Wild Sailing

The wind was quite wild last weekend.

On Saturday I sailed the RS Feva at Killington. I stayed close to the clubhouse sailing on a beam reach across from one side of the lake to the other. It was quite fun. It was a little difficult getting it to turn and a few times I was blown back onto the tack I was just turning from.  I got the hang of tightening the main sale and being quick to tighten the jib after turning.  

After about an hour I capsized, my first time in the Feva. It came up OK, but then it went over straight away.  The second time I got on OK but capsized again quite soon afterwards. This time it did a total inversion and I was getting quite tired. After a bit I was sat on top of the upturned boat again, resting to get my breath back, and thinking that the vague thought that it might be foolhardy to take a boat out when no-one else was around that I had before I started was beginning to feel a bit more real. I began to wonder which bank I would end up drifting onto.

Once I got my breath back I got the boat upright again, but did not have the energy to clamber back onto it.  I held onto the side while it sailed to the side, just downwind from the clubhouse. I was very glad to be able to pack up the sails and walk the boat back to the jetty.

Some one else did arrive as I was walking the boat back, and after I had got changed and had some lunch and was about to leave, a couple arrived to go windsurfing.   Windsurfers like the strong winds.

When I arrived at Killington on the Sunday, the only people there were just taking some boats away, so I drove on up to Glenridding. Pooley Bridge was in bright sunshine, and the middle section of Ullswater looked very windy. I arrived at Glenridding just as some folk were leaving after a great time on the Laser Stratos, that ended with needing to be rescued, and Pete said to leave it for five minutes to see what the wind was going to do next. 

I went out on a Topper Topaz, and it was great fun. I was going across from one side of the lake to the other on a beam reach, and it did not take long to get from one side to the other.

The sheet tended to get caught in the cleat without really trying, which concerned me a bit, and like the day before I found it was difficult to turn all the way through a tack. I ended up in irons a few times, but it turned easily enough by lifting the dagger board. After a while I started sailing closer to the wind on the starboard tack, and nearer a broad reach on the port tack. I expected the broad reach to seem quieter but the boat seemed to be zipping along at great speed. It was certainly lots of fun.

I capsized after a short while, as I kind of expected to when I opted not to reef the sail. Then after about 45 minutes I capsized again.  I recall this well, it was just on coming out of irons again.  This time the boat capsized immediately after I righted it, and then again shortly after I had climbed back on.  The lads in the safety boat explained that I had the sheet in the cleat, and they waited nearby to see if I could resolve it.

I did try again, but this time I was getting quite tired, and I was very glad they were nearby as my last attempt failed and I found the boat drifting away from me.

Later Steve showed me how to remove the sheet from the hook near the cleat altogether, which I will remember for next time.  He also explained how to lift the sail briefly out of the water repeatedly until the wind is coming from behind you, before bringing the boat upright.  Righting a capsized boat, so easy in a force 2 wind, does seem to be more challenging in a force 4, and not one that I can say I have mastered yet.

It was great to be rescued, get changed, and enjoy a nice lunch in the sunshine looking over the lake.

Some folk were taking a catamaran out, and that was certainly displaying a very impressive turn of speed.