my ankle and hobbled back to the the Ria. However, the cliffs of Finisterre dinghy. I was under orders to submerge caused some crazy 35knt gusts as we Thursday was a laundry and provisioning my foot in sea water a few times and after were sailing past, luckily Jon anticipated day so while I escaped to a HIIT class, a bit of treatment later in the day I was this and we had put in a second reef Jon and the kids got a load of laundry relieved to be back running a couple of before they hit us. on. I returned to Patrick shrimping off the days later. Lucky to have an osteopath on Concurbion was our safe haven for the pontoon with his net whilst simultaneously board! the kids decided to act out the book we with speedboats zooming around, music (an Irish person needs a good chat when night. It sits in the corner of the bay inside line fishing, giving it the occasional tug. had been reading ‘Pigs might fly’. Patrick from the quay and fireworks at midnight married to a quiet Englishman!) Patrick Finisterre and was a sleepy fishing village Saoirse wanted to make the shrimp more On Tuesday afternoon we went on a made lots of signs with post-it notes from the castle ramparts. It’s a wealthy, was chuffed as they offered us biscuits at home in the bucket so added an array family explore of the Island and Patrick advertising the show and got costumes bustling, and touristy city so we made the but Saoirse was keen to get moving so we of seaweed shelter. There was resistance was so excited to see lots of lizards from hats and clothes we had around. most of it having tapas and helado (ice- headed off to find the only island shop for to their release so to keep them cool sunning themselves on the rocks. He was Jon did some great face painting and they cream) today. The castle was really well provisions. Somehow after getting most while we went for lunch Patrick and Jon mad keen to bring one home as a pet played for hours with this, who needs toys preserved and we also visited the Pinta. A of the things on my list Saoirse persuaded decided to dangle the bucket in the water. but we managed to persuade him they eh?! replica of Christopher Columbus’ first ship me to buy a watermelon. Patrick, Saoirse On return and once Patrick and Saoirse weren’t designed to travel on boats and to find the New World (San Salvador). This and I had a good hike up the hills through had got to know them individually by might be a bit sad with no warm rocks to We saw lots of ships coming out of Ria de was great, simple and not too much info. the eucalyptus forest to the viewing point picking them up, we thought it best to sunbathe on. Vigo, which I think we were more excited The kids enjoyed this a lot and Saoirse with some spectacular views amongst release them as they had enough trauma about than the kids! Making such good keeps asking if Christopher Columbus is the dramatic granite peaks. But my arms for one day. The anchorage on Illas Cies was very progress, passing Baiona at 5pm, we dead?! The concept of 500+ years ago is nearly fell off on the long walk back noisy day (with ferries) and night (with decided to continue on past Baiona the tricky for a 3 year old. through the island and half way along extra 30nm to Portugal. Patrick was super While Jon was refuelling on Friday the beautiful golden beach to the dinghy fishing trawlers in the bay) so we upped morning (by wheeling a shopping anchor for a peaceful night’s sleep to a excited to raise the Portuguese courtesy We’re looking forward to escaping to the carrying all the essentials to fight off trolley with our 2x20 litre fuel cans to quiet bay on the mainland. To cool down flag as we crossed the imaginary border quiet beaches of the Illas Cies tomorrow scurvy, and a huge watermelon! the local petrol station) we made our after dinner we paddle boarded ashore for with Spain on the sea. With enormous morning! excitement Saoirse also spotted a fairy umpteenth trip to the playground, where The Illas Cies are part of a Nature a swim and play on the beach before bed. Saoirse made some more Spanish castle on the hill through the binoculars Week 3 Reserve which you have to gain online friends-language is no barrier for kids, Wednesday morning dawned, another coming into Viana do Castelo, Portugal. Week three took us across the Rias for permission to anchor off, thus I was particularly not Saoirse! Surprisingly, of scorcher of a day so we had a swim We were secretly hoping we could visit Baixas, light winds, hot weather and short expecting very quiet, remote islands. It the evening we visited. After 36 hours all the interesting things we saw Saoirse’s before breakfast and Saoirse was so keen this ‘Fairy Castle’ otherwise we would hops between anchorages. I can’t believe was quite the opposite, with about 3000 on the boat, the kids were thrilled to be favourite part of being in Portugal was the to join. Great to see her water confidence have one very disappointed crew member. we’re at the end of our third week, time tourists a day arriving by ferry and about ashore running and jumping around in playground 200 m from the boat though blossoming. Saoirse even started to get Coming into Viana do Castelo we saw is flying. A good sign I think that we’re 1000 on the campsite on this small island, the space. Luckily we managed to find a it was fully equipped with zipwire and the hang of paddle boarding! She was so some spectacular kitesurfing stunts, we all settling into cruising life. Saoirse has nice seafood restaurant for dinner behind grown up exercise kit! pleased with herself. Patrick still hadn’t even stopped asking ‘when are we going the beautiful old church and Patrick, Mr surfaced (he normally wakes at the crack back home’ and replaced it with ‘can I go Adventurous, went for the Razor Clams We set off for Baiona, Spain, 30nm of dawn), poor fella had come down with swimming’! and persuaded Jon and I to try one each- North, on Friday afternoon but sailing a mild dose of Saoirse’s tummy bug or delicious with a squeeze of lemon! past the Rio Minho the weather was so got too hot in the night, not quite sure. After visiting Baiona last Sunday which settled we just couldn’t resist stopping was hot hot and humid (and noisy at night Jon upped anchor before breakfast to at this stunning, unspoilt estuary, which We moved over to Cangas, a small town with fishing boats and guys fishing off the head down the coast, aiming for Baiona acts as the border between Spain and on the north coast of the Ria de Vigo, pier until 3am, crazy Spanish!) we needed (Spain), 80 nm. Luckily it was 8am when Portugal. After a courteous boarding from hoping to find Irish friends we made to be near a beach and some peace and we all woke up as the kids were finally Portuguese customs to check our papers in Viana the previous week and were quiet so headed for Illas Cies on Monday adjusting to holiday time. The sun was we enjoyed a peaceful drink on deck, delighted to find them on the Marina when morning. out for the first time since we reached a refreshing change from the previous we got ashore. We had a nice evening Spanish waters, which made for a happy evenings dance music from the gym! with them ashore for drinks and the kids Poor Jon came down with Saoirse’s crew. The kids were delighted to get I escaped for a gorgeous sunny run on were so excited to join us for the evening tummy bug and was bed bound for the an extra 4 stories in bed while Jon was Saturday morning and we had a fun, out. Saoirse said ‘but you normally get a day, so after dropping anchor in Illas Cies hoisting the sails and navigating around simple day playing on the beach. Heading babysitter when you go out’, she got her and making some pizza dough, the kids the numerous rocks down past the Rias north for Baiona that evening, an easy 15 best clothes on, got me to do her hair and I headed ashore for an explore. After Atlas. We baked bread from the previous mile motor up the mountainous coast in and wore some of my perfume! Patrick our swim we met a lovely group of Irish day’s efforts that had been proving - I light winds. was equally excited to put on his smart families on the beach. It was so nice to was amazed to see it was a success. shirt and comb his hair. The Dad of the have a chat with them and share stories After a nice bowl of porridge for breakfast Baiona was an assault on the senses Irish Family brought his guitar to the bar pg36 37 Prickly Pair Heads for Portugal

and Patrick was thrilled to request some songs and sang them in front of the group of fifteen of us, I couldn’t believe it, proud of my boy. And the Irish know how to party!

Thursday was hot again and we escaped the shelter of the town and sailed upwind (ahh cool breeze) down the next Ria de Pontevedra. We sailed past many towns with big marinas and high rise flats to arrive at the beautiful old town of Combarro at the head of the estuary, with just a handful of boats anchored.

We aimed to go ashore early for an explore the next day but with kids this is a challenge and unfortunately after a swim to cool down, teeth brushing etc. it was super-hot when we got ashore. We explored the old town quickly and headed to the pasteleria for a well-deserved cake and a cup of tea (for me). The town’s narrow cobbled streets were full of Horrreos (grain stores) on stilts, built to keep grain away from birds, rain and rodents. The kids were just thinking of the cake though but might remember some of it in time. treasure: miniature sea urchin shells muscle beds in the Ria d’Arousa. Muscles We upped anchor and had lunch on the (some still with spikes), a dried starfish grow on 20 m long ropes attached to the way to Ria d’Arousa. Half way through leg and Patrick was thrilled with all the floating pontoons. Patrick is fascinated washing the laundry in a bucket we dried crab limbs and bodies. He must by this and was thrilled to see them spotted a huge sailing ship on the way have collected 50 pieces. The anchorage offloading the muscles via forklift truck to out, the third biggest sailing ship in the was getting a rolling swell so we headed a lorry today. By chance there was a sea world, a Spanish Naval Training vessel, into Ria d’Arousa for a bit of protection, survival course running nearby too and we Juan Sebastian de Elano. The kids were eating dinner on route, we found a quiet got to see the trainees lumber down the more excited about washing their pants anchorage off Pobra de Caraminal for the slipway into the water in their sea survival than the ship but we sailed around night. suits and do exercises in the water to aid anyway. their rescue (see photo). The kids went on a hand turned wooden ferris wheel in Passing Illa Ons (another Island Nature Patrick was so excited to telling me he Reserve) looked so inviting we dropped saw a cargo ship docking out of his town today too, that was cool. And I was anchor for a swim to the beach for me bedroom window when he woke up this so pleased the weather has cooled down and paddle board for the rest of the crew. morning (the kids were asleep when we and it even rained today - hooray! We found some exciting beach arrived). The town also has a huge fleet of muscle boats that service the extensive Aoife Nichols - Prickly Pair 38 39 www.mocra-sailing.org.uk

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